It depends. Have they found more material from the period? Better sources for the Derek Lawrence recordings, multi-tracks for "One for John Gee"? Ian has said that the 50th anniversary tour will be "a celebration of all the 33 band members who graced our ranks," but he rather pointedly said "Join me and the current band for a nostalgic evening of varied music." It goes without saying that he'd tour with his current band - I suspect that he only bothered to say it to emphasize that it's not a reunion. And if he were planning on guest appearances by alumni, it wouldn't make sense to keep it a complete secret; a vague reference to unidentified surprise guests would help sell tickets to longtime fans who are skeptical of the current lineup. Every indication is that the past members will be celebrated in absentia.
I agree This Was needs no redux but Aeroplane needs to be back in print. I still think a 20 Years of JT augmented with everything they released since would make a wonderful $100 Box. Stereo CDs. No DVD surround stuff. Just tie up all the loose ends. And a giant book.
That’s too bad. Would have been nice to see some of the old members back for a reunion and revisit some of the outstanding music they produced.
it won't happen but a big summer festival reunion concert like (or even AT) Fairport's Croperedy Convention would be an awesome thing. a big 3 hour concert where they get former line ups together for a few songs each. Heck, if it were at Cropredy, they would have several past members there already! but there is no way that would ever happen. shame, because it would be freaking awesome.
I'm not sure how well and/or capable some of the ex-members currently are. John Evan is reportedly ill, Mick Abrahams is recovering from a series of heart problems, Clive Bunker has not played for a long time (iirc) and Barriemore Barlow, although still active in the industry, stills seems to have a few issue with I.A. That leaves only Barre and Dee Palmer from the 'classic' line-up as possibilities. Somehow, I doubt that Barre would show, either and Jeffrey Hammond Hammond hasn't picked up a bass guitar since 1975. Speaking for myself, I think a reunion concert without those faces would be pretty meaningless.
Hey, AND#129 magazine is out but the free sample is not available on Amazon at this time, don´t know why...anyone who read it can tell here what does it say about the 50th anniversary?
From AND#129 There are a number of 50th Anniversary ideas which Warners have been discussing with Ian Anderson, but nothing has yet been decided-but rest assured that the momentous milestone will be properly aknoledged. One project that does appera to have legs is a 50th anniversary re-release of This Was, hopefully remixed by Steven Wilson, which may well include some previously 1968 unreleased 1968 outakes- but psst, don´t tell anyone yet, OK? Word is that SW will continue with his remixes for a while yet- but that´s for 2019 onwards.
I hope they don't announce the tracks and then leave them off the CD, like what happened with "Advertising Man."
It is, and it's not. Ian seems to want to have it both ways - everything Tull was really him, hence all the line up changes, and the distribution of royalties, and yet when he tours using only his own name, he's somehow different? Ian Anderson IS Jethro Tull. He has changed style and line ups over the years, sometimes at his behest, sometimes not. There is no separating them, imo.
I've commented on other threads here about this, so apologies if I'm repeating myself excessively on the matter. While Ian is Tull from a songwriting perspective, I think the different flavors each lineup brought to the music are self-evident. Even the '90s/'00s lineup had its own sound and flavor for all the flak it sometimes gets 'round these parts. Ian wasn't making every choice in inflection, tone, etc. That was what the players brought to the party. Honestly, what I feel is missing in his last few solo outings (and even in the solo show I saw) is the personality of the players. He found very good players who do what they're told and it sucks something essential out of the music as far as I'm concerned. Nothing against the current players. I suspect it's just a new dynamic in his solo band, but I know I don't much care for it. Ian may be Tull, but Tull was also Tull, regardless of who was in it. He never used to traffic in easily swapped out band members, which is why so many fans have their favorite lineups (frankly, I love it all, but for different reasons as you go through). It's a bit like Roger Waters and Pink Floyd. Waters wrote the strongest material and was clearly the conceptual mastermind, but you don't have to go far into his solo career to realize how much Rick Wright and David Gilmour added in terms of clothing to the body that Waters set up, if that makes any sense. I tend to think of Tull in the same way. Particularly with Ian's voice as weak as it is, he's receded into the background and that's where you need strong personalities in your players to make up the difference. Tull had that. Ian on his own with the new guys really doesn't. Just one listener's opinion and I don't want to come off that I'm bashing Ian. I know he's the root cause of the music, but he didn't make it all alone.
Not meaning to go off-topic here but, in terms of the music, wasn't Gilmour at least the equal to Waters , if not more, in Pink Floyd? Apart from that, I totally agree, that he was the conceptual mastermind - which, in the end, was why they fell out - and with what you say about his solo career.
Ian said himself that qoute: “i don’t want to be in Tull anymore.” So he went from being the band leader to being a solo project. And there is an emotional distinction between the two.
Nothiong's been heard on this lately but as noted upthread, Martin talked last year about a 50th anniversary tour he was doing that would include ex-members. He mentioned then that Clive had confirmed. No word on anyone else but Pegg, Barlow and perhaps Palmer seem to be the likeliest. It would seem that Ian is basically doing another greatest-hits tour (though to be fair, he's done other types of tours in recent years).
Having read Palmer's interview on a recent A New Day magazine, i seriously doubt he will be taking part.
I think much of the resentment Barry had towards Ian (in particular for his treatment of John Glascock) has waned and he seems to have buried the hatchet.
Apologies if I've quoted this before, but David (Dee) Palmer is on record as saying that Ian Anderson could assemble any group of competent musicians and 'within a week', he'd have been playing like Jethro Tull. I'm not sure I'd agree with that, personally.
But he is the 'authenticity factor' in that band: which raises an interesting point. What happens when your 'authenticity factor' is also your Achilles' heel? Barre can still pull out the riffs and solos and hire a soundalike vocalist who can be a better 'Ian' than Ian himself - whilst Ian is forced to work within his ever-increasing limitations and hope that the 'authenticity factor' compensates. Personally, I'd sooner see Tull music presented by Barre than by Anderson at this point in time.
I don't particularly think the guy Martin;'s got is a real soundalike. Similar range and tone, but he's basically a good blues-rock frontman whose style adapts well to the Tull material (no showboating). Way less clone-y (and less annoying) than Ryan O'Donnell.
I suppose Barre feels he has to tread carefully. I've no idea what the (true) current state of his relationship with Anderson is but I imagine there are 'legalities' which he has to observe. Ian's idea of having 'video guests' to sing lines that are now out of his range strikes me as naff in the extreme.
