"The press" in this case was largely Chris Welch from Melody Maker. He was a big supporter of prog, but tended to hate it when prog bands got really ambitious (he panned APP, Lamb and Topographic, and got back on board when those bands scaled down). Of course they all got some other negative (and positive) reviews, but it was largely Welch who discouraged those bands, since they'd considered him an ally.
He must have liked Gentle Giant then? Because aside from one fairly long track on their debut album, they spent their 10-year recording career doing short albums with short (by prog standards) tracks on them.
You'd think, but GG spent so much energy on America that the UK press and public ignored them altogether. Same thing largely went for Renaissance.
From the moment I heard it (which would have been virtually the day of its original release) I've really enjoyed it and its appeal has only increased over the years. The last 10 minutes are 10 of my favourite Tull minutes ever. Cranked up, on a good system, there's little better. Steven Wilson did a great job with the remaster, too.
I still wish SW had used the 1988 additions. I don't know why he thought staying in 1972 was a sacred task. It's not like a stranger did the overdubs, it was Ian and ISTR that he claimed he remembered what he wanted to do but after they bailed on the concept he just never bothered (until 88 that is). And I'm still trying to ascertain if the Chateau album had a working title. They had 3 sides done by that point so a title must have been floating around. I'm sure it couldn't have been APP owing to the great amount of the "animal" themed material.
I've always considered these three albums to be more of a trilogy than the usual trio of Wood/Horses/Stormwatch. The reason people don't notice is that there's another album stuck in between!
Well said. This Tull fan has no disagreements or anything further to add. ...though I do get a crack outta Critique Oblique's "and your little sister's immaculate virginity WINGS away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision" Some of Ian's beautifully crude poeticism amid a suitably menacing aural adventure.
Ain't that the truth. At the time, my neighbors in NJ had four box seats right next to the Yankees dugout and the first base camera. If I leaned over the railing, I saw dirt. We used to sit next to Michael Burke and Lee MacPhail. They gave me tickets in exchange for gardening chores on their property. My only regret is not taking pictures. I was mere feet away from Mickey, Pepi and Horace and the rest during pre-game warm-ups. My neighbors owned a jewelry shop in Manhattan. For all I know, they were supplying the Yankees with World Series rings. I was too young to think about asking them how they got such primo seats.
I think Passion Play & Brick should have trimmed the musical "fat" and been released as a single album 1 side each. Would have made a strong lp. I do love the newspaper cover on Brick. It's a pretty cool read.
I think it's great album and a great live show. I remember a mate of mine having a small programme with his original LP, or am I imagining it? Does anyone know BTW of any live recordings that include Steeleye Span as support?
Correct. The program was opened and fitted into slots in the inside of the gatefold. Jethro Tull - A Passion Play
He?! Jethro jumped that thing back in 1741. If APP was a shark-jumper of a moment, do you really not like anything that followed?!
A Passion Play; well, let's be honest, "The Hare who Lost His Spectacles" is here because the album needs the comedy relief. But still, I like it. Not sure where it would go if I was to rank Tull's catalog.
What's the name of that folk dance, in musical terms, which opens the album as the Prelude? J-S Bach often used it... and Tull too... It's not a jig; there is a jig elsewhere on the album, and it's different...
I'm the worlds biggest Tull fan and adore TAAB, but APP is just as dismal now as it was back in 1973.
He jumped the shark, landed on the whale, and rode that thing out into the ocean beyond. Glory bound.
Passion play has its moments but less than half of it is good. Imo imo. I saw the concert it was interesting. From stand up to aqualung along with the singles from living in the past they were releasing some great catchy pop rock etc tunes. Thick as a brick is one thing passion play is a bridge to far I like that movie I still like parts of passion play and the stephen wilson version sounds better. Imo imo
