Martin Barre says Tull finished

Well, as taab was already taken I guess he just had to put a 2 in it. Can't see any big news coming.

I like A but I think they were finished after Stormwatch, but if they put out new stuff I will check it out with an open mind.

enigma wrote: just 1 hour 27 mins till the announcement http://www.j-tull.com/ (shoot me if I'm wrong )

Sounds great!!! New Tull!!!

Is Martin Barre playing on this album, or is/was he already out of Tull?

Edited by Dellinger - January 31 2012 at 18:37

Thicker than a Brick?

Crikey. I'll be honest, I'm still a little bit sceptical right now for a number of reasons:

1. Martin Barre's been pretty open about stepping away from Tull for the foreseeable. After so long of the band treading water why would he quit on the cusp of a massive new album release?
2. Anderson has gone to great lengths to declare TAAB as a spoof prog album. He stopped writing prog songs a long time ago, so what's brought about the change of heart and musical direction?
3. The release date. April 2nd? That leaves a convenient window for another "big announcement" on April 1st.

Ultimately, if it is genuine then I hope all involved have put some real effort into it. To produce a fitting sequel to an album widely regarded as a masterpiece some 40 years later is a pretty damn bold move. It invites direct comparisons to the original which surely wouldn't be welcome unless Anderson was supremely confident about the new album.

So forgive me if I don't celebrate just yet. In fact, I'll probably still have some nagging doubts until I'm actually holding the damn thing.

Edit: There's a lengthy post by Anderson on the official site that I'd not noticed earlier. It gives a pretty plausible account of the new album's genesis and actually gives me a little hope for the project. The elephant in the room here is to what extent is this an artistic choice and to what extent is it a financial one? It seems Ian's finally cottoned on to the prog resurgence and the marketing opportunities afforded by making a TAAB sequel are considerable. God, I'm in such a cynical mood today. This could be great. I want it to be great. These next few months are gonna be torture.


Edited by The Hemulen - February 01 2012 at 02:36

I'm guessing the PlanetRock interview will have more info along with a sneak-peek at the album's content.

Is it officially a JT release or an Anderson solo project?
Without Barre it would seem odd to call it a Tull album, mind you Floyd/Waters/Gilmour also blurred the boundaries between solo and group albums.

Edited by enigma - February 01 2012 at 03:26

Barre will not be participating in the new album or the tour.  I fear this will not come anywhere close to the original, but at least I won't have high expectations so might be able to appreciate it more.

I will try to reserve judgment until I can listen to it, but I have to say, it just seems like a bad idea all around (and one intended to make some money for Ian........i.e., cash in on past glories).

TAAB 2 seems a big thing and might be really enjoyable.

I'm not holding my breath that this will be any good - I'm prepared to be proved wrong though. Must keep an open mind.