Ian Anderson's 'Thick as a Brick 2'

jamesg1213


Anderson has recorded the 'sequel' to the 1972 classic and will be touring it;

TAAB2

Got some misgivings about this, Anderson seems to be getting a little petulant (even Roger Waters-like) by saying, 'I wrote it, so it's going out under my name' instead of a Tull album. Then there's the state of his singing voice..

The wonderful Martin Barre seems to have been elbowed out in favour of a young session player (again), he's not on the album or in the touring band.

So, the first new 'Tull' material for almost 10 years isn't filling me with too much enthusiasm so far.

Looks like only UK dates so far. Don't know if he'll make it across the pond but I sure hope he does. I don't mind a bit of petulance - from someone who's earned it. At least he didn't call it a Jethro Tull project with nothing but (or almost exclusively) studio musicians. And the band sounded tight......

TLMM and I will definitely be buying it.  The most troubling thing about the YouTube trailer is the music sound's too perfect.  It's all so polished.  Part of the excitement of Jethro Tull was that you weren't so sure they wouldn't come apart at some point.

bapu


I wonder if Judas Priest will be doing Rocks Rolla 2 soon?

Mebee Straummy knows.

 
Er....... no mate
 
But Rocka Rolla 2, you never know
 
Mein Gott in Himmel, I'm a pedantic so-and-so 
 

Ah! The WarChild concert in Philly (70's).  'Twas quite a bombastic array.

"Petulant", IMHO, worked for that theme. 

But the poetic egotism + instrumental dissonance (like his signature *inspired* flute jamming amidst nihlistic themes) of Tull's albums before and aft ... not my cup of tea I'm afraid. 

IMHO, I never understood how or why Anderson (or any muse for that matter) could be so *majestically inspired* to sing about man's worst wretchedness coupled with a hopeless existence.  

Does this mean he's not going to sing with YES any more?

Ahhhh the memories of sitting around and driving around South Jersey listening to TAAB with one of my buds.... in his new Chevy PU. We both knew that album backwards and forwards.  I never saw JT live in the Spectrum in Philly so that was kind of a bummer. 

I would be interested in hearing this new TAAB # 2....40 years later....  Of course, to do it right, the original gritty feel and recording and of course the "out in left field" writing of Anderson must be as fresh and unique as it was back then. 

The ultimate show of course...assuming they can pull it off musically first in the studio, capturing the magic, would be a 2 part show...... First part is TAAB part one.... the original..... short intermission to toke up refresh , then full steam ahead into TAAB part 2. 

In my opinion, there are a few writers I would classify as genius in what they do. Ian Anderson is one of them. Jeff Lynn of ELO fame is another. So it will be interesting to see if Ian still has that genius touch with his music as he had back 40 years ago. 

bapu


I saw Tull two times.

Once in the early 70's at the Inglewood Forum and once at the Anaheim Convention Center in 82 or 83 (my seat was in back of the stage) for the Crest of A Knave tour (I believe). The stage setup with the "ship".

The 70's was better IMO. 

During extended breaks Ian would make his way into a tent and toke from an Oxygen tank (I could see becuase my seat was behind the stage).

[TullNerd] That'd be the 'Broadsword & The Beast' tour Ed. 'Crest..' came out in '87. [/TullNerd]

Guitarhacker



The ultimate show of course...assuming they can pull it off musically first in the studio, capturing the magic, would be a 2 part show...... First part is TAAB part one.... the original..... short intermission to toke up refresh , then full steam ahead into TAAB part 2. 

That's exactly what Anderson is doing Herb..I'm just not interested in seeing him with a bunch of session guys studiously playing all the right notes.

Karyn


I'd rather go see the CHB studiously play all the wrong notes

[Eric]They play all the right notes..not necessarily in the right order..[/Eric]

James.... assuming the tickets are reasonably priced .... not to common these days with the "old rockers" that might be "THE" show to see regardless of the session players. 

Not all old rockers age gracefully and keep their chops and skills up. So I can see the need for session players. 

As far as having "young blood" on the stage.....I have no problem with that. I was just watching a show called Cross Roads..... rock meets country...where Steven Tyler was on stage with Carrie Underwood. 

A mismatched pair to say the least at first glance. They began with 2 Aerosmith tunes, and obviously ALL the players were session players. Sweet Emotion.....Oh My!  Those cats rocked that song as well as all the others, probably better than Aerosmith back in the day. 

I also figured that since Tyler is a judge on AI and often plays the fool, that he was probably pretty washed up as a performer in his latter years....... WRONG!!!! The man can still hit the high notes dead on like in the old days. And it did not appear to be synced. Carrie was singing some stuff and forgot that she was supposed to be the "lead" vocalist on some "trading licks" singing.... and was not singing into the mic.... and no.... her voice was missing from the mix. Also the guitarist in the first song started the riff, where the riff was supposed to end....  just some glitches that a keen observer would catch to know it was all live. 

jamesg1213
Anderson has recorded the 'sequel' to the 1972 classic and will be touring it;

 
I think I would have done the same thing.
 
In the end, he created a "personna" that is him, but is not getting the credit that he wants, and it was pretty obvious that he was not happy with the "critics" over the "progressive" thing at all, and I think he decided that he wanted to do it ... his way ... and give everyone the finger ... and if the progressivesorios (and stuckup morons) or the fans didn't like it, he could say ... I don't care ... I composed a wonderful piece of music and all you can tell me is ... you are jealous and like it, or you don't like it ... but I'm the composer and I will be remembered and no one will give a **** about you ... a stupid fan that is not even polite enough to appreciate composition!
 
And guess what "Thick as a Brick" was all about in the first place? Story goes that it was about Jon Anderson, but later it was changed that it was about Robert Plant ... so that would mean that the emphasys is on a very different body part altogether! And Ian was known to not exactly be a member of the short club ... he never got a plaster cast done though! Wonder if that means anything! Miss Pam is not telling! And the ladies in the Coffee House are already throwing their eyes in a circle ... going ... I don't believe this yet again! Boys!

Oh great, now we have facts to deal with.

Nice that I can email Ian and the band though.

I'm gonna ask him if he likes Becan.

Thanks for the welcome


I hate facts they get in the way of my imagination LOL


As for email, yes they answer everyone of them ;-) 

Ash55


Guitarist Florian Opahle has been with Ian and Tull since 05 when he first played on  the "Ian Anderson Plays Orchestral Jethro Tull" tour and I  have seen him live a number of times over the past five years.

Yes, I've seen him a few times, once with Greg Lake. A fine player, there's no doubt about that. His 'shredding', tapping and classical stylings are technically faultless, but I'll take Barre's sense of harmony and phrasing over all that any day.

jamesg1213 meet Ash55.

Ash55 meet jamesg1213.

You two should start a Jethro Tull fred together.

jamesg1213


I think Ash has come down from the Upper Class, to mend my rotten ways.

Finally!