The legendary concept album from 1973 in a grand luxury package!
What initially seemed to end in a fiasco rose like a phoenix from the ashes: JETHRO TULL's sixth studio album "A Passion Play" managed to reach number 1 on the US charts despite catastrophic circumstances and defined the progressive rock sound of the 70s. The legendary album is now being reissued by Steven Wilson as a double CD, double DVD (audio and video), and for download with the discarded recordings from the Château d’Hérouville.
After "Benefit" (1970), "Aqualung" (1971), and "Thick As A Brick" (1972), JETHRO TULL rode the crest of a wave of popularity. During the tour for "Thick As A Brick", they played the largest arenas on both sides of the ocean, but the success of "Thick As A Brick" presented them with new challenges: What do you do after an opulent concept album that consists of just one song lasting 44 minutes? The answer: A double album that should consist of individual songs again.
This year, JETHRO TULL went into the studio for the first time in their five-year career with an unchanged lineup - and again with a clear division of tasks. Founding member and bandleader Ian Anderson wrote his songs on acoustic guitar, flute, and this time also saxophone, while guitarist Martin Barre, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, drummer Barriemore Barlow, and keyboardist John Evans provided the perfect environment for Anderson's compositions. The next question was: Which studio should they go to?
Two criteria were paramount: Firstly, the studio should be located on the mainland – for tax reasons. Secondly, it had to be a studio with a good reputation and provide the band with a comfortable environment. The Château d’Hérouville near Paris seemed perfect at first glance: Elton John had recorded his album "Honky Château" here, Pink Floyd recorded their film soundtrack "Obscured By Clouds" here. There was a living area, and the studio was very well equipped – apparently the perfect choice. So what could possibly go wrong? Everything.
The recordings ended in disaster. First, there were technical problems with the studio. Then there was the living area... the band had to share a communal sleeping space that was very sparsely equipped. This would have been tolerable if they had been the only occupants. Unfortunately, they had to share the beds with a multitude of local bedbugs. And to top it all off, all band members suffered from a severe food poisoning as a result of the in-house catering. It’s no surprise that they decided to go home and leave the material recorded up to that point, which was about an hour long, behind. JETHRO TULL started from scratch and wrote a completely new album instead of trying to revive the enthusiasm and rally the band around something that had already failed.
Thus, "A Passion Play" was finally created, an album that developed into a 45-minute prog-rock monument with complex rhythms, intricate lyrics, and – well – complicated everything. There were still nine days left until the next tour started, so it had to be done quickly. The theme of the album is a cycle of rebirth and eternal life, the realization that the choices of life extend into the afterlife – the old story of good versus evil, God versus the devil. And – it became one of the most impressive albums by JETHRO TULL: hotly debated among fans and immediately placed at number 1 on the US charts.
The now-released Extended Performance edition of A Passion Play comes in a wonderful 2CD/2DVD package that is bound like a book. It contains the original album and the material from the recordings at the Château d’Hérouville, remixed by Steven Wilson. The DVDs also present a mix done by Wilson in excellent 5.1 surround sound and additional video material.
http://jethrotull.com
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JETHRO TULL "A Passion Play" (2CD/2DVD Tracklisting)
CD 1 - A Passion Play (New Steven Wilson Stereo Mix)
1. Lifebeats /Prelude
2. The Silver Cord
3. Re-Assuring Tune
4. Memory Bank
5. Best Friends
6. Critique Oblique
7. Forest Dance #1
8. The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles
9. Forest Dance #2
10. The Foot Of Our Stairs (2 additional verses found at the end of the multi-track spool were added.)
11. Overseer Overture.
12. Flight From Lucifer
13. 10.08 to Paddington
14. Magus Perde
15. Epilogue
CD 2
The Château d'Hérouville Sessions (New Steven Wilson Stereo Mix)
1) The Big Top
2) Scenario
3) Audition
4) Skating Away
5) Sailor
6) No Rehearsal
7) Left Right
8) Solitaire
9) Critique Oblique (Part I)
10) Critique Oblique (Part II)
11) Animelee (1st Dance) [Instrumental]
12) Animelee (2nd Dance) [Instrumental]
13) Law Of The Bungle (Part I)
14) Tiger
15) Law Of The Bungle (Part II)
DVD 1 (Audio & Video)
Content:
• A Passion Play 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound as well as PCM 96/24 PCM Stereo.
• A direct transfer of the original masters in PCM 96/24 Stereo
• Video clips of ‘The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles’ - an intro and outro film shown during the Passion Play tour of 1973.
DVD 2 (audio only)
Content:
• The Château d'Hérouville Sessions in 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
• PCM 96/24 PCM Stereo.
In the book:
* A detailed article by Martin Webb about the preparations and recordings as well as the Château sessions that preceded the final recordings.
* Steven Wilson's report on the remixes of the album.
* Memories of the photo sessions for the cover and the work on the film with dancer Jane Ece (Colthorpe).
* Retrospective thoughts from Rev’d Godfrey Pilchard.
* The tour history of 1973
* Memories of sound engineer Chris Amson about the tour and the PA systems.
What initially seemed to end in a fiasco rose like a phoenix from the ashes: JETHRO TULL's sixth studio album "A Passion Play" managed to reach number 1 on the US charts despite catastrophic circumstances and defined the progressive rock sound of the 70s. The legendary album is now being reissued by Steven Wilson as a double CD, double DVD (audio and video), and for download with the discarded recordings from the Château d’Hérouville.
After "Benefit" (1970), "Aqualung" (1971), and "Thick As A Brick" (1972), JETHRO TULL rode the crest of a wave of popularity. During the tour for "Thick As A Brick", they played the largest arenas on both sides of the ocean, but the success of "Thick As A Brick" presented them with new challenges: What do you do after an opulent concept album that consists of just one song lasting 44 minutes? The answer: A double album that should consist of individual songs again.
This year, JETHRO TULL went into the studio for the first time in their five-year career with an unchanged lineup - and again with a clear division of tasks. Founding member and bandleader Ian Anderson wrote his songs on acoustic guitar, flute, and this time also saxophone, while guitarist Martin Barre, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, drummer Barriemore Barlow, and keyboardist John Evans provided the perfect environment for Anderson's compositions. The next question was: Which studio should they go to?
Two criteria were paramount: Firstly, the studio should be located on the mainland – for tax reasons. Secondly, it had to be a studio with a good reputation and provide the band with a comfortable environment. The Château d’Hérouville near Paris seemed perfect at first glance: Elton John had recorded his album "Honky Château" here, Pink Floyd recorded their film soundtrack "Obscured By Clouds" here. There was a living area, and the studio was very well equipped – apparently the perfect choice. So what could possibly go wrong? Everything.
The recordings ended in disaster. First, there were technical problems with the studio. Then there was the living area... the band had to share a communal sleeping space that was very sparsely equipped. This would have been tolerable if they had been the only occupants. Unfortunately, they had to share the beds with a multitude of local bedbugs. And to top it all off, all band members suffered from a severe food poisoning as a result of the in-house catering. It’s no surprise that they decided to go home and leave the material recorded up to that point, which was about an hour long, behind. JETHRO TULL started from scratch and wrote a completely new album instead of trying to revive the enthusiasm and rally the band around something that had already failed.
Thus, "A Passion Play" was finally created, an album that developed into a 45-minute prog-rock monument with complex rhythms, intricate lyrics, and – well – complicated everything. There were still nine days left until the next tour started, so it had to be done quickly. The theme of the album is a cycle of rebirth and eternal life, the realization that the choices of life extend into the afterlife – the old story of good versus evil, God versus the devil. And – it became one of the most impressive albums by JETHRO TULL: hotly debated among fans and immediately placed at number 1 on the US charts.
The now-released Extended Performance edition of A Passion Play comes in a wonderful 2CD/2DVD package that is bound like a book. It contains the original album and the material from the recordings at the Château d’Hérouville, remixed by Steven Wilson. The DVDs also present a mix done by Wilson in excellent 5.1 surround sound and additional video material.
http://jethrotull.com
http://www.facebook.com/officialjethrotull
JETHRO TULL "A Passion Play" (2CD/2DVD Tracklisting)
CD 1 - A Passion Play (New Steven Wilson Stereo Mix)
1. Lifebeats /Prelude
2. The Silver Cord
3. Re-Assuring Tune
4. Memory Bank
5. Best Friends
6. Critique Oblique
7. Forest Dance #1
8. The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles
9. Forest Dance #2
10. The Foot Of Our Stairs (2 additional verses found at the end of the multi-track spool were added.)
11. Overseer Overture.
12. Flight From Lucifer
13. 10.08 to Paddington
14. Magus Perde
15. Epilogue
CD 2
The Château d'Hérouville Sessions (New Steven Wilson Stereo Mix)
1) The Big Top
2) Scenario
3) Audition
4) Skating Away
5) Sailor
6) No Rehearsal
7) Left Right
8) Solitaire
9) Critique Oblique (Part I)
10) Critique Oblique (Part II)
11) Animelee (1st Dance) [Instrumental]
12) Animelee (2nd Dance) [Instrumental]
13) Law Of The Bungle (Part I)
14) Tiger
15) Law Of The Bungle (Part II)
DVD 1 (Audio & Video)
Content:
• A Passion Play 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound as well as PCM 96/24 PCM Stereo.
• A direct transfer of the original masters in PCM 96/24 Stereo
• Video clips of ‘The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles’ - an intro and outro film shown during the Passion Play tour of 1973.
DVD 2 (audio only)
Content:
• The Château d'Hérouville Sessions in 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
• PCM 96/24 PCM Stereo.
In the book:
* A detailed article by Martin Webb about the preparations and recordings as well as the Château sessions that preceded the final recordings.
* Steven Wilson's report on the remixes of the album.
* Memories of the photo sessions for the cover and the work on the film with dancer Jane Ece (Colthorpe).
* Retrospective thoughts from Rev’d Godfrey Pilchard.
* The tour history of 1973
* Memories of sound engineer Chris Amson about the tour and the PA systems.
