M.U. - Best of Tull mixing variations

First off, I was able to find an excellent used copy of the DCC Aqualung CD on eBay recently. Having read so much about this disc here, I looked forward to hearing it. All I can say after listening is ! Steve, I've always been impressed with your work, but this was such an improvement over what was out there that I must commend you! I look forward to aquiring DCC's Original Masters someday.

Anyway, my introduction to Tull was M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull. It was always my understanding that some of the songs on that album were remixed, "Aqualung" being among them.

The original British mix, on the DCC disc, has the guitar solo in the right channel and heavy echo on the "sun streaking cold" section.

The M.U. mix has, among many differences, the guitar solo centered in the mix and no echo on the "sun streaking cold" section. This same mix was used on the Chrysalis Original Masters disc.

Another Aqualung song, "Locomotive Breath", is also remixed on M.U.. On the British mix, the lead guitar bursts during the piano intro are in the right channel with the sustained note right before the band kicks in panning from right to center. All of this is centered on M.U..

The bass is also right channel on the British mix but centered on M.U.. Again, there are other differences.

The British mix is used on all other Tull discs I own including Original Masters.

I would like to know what other songs on M.U. are different mixes so I can note that in my catalog program. I am also curious to know what is the best sounding version of M.U.. I love that album even if the mixes are not the originals. It's my sentimental favorite after all!

 

The Aqualung tracks on M.U. are fold downs of quad mixes.

 

Note that for Aqualung, the acoustic guitar and vocal are actually *different* in the "compressed" sections on the two mixes. That's why the original mix seems to drag a bit in comparison to the M.U. mix - it does!

 

On the Original CD of Original Masters "Aqualung" has a very different feel to it? The Acoustic Guitar has a nylon string sound? No other
version sounds like it. What gives? Very interesting. I can remember riding around in my friends Van listening to The Aqualung LP on 8 Track, we bought it at Sam Goody on release day...It sure sounded good in the Van...Ah, the memories.