It was around this time that the Who were trying to tour Quadrophenia using backing tapes for the synth parts; the material needs those sounds and they would not tour with a keyboardist until 1979. The tapes were, by all accounts, a nightmare. It took Pete Townshend a while to learn his lesson because he had similar headaches touring Psychoderelict 20 years later. Coming back around to A Passion Play - for those of you who, like me, have the Steven Wilson remix: The remix deviates from the original in two immediately noticeable ways. There's the added section of "The Foot of Our Stairs," and also the removal of the wobbly synth figure in "...Hare...," just after "sitting astride a twig of a bush, a bee." I'm fine with the tradeoff. The synth wobble is present on earlier CD versions of the album, but really it only ever made sense as an announcement that side 1 of the LP was ending. Once the advent of CDs made it possible to listen to the entire album without interruption, that little "end of part 1" fanfare no longer made sense and served only to interrupt the flow of the "Peter and the Wolf" spoof. Does anyone here disagree? Any purists who think that the removal of even a few inconsequential notes is a bridge too far, "messing with history" and all that?
I never noticed the wobbly synth removal in the remix, so no big deal for me. The added verse in The Foot Of Our Stairs is a nice addition, though a "significant" messing with history -not that I care as I'm not a purist.
Regarding the added "Foot of Our Stairs" material, the band did record it at the time, so they're messing with the edit, not the recording itself, and Ian doesn't remember why it was cut in the first place. The synth figure is absent from the soundtrack of the "Hare" film, so there is a 1973 precedent for presenting "Hare" as one continuous piece without the bloop-bloop-bloop sound between "...a bee" and "ostensibly motionless..."
Bingo! Much like the restored intro to Topographic Oceans. One thing I notice coming back to A Passion Play is John Evan's incredibly tasteful and underrated playing. He really excelled at throwing in those delicious little bits like the piano phrases in Flight From Lucifer ("...I'd give up my halo for a horn, and a horn for the hat I once had...")
Sure, put it all there. I wish they'd figured out a way to put "the Hare" into the Chateau tapes. The explanation given was that Wilson couldn't figure out which parts were from 1972 and which parts were overdubbed in 1973. Well then go with your best guess! Just simplify it to match the other Chateau tapes. But this is a small quibble; fans can always insert the final "Hare" mix digitally if they want. The Wilson Passion Play set is pretty definitive.
When I got able to do such things (early 90s) I edited these seconds out on a MiniDisc and burned me a new CD so that the flow was kept...
That synth wobble is also absent on the earlier discussed promo LP with the album cut in pieces for radio. That gave me the idea to edit it out on my regular CD as well...
It's like editing the two halves of "Kill Bill" back together. It makes total sense to omit the teaser about her baby from the end of "Vol. 1."
After all these years it’s still my favorite Tull album, and I have almost all of them. For me, APP has a magic that defies my attempts to explain it. Perhaps it’s those beautiful long-line melodies, which may be the best IA ever wrote. Perhaps it’s hearing IA sing those melodies in prime voice. Perhaps it’s those witty, albeit obscure, lyrical turns of phrase.
Since this thread started I've played APP a lot. The original Chrysalis CD and the Wilson remix. Sometimes with the hare, sometimes without. It's now become my favourite Tull album! There is just so much in there that benefits repeated listens. I don't know why Anderson and other band members have always been so down on it. I assume it's due to the bad feelings generated by the aborted early sessions and the fact that it's just too hard to play live!
I forget if I read it in the SW book set, but Barry Barlow mentioned that he re listened to this album recently and had forgotten how impressive the songs were -he called Ian to express his admiration for them.
I've been a casual fan of Jethro Tull for years and especially liked Stand Up and Songs from the Wood. I suppose we've all dug deeper into artists during the pandemic... I have been deep down the Tull rabbit hole as of late and I've explored all the albums through Broadsword. I'm in love! They are now the second "prog" band I have really connected with, after Genesis. (I'm usually a bigger fan of American sounds versus really English bands, but something about these two bands in particular really works for me...) I sought out this thread because A Passion Play has become my favorite Tull album, I believe. I've certainly played it the most. I just love it. John Evan shines on the piano all throughout. I love the use of the saxophone and think it adds an appropriate richness to this particular story. And I love the story and ideas. I’ve been reading lyrical interpretations online. It appeals to my interests in general and I love how Ian Anderdon blends heavy questions of life/death/sin with whimsy, beauty, and absurdity. Gorgeous singing and melodies too. The man is a genius. I'm sorry this album was savaged by the critics. It doesn't deserve that at all. Ambition is not the same thing as pretentiousness. What a wonderful piece of art.
And what a wonderful post! I feel the same. So complex and interesting (and crazy!) that I get something out of it on every listen.
Fun fact: I’m listening to APP for the first time ever as I read through this thread. I thought I was in trouble at first, but 20 minutes or so later I’m digging Best Friends like you wouldn’t believe. True story!
"Best Friends" is a great section with an amazing riff. It's where, on the original tour, Martin was allowed to let fly with an extended solo, and it was searing. One of my favorite Martin Barre solo spots ever.
A Passion Play is definitely one of Tull's weirder albums, but for some people (me included) a rewarding listen, worth any effort it may take to adjust to the record. Some great moments in the second half, which is unusual for a "concept album" - they often run out of steam on side 2. My personal favorite bits are "Critique Oblique" and "Flight from Lucifer," but I'm happy to listen all the way through.
I was completely flabbergasted when I heard a number of folks in the forum dis'ing this wonderful album. I'm quite happy to see this long deserved appreciation thread. I also purchased it not long after it came out.I nabbed it in the 8-track format and it was on constant rotation in the hand me down stationwagon I drove around. It's first among my several favorite Tull albums.
Here is guy covering the bass guitar part over the album. Probably sped up, but anyway... Those meters from the opening dance! Only, Jeffrey did this live while jumping around on the stage...
I've always loved "A Passion Play, and I'm bewildered by critics who have rated it so poorly. I think it's better then Thick As A Brick and would be in my Top 5 Tull albums(Aqualung/Songs From The Wood/Stand Up/Minstrel in The Gallery/ Passion Play). The album has a great flow, and I loved Ian's voice in this time period(1973-1976). I like the Wilson remix, but I wish he would not have omitted the Sax on the Overseer section. Great Album!
"Magus Perdé" (the final song before the Epilogue) is one of the most beautiful melodies Tull ever came up with.
As far as what I can remember from those days, the critics had had been sort of cool with "Thick As A Brick" (with some reservations, but it was at least mostly "OK it's clever and I get it"...). But a second one-track prog epic LP within two years - well I was bewildered too by the critics' disdain for this fantastic album, but in hindsight I guess it was to be expected. This is an era where things still went blindingly fast, and musical styles weren't tolerated in any stagnating condition for very long. 1973 was like, glamrock is King now, and prog is on its way out!