Possibilities and News of a new Tull album

[Deleted]

I don't know if there's a thread already like this--if so, feel free to delete this thread--but if not, I think this could be something that all Tull fans visiting the forums can benefit from.

I know that many Tull fans are wondering when, or whether or not, there will be a new Tull album. I figured it would be a good idea to have a thread where members can post whenever they hear news about this so we all can stay better updated on future Tull/Ian Anderson releases.

About a year ago I remember reading Ian saying that there wasn't a lot of money to be made from albums these days, so all the work wasn't really worth it.

Then I think I remember hearing something about Ian had written all the songs needed for a new album and that they may be headed to the studio to record. That last part may have just been a rumor though.

Does anyone else have any information on this subject? Tull hasn't released a studio album since I've become a fan of theirs (aside from my dad playing them when I was a toddler) and I would love to see a new release.

Thanks everyone!

[tullster82]

Other than the statements you mentioned, he did say that he had a little time at the beginning of this year. I think the last show was around Christmas and the next isn't for another month. "A little time" is pretty vague, but it was in answer to the question about a new album. It could mean recording, or it could mean just songwriting.

He also said that he was writing new songs specifically for the Fall acoustic trio tour. But he didn't say anything about whether they would end up on a new album.

Lastly, he mentioned that he would be more interested in the idea of releasing songs as digital downloads than releasing a CD. "A song a month" was the idea that he offered, but again, there's no way to know if he was alluding to serious plans or just throwing out ideas. I personally like this idea.

While its nowhere near what the experience of a new album would be like, I was thrilled when Live365 Radio aired the Orlando show from this last November, which I recorded for myself. He played "A Change of Horses"(which I also saw him play the last time I saw him live), "Hare in the Wine Cup"(a brand new tune fairly typical of his solo stuff), and a fairly heavy instrumental they called "That Fucking Tune".

Personally, even though I've been into Tull for almost 20 years, it's taken me almost all that time to collect all the recordings that aren't easy to find. I heard each disc of the "20 Years..." boxed set at different times, found a huge collection of live recordings a couple years ago and just in the last few months found a couple of bonus tracks that were extremely hard for me to find. So, I certainly don't feel deprived when I count the years since the last release. And I can think of a ton of other bands I've liked that put out 2 or 3 albums, then broke up or completely changed to the point that I couldn't listen anymore. But there is hardly a single song in the massive Tull library that I don't absolutely love.

Sorry to ramble...

[Deleted]

Don't mind rambling! Especially on this subject.

A song a month wouldn't be bad at all, but I would definitely miss the idea of albums. The whole concept of it, beginning middle and end and whatnot. I love albums. That's why I can rarely really enjoy "best of" albums.

[LJG]

Feb 19, 2011 21:47:10 GMT -5 @kaibailey said:

Don't mind rambling! Especially on this subject.

A song a month wouldn't be bad at all, but I would definitely miss the idea of albums. The whole concept of it, beginning middle and end and whatnot. I love albums. That's why I can rarely really enjoy "best of" albums.

I agree. A good album is like a story, a narrative, a space with a certain feeling you can inhabit.

It doesn't have to be concept album to create a little world onto itself. Benefit, Songs from the Woods, Minstrel... these are all little worlds we have the privilege of visiting...

A track by track release would shatter that aspect of the listening experience. Not a fan of the idea... but just as hyperlinks and the internet are slowly destroying the power of traditional literature... the sense of an inevitable trajectory that like life, moves from the first to the last page... individual tracks are slowly but surely destroying the album.

Ok. Rant off.

[tootull]

I want a concept album.


;D

[TM]

Here's the latest that TJTB has on a new album that was posted by Jeff this past fall.

Let's remember that last year Ian made mentioned that he was looking to sign a new contract with EMI to handle the old Tull/IA solo releases from Fuel 2000, as well as a new record deal. Well the old Fuel 200 stuff is now on the EMI label so we can only assume the new record deal got done as well.

But here is Jeff's post:
----------------------------------------------------------

As promised, here is the exciting news for future plans, which is coming directly from the source!

A fast friend of The Jethro Tull Board -- whose identity I cannot reveal -- had the good fortune of scoring backstage passes to the Collingswood New Jersey show for himself and a friend, who Florian wanted to meet, and when they got backstage after the show, they were delighted to learn that they were two of only four backstage guests. (The night before, in Morristown, there were eight guests including Paul and I, full story to follow later.)

It was Shona's birthday, and there was a small party with a nice spread laid out, and the band members were relaxing unlike the previous night when Ian departed shortly after meeting Paul and I and the other guests.

Our friend -- who has met Ian and Shona on multiple prior occasions and is recoginized by them -- began chatting with Shona, and then Ian came over and suddenly Mr. Friend found himself engaged in a semi-private conversation with them both (only one or two other guests were still present), and this conversation yielded some tasty tidbits.

First, it was discovered that Ian had just tried lobster for the very first time (!) at a nearby Red Lobster restaurant, but didn't particularly care for it, and was then advised by our friend that eating lobster at RL is not a good way to judge lobster, just as you wouldn't judge hamburgers in general by eating at McDonalds. Ian laughed at that, and stated his clear preference for Denny's over Red Lobster. (So, I guess no future lobsters will be in the offing, at least not at Red Lobster!)

The conversation continued in this light vein -- with Ian making characterstic bawdy jokes, including one of a very phallic nature where the term "stiffy" was employed -- and then our friend ventured some questions about future plans. The question was posed in such a way as to reference a recent interview in which Ian is quoted as having said that he will be slowing down and cutting his touring schedule in half, to which Ian rolled his eyes and stated "well, not just yet."

It was then revealed, by the man himself, that a new music release, in the form of an actual album as opposed to mere downloads, is a certainty for 2011, though whether it will be a solo album or a Tull album is not yet determined. (I'm betting on two releases, one Tull, one solo, to follow the pattern that was established ever since Roots and Divinities.)

What's more is that Ian revealed to our friend that there are huge plans for 2012, but that he was not at liberty to say what those plans are. Beyond that, there is nothing planned, because, in Ian's own words "Nostradamus has predicted that the world will end in 2012" and so expects to be dead. Ian must be heavily into Nostradamus at the moment, because he made a joke about N-damus at the Morristown show the night before.

So there you have it, Tull fans, we are in for a very exciting two years of Tull and/or Ian record release(s) and touring, but it could all end after that! So let's just hope that Nostradamus turns out to be wrong.

Jeff

Read more: thejethrotullboard.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=tours&thread=1398&page=1#9340#ixzz1Ej5DPQUz

[Preston Platform]

I really hope that this might be the case Jeff as there really needs to be new Tull material. I will see 3 solo shows in the UK ..but many of my friends will no longer attend Tulll shows because of Ians vocals , similar setlists and a lack of new recorded material.

[Named My Son Ian]

Good Morning All, I hate to be the bearer of bad news as far as new music is concerned, which I along with many of you desperately want to hear, but an article I read the day before I saw them this past June in Windsor Ontario, categorically shot down any hope of new music in the immediate future. "Given the times we live in and the state of the industry, a new album is really on the back burner. The cost of marketing etc. is the same it was 20 years ago, but record sales are maybe 10 percent of what they were back then." Now here's the kicker......"People might think they want a new Tull album, but in reality all they want is a new, old Jethro Tull album, something that is in the style of Aqualung or Thick as a Brick" I hate to tell you this, but Ian is all about the $$$$. He's not gonna waste the time, pay the musicians for something that will have no return. Pretty sad really, when you consier since 9-11 he hasn't come out with any new material besides a Christmas album. There's plenty of things going on in this world today, that he could conjur up 10 or 12 songs, but if it doesn't pay.....forget it. For the record, the show in Windsor was the best I had seen in years. Aside from the 2 new songs they did which did nothing for me, the venue was equipped with a great lighting set up that really added to the show. Yeah the vocals were the same scratchy achy sounds we've been listening to since 84, but it had great energy. Martin was his usual great self.

[My God]

I hope you are wrong about this. We need a new Tull disc.









Don't want to be a fat man.

[Nonfatman]

Feb 23, 2011 5:32:53 GMT -5 Named My Son Ian said:

Good Morning All, I hate to be the bearer of bad news as far as new music is concerned, which I along with many of you desperately want to hear, but an article I read the day before I saw them this past June in Windsor Ontario, categorically shot down any hope of new music in the immediate future. "Given the times we live in and the state of the industry, a new album is really on the back burner. The cost of marketing etc. is the same it was 20 years ago, but record sales are maybe 10 percent of what they were back then." Now here's the kicker......"People might think they want a new Tull album, but in reality all they want is a new, old Jethro Tull album, something that is in the style of Aqualung or Thick as a Brick" I hate to tell you this, but Ian is all about the $$$$. He's not gonna waste the time, pay the musicians for something that will have no return. Pretty sad really, when you consier since 9-11 he hasn't come out with any new material besides a Christmas album. There's plenty of things going on in this world today, that he could conjur up 10 or 12 songs, but if it doesn't pay.....forget it. For the record, the show in Windsor was the best I had seen in years. Aside from the 2 new songs they did which did nothing for me, the venue was equipped with a great lighting set up that really added to the show. Yeah the vocals were the same scratchy achy sounds we've been listening to since 84, but it had great energy. Martin was his usual great self.

Welcome to the Board, Scott, nice to have you with us. I know what you are saying, and I'm familiar with the interview you are talking about where Ian says that future album plans are on the backburner.

But I've noticed that he frequently gives different responses to the question, and I think he is becoming a bit irked by always having to answer it, so when that happens he tends to dismiss the idea.

However, he told Barry after one of the New Jersey shows that there definitely will be a new album for 2011, but it's unclear whether it will be solo or Tull. But then again, he has been saying this for each of the past five or six years, and it never happens, so who knows?

One positive note is that he also told Barry that there were "big plans" for 2012, and then only subsequently it became public that Tull will be playing Brick in its entirety, from cover to cover, for the 40th anniversary tour of that album. How many shows they will be doing for that tour is still anybody's guess.

Anyway, thanks for joining, and tell Kenny that we'd like it very much if he would join us here too!



Jeff

P.S. Very cool that you named your son Ian, by the way.

[Named My Son Ian]

Thanks Jeff and to all our Tull brothers and sisters out there.....BTW I saw TAAB on my 17th birthday April 29, 1972 at the West Palm Beach Auditorium in the front row. Got hit with debris that people were flinging at capt. Beefheart before Tull came on. It will still rank as one the greatest evenings of my life. If they play a long tour in '12 as promised, I will be going to alot of shows. The Brick is their greatest album. When Barlow came on board it really helped shape the Tull sound. The percussion on that album is tremendous as is John Evans organ and piano. ALthough I earlier stated that HH is tulls greatest song, I firmly believe that the second half of side 2 of Brick is Tull at there most absolute power and zenith....right after "do you believe in the day" till the end is Tull at their highest moment. Martins power cords the whole nine yards. When I play that it goes to max on the stereo. isn't it great to still have your favorite band still here and at least to your own ears still relevant. If he could only sing like the good old days, we'd be seeing tull at arenas again, not smaller venues, but at least we still se them. Cheers to all and thanks for the effort to put this together. Scott

[Deleted]

That must have been an epic concert namedmysonian.

Well if all the Fuel 200 stuff is on EMI now then that is hopefully a good indicator that the new record deal is made. Ian has generally been good to his fans so far as releases go, so maybe he'll realize he's due for some new creative output!

Thing is, I'm sure if they put their heads together they could create something amazing. Dot Com, Christmas Album, and Roots to Branches were great--but I'm talking about pioneering something new that renews a lot of excitement around the band, and creates a new era. Sure, they're all old fellows now, but they have the minds and tools to do so.

Either way, It'd be great to have anything.

[Named My Son Ian]

It was Kai it was....It was also the first time I made love to my first girlfriend Marybeth on the sands of Palm Beach......tough night to forget. I remember the concert vividly.....some much energy. I had the album a month or two, and couldn't stop playing it. I had seen Tull 16 months before in Hollywood Florida just before Aqualung came out. I already had the first 3 albums but what I remember more than anything is the feeling the next day. I knew I had seen something so original, energetic and thankfully long lasting. Although I have been a harsh critic the past 15 or so years, I still appreciate the fact that Ian, Martin and Doane keep playing before us. Sure, it will never be War Chils at Madison Garden again, but it always reveals some new diddy.....I just wish Ian had taken care of his voice. Either the smoking or th strain from 84 hurt the overall Tull sound. Say ywhat you may about his voice, when he could sing, he could bely it out with the best of them. I miss that. Speaking of War Child and I see you pseudonym Striped Zebra, my wife to be got a Zebra Boogie at MSG in 75. The War Child show and A are my favorite tours.....what's yours?

[Mttbsh]

NamedMysonian said

"BTW I saw TAAB on my 17th birthday April 29, 1972 at the West Palm Beach Auditorium in the front row. Got hit with debris that people were flinging at capt. Beefheart before Tull came on. It will still rank as one the greatest evenings of my life. If they play a long tour in '12 as promised, I will be going to alot of shows. The Brick is their greatest album. When Barlow came on board it really helped shape the Tull sound. The percussion on that album is tremendous as is John Evans organ and piano. ALthough I earlier stated that HH is tulls greatest song, I firmly believe that the second half of side 2 of Brick is Tull at there most absolute power and zenith....right after "do you believe in the day" till the end is Tull at their highest moment. Martins power cords the whole nine yards."

Interesting that the 2nd half of TAAB side 2 was the only part of the album that WASN'T played on the '72 TAAB tour. They played all of side 1 (including some extra instrumental parts) and side 2 through the drum solo, then the last 3-4 minutes of side 2. It'll be interesting to see if they play the whole album on the 2012 tour.

Like NamedMysonian I too view the evening I attended the TAAB performance (6-11-72 in my case) as one of the best of my life. Certainly it was the best rock concert.

[tootull]

Hey, hey, hey. haha
I was 16 for my first Tull show.

4/6/72 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Canada
Flute-topia or The First Half
Support: Claire Hamill.
Thick As A Brick Pt.1/ Flute Solo (incl. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Bourée (fragment))/ Thick As A Brick Pt.1 contd./ News & Weather/ Thick As A Brick Pt.2/ Drum Solo/ '218 Babies'/ Thick As A Brick Pt.2 contd., Cross-Eyed Mary, A New Day Yesterday, Aqualung, Wind-Up/Guitar Solo/Locomotive Breath/Hard-Headed English General, Wind-Up (reprise)

[My God]

Hey, lets hope so!









If you ride with me on a friday, anything goes.

[Mix]

Like all us I've been waiting for a new album since the last one Rupi, but Ian's comments over recent years have left little hope of us ever getting one.

I wasn't aware of the EMI thing but bear in mind EMI are in a terrible state. I doubt they are in a position to be doing much until a new buyer is found. So with those two things in mind I'm not optimistic.

A whole album of new material would be a wonderful treat but I'm not against the single song download idea.

Here's my suggestion. Ian finishes a song. It is made available at jethrotull.com exclusively as a paid download. This will surely result in a good return for Ian. No one to split the profits with. No reason why he couldn't do a song a month. Perhaps then after 10 or so songs he could take them, maybe add a couple more, packaged them up on CD and us mugs can all buy it again

Ian's a businessman, I can't understand why he's not done this.

[Deleted]

Informative but sad news about EMI, Mix. I guess if they're not doing so well financially chances are that if they release any new albums, they're not going to take too big a chance on Tull, seeing that they wouldn't make as large a profit as others.

It seems that Ian may have lost some of the enthusiam he had about making albums--it seemed that in the first two decades of Tull's existence you couldn't stop Ian from releasing dense and well-thought albums all drastically different from the others. Now he seems reluctant to even release any sort of new material.

I don't mean to be critical of their creative process, because I know nothing about it compared to what they know after 40 plus years, but I remember Martin saying in an interview that him and Ian know what they can do well and what they cant do well, and I thought that is a problem, since if they don't step out of their element or take any chances, the lesser the creativity.

[futureshock]

If Ian's been eating at Denny's, that explains the lack of new music. Ahoy! I like the idea of songs made for download. That puts the musicians in the right frame of mind to produce quality music with much less of a formal industry "album" context and associated obligations and interferences getting in there to screw up and greatly stunt the creative process. I doubt Ian's all about the money; probably just 88% all about the money. Martin Barre seems to be the one trying to stay involved in musically creative projects and bravo for that!

[jtul07]

Nov 17, 2011 20:51:13 GMT -5 futureshock said:

If Ian's been eating at Denny's, that explains the lack of new music. Ahoy! I like the idea of songs made for download. That puts the musicians in the right frame of mind to produce quality music with much less of a formal industry "album" context and associated obligations and interferences getting in there to screw up and greatly stunt the creative process. I doubt Ian's all about the money; probably just 88% all about the money. Martin Barre seems to be the one trying to stay involved in musically creative projects and bravo for that!

If it's good enough for Ian, it's good enough for me.

After the next Tull concert, I'm there. ;D

[Nonfatman]

Nov 17, 2011 20:51:13 GMT -5 futureshock said:

If Ian's been eating at Denny's, that explains the lack of new music. Ahoy! I like the idea of songs made for download. That puts the musicians in the right frame of mind to produce quality music with much less of a formal industry "album" context and associated obligations and interferences getting in there to screw up and greatly stunt the creative process. I doubt Ian's all about the money; probably just 88% all about the money. Martin Barre seems to be the one trying to stay involved in musically creative projects and bravo for that!

Welcome on over here, futureshock, good to have you aboard, mate!

I think you may be right about Denny's....Ian loves the place, but all that sugar and fat can't be very healthy for the muse.

I have given up on hoping for or expecting any new music out of him.....ever. Ian has been giving conflicting statements year after year about whether he is, or ever will be, recording a new album. It's a little like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown every time.....but Charlie still trusts her!

All the talk about a new album to be released in April of next year....well how can that be? That's exactly when the Full Brick tour will be kicking into gear, and it's likely to last the entire year. From now until then will be rehearsing, not recording. I hope I'm wrong, but I'll believe it when I see it.

The latest news says that by the end of next year, recorded music will no longer be released on CDs. Maybe that was Ian's plan all along, just wait it out.

Jeff

[LJG]

Two problems with songs for download.

1. Most important is that it = death of the album. The days of a unified work of art will be finished for good.

2. Risk of not being available in lossless formats...

[Deleted]

Nov 17, 2011 20:51:13 GMT -5 futureshock said:

If Ian's been eating at Denny's, that explains the lack of new music. Ahoy! I like the idea of songs made for download. That puts the musicians in the right frame of mind to produce quality music with much less of a formal industry "album" context and associated obligations and interferences getting in there to screw up and greatly stunt the creative process. I doubt Ian's all about the money; probably just 88% all about the money. Martin Barre seems to be the one trying to stay involved in musically creative projects and bravo for that!

I agree with the idea of online downloads. I was upset to see that Ian had signed another contract with EMI, because it will just prove to be another 8 or so years of dullness.

I personally think Ian might feel obligated to keep on with the music because the band is responsible for a lot of people's salaries. It would be hard to tell all those people they're gonna have to find new jobs, especially nowadays, even more especially in that particular area of expertise (music business). I think Ian knows he has enough money for a sizable nest egg for his family for a while after he's gone (assuming he does, which I do assume).

Of course this causes a problem, because it seperates music from fun and creativity, and makes it more of an obligation.

These are all just my own assumptions though.

LJB, regarding the "death of the album", I do sympathize with that, but I don't think albums have much "life" anymore.

[Deleted]

So anyway, from the looks of it this thread is irrelevant for the time being, and maybe forever?

Maybe we should change it to Possibilites and News of a new Ian Anerson album.