Post by bobo the monkey on Nov 19, 2009 21:33:55 GMT -5
Going forward I think we should make every effort to acknowledge where the information we are posting is coming from. In hindsight, I made a mistake not doing it in a previous post. Internet etiquette has been established that we at least provide the link to the site where the information came from. I think it's best if we use that as the standard on our board. Thanks to all for your understanding and cooperation. If anyone needs assistance in posting links, I'll be happy to help.
Paul
GLENN CORNICK Q&A
1. Hi Glenn,
TM from New Jersey. Would you mind telling the gang about the pranks you used to play on Mick?
Thanks!
Mick was always very unpleasant to Roy the roadie who, at that time was making absolute minimum money, and was always yelling at him and complaining about everything. At that time we were all hard up for money and using well worn equipment. At one gig, Mick blew a speaker (1 of 8) and had to buy a replacement which Roy installed in one of Mick's cabinets. Roy kept the blown speaker and, after every gig, put the blown speaker back into one of Mick's cabinets to make him think he had blown another speaker and make him buy another new one. The good speakers that came from Mick's cabinets went into my cabinets to replace my thrashed speakers and Roy continued doing it until Mick had unknowingly replaced all 8 of my speakers! Mick always thought he had just had a bad run on speakers.
I never felt guilty about it as it was small payback for some of the unpleasant things that Mick did to us (and which I feel I must keep to myself)
2. Dear Glenn,
Hopes this finds you and yours well. It seems when I lived in L.A. for a year, I was always just-missing some sort of regular gigs you were, purportedly doing in a pub near Wilshire and Fairfax...true....sorta true....or greatly exaggerated by the friends who told me so?
Bernie-California
You were well informed. For several years (up till about 1995) I played regularly every Friday at a pub near Wilshire and Fairfax called Molly Malone's and we had a brilliant scene going for a while. Like all things, the scene changed and though the pub is still there, it's not what it used to be. I have great memories of the place especially as I met my wife there!
3. Hi Glenn
When did it become clear that Ian was going to be the dominant figure in Tull? To what extent were you and other band members trying to contribute to the band's development in the early years by, for example, writing songs or suggesting lyrical themes?
When did you first speak to Ian after being fired from the band? What did you say to him?
Thanks
David in Singapore
I suppose it should have been evident from the start and after Mick was gone I guess there was no question that Ian was the frontman and songwriter though I doubt that anyone expected such a total takeover. (You might notice that Benefit is the last album to feature the whole band on the cover). None of us ever thought of ourselves as writers at that time so there was never any animosity towards him about the writing.
I still saw Ian regularly after the firing as we both still worked out of the Chrysalis offices in Oxford St. Our relations have always been professionally cordial though I would never have called us friends. I have never spoken much of my feelings about the way things were handled until I was interviewed for the recent Jethro Tull DVD put out by Classic Artists. I felt it was a good interview and the time was right for me to speak my mind but you will have to decide for yourself!
4. Hi Glenn.
I always wondered how you got the inspiration for the bass lines for the music you played on, especially Living In The Past. Was it something that you worked on consciously or was it a flash of inspiration when you recorded the songs in the studio.
Secondly, any plans on reforming Wild Turkey in the near future and doing some concerts in the UK?
Graham, Cornwall, England.
It goes both ways. There were some that came out effortlesly and naturally - almost without thought. They would include 'Living in the Past', 'Inside', 'Teacher', 'For a Thousand Mothers' and 'Wond'ring Again' (my favourite bass track) and some where I sat at home and took time to work them out. They would include 'Bouree', 'Nothing is Easy', 'Song for Jeffrey' and 'Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square'. There were also a few - 'New Day Yesterday', 'Cry You a Song' and 'Driving Song' where the primary riff was written by Ian and I didn't have much leeway but to follow the riff.
I have always thought of bass playing as the glue between melody and rhythm so many of my bass lines are like little tunes (countermelodies, I suppose) that fit in between the other parts of the song.
Unfortunately there are no plans for another Wild Turkey reunion. We reformed about 3 years ago to make an album and did a tour of Britain. I thought the album was great and the tour was great fun but we didn't make any money and I don't have the money to finance another go. There were also personal problems with one of our key members which make it difficult to conceive working together again.
5. 1. Looking back, Mr Cornick, on the 40 years of Tull - has the band survived/turned out/achieved all that you thought it would?
2. Bruce Springsteen is known as the Boss - would Mr Anderson ever have had that nickname?
3. What would you have been- career/job wise - if you hadn't got into music?
4. What were the best gigs if you had to choose from a few?
Ms Nonrabbit, N. Ireland
1) I liked Tull as a Rock band and I felt that after my departure they became something of a circus act. I know they did very well for themselves but I was never much of a fan and the last album that I'm familiar with is 'War Child'. It's hard for me to understand why Ian still performs as Tull. The band is such a pale shadow of its former self.
2) Yes, Ian could have had that name - but it wouldn't have been a compliment!
3) God knows. I've never been any good at anything else!
4) The Isle of Wight was a nice farewell to my career with Tull. I see you're from Northern Ireland. We used to play the Ulster Hall in Belfast in 1969 - right in the middle of the troubles - tanks on the streets and all. We were about the only name band who had the guts to go into N. Ireland at the time and we were loved for it and always had a brilliant time. I used to talk to a lot of the kids and the Prots and Catholic kids never had any problems with each other at the shows. 2 other great gigs in Britain were Newcastle City Hall and Green's Playhouse in Glasgow. We always seemed to do well with rowdy crowds as we could always get them on our side!
6. Glenn, a couple of questions
1. How did the first meeting between you and Ian arise and how was it?
2. It's claimed that Jeffrey was sort of part of the band from the outset "making bombs and things" but how did his presence go down with you, Mick and Clive?
Quizzkid, south east England
I had seen the guys from the John Evan band around Blackpool where we all lived and I think I had got to know John. When they needed a bass player, they approached me and I auditioned and was offered the job. I don't recall much about Ian at that time. I don't recall him having much to say.
Jeffrey had been bass player in the band at an earlier time. I don't remember when I first met him but it was certainly in the Blackpool days. He, John and Ian had been school friends and were fairly close at that time. He wasn't really around the band during our first years as Tull though Ian probably was in touch with him. I have always really liked Jeffrey and was very happy to see him again last year after being out of touch for a long time. I never resented Jeffrey getting my old job in Tull. It certainly showed that the change was for social, not musical reasons!
7. Glenn. Hi. Why is it that you and Mick are the only Tull members who didn' t go bald? (Poor Clive stayed one album too long, perhaps?). Perhaps if you'd stayed with that tyrant, Ian, you'd be bald now too, do you think, from the stress?
Tommie
Bronx, NY
You forgot John. He still has a fine head of hair! You might be right - it may have been the stress but Clive and Martin were well on the way even back when I was in the band. Why do you think they both wore hats so often? It is fun to still have my hair and still be able to do ridiculous things with it like last year showing up at the Italian Tull Convention with a full on multi coloured Mohawk! Growing old gracefully has never been a viable option for me.
8. Hello Glenn!
You have a lot of Tull pictures from your time on the band, do you also have any footage or audio recording from that era that wasn't released or shared on the internet yet?
If you had stayed on Tull for some time longer, do you imagine yourself playing the progressive stuff the band made starting in 72?
Lucas Rafael Ferraz
Sorocaba, Brazil
1) Everything I have is there to see on the Website. I have never had any video or recorded footage (unfortunately)
2) Hard to say about the later material. There's nothing I dislike more than twiddly diddly prog rock so I'm not sure how I would have fitted in. I know there would have been very little room for creative bass lines. I suspect I may not have stayed around much longer.
9. 1. Was Tull's transition from blues band to something more eclectic something that Glenn welcomed?
2. Is Glenn still playing bass regularly? Who's he playing with, and what sort of music is it?
David in Singapore
1) What people don't see is that we didn't think we were changing so much. We barely realised how much we had changed until 'Stand Up' was released and all our old fans dropped us like a hot potato because we were no longer a "blues band". Bands evolve and sometimes you have to be on the outside to see the change. It's good that we did change as we could never have survived as the mediocre blues band that we had been in 1968.
2) Unfortunately I don't get to play much. I would love to be playing regularly but I haven't had many options lately. The last real playing I did was the Wild Turkey tour in Britain in 2006.
10. Hi Glenn
Most of us of a certain age wish we had kept more from the past - albums, clothes, body shape! how did you have the excellent insight and inclination to keep all the great memorabilia that you have?..and thanks!
Patti
N. Ireland
You know I would love to say that it was excellent foresight but much of it was because I brought a lot of that stuff back for my parents and they kept it for me and I suppose part of me has a touch of a hoarder and I never got round to unloading it! If only I had known how valuable some of it would become, I would have brought home tons more! The only thing I regret is that I didn't keep any of my instruments.
11. How do Glenn, Here's a few for you:
- Ian's reticent to write a book / memoir on Tull ... have you ever considered writing one? Ian suggests he wouldn't like to reveal the intimate details - but I think he's making excuses! Your terrific archive (and, I daresay, stash of great Tull tales!) gives you the upper hand! Whaddaya say!?
- You and Clive were a terrific rhythm section - the two of you sound like you really 'clicked' as a team - did you feel that way?
- What do you remember of Tony Iommi joining and then leaving so suddenly and the subsequent recruitment of Martin?
- and finally ... what are you most proud of from your time with Tull? Is there a particular song or was there a really great gig or great compliment from someone?
With many thanks for your time and trouble and a warm e-handshake for some lovely bass playing over the years!
All the best,
Gareth, Manchester, UK.
1) I don't know how many of my stories would be printable (without lawsuits)! It has been suggested to me often that I write a book but it has so far not appealed to me - anyway it could only be about 3 or 4 years of what is a 40+ year story.
2) Clive and I did work very well together in those days but though we remain great friends, our views about music seem to now be diametrically opposed and that gets in the way of us working together as a team.
3) There's no secret about Tony. We had asked him to join but after about a week we all realised that he wasn't really right for us and we weren't really right for him. We split as friends but at that time we were asked to do the Stones Circus and as we didn't have a guitarist, we asked him to stay to do that with us and he did. After that he went back to his band, Earth who of course later became Sabbath.
4) I still look back and think what a great band we were. I'm still proud of 'Stand Up' and especially 'Benefit'. When the Isle of Wight show finally came out on video a few years ago, John Evan called me and said, "Glenn, have you seen the Isle of Wight show? I never knew we were so good! Ian used to always yell at me and say how awful we were!"
Now that was a Rock n Roll show to blow away all your Passion Plays and Prog nonsense!
My favourite song was the very last thing I ever recorded with the band -'Wond'ring Again'. A far better song than the emasculated version that showed up on Aqualung.
O.K. That seems to be it. I'll be happy to continue this if there are any follow up questions or responses from anyone. Please thank everyone for their questions. It is satisfying to be remembered almost 40 years on!
Glenn
Paul
GLENN CORNICK Q&A
1. Hi Glenn,
TM from New Jersey. Would you mind telling the gang about the pranks you used to play on Mick?
Thanks!
Mick was always very unpleasant to Roy the roadie who, at that time was making absolute minimum money, and was always yelling at him and complaining about everything. At that time we were all hard up for money and using well worn equipment. At one gig, Mick blew a speaker (1 of 8) and had to buy a replacement which Roy installed in one of Mick's cabinets. Roy kept the blown speaker and, after every gig, put the blown speaker back into one of Mick's cabinets to make him think he had blown another speaker and make him buy another new one. The good speakers that came from Mick's cabinets went into my cabinets to replace my thrashed speakers and Roy continued doing it until Mick had unknowingly replaced all 8 of my speakers! Mick always thought he had just had a bad run on speakers.
I never felt guilty about it as it was small payback for some of the unpleasant things that Mick did to us (and which I feel I must keep to myself)
2. Dear Glenn,
Hopes this finds you and yours well. It seems when I lived in L.A. for a year, I was always just-missing some sort of regular gigs you were, purportedly doing in a pub near Wilshire and Fairfax...true....sorta true....or greatly exaggerated by the friends who told me so?
Bernie-California
You were well informed. For several years (up till about 1995) I played regularly every Friday at a pub near Wilshire and Fairfax called Molly Malone's and we had a brilliant scene going for a while. Like all things, the scene changed and though the pub is still there, it's not what it used to be. I have great memories of the place especially as I met my wife there!
3. Hi Glenn
When did it become clear that Ian was going to be the dominant figure in Tull? To what extent were you and other band members trying to contribute to the band's development in the early years by, for example, writing songs or suggesting lyrical themes?
When did you first speak to Ian after being fired from the band? What did you say to him?
Thanks
David in Singapore
I suppose it should have been evident from the start and after Mick was gone I guess there was no question that Ian was the frontman and songwriter though I doubt that anyone expected such a total takeover. (You might notice that Benefit is the last album to feature the whole band on the cover). None of us ever thought of ourselves as writers at that time so there was never any animosity towards him about the writing.
I still saw Ian regularly after the firing as we both still worked out of the Chrysalis offices in Oxford St. Our relations have always been professionally cordial though I would never have called us friends. I have never spoken much of my feelings about the way things were handled until I was interviewed for the recent Jethro Tull DVD put out by Classic Artists. I felt it was a good interview and the time was right for me to speak my mind but you will have to decide for yourself!
4. Hi Glenn.
I always wondered how you got the inspiration for the bass lines for the music you played on, especially Living In The Past. Was it something that you worked on consciously or was it a flash of inspiration when you recorded the songs in the studio.
Secondly, any plans on reforming Wild Turkey in the near future and doing some concerts in the UK?
Graham, Cornwall, England.
It goes both ways. There were some that came out effortlesly and naturally - almost without thought. They would include 'Living in the Past', 'Inside', 'Teacher', 'For a Thousand Mothers' and 'Wond'ring Again' (my favourite bass track) and some where I sat at home and took time to work them out. They would include 'Bouree', 'Nothing is Easy', 'Song for Jeffrey' and 'Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square'. There were also a few - 'New Day Yesterday', 'Cry You a Song' and 'Driving Song' where the primary riff was written by Ian and I didn't have much leeway but to follow the riff.
I have always thought of bass playing as the glue between melody and rhythm so many of my bass lines are like little tunes (countermelodies, I suppose) that fit in between the other parts of the song.
Unfortunately there are no plans for another Wild Turkey reunion. We reformed about 3 years ago to make an album and did a tour of Britain. I thought the album was great and the tour was great fun but we didn't make any money and I don't have the money to finance another go. There were also personal problems with one of our key members which make it difficult to conceive working together again.
5. 1. Looking back, Mr Cornick, on the 40 years of Tull - has the band survived/turned out/achieved all that you thought it would?
2. Bruce Springsteen is known as the Boss - would Mr Anderson ever have had that nickname?
3. What would you have been- career/job wise - if you hadn't got into music?
4. What were the best gigs if you had to choose from a few?
Ms Nonrabbit, N. Ireland
1) I liked Tull as a Rock band and I felt that after my departure they became something of a circus act. I know they did very well for themselves but I was never much of a fan and the last album that I'm familiar with is 'War Child'. It's hard for me to understand why Ian still performs as Tull. The band is such a pale shadow of its former self.
2) Yes, Ian could have had that name - but it wouldn't have been a compliment!
3) God knows. I've never been any good at anything else!
4) The Isle of Wight was a nice farewell to my career with Tull. I see you're from Northern Ireland. We used to play the Ulster Hall in Belfast in 1969 - right in the middle of the troubles - tanks on the streets and all. We were about the only name band who had the guts to go into N. Ireland at the time and we were loved for it and always had a brilliant time. I used to talk to a lot of the kids and the Prots and Catholic kids never had any problems with each other at the shows. 2 other great gigs in Britain were Newcastle City Hall and Green's Playhouse in Glasgow. We always seemed to do well with rowdy crowds as we could always get them on our side!
6. Glenn, a couple of questions
1. How did the first meeting between you and Ian arise and how was it?
2. It's claimed that Jeffrey was sort of part of the band from the outset "making bombs and things" but how did his presence go down with you, Mick and Clive?
Quizzkid, south east England
I had seen the guys from the John Evan band around Blackpool where we all lived and I think I had got to know John. When they needed a bass player, they approached me and I auditioned and was offered the job. I don't recall much about Ian at that time. I don't recall him having much to say.
Jeffrey had been bass player in the band at an earlier time. I don't remember when I first met him but it was certainly in the Blackpool days. He, John and Ian had been school friends and were fairly close at that time. He wasn't really around the band during our first years as Tull though Ian probably was in touch with him. I have always really liked Jeffrey and was very happy to see him again last year after being out of touch for a long time. I never resented Jeffrey getting my old job in Tull. It certainly showed that the change was for social, not musical reasons!
7. Glenn. Hi. Why is it that you and Mick are the only Tull members who didn' t go bald? (Poor Clive stayed one album too long, perhaps?). Perhaps if you'd stayed with that tyrant, Ian, you'd be bald now too, do you think, from the stress?
Tommie
Bronx, NY
You forgot John. He still has a fine head of hair! You might be right - it may have been the stress but Clive and Martin were well on the way even back when I was in the band. Why do you think they both wore hats so often? It is fun to still have my hair and still be able to do ridiculous things with it like last year showing up at the Italian Tull Convention with a full on multi coloured Mohawk! Growing old gracefully has never been a viable option for me.
8. Hello Glenn!
You have a lot of Tull pictures from your time on the band, do you also have any footage or audio recording from that era that wasn't released or shared on the internet yet?
If you had stayed on Tull for some time longer, do you imagine yourself playing the progressive stuff the band made starting in 72?
Lucas Rafael Ferraz
Sorocaba, Brazil
1) Everything I have is there to see on the Website. I have never had any video or recorded footage (unfortunately)
2) Hard to say about the later material. There's nothing I dislike more than twiddly diddly prog rock so I'm not sure how I would have fitted in. I know there would have been very little room for creative bass lines. I suspect I may not have stayed around much longer.
9. 1. Was Tull's transition from blues band to something more eclectic something that Glenn welcomed?
2. Is Glenn still playing bass regularly? Who's he playing with, and what sort of music is it?
David in Singapore
1) What people don't see is that we didn't think we were changing so much. We barely realised how much we had changed until 'Stand Up' was released and all our old fans dropped us like a hot potato because we were no longer a "blues band". Bands evolve and sometimes you have to be on the outside to see the change. It's good that we did change as we could never have survived as the mediocre blues band that we had been in 1968.
2) Unfortunately I don't get to play much. I would love to be playing regularly but I haven't had many options lately. The last real playing I did was the Wild Turkey tour in Britain in 2006.
10. Hi Glenn
Most of us of a certain age wish we had kept more from the past - albums, clothes, body shape! how did you have the excellent insight and inclination to keep all the great memorabilia that you have?..and thanks!
Patti
N. Ireland
You know I would love to say that it was excellent foresight but much of it was because I brought a lot of that stuff back for my parents and they kept it for me and I suppose part of me has a touch of a hoarder and I never got round to unloading it! If only I had known how valuable some of it would become, I would have brought home tons more! The only thing I regret is that I didn't keep any of my instruments.
11. How do Glenn, Here's a few for you:
- Ian's reticent to write a book / memoir on Tull ... have you ever considered writing one? Ian suggests he wouldn't like to reveal the intimate details - but I think he's making excuses! Your terrific archive (and, I daresay, stash of great Tull tales!) gives you the upper hand! Whaddaya say!?
- You and Clive were a terrific rhythm section - the two of you sound like you really 'clicked' as a team - did you feel that way?
- What do you remember of Tony Iommi joining and then leaving so suddenly and the subsequent recruitment of Martin?
- and finally ... what are you most proud of from your time with Tull? Is there a particular song or was there a really great gig or great compliment from someone?
With many thanks for your time and trouble and a warm e-handshake for some lovely bass playing over the years!
All the best,
Gareth, Manchester, UK.
1) I don't know how many of my stories would be printable (without lawsuits)! It has been suggested to me often that I write a book but it has so far not appealed to me - anyway it could only be about 3 or 4 years of what is a 40+ year story.
2) Clive and I did work very well together in those days but though we remain great friends, our views about music seem to now be diametrically opposed and that gets in the way of us working together as a team.
3) There's no secret about Tony. We had asked him to join but after about a week we all realised that he wasn't really right for us and we weren't really right for him. We split as friends but at that time we were asked to do the Stones Circus and as we didn't have a guitarist, we asked him to stay to do that with us and he did. After that he went back to his band, Earth who of course later became Sabbath.
4) I still look back and think what a great band we were. I'm still proud of 'Stand Up' and especially 'Benefit'. When the Isle of Wight show finally came out on video a few years ago, John Evan called me and said, "Glenn, have you seen the Isle of Wight show? I never knew we were so good! Ian used to always yell at me and say how awful we were!"
Now that was a Rock n Roll show to blow away all your Passion Plays and Prog nonsense!
My favourite song was the very last thing I ever recorded with the band -'Wond'ring Again'. A far better song than the emasculated version that showed up on Aqualung.
O.K. That seems to be it. I'll be happy to continue this if there are any follow up questions or responses from anyone. Please thank everyone for their questions. It is satisfying to be remembered almost 40 years on!
Glenn