Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson

[Super Steve Earle]

Well on Friday night me and Mrs Earle trekked off to Guildford for 2nd best. I bought the tickets for Ian Anderson to try and make sure the Albion made the playoffs so forcing me to sell them on ebay with a heavy heart musically, but buzzing Albionwise. Unfortunately the Seagulls let me down so a night of Prog rock lay ahead.
But what a superb night it was. Anderson was his usual troubador self leading a superb mix of Tull and his own band i.e. no Martin Barre. Unusually, Anderson had a second singer as the band played Thick as a Brick 1 & 2 in their entirety, 1 for the first time live since it came out in the early 70's. Both were superb and even Mrs Earle enjoyed it. Who would have tought there could still be a place for Prog in 2012? Beautifully played with video screens and a bit of the old Tull humour as the band pretended to be cleaners taking a break from the day job by playing a bit of music then returning to the day job to sweep up the stage.
Not sure a football forum is the place for a mini review, but if the Albion had made the play-offs I wouldn't have been there. And after all, it's our close season now. If you like you music a bit complex with a theme, you could do worse than Mr Anderson.:guitar:

 

[Muhammed - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

good to hear, Tull were always one of my favourite bands.
i used to see them whenever they were touring, the last time i saw them they were truly WOEFUL...i thought Anderson had lost it

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I was in a sports shop in North St in the early 70's and some foreign guy was asking if they sold aqualungs. He was after the Tull album, not the diving equipment. Someone had told him that's where he could buy it.*











* Yes I know ........... Cool Story Bro

 

[Boroseagull]

Just announced he is heading the Cordoba Guitar Festival in July, might just go now...

 

[Super Steve Earle]

good to hear, Tull were always one of my favourite bands.
i used to see them whenever they were touring, the last time i saw them they were truly WOEFUL...i thought Anderson had lost it

I know what you mean. Last time I saw Tull at the Dome, Anderson was painful to listen to as he struggled with the higher notes. The second singer seemed to take the pressure off as they interchanged fluidly and it allowed Ian to play more flute and that lovely little acoustic guitar. Still not sure if I would see Tull again though!

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

I know what you mean. Last time I saw Tull at the Dome, Anderson was painful to listen to as he struggled with the higher notes. The second singer seemed to take the pressure off as they interchanged fluidly and it allowed Ian to play more flute and that lovely little acoustic guitar. Still not sure if I would see Tull again though!

Saw him at Worthing Pavilion last year I think, and he was on good form. Voice wasn't quite what it was but his flute playing and guitar was top notch.

 

[Brovion]

I know what you mean. Last time I saw Tull at the Dome, Anderson was painful to listen to as he struggled with the higher notes. The second singer seemed to take the pressure off as they interchanged fluidly and it allowed Ian to play more flute and that lovely little acoustic guitar. Still not sure if I would see Tull again though!

Was that the Aqualung 30th anniversary tour about three years ago? I um'med and ah'hed about going but I'd heard that Anderson was well past his best so I thought it best to keep my memories intact. Plus I was never a great fan of anything after Heavy Horses, I bought Stormwatch and A but never really played them.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Anderson hosts a regular weekly show on Planetrock. He's a proper old school entertainer on stage or on radio.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Was that the Aqualung 30th anniversary tour about three years ago? I um'med and ah'hed about going but I'd heard that Anderson was well past his best so I thought it best to keep my memories intact. Plus I was never a great fan of anything after Heavy Horses, I bought Stormwatch and A but never really played them.

No, I skipped that one for the same reason as you. But I think you were wise to keep the memories. Mind you, one or two passages of TAAB 2 hark back to Heavy Horses and, of course, TAAB 1. As I say, I think the difference this time was the second singer as they interchanged so easily, I didn't always notice which one was singing straight away.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

My sister found a budgie up by the downs man pub when we were kids, it was quiet apart from when you played Aqualung and it would go crazy and sing its heart out, strange was that....

 

[Sir Norman Gull]

I saw the Thick as a Brick concert about 10 days ago at the Hammermaith HMV Apollo- a stunning theatrical concert-second singer was like a younger Ian Anderson to listen to and was obviously from a musical theatre background. TAAB 1 was excellent and TAAB 2 went down very well with a very receptive older audience. Super Steve Earle-Did you also have the Prisoneresque bouncing white balloons at the end of the concert?!?

 

[NMH]

The early albums were the best, from This Was, Stand Up, and Benefit. Plus of course the singles, many of which weren't on the albums.
I played Aqualung too many times, and didn't much care for TAAB. Passion Play was the next one I picked up, but then went off that fast.
Stand Up is outstanding still.

I didn't see them until about 9 years ago at the House Of Blues on Sunset, but they were good fun.

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[Super Steve Earle]

I saw the Thick as a Brick concert about 10 days ago at the Hammermaith HMV Apollo- a stunning theatrical concert-second singer was like a younger Ian Anderson to listen to and was obviously from a musical theatre background. TAAB 1 was excellent and TAAB 2 went down very well with a very receptive older audience. Super Steve Earle-Did you also have the Prisoneresque bouncing white balloons at the end of the concert?!?

We did indeed have the balloons (well one anyway as it was quite a small venue). But all good fun, just like the finish of their old shows when if I remember rightly the balloons bounced around to Land of Hope and Glory. The buzz as we walked out was that 2 came across better than 1, but to me they felt like two halves of a whole. TAAB 2 is a very well constructed sequel, starting almost overture style referencing the original and almost smelling of old grammar school and ink stained rulers, through the main tracks from around eight onwards which burst with vitality and sound a bit Heavy Horsesesque, through to the close which draws everything back to square the circle. Fray Bentos pies - always a winner!

 

[Super Steve Earle]

The early albums were the best, from This Was, Stand Up, and Benefit. Plus of course the singles, many of which weren't on the albums.
I played Aqualung too many times, and didn't much care for TAAB. Passion Play was the next one I picked up, but then went off that fast.
Stand Up is outstanding still.

I didn't see them until about 9 years ago at the House Of Blues on Sunset, but they were good fun.


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Stand up & Benefit are the two I keep in the car. I loved Fat man, possibly a precurser to my enjoyment of Steve Earle, but the swirly psychadelic sounds of Benefit are brilliant. I haven't forgotten you wanted an upload of the King Crimson flyer when I have a moment.

 

[Brovion]

Benefit is indeed a bloody brilliant album, just listened to 'To cry you a song'. They really don't make 'em like that any more.

 

[NMH]

Stand up & Benefit are the two I keep in the car. I loved Fat man, possibly a precurser to my enjoyment of Steve Earle, but the swirly psychadelic sounds of Benefit are brilliant. I haven't forgotten you wanted an upload of the King Crimson flyer when I have a moment.

Cheers! Good taste. I actually scored a 10" acetate copy of 'Fat Man' from the original studio test, but sold it on when I need some dough. It was the same exact version as on the LP, so I kinda thought it surplus to requirements really.
There are a couple of tracks I miss from Aqualung, like My God and Up To Me which are tasty - but generally I heard that album to death from schooldays and thereafter.
Everyone had a copy, just like Led Zep II.

Yeah, would love to see that flyer from my first gig!

 

[NMH]

Benefit is indeed a bloody brilliant album, just listened to 'To cry you a song'. They really don't make 'em like that any more.

They were a bit different - a blues band led by a flautist!
There were a couple of other bands featuring flute though - notably Gravy Train, and Circus. King Crimson had the flute featured highly in several tunes, also played by Circus' Mel Collins I recall. Tull managed to get the instrument across with showmanship added in heavy doses, and produced some great classic commercial singles into the bargain. Sweet Dream, Living in The Past, Witches Promise..... all a welcome reprieve from the bland poppy shite Tony Blackburn made us o.d. on. Thank heaven for Curved Air, Family, Free, Fleetwood Mac and Jethro Tull for alleviating the tedium of Lyndsey De Paul or Middle of The Road repeated every 20 minutes!