My problem with Tull's Aqualung

I rather enjoy it, and find it adds some nice contrast to the story he's telling although I'm not sure what his intent is. You're free to like or dislike it at your pleasure but...

yeahhh, everyone here is just lying to be contradictory to you?

 

Especially through headphones.

 

Can't remember if he used that effect in any of the concerts I saw.

 

To telephone or not?

 

Agree! As stated it really stands out on the M. U. best of Jethro Tull CD.

 

Love that part!

 

No problem here and can't imagine that 30 -45 seconds (guessing) out of 6:35 causes it not to be an all time great song?

 

Nah, it was Blur.

 

Go figure. If you read you have seen I said for me, not for the rest of the world.

 

I also like the "megaphone" section of "Susie Q" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Now, the umpteen zillion examples of Auto-Tune vocal sections in numerous modern recordings...those I most emphatic do NOT like!

 

The "MU" compilation had a different mix without (much of) the megaphone effect. Least that was true on vinyl, not sure which mix is on the CD.

"MU" also marked the US debut of the proper intro, with two riffs instead of one.

 

Perhaps the OP is saddled with the many issues that used the incorrect quad mix and so that voice drops out to near invisibility, not so much a megaphone but the long distant voice of an OOPs'ed recording. I dislike it as well and am happy to finallyy have a copy of the correct, good sounding version.

 

I love that picture, I have never seen it before.

Aqualung, song and album, is absolutely perfect!........sounds best on the classic records 4 disc 200 gram 45rpm clarity red box set

 

Yes it has been, a couple times in recent years, which is to say the last ten. Both in 2005 and 2008 I think the entire Aqualung record was performed intermixed with material from other years. And while there are certain songs that are heard at Tull concerts that are there 80 per cent of the time, Ian Anderson always puts them in new clothes to keep himself, and thereby people such as me, interested. And Aqualung and Locomotive Breath, the 2 songs from Tull that it seems they will be remembered by have been performed at every Tull concert since 71, save for a few or maybe one where Ian got pissed off by a little too much drunken hooting during the likes of Wondring Aloud, or time constraints of a particular venue.

 

I saw them in 72/73/74

 

I saw them in 70/71/72, but can't remember either if they used that effect. (Well, obviously they didn't in 1970, as the song probably hadn't even been recorded yet,)

 

My partner did their sound in Oct 70. I just listened to that show and they did My God but not Aqualung, but he would have had to be the one to do the effect. At that point he had no individual channel eq so it would have required outboard gear. Standard console eq, had he had it, would not be able to get close to that sound but I imagine a graphic would have.

I guess the easy way would be to split the mic feed, one to the mix and one to the eq. Then bring the eq back into the mix and it would be a simple matter of potting one down while the other went up and visa versa to get out.

 

you know what, you better send me a copy of that show so we can be sure, I would like to give an intelligent opinion

 

You gotta figure, they got that sound well before all of these digital sound altering things existed so at the time it was great that there was something different on the album.
I like it on there, I think it adds something, it gives the lyrics more dynamics.
Imagine it with him just singing dry without that effect.
Doesn't work for me.

 

Its not you, it me ... actually it is you.

 

Actually this is one that had a problem the we didn't detect when transferring so it suffers from scrape flutter issues. This happened a few times during our process of doing over 100 reels, and usually when it happened we'd clean up, back up to before it started and go again knowing we could edit out it out later. This one will have to be redone at some point but we've got a big queue of things ahead of it.

In any case the performance is not great. Martin Barre had tuning issues which really ruins a lot of it's value to me. Gosh, how could such a great guitar player not realize that? Also it's a mono PA mix so not everything is present in the mix but of course there's plenty of Ian, almost too much at times.

 

I thought it was YOU I was addressing? Didn't you say it ruined it for you? That is why I said I can't believe 30 seconds would ruin it for you because it is a classic song.

 

that's the quad mix if IIRC. That Guitar part sounds like nylon strings...

 

Likely not something I would normally announce to the entire world, but as this column concerns Tull and mostly has supporters I will say I have seen each of the tours, over the past ten years could be tull, or could be the ian band of one stripe or another, at least once since 72, (saw the brick tour in 72 twice in chicago, once in may and once in november making what had been an avid fan into a lifelong fanatic) usually an annual affair in the chicago area. have seen them many times in other cities as well. after all you can see what name i use.
As those of a certain age will know Tull would be in the discussion for the most unhip band in history as far as history has remembered them, which actually is a small part of their appeal to me.
As to the use of the effect in live performance, having seen all those tours since 72, I can state unequivocally that it was never used save for the 2 recent years I referenced. Definitely not, back in the day, especially for those of us who fervently believe in the day, but I digress. This is further backed up my a serious load of boot Tull performances, speaking at least once to all the years they have existed, usually several per year. And yes, true, My God was played at Isle of Wight and other venues pretty much throughout 1970, or one year prior to the release of Aqualung, none of the other songs were. There was even a moderately differently lyric for the bloody church of England line, prior to release, in live performance that line had been the Jewish, Christians and Muslims in chains of history. I am guessing only Christian churches have vicarages making the Church of England a better lyrical choice. Dunno.
Oddly there are perfectly good boot recordings from 69 and 70, but during the bands absolute box office heyday of 71 thru 5 there are scant few high quality recordings, though several that are very listenable. No soundboards for instance. btw as some will know all of these goodies are available to someone willing to get signed up for the dime a dozen website, plus from every genre of music I am aware of, obviously with a heavy bias to the rock and roll heavyweights.

 

I like it!