Telling the "tale" of Jethro Tull

[TM]

I really don't enjoy being such a pessimist when it comes to Ian Anderson these days, but let me ask you...

If you feel so bad that you've stolen someone's identity to the point of suggesting you should be put in prison, and then decide to pay tribute to said person by writing an opera about his life - is it appropriate to alter his existence to a narrative you'd rather discuss? 

[Michael Crowe]

Jul 31, 2015 17:43:24 GMT -5 TM said:

I really don't enjoy being such a pessimist when it comes to Ian Anderson these days, but let me ask you...

If you feel so bad that you've stolen someone's identity to the point of suggesting you should be put in prison, and then decide to pay tribute to said person by writing an opera about his life - is it appropriate to alter his existence to a narrative you'd rather discuss? 

As to the last sentence in your antaganism, after the " -", this is what I do every time I walk into a voting booth as there is no one to vote "for" anymore. As to the first half, I don't think he really thinks he stole anything, but only borrowed the name like "Tom Jones" or "Paul Revere" And The Raiders, or "Tallas" or "President Obama." Writing an opera is basically his way of saying thank you for the loan, and a way to resurrect the name association again because it likely sells better than Ian Anderson - "On second thought, perhaps I dissed the Tull label a bit too soon. Now, how can I bring it back ..... ah, an opera." I have no problem with that other than the fact that I don't care for the opera format. So it doesn't interest me enough to care one way or the other too much. Altering Tull's existence is game I guess after a couple of centuries. The church has done that to Jesus for centuries, as have the neo "historians" to our founding fathers, so Mr. Tull is in good company.

[Morthoron]

I think this whole opera thing is tacky, particularly rewriting lyrics of classic songs so that Ian can further pad his burgeoning wallet. How much fucking money do you need dude?

[TM]

Aug 1, 2015 0:15:23 GMT -5 Michael Crowe said:

Jul 31, 2015 17:43:24 GMT -5 TM said:

I really don't enjoy being such a pessimist when it comes to Ian Anderson these days, but let me ask you...

If you feel so bad that you've stolen someone's identity to the point of suggesting you should be put in prison, and then decide to pay tribute to said person by writing an opera about his life - is it appropriate to alter his existence to a narrative you'd rather discuss? 

As to the last sentence in your antaganism, after the " -", this is what I do every time I walk into a voting booth as there is no one to vote "for" anymore. As to the first half, I don't think he really thinks he stole anything, but only borrowed the name like "Tom Jones" or "Paul Revere" And The Raiders, or "Tallas" or "President Obama." Writing an opera is basically his way of saying thank you for the loan, and a way to resurrect the name association again because it likely sells better than Ian Anderson - "On second thought, perhaps I dissed the Tull label a bit too soon. Now, how can I bring it back ..... ah, an opera." I have no problem with that other than the fact that I don't care for the opera format. So it doesn't interest me enough to care one way or the other too much. Altering Tull's existence is game I guess after a couple of centuries. The church has done that to Jesus for centuries, as have the neo "historians" to our founding fathers, so Mr. Tull is in good company.

I'm not so sure Mike.

Here's Ian discussing the topic:

I should be facing a modest prison sentence for identity theft. It is almost as if the original Jethro Tull was a little unguarded, as he stood at the cash machine with his debit card, and I happened to spot his pin number as he punched it in. I snuck his card from his back pocket as he walked away, and punched it in and fleeced his bank account. I feel as if I’ve stolen a guy’s name and made a ton of money after it. In that sense it is identity theft as it is the name of a real person. It is too late to do anything about it, but put it in the sort of overall context, it has never been for me very comfortable.

So there you have it.  He's saying just how uncomfortable the use of the name has made him and yet he continues to perpetuate the situation that causes him to feel uncomfortable.

 

[Michael Crowe]

Aug 1, 2015 14:20:30 GMT -5 TM said:

Aug 1, 2015 0:15:23 GMT -5 Michael Crowe said:

As to the last sentence in your antaganism, after the " -", this is what I do every time I walk into a voting booth as there is no one to vote "for" anymore. As to the first half, I don't think he really thinks he stole anything, but only borrowed the name like "Tom Jones" or "Paul Revere" And The Raiders, or "Tallas" or "President Obama." Writing an opera is basically his way of saying thank you for the loan, and a way to resurrect the name association again because it likely sells better than Ian Anderson - "On second thought, perhaps I dissed the Tull label a bit too soon. Now, how can I bring it back ..... ah, an opera." I have no problem with that other than the fact that I don't care for the opera format. So it doesn't interest me enough to care one way or the other too much. Altering Tull's existence is game I guess after a couple of centuries. The church has done that to Jesus for centuries, as have the neo "historians" to our founding fathers, so Mr. Tull is in good company.

I'm not so sure Mike.

Here's Ian discussing the topic:

I should be facing a modest prison sentence for identity theft. It is almost as if the original Jethro Tull was a little unguarded, as he stood at the cash machine with his debit card, and I happened to spot his pin number as he punched it in. I snuck his card from his back pocket as he walked away, and punched it in and fleeced his bank account. I feel as if I’ve stolen a guy’s name and made a ton of money after it. In that sense it is identity theft as it is the name of a real person. It is too late to do anything about it, but put it in the sort of overall context, it has never been for me very comfortable.

So there you have it.  He's saying just how uncomfortable the use of the name has made him and yet he continues to perpetuate the situation that causes him to feel uncomfortable.

 

Well, I was being my sarcastic self, but I think he's just blowing smoke again. He's never been all that uncomfortable with it has he. He could have gotten off that train in 1980 and several times thereafter. Just an excuse to drop Tull but still keep Tull around for the check when needed. Just more blah blah I would think. I'm not buying into much of anything anymore ..... except the (hopefully) forthcoming eventual SFTW remix.

[TM]

You're right Mike, it really doesn't matter anymore.

Look at the seating chart as of today at the NJPAC.  Blue seats are still for sale.

[Nonfatman]

Aug 2, 2015 19:59:36 GMT -5 TM said:

You're right Mike, it really doesn't matter anymore.

Look at the seating chart as of today at the NJPAC.  Blue seats are still for sale.

The show we're seeing at Kings Theater isn't selling much better. Only the orchestra section is close to being sold out, while most of the other seats are unsold.

Jeff

[LJG]

That is rather sad. But maybe it will be a wake-up call. The best thing for Ian right now (aside from re-connecting with a certain guitarist)... would be another "Rubbing Elbows" style tour, or an instrumental tour in intimate venues, or just call it a day with Tull music and write more along the lines of "Divinities", an album I still love.

[TM]

Aug 3, 2015 20:19:40 GMT -5 LJG said:

That is rather sad. But maybe it will be a wake-up call. The best thing for Ian right now (aside from re-connecting with a certain guitarist)... would be another "Rubbing Elbows" style tour, or an instrumental tour in intimate venues, or just call it a day with Tull music and write more along the lines of "Divinities", an album I still love.

The lack of ticket sales confirms what Tull fans think of Ian's direction over the years.

And the truth is Ian's most ardent fans haven't been happy with his decisions as well, but they are not about to say anything publicly.

Ian's been my favorite musician/artist from 1974 to this very day.  

I don't blame Ian for moving on without Martin because quite frankly Ian told me Martin became unresponsive, so it's perfectly understandable that he chose to move on with guys who are ready, willing , and able.

I'm just not into this whole prog-muzak/Bostock/dementia/re-imagined-lives thing. 

I'd love to hear Ian write original music as himself under his own name with whomever he chooses to work with.  All this bogus "Jethro Tull" crap is just that.  

[Michael Crowe]

I've seen IA on Paladia this month billed as Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull. Yuk! That sounds like John Kay's Steppenwolf, Jim Dandy's black Oak Arkansas, or Barak Obama's America. I hope IA isn't being billed this way these days.

[Mix]

Aug 3, 2015 21:43:25 GMT -5 TM said:

Aug 3, 2015 20:19:40 GMT -5 LJG said:

That is rather sad. But maybe it will be a wake-up call. The best thing for Ian right now (aside from re-connecting with a certain guitarist)... would be another "Rubbing Elbows" style tour, or an instrumental tour in intimate venues, or just call it a day with Tull music and write more along the lines of "Divinities", an album I still love.

The lack of ticket sales confirms what Tull fans think of Ian's direction over the years.

And the truth is Ian's most ardent fans haven't been happy with his decisions as well, but they are not about to say anything publicly.

Ian's been my favorite musician/artist from 1974 to this very day.  

I don't blame Ian for moving on without Martin because quite frankly Ian told me Martin became unresponsive, so it's perfectly understandable that he chose to move on with guys who are ready, willing , and able.

I'm just not into this whole prog-muzak/Bostock/dementia/re-imagined-lives thing. 

I'd love to hear Ian write original music as himself under his own name with whomever he chooses to work with.  All this bogus "Jethro Tull" crap is just that.  

TBH I was surprised when Ian announced this one. TAAB2 & HE, whether you like them or not, were a rather unexpected sudden explosion of creativity from Ian after a long long dry spell and not just music, theatrics too. All wonderful. I fully expected more of the same with an album of new material. But this JT thing seems to signal the end of that creative blast and back to the same of regurgitation shit we had a decade or more of. I'm not at all keen on re-writing the lyrics to fit the scene, it's right up there with the Christmas album and god forbid this string quartet album Ian has mentioned. Pity, I thought he'd spend his final years pushing himself and his music forward not looking back. Maybe I'll be proven wrong and this latest project will turn out to be rather good but if he'd written a whole album of brand new material I would be rather more excited. Is the original Jethro Tull really exciting enough for this? We're about to find out.


BTW TM, when did Ian tell you Martin was unresponsive? That's an interesting comment. Ian gets a lot of stick about the split with Martin, but it's clear it takes two to tango. I don't think it's all Ian's fault. People grow apart.

[Morthoron]

Sept 2, 2015 13:13:44 GMT -5 Michael Crowe said:

I've seen IA on Paladia this month billed as Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull. Yuk! That sounds like John Kay's Steppenwolf, Jim Dandy's black Oak Arkansas, or Barak Obama's America. I hope IA isn't being billed this way these days.

For the Detroit area show they're billed strictly as "Jethro Tull" with no caveats. I raised an eyebrow when I got the email notification. I think it's time to officially retire from Tull fandom. One can only spend so much time living in the past.

[bristoltull]

Hi, this is my first post on here. I went to the first night of this show in Basingstoke, England, last night.

*Spoiler alert* for those who don't want to hear about this show before they see it....

While the evening wasn't without its moments - the band did creditable versions of A New Day Yesterday, Jack in the Green and Aqualung, among others - my overall impression was negative. As I feared when I first saw this trailed, it came across as a rather contrived exercise with increasingly spurious tie-ins of Tull songs into a shaky (and at times incoherent) concept/story.

But first, and above all else, it was at times painful and embarrassing listening to Ian try to sing. I hadn't seen Tull/IA for some time and was quite shocked by it. It wasn't just that he couldn't reach some notes: at times he was struggling to sound any notes in some songs. His voice was a sort of strangled croak, and sometimes no sound came out at all. This was not down to the mic or amplification: he improved marginally in the second half, but that wasn't saying much. His flute and acoustic guitar playing were fine, and I wished he had just stuck to that and had someone else on stage with him to sing..

..which brings me to the second major gripe with the show. I had understood, this being billed as a "rock opera" and all, and having seen that the the young lad Ryan sang on stage with IA at the Isle of Wight, that there would be accompanying singers on stage with the band. Instead, they were present on the background film only - in effect, IA and the band were playing along in time with a video recording. While not quite 'reverse karaoke', I did feel a bit short changed by this.

Third, that background film, and the story it tried to tell, were a bit ropey. Some of the visual effects were OK, but at times it looked like a sort of kids' TV production, with the young Jethro Tull (Ryan) singing at times clunky expositional dialogue while looking straight into the camera, as he wandered around Oxford/London/fields of wheat/science labs etc.. The young Icelandic female singer looked and sounded OK, but the film switched inexplicably from historic scenes to present/futuristic scenes about GM crops and the like, and the tie-ins with the music were at times pretty tenuous, even with a few lyric changes (which, given Ian's singing, it was generally impossible to hear clearly).

Fourth, and final gripe for now, is that Ian never once spoke to the audience directly. Even if the singing and the show were not great, I had at least looked forward to a bit of witty banter from him. Instead, he appeared on the backdrop TV screen as a narrator, and a recording of his voice was used to announce the intermission, and even the band members' names at the end.

This was the first night of the show - a world premiere, no less - so it/they might improve as it goes on, but it wasn't the musicianship of the band that was the problem. I think that the above points are underlying problems with the whole thing. It wasn't a wholly bad evening, and you at least get to hear passable versions (singing apart) of some decent Tull songs (including With You There to Help Me, Cheap Day Return and Requiem), and it is still IA on stage playing his flute and jigging around. Whether that is a sufficient reason to go is up to you.

[Dan]

Hello , welcome and thanks for your honest opinion on the show. If you haven't heard Ian sing in a while then I can imagine the letdown. I have overlooked the past couple of years because he has had Ryan O' Donnell helping him and went to the shows to hear the new music.

I don't feel as I am missing out of anything on this tour except meeting up with friends.

Were the four or five new songs just short, little segue ways to the other songs?

Dan

[bristoltull]

The new songs were OK: one sounded like a revised version of Mayhem Maybe, others (Fruits of Frankenfeld; Stick, Twist or Bust) sounded like they could have been on dot.com. A couple of bits were segues sung by Unnur. I couldn't hear the lyrics on the ones sung by IA.

I'm just looking at the programme now and reminding myself of some of the weak tie-ins. So for example, the young JT is temporarily ill with a cough and goes to work in Italy to recuperate. Cue 'Aqualung', with various shots of tramps lying on benches. Eh?

[TM]

Thanks for you thoughts on the show.

There are some Youtube clips of it for others to see.

My views are much more harsh so I'm going to end my post now as to not offend anyone who still enjoys what Ian is doing.

[Dan]

Sept 10, 2015 20:28:33 GMT -5 TM said:

Thanks for you thoughts on the show.

There are some Youtube clips of it for others to see.

My views are much more harsh so I'm going to end my post now as to not offend anyone who still enjoys what Ian is doing.

TM,

I have kept my eyes/ears open for YouTube clips. Is there any clips of the new or altered verses of old songs there? I haven't seen any.

Dan

[Icy Lucifer]

Sept 9, 2015 4:11:48 GMT -5 bristoltull said:

..... Whether that is a sufficient reason to go is up to you.

With acknowledgement and thanks to the original uploader....

YT link...

link







Thanks for your post. When the dates were announced I thought I would make the expedition to Gateshead even though with an overnight stay and travel it was going to be quite costly. As word started to appear about the tour I had second thoughts and although I really wanted to see the venue and Newcastle – I hadn’t been there since the 70s – I decided not to go after all. I suspected the ‘show’ was going to leave a lot to be desired. I last saw IA in 2012 in Glasgow for TAAB2 with a truly dreadful sound mix, and a pretty dodgy concept I thought then and still think now, and the few clips from the even dodgier concept on the HE tour which I couldn’t go to due to illness looked, well, not great, but some clips of the likes of ‘A New Day’ came up quite well before they went off Youtube. Others just looked like quite a good JT tribute band. Maybe that’s what it is these days. But it's Ian. You just put up with it don't you. 

The IA amateurish video patching just looks beyond parody. First spotted in the 2012 tour, now it seems to me to serve at best as a distraction from problems elsewhere. Papering over the cracks with something that looks innovative. Why does everything need to look so effing cheap? Because it is effing cheap. A drum kit Doane would laugh at. I ask you!

The last JT tour I saw (will ever see now) was in 2010, and these days it’s only a sense of loyalty and great memories really which is keeping me interested in attending a live performance. But for Ryan to be on video only seems to drag things down another notch. Now I'm quite shocked to see the other singer on video. Cheapo, cheap. Contrived, spurious and in a way I think quite condescending toward the fans that put IA where he is. Sure he can tell anyone who doesn’t worship at his feet to f off. Doing that just demeans his own legacy and that of the band.
Just as the last two albums sounded like half a good album each, this show, like 2012, (I can’t speak for the HE tour) sounds like a half decent half show.

What would I like? A farewell tour with as many former band members saying hello as possible including MB, even if it’s mostly acoustic or evan ALL accoustic. And the flute? Don’t hang it up. Put it on ebay Ian. You could fund a couple more expensive watches. That's the cynic in me.

Still plenty ticket availability for Gateshead. Other venues too, no doubt. At least it’s much cheaper than King Crimson. But not half as good. And more expensive than The Robert Cray Band. But not half as good as them either.

PS hope Dave G is ok.

PPS I will make it to Newcastle at some point Howaaay the Lads!

Icy L

[TM]

Sept 10, 2015 23:46:02 GMT -5 Dan said:

Sept 10, 2015 20:28:33 GMT -5 TM said:

Thanks for you thoughts on the show.

There are some Youtube clips of it for others to see.

My views are much more harsh so I'm going to end my post now as to not offend anyone who still enjoys what Ian is doing.

TM,

I have kept my eyes/ears open for YouTube clips. Is there any clips of the new or altered verses of old songs there? I haven't seen any.

Dan

Not that I've seen.

And to be perfectly honest I now have zero interest in any of this.

I think Jethro Tull is best remembered for what is was and not what Ian Anderson is doing to it now.

[TM]

Sept 11, 2015 4:55:32 GMT -5 Icy Lucifer said:

Sept 9, 2015 4:11:48 GMT -5 bristoltull said:

..... Whether that is a sufficient reason to go is up to you.

With acknowledgement and thanks to the original uploader....

link




Thanks for your post. When the dates were announced I thought I would make the expedition to Gateshead even though with an overnight stay and travel it was going to be quite costly. As word started to appear about the tour I had second thoughts and although I really wanted to see the venue and Newcastle – I hadn’t been there since the 70s – I decided not to go after all. I suspected the ‘show’ was going to leave a lot to be desired. I last saw IA in 2012 in Glasgow for TAAB2 with a truly dreadful sound mix, and a pretty dodgy concept I thought then and still think now, and the few clips from the even dodgier concept on the HE tour which I couldn’t go to due to illness looked, well, not great, but some clips of the likes of ‘A New Day’ came up quite well before they went off Youtube. Others just looked like quite a good JT tribute band. Maybe that’s what it is these days. But it's Ian. You just put up with it don't you. 

The IA amateurish video patching just looks beyond parody. First spotted in the 2012 tour, now it seems to me to serve at best as a distraction from problems elsewhere. Papering over the cracks with something that looks innovative. Why does everything need to look so effing cheap? Because it is effing cheap. A drum kit Doane would laugh at. I ask you!

The last JT tour I saw (will ever see now) was in 2010, and these days it’s only a sense of loyalty and great memories really which is keeping me interested in attending a live performance. But for Ryan to be on video only seems to drag things down another notch. Now I'm quite shocked to see the other singer on video. Cheapo, cheap. Contrived, spurious and in a way I think quite condescending toward the fans that put IA where he is. Sure he can tell anyone who doesn’t worship at his feet to f off. Doing that just demeans his own legacy and that of the band.
Just as the last two albums sounded like half a good album each, this show, like 2012, (I can’t speak for the HE tour) sounds like a half decent half show.

What would I like? A farewell tour with as many former band members saying hello as possible including MB, even if it’s mostly acoustic or evan ALL accoustic. And the flute? Don’t hang it up. Put it on ebay Ian. You could fund a couple more expensive watches. That's the cynic in me.

Still plenty ticket availability for Gateshead. Other venues too, no doubt. At least it’s much cheaper than King Crimson. But not half as good. And more expensive than The Robert Cray Band. But not half as good as them either.

PS hope Dave G is ok.

PPS I will make it to Newcastle at some point Howaaay the Lads!

Icy L

That video clip says it all doesn't it.

[Icy Lucifer]

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

A dirge-like Jack-in the Green followed by a caterwauling of Witch's Promise.

You have been warned.


Icy L


Acknowledgement and thanks to original uploader.

[Icy Lucifer]

[TM]

Who's the bassist and what happened to David Goodyear?

[Eka]

Grieg Robinson is on bass guitar

See info under video.. It says: "Condolences to David Goodier who is taking time out due to the passing of a close family member."
Not sure if it's true. And by the way, you can hear what to expect from this tour.

[Non Rabbit]

The jig is up