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Not of fan of A, though I really tried. I thought the presence of Dave Pegg's bass and Eddie Jobson's electric violin would bring a folkier, more organic sound, but that production....and those songs - outside the instrumental jig on side 2....and the fact that the album was really hyped by the press as a return of sorts. I never heard any of these songs on FM radio, and I'm sure that not many have ever shown up on a concert setlist. I still have the LP on the shelf somewhere.....can't bring myself to sell it 'cause I remember the day and why I bought it (ain't it funny how that happens).
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
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Posted: July 23 2015 at 22:43
I never liked the album much, but years later a friend gave me some bootleg tapes of a few showd from that tour. The live versions were much better, and gave me an idea of what Anderson was trying to do.
I still don't listen to the album more than once every few years.
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Posted: July 11 2015 at 12:07
TODDLER wrote:
Originally meant to be an Ian Anderson solo debut, I bought the album the first week it was released in the U.S. and greatly enjoyed it then. It would be difficult for me to appreciate it now. Loved the violin in "Uniform". I have a few good memories of the album, but it didn't stun me like Minstrel In The Gallery. Sorry to go off thread, but seriously..there is a entire disc of a live concert from the Minstrel In The Gallery tour on the new Steve Wilson remix. This would be a rare listen. Something special and unique that I want to hear.
To my knowledge, Ian never performed my all time favorite JT song- Baker Street Muse off my favorite JTull album. Let us know if you feel the SW mixes of Minstrel In the Gallery are worth the purchase price. I already have 3 Minstrels in my collection....
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Posted: July 10 2015 at 20:17
@ The Dark Elf - thanks for posting the Fairport clips up there - some of the best I've heard from them. And Peggy does cook !! Rick Sanders is pretty cool. I only heard Leige And Leaf and Gottle O' Gear, and various bits and pieces but was never blown away by them. I may need to look into them further. Still love 'A' a lot, the amount of technical effort crammed into these shorter songs is admirable - Uniform, Pine-Marten's Jig, Batteries Not Included........
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 10:49
^Anderson put Pegg in the most secure financial position of his professional career. I believe that Peggy's regard for his old band Fairport was based on deep friendship and loyalty.
Quite simply, Dave Pegg was a rare good guy in the not so nice world of rock music.
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 06:55
Tom Ozric wrote:
^ I haven't heard much Fairport, but whilst in that band, I thought Pegg's playing was average, however, on 'A', he really shines - a really elaborate player who understands demanding parts.
Here you go, Pegg on bass with Fairport (during the time he was also playing with Tull). Far more demanding and certainly more exuberant playing than anything he played with Tull, constrained as he was by Ian (which is why he never gave up the Fairport gig):
...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 06:44
At the time, I thought bringing in Peggy would move Tull back to folk rock, but really A moved things further away! However, with the addition of Jobson as well, it helped to revitalise the band's sound.
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 06:18
^ I haven't heard much Fairport, but whilst in that band, I thought Pegg's playing was average, however, on 'A', he really shines - a really elaborate player who understands demanding parts.
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 05:06
Sean Trane wrote:
the first of their catastrophic trilogy (continued with TB&TB and UW)...
Clealy Tull's previous line-up - sadly terminated by Glascock's death and the very uninspired SW album - was over.
The new band (save Anderson & Barre) had no idea what to do to survived soooooo, they tried a bit of this and tad of that, and a pinch of salt & pepper, but it didn't work at all.
Only Tull afficionados & fanboys can find some grace in this album, though I dare say they did worse with the next two albums...
As I recall, the A release was definitely a WTF? moment for Tull fans, made worse, as you said, by the two dreadful follow-up albums. The loss of Glasscock, Evan, Palmer and Barlow so changed the make up of the band that I never looked at Tull the same again, even though I dearly love Dave Pegg's playing (but more so with Fairport).
...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...
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Posted: July 09 2015 at 03:16
the first of their catastrophic trilogy (continued with TB&TB and UW)...
Clealy Tull's previous line-up - sadly terminated by Glascock's death and the very uninspired SW album - was over.
The new band (save Anderson & Barre) had no idea what to do to survived soooooo, they tried a bit of this and tad of that, and a pinch of salt & pepper, but it didn't work at all.
Only Tull afficionados & fanboys can find some grace in this album, though I dare say they did worse with the next two albums...
Joined: June 09 2004
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 23:43
Love the album. Was kinda bridging the gap before other prog bands at the time. Eddier Jobson on keys I think. Tull were survivors a long long time ago!
<font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian
...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]
Originally meant to be an Ian Anderson solo debut, I bought the album the first week it was released in the U.S. and greatly enjoyed it then. It would be difficult for me to appreciate it now. Loved the violin in "Uniform". I have a few good memories of the album, but it didn't stun me like Minstrel In The Gallery. Sorry to go off thread, but seriously..there is a entire disc of a live concert from the Minstrel In The Gallery tour on the new Steve Wilson remix. This would be a rare listen. Something special and unique that I want to hear.
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A by Jethro Tull
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TODDLER wrote:
Let us know if you feel the SW mixes of Minstrel In the Gallery are worth the purchase price. I already have 3 Minstrels in my collection.... 
