Oh Brad, I am normally quite rational about bands but for some reason Tull got under my skin at the beginning. I know a little of the dynamics of Jethro Tull because Glenn Cornick was a friend for many years. So I get very anal about them. You are right when you say that IA wrote every track but in the early days the others put a lot of …
Oh Brad, I am normally quite rational about bands but for some reason Tull got under my skin at the beginning. I know a little of the dynamics of Jethro Tull because Glenn Cornick was a friend for many years. So I get very anal about them. You are right when you say that IA wrote every track but in the early days the others put a lot of their own ideas in. Of late IA just hires good players and they play it the way he says it should be played, albeit with key changes to accommodate Ian's voice. All Glenn's parts were Glenn. The bouncy, melodic, jazzy stuff was all his. When he was given the push (at the airport, by the manager) they never really had a bass player after Glenn who could add anything. This Was partly to do with the fact that the band members were employees and they did what they were told. You would think Martin Barre would have had some loyalty due after over 30 years of membership, but no. He was taken to a room by Ian and told JT was over. Sometime later JT appears, sans Barre. Go figure.
It gets worse. I have never believed that the sound quality on their albums have been first rate. Ian blamed new equipment for Aqualung and then there was the notorious Chateau D'Isaster stuff. The production on later albums was frankly ordinary. At some point, I think it was Stand Up, Paul McCartney offered to produce it and was given the polite thank you and no. Notwithstanding, some embryo called Steve Wilson has remixed the albums and the result is tragic. Compare this farrago of tatterdemalion blackboard scraping with Tull contemporaries, The Strawbs, who have gone from great to completely fantastic over the years and despite the odd change of personnel, are full of energy and grace and a delight to see live.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful and thorough reply, Titus! I certainly understand your feelings....so few of us get to know those inner workings, and how treatment within bands sounds, so often, like the way workers get treated at our various companies and offices!!
That's amazing that Paul OFFERED to produce "Stand Up".....I'd-a had a hard time believing he'd even know (or care) about Tull back in that day! I hear he was a bit busy in 1969, anyway! But, at the same time I'd be jaw-dropped at ANY band who turned down an offer by Paul to produce your SECOND album, I guess it shouldn't surprise me a head-strong band and/or Ian would even WANT anyone (even Paul) to "interfere" with the vision they had for their soph effort. All the "what-ifs" and "might've beens" there are in rock! Thanks again, Titus!
Oh Brad, I am normally quite rational about bands but for some reason Tull got under my skin at the beginning. I know a little of the dynamics of Jethro Tull because Glenn Cornick was a friend for many years. So I get very anal about them. You are right when you say that IA wrote every track but in the early days the others put a lot of their own ideas in. Of late IA just hires good players and they play it the way he says it should be played, albeit with key changes to accommodate Ian's voice. All Glenn's parts were Glenn. The bouncy, melodic, jazzy stuff was all his. When he was given the push (at the airport, by the manager) they never really had a bass player after Glenn who could add anything. This Was partly to do with the fact that the band members were employees and they did what they were told. You would think Martin Barre would have had some loyalty due after over 30 years of membership, but no. He was taken to a room by Ian and told JT was over. Sometime later JT appears, sans Barre. Go figure.
It gets worse. I have never believed that the sound quality on their albums have been first rate. Ian blamed new equipment for Aqualung and then there was the notorious Chateau D'Isaster stuff. The production on later albums was frankly ordinary. At some point, I think it was Stand Up, Paul McCartney offered to produce it and was given the polite thank you and no. Notwithstanding, some embryo called Steve Wilson has remixed the albums and the result is tragic. Compare this farrago of tatterdemalion blackboard scraping with Tull contemporaries, The Strawbs, who have gone from great to completely fantastic over the years and despite the odd change of personnel, are full of energy and grace and a delight to see live.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful and thorough reply, Titus! I certainly understand your feelings....so few of us get to know those inner workings, and how treatment within bands sounds, so often, like the way workers get treated at our various companies and offices!!
That's amazing that Paul OFFERED to produce "Stand Up".....I'd-a had a hard time believing he'd even know (or care) about Tull back in that day! I hear he was a bit busy in 1969, anyway! But, at the same time I'd be jaw-dropped at ANY band who turned down an offer by Paul to produce your SECOND album, I guess it shouldn't surprise me a head-strong band and/or Ian would even WANT anyone (even Paul) to "interfere" with the vision they had for their soph effort. All the "what-ifs" and "might've beens" there are in rock! Thanks again, Titus!