Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:21 PM

They are, without a doubt, the biggest influence on me and my own music.
I grew up on 'Stand Up' and 'Benefit' and singles such as 'Witches Promise', 'Sweet Dream' and Life is a long song'.
I lost sight of them in a few of their guises and phases that didn't quite cut it for me...
But the highpoint of their output for me remains the 'Songs from the Wood', 'Heavy Horses', 'Stormwatch' period...
- once John Glascock had settled in, in fact ( I didn't care too much for 'Too old to...' - was that his first with them?)
Once Ian 'broke up' that line up (following John's untimely death) I think the 'band' no longer functioned with the true feel of a 'band' - just a collective, assembled to fulfil Ian's constantly shifting trends (just a personal opinion, you understand!)
I listened to, but wasn't captivated by, many of those phases.
I did 'prick up my ears when my fave guitar player, Martin Barre seemed to dominate, once more - the 'Crest of a Knave' and 'Rock Island' period - but even that era was a tad patchy (for me!).
Strangely enough - I only saw them once 'live' with my fave line-up - and a good few times since in various incarnations.
Always enjoyed them 'live' - whatever phase and whatever line-up - the man himself is the consummate showman - and no mean player (of flute AND acoustic guitar!)
Martin Barre has remained a real hero of mine all through the years since I first strode into the lower sixth common room and put 'Benefit' on the stereo there!
I cannot express my admiration of this guitar player - I havn't the vocabulary!
And long serving Doanne P still keeps me watching the drum riser - what a player...
Jings! Haven't they been blessed with some greats on the stool - three superb custodians always engage me (all different in approach - all magnificent)... Clive B, the superb Barrie B and Doanne - love 'em!
And Ian? The man is a genius - fullstop.

I listen to those albums mentioned in this post often, to this very day - and my travels to and from my own gigs most often feature a compilation of songs from those mentioned - I'll look up the playlist and post it here - if anyone shows the remotest interest in comparing notes with me!

Thanks for posting the link!
Life IS a long song - and the tune hasn't ended for us (me) yet! - Duncan McF

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 04:43 PM

I saw them at the London Marquee, I think supporting Taste or maybe Love Sculpture in 1968 or so.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: gnu
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 03:52 PM

LEJ... I like the mix of old minstrel folk (sorry about the terminology) with "rock" and the orchestral arrangements.

I know it is impossible to put labels on any of it, but I just want to try to define my own feelings about the music.

In the end, I don't know music, but I know what I like. And Tull is waaaaay up there on my list. For me, Catfish Rising was something I had to listen carefully to. But, I find the poetry and the delivery of the "stories" compelling.

Here's sommat odd (?) about me. I will listen to an album 5 times in a row before I make ANY judgement whatsoever on whether I like it or not. I have sometimes wanted to trash an album immediately but I kept at it and found most times that I could "learn" to appreciate the music. Excluding cRAP that is violent or demeaning. I turn that shit off immediately. I even like some Eminem.... really... really.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 03:50 PM

Excellent quality vid from 76 showing Anderson
in full Dickensian frenzy.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 03:29 PM

Actually, gnu, I thought Benefit and Stand Up were more straight-forward rockers than Thick as a Brick, Songs from the Wood, etc. I liked the rollicking sound of songs like Nothing is Easy and the heavy groove of To Cry You a Song, and the quirky little tidbits like Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Squarer more than the softer, more trad-sounding stuff.
No doubt that I missed out on some good things, though. I'll give Catfish Rising a listen.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 09:21 AM

I saw them at the NEC on their 25th Anniversary tour. Superb.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 09:59 PM

Never saw them...

Guy turned me onto them in '69 or so... Lent me "Stand Up" LP an' I spent the rest of the night listenin' to it over and over... The song "New Day Yesterday" really stuck in my head so I learnt it up and played it forever... Haven't tried it in years... Maybe time to revisit...

But, Tull??? Truely amazing band...Great songs and arrangements... I mean, mature... Thoughtfull... Anyone can play power trio 3 chord rock 'n roll... Tull??? A thinkin' musican's band... Like Little Feat in that respect... Just different style but same crativeness that lotta bands didn't have in comparasion...

Another one from "Stand Up" is one that I never worked up but always been near and dear to me is "Fat Man"... "I don't wanta be a fat man..." (An' I ain't... Bean pole...lol)...

B~

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 07:30 PM

Nice one Debra!

My dad had a Jethro Tull album which first brought them to my notice as a teenager in the 1980s, I loved rock anyway so they were one of my favourites. Went to see them for the first time at the Manchester Apollo in about 1985 I think, that was already the time of the Broadsword and the Beast album (IMO they went off after that, going far too synthy etc).

But my favourite albums are ones from way back (in terms of my lifetime that is) - Heavy Horses and Songs of the Wood. I think we have almost all of their albums on vinyl. I've always thought Ian Anderson is a very interesting and intelligent bloke as well as being super-talented.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: DebC
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 05:45 PM

It was Jethro Tull that got me started on English folk, though at the time I didn't realise it. After all I was only 12 years old.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 05:32 PM

LEJ.... well, Catfish Rising? Lost you there too? I know it's not as Old English Folk or as orchestral as the earlier, but it is to me an amazing piece of poetic imagery, vocals and stunning mesh with the instumentals. Perhaps it is more "studio", but it is what it is and I was enthralled by it, for the most part.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 04:46 AM

The Tanglewood concert is very exciting; 1970 Jethro Tull delivering the customary blinder, including the beta version of My God which would later turn up somewhat squished on Aqualung. Watch them doing it at the Isle of Wight the same year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh0woT7NkKI. Flute solo notwithstanding (always sub-Rahsaan) I'd say that hits the spot.

I love the first three albums, maybe 30% of Aqualung, and Thick as a Brick is one of my all time favourite albums, after which maybe they should have called it a day. What happened to IA's voice that by Songs of the Wood it had become a nasal whine? And who was listening to Tull in 1977 anyway? Shame that the exciting folk influences very much in evidence throughout Stand Up, Witch's Promise etc. had become dreary prog bombast thereafter.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 05:04 PM

I have a couple of Tull concerts from 2010, and they still sound on top of their game!

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 04:57 PM

Jack, do you never sleep ---
does the green still run deep in your heart?
Or will these changing times,
motorways, powerlines,
keep us apart?
Well, I don't think so ---
I saw some grass growing through the pavements today.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Ernest
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 04:30 PM

And heres one of my favourites (one of many):

Moths

Thanks for starting this thread!
Ernest

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 03:54 PM

My favourite!

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 03:51 PM

Folk / Rock....... great stuff!

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 03:13 PM

Big fan. Know most of their stuff by heart. Some of the heavy metal noise always hurt my ears, but there wasn't tooo much of it.

Some of the poetic imagery is great as well... "with the clearest eyes of forever grey", "crumbs on the breakfast table and a million other little things to spoil my day"... I better stop before I get carried away.

Oh, and some of the gross imagery I try to ignore.

Thanks S'OP.

PS Before someone rags on Tull because it isn't folk... it is, combined with other genres and "updated" at times.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:58 PM

Thanks S'OP, love Tull, especially stuff from Stand Up and Benefit. Kind of lost me on Thick as a Brick and the stuff after, though.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 10:32 AM

Thanks for that. Haven't listened yet but looks like an interesting site all round, have signed up. Have seen Tull a few times over the years and they are absolutely top notch.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Stu
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 10:21 AM

Brilliant band. First saw them in the 1980's at the Manchester Apollo and they were fantastic. Saw Ian Anderson acoustic last year and he's still got 'it', and excellent evening.

Heavy Horses? One of my fave tracks of all time (and a superb video). Long may he heave lead in his pencil.

Subject: RE: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 09:46 AM

Jethro Tull ... nothing short of amazing .. in college it was non stop for me

Subject: Vintage Jethro Tull Anyone?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 07:20 AM

Could be a common enough bootleg for all I know, but this captures Jethro Tull on top of their game & claims to be remastered from the original tapes...

Jethro Tull, Tanglewood, July 1970

I dare say it'll be up as a blog before much longer, but it's passed a cheery morning!