Jethro Tull – Aqualung

When you’re thinking of the instruments associated with Rock n’ Roll and starting a band, You usually think of the electric guitar, bass, drums, maybe even some honky tonk piano or a Hammond organ, some saxophone….and the flute!?!

Wait a minute!………….THE FLUTE??????

When I think of the flute, I usually think of the front row of high school and college band. The flute section was usually filled with a few cute girls (and a few questionable) and maybe one guy. You don’t really think of something testerone filled and masculine like a distorted electric guitar and Rock n’ Roll and you definitely don’t think of groundbreaking progressive music from the 70’s…unless you’re talking about Ian Anderson and his band Jethro Tull. The record and song that most people associate with Jethro Tull and the album I’ll be writing about is none other than the 1971 classic Aqualung

Along with the various record stores I would frequent in my youth, I would also take time to visit bookstores (mostly Waldenbooks) to look at comics, Rock n’ Roll books and biographies, and books on nude photography. After all, I was a teenage boy. One book I eventually bought was a book titled The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock.

I would page through the books and read through the captions, check out the band lineups to see who was playing what instruments. Obviously, I would find out that the leader, vocalist and flautist of this band – Jethro Tull was Ian Anderson. I still look back and chuckle about that one.  I once encountered in my many trips to record stores a patron who didn’t understand the difference between band name and band leader. I was listening to a conversation between the store clerk and this simple customer probably just making small talk.  As he talked, I began to learn something about myself and that I actually know more about rock music and its history than most people(most people don’t care). I listened to this enthusiastic fellow tell the record store clerk that he “sure did like Jethro Tull. Ya got any albums by that ‘Jethro Tull fella’?”  I may be exaggerating a bit. But, the guy had obviously confused Ian Anderson as THE person Jethro Tull.  Oddly enough, Anderson had named the band after an 18th Century Author/Agriculturist named Jethro Tull.

On one of my many weekend visits to Dustys Records, My friend Shaun and I would make some absolutely important purchases.  I do remember one weekend Shaun bought a copy of Emerson Lake & Palmer’s  Brain Salad Surgery and Jethro Tull’s Aqualung.  We headed back to Shaun’s dorm room with LP’s in hand. I related to Shaun in the fact that we loved music and drums. He dropped the needle on Aqualung and the drums of Clive Bunker drove the through the opening title track. I had grown up with 3 sisters that listened to stuff like Shaun Cassidy, the Bay City Rollers, Bee Gees, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand. Even though I had seen the name Jethro Tull,  I had no idea what the band sounded like. But, I liked it. Shaun would sing along…and I was hooked.

 

“Sitting on a park bench….
Eying up little girls with bad intent
Snots running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes, hey, Aqualung!”

 

The Flute peppers the beginning of the second track Cross-eyed Mary.  If I thought the title track was cool, this was another revelation. I’ve never been one to listen to the lyrics first. So, for me, it was the instrumentation and the rhythms that drew me in. The combination of flute, organ, guitar and drums simply made the transition from song to song absolutely seamless.  From there, the rest of the album just flowed together as one movement.

 

The use of acoustic guitars and impeccable musicianship continue throughout with tunes like Cheap Day Return and Mother Goose. It was folky as it would transport me(the listener) back to a medieval time of traveling minstrels. Yet, as I would settle into an imaginary Welsh countryside, the band would kick in with Bunker’s throttling drums and the piercing electric guitars of Martin Barre. There’s just something individualistic about the the sound of Tull.  In my listening history, Zeppelin had prepared me with acoustic tinged songs penned at Bron-Yr-Aur cottage in Wales. But, it was Jethro Tull that stayed in that world of Medieval England where Zeppelin would venture back into the Blues of Southern Black America.  I often put on Zeppelin’s Rain Song when the weather prompts the music with a cloudy misty morning. But, Jethro Tull feels like a peaceful rainy day. Relax, put your feet up, read a tale of King Arthur or even Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The album finishes up with an amusing song titled Locomotive Breath. This song seemed memorable to me also as a rather rocking song too.

 

 

Funny enough, in Will Ferrell’s movie Anchorman –the Legend of Ron Burgundy, His character professes to be an expert in the art of jazz flute. He stands on tables and does an improv with the lounge band….and between breaths screams “Heey Aqualung!”  The ironic note is that there is no flute in that song.

I remember seeing live footage of Aqualung on MTV’s Closet Classics where the band lineup had changed and left-handed Mark Craney was on drums and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Jobson was on keyboards and everyone was dressed in white jumpsuits(as opposed to the medieval garb) with the letter A emblazoned on them.

It was reviewed rather favorably when it was originally released. The Allmusic guide called it “A Bold Statement” and “Extremely Profound”  It has been widely regarded as a concept album with a central theme of the distinction “between God and Religion”.  The Allmusic guide also said:

The album's "dour musings on faith and religion" have marked it as "one of the most cerebral albums ever to reach millions of rock listeners".

I don’t know about being “cerebral” or “dour musings”.  I just knew it was a very distinct sound that no other band has come close to.  Heavy Metal giants Iron Maiden even recorded a cover of Cross-Eyed Mary as the B-side to their single The Trooper.  I never owned this on an LP. I had it on my list of albums to pick up and add to my collection. I eventually bought it on CD and it was a 25th Anniversary edition with an additional 3-6 unreleased tracks including an interview with Ian Anderson.  In 2005, the band recorded a live performance of the album in its entirety for the XM Satellite radio network. The royalties from the live album are being donated to various charities for the homeless. This year(2011) it has been announced that the band will release a 40th Anniversary edition of the album(November 1, 2011). It could be a really cool collector’s set. Even when I feel like I’ve listened to it for 3-4 days in a row and I’m getting tired of this album, I begin to enjoy it again and again. Something else jumps out of the recording and hits me again. Perhaps it’s the folkiness, maybe it’s the heaviness…or maybe it’s just the that magical sound of THE FLUTE!

Cheap Trick at the Nebraska State Fair 9-5-2011

Monday night, I was able to see(again) one of the bands that I grew up with and was a big part of my teen years. Over the past 9 months, I went from being a casual/medium fan to a rabid fan that would soak up as much as I could about this 4 piece (5piece with keyboards) band from Rockford, Illinois known as CHEAP TRICK!!

Back in January, I wrote my blog on their pivotal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan.  Funny enough, the woman sitting behind me at last night’s concert tried to tell her friend about the album but couldn’t find the word “Budokan” and kept saying “Live at Bakugon!”  I couldn’t help myself as she struggled with the right word. So, I turned around and corrected her.  When I originally wrote the blog, I dove headfirst into everything Cheap Trick and their catalog of music.  I had owned the Budokan album in about 3 different formats. I had listened to a little bit of my older sister’s Cheap Trick 8-tracks and I had two of their lesser known albums (Next Position Please and One on One).  In fact, Next Position Please was one of my favorite albums by the band. So, I had some catching up to do on the band’s catalog. I bought the Dream Police album back in January and has been a part of my morning commute music at least one or two days a month since then.  Then, I would listen to lesser known albums like 1980’s All Shook Up through my subscription to Napster.  I would go on YouTube to look up old videos to find out that the band had their own YouTube Channel with an extensive catalog of live shows and lost TV appearances from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.  I had seen the band in the summer of 1988 at the Buffalo County fair in Kearney, Nebraska. This was the year of the band’s comeback. Bassist Tom Petersson had rejoined the band and they had a big radio hit with the ballad The Flame.  I didn’t know a lot of the catalog of songs they played that night. They seemed to be going through the motions as if they were back on top and the last place they wanted to be was the middle of Nebraska. So, when I rekindled my interest in this band, I was ready to see them again. I began to look up their live dates for this summer. They were playing in Omaha the first of July. I wanted to see that one but the price of gas and where I would stay in Omaha dampened those plans. On the 2nd of July, they were to be in Greeley Colorado. My sister lives in Estes Park. So, I thought maybe I could make the trip for that one. Once again, gas prices and lack of funds halted that too.  About 3 weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me a message via Facebook that Cheap Trick was coming to play at the Nebraska State Fair which was about 20-25 miles away from me. I WAS GOING TO THIS ONE!  Between that time, I was able to find used CD copies of their albums In Color, Heaven Tonight and All Shook Up for less than $10.  I feel like quite the odd music geek in that I did my homework for this live show. Thanks to the internet, I was able to look up (on the band’s website) the setlists for the last few shows. I WAS READY.

I arrived at the Heartland Events Center early to get my wristband to get into the venue. I walked around the State Fair for awhile. I ran into an old acquaintance of mine – Chuck Salestrom. Chuck and his brother Jim had been in the band Timberline from Kearney Nebraska that had actually been signed to CBS records in the 70’s. Chuck told me the story of the first time he’d seen Cheap Trick. He said it was back in the 70’s at a bar in LA and the band was either just signed or was about to be signed to CBS records.  So, I had the thought of a young hungry band playing the bars of LA was still going and I was going to see them almost 35 years later.  I entered the venue and found myself a seat. On the stage was the band’s equipment sans guitars. Rick Nielsen had his signature checkered amps. Tom Petersson had some awesome looking Orange brand bass amps and next to that I can only imagine was Robin Zander’s classic looking Vox amps like those Fab Four boys from Liverpool used to play. In the middle of the stage is a fantastic looking 4 piece Ludwig drumkit with Sparkle Green finish.  As a drummer who’s played the same sparkle silver drumkit for almost 30 years, I love the look and sound of a Ludwig drumkit.

The lights go down and over the sound system you can hear a conglomeration of Cheap Trick pop culture references from That 70’s Show to the Simpsons along with song samples of their extensive catalog. Then you hear a prerecorded voice of a woman that says….

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, BOYS AND GIRLS
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE STAGE…
THE BEST F***ING ROCK BAND YOU’VE EVER SEEN….
CHEAP TRICK!!!

(This is a video I found online..pretty damn cool)

The band hits the stage. Rick Nielsen has toned down his outlandish outfits of the 70’s and 80’s with a nice suit jacket and baseball cap. He did include his bowtie with the CT logo emblazoned on it. For a band that had a definite image of two “un” rockstar guys and two long-haired rock star guys, that image is pretty much a thing of the past. In fact, bassist Tom Petersson sports a pair of glasses and looks very much like an eccentric college professor.  But, lead singer Robin Zander strides to the front of the stage decked in the iconic white police uniform from the Dream Police album cover.

They start with the obligatory Hello There that is pretty much expected from them in a live sense. 

…would you like to do a number with me
would you like to do a number with me?
WOULD YOU LIKE TA…WOULD LIKE TA?

Nielsen is notorious for switching to different guitars between songs. But, the continuity is good and they don’t miss a beat. Zander steps to the mic and starts off with

Just got back…. been gone too long
wasn’t my idea..didn’t pull the trigger
I feel so bad…feel so glad to be back home.

It’s Just Got Back from All Shook Up and the band is chugging and driving the crowd. I am on top of the world excited. Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx has replaced original drummer Bun E. Carlos as their touring drummer and he is a perfect fit. He keeps this band moving like a well-equipped steam engine!
At this point, Rick Nielsen steps up to the mic and proclaims

“We are Cheap Trick and accept no substitutes”

Then it’s the classic California Man…..from Heaven Tonight and the Budokan album. Then it’s Big Eyes and then back to a song from Dream Police…The House is Rockin!

Rick then switches guitars again and announces this next song that “even Willie Nelson would like”. The crowd waits in anticipation as they go into their cover of the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour.  It’s a Beatles song and they are one band that does absolutely great Beatles covers. They play the song as expected and then break into an extended psychedelic instrumentation.

The spotlight then shifts from Zander and Nielsen to bassist Tom Petersson. Petersson is very much an individual in the world of bassists.  He was one of the first bassists to use a TWELVE-STRING BASS! It’s a thunderous sound that is unmatched. He steps up to the mic and begins to sing his song from Dream Police …I Know What I Want.  This takes me a little bit to recognize this song. But, I am pulled in by that thick full thundering bass.

Of course, if you “know what you want”, then (obviously) ……

I WANT YOU…..TO WANT…….ME!!!

I’m actually a little surprised that they played this hit so early in the evening. But, as the song plays I think of my junior high crush and how I would secretly play this song on the Pizza Hut jukebox for her to hear…and my big smile grows a little bigger with a taste of fond memories.  Next up is Top of the World which was from Heaven Tonight but I know I had heard it from one of the Budokan CD’s I had owned.

Robin Zander makes a comment about this next song being something we could all relate to. I’m not sure what he’s up to at this point. But, the band breaks into Borderline from the 1983 album Next Position Please.  As I said before, I had owned this on cassette back in my high school days and I knew every note and every word of this album. I was so excited to hear this song. I sang along every note with the excitement of the 16 year old who originally heard this album in 1983. By this time, I am singing along and when Zander’s mic is pointed at the crowd, I am screaming, yelling, growling whatever.  They follow up this song with yet another forgotten song…She’s Tight from 1982’s One on One!  I honestly feel sorry for the casual fans at this point. But, at the same time, I feel like a bit of a musical snob as I know these songs and these poor schlubs are waiting through songs they have no idea about.

Next is another song from All Shook Up…It’s Baby Loves to Rock.  This song has a great interplay between Nielsen on guitar, Petersson on bass and Daxx on drums. This song has a lot of start and stops but when the instrumentalist take small solo on their instruments it’s absolutely magical. I especially love to hear the sound of the 12 string bass as it rattles the fillings in my teeth.

in the morning…In the evening…. in the summer….in the winter….
in my car….in the night….in an airplane…not in Russia
SHE LOVES TO ROOOOOCCCCCCKKK!

Daxx takes the drums down low with the slow drum intro of Need Your Love  followed by the droning sound of Tom’s bass and the chugging of Rick’s guitar. Robin Zander leans into and sings in that high tenor…..

Need you love, Need your love , Need your love….
Fell apart, broke your heart
If I flew around the world, I couldn’t find another girl

At this point it hits me that Robin Zander is one of a handful of rock singers/vocalists that can still hit those notes that shot them to fame in the 70’s. He originally recorded these vocals over 30 years ago and he’s still hitting them without a hint of struggle. My own voice was just beginning to change 30 years ago.

From there, Daxx takes his cue and starts putting together those classic drum fills that the great Bun E. Carlos made famous and leads the band into their rendition of Fats Domino’s Ain’t That a Shame!

Next was Sick Man of Europe. I wasn’t familiar with this song. It was featured on the band’s latest release (2009) called The Latest.  I think I had read that this was actually the name of the band. According to Wikipedia, Sick Man of Europe was one of the band names that Nielsen and Petersson used in the early 70’s.

Speaking of 70’s. It’s time for the song that was used for That 70’s Show. (at least part of the theme song)…..

MOMMY’S ALRIGHT, DADDY’S ALRIGHT…THEY JUST SEEM A LITTLE WEIRD!
WE’RE ALL ALRIGHT! WE’RE ALL ALRIGHT!

They finish the song and say the usual “Good nights” and “thanks for coming” . The guys sitting next to me get up and leave. So do the people in front of me. I’m thinking these people do not know proper concert going etiquette. The band says good night like it’s the end of the show. But, they’re coming back for an encore. So, my mind starts racing thinking “what haven’t they played yet?” All I can think of is Dream Police.  Zander is wearing the white Dream Police outfit. Then he picks up an acoustic guitar and starts strumming the opening chords the 80’s power ballad that those of us had put out of our minds. Yes, it was 1988’s The Flame.  AAAGH! I don’t want to hear this song. I had completely forgot about this song.  I start booing. But, after a bit, I feel alone in my disapproval. As the band starts into it, it feels good and the crowd is singing along. Okay, I’ll accept it. Just get to Dream Police next.

The spotlight shines down on Daxx and he takes the drums into the next song along with the rattling bass of Tom Petersson. It’s a slow burning building song! Oh yeah! It’s from the Dream Police album…it’s Gonna Raise Hell.  Zander comes and just nails every vocal. He takes the song from small depths to just screaming. There’s no “Gonna Raise” going on. They are raising Hell now. The band steps back and gives Daxx some room to shine.  For many fans, Bun E. Carlos is the man behind the kit.  Due to some health and back issues, Bun E. is no longer a touring member of the band. But, I would say that if he’s the teacher, Daxx Nielsen is at the top of his class. This guy nailed everything. He inflected his own style in while doing a great tribute to Mr Carlos. The drums were mic’d so well. They were just booming throughout the whole show.

To go with Robin Zander’s white costume, it was finally time for Dream Police.  The band chugs right into the song. There may have been a bit of a delay as Rick Nielsen grabs another guitar. We are now into the third song of the encore! Unbelievable! By this time, I am hoarse from singing along and screaming and growling (my vocal range is low enough..I don’t really scream, It’s kind of a Johnny Winter kind of growl). This is definitely one of the songs I’ve been waiting for.  Earlier this year, the band had played the entire Dream Police album live in Milwaukee with the accompanying string section.

Of course, the break in the song comes and Petersson plunks that heavy 12-string bass and then Rick steps up to the mic to proclaim

I try to sleep. They’re wide awake they won’t leave me alone
They don’t get paid to take vacations or leave me alone.
They spy on me and Try to Hide, they won’t leave me alone!
They find me …..at GRAND ISLAND NEBRASKA!

Next up is Auf Wiedersehen which is (obviously German) for ‘Goodbye’. The band plays like their lives depend on it. Rick Nielsen stalks the stage like no other at this point. He continually heads back to the curtain where his guitars are kept and grabs handfuls of guitar picks and just throws them to the crowd on both stage left and right and center.

(not my video)

Then, he steps backstage and grabs his infamous 5 NECK GUITAR!  As you can tell by these pictures, he wouldn’t stand still. So, it was hard to get a great picture of this man-made marvel of guitars.

 

Finally, it’s time for the bows and I am spent. I am hoarse from singing, screaming and breathing in the air from the air of the State Fair. But, I definitely was happy with the performance I saw tonight.

As I leave the Heartland Events Center, I overhear a couple of negative comments from a couple of concertgoers. I hear one woman say “Well, I guess I didn’t miss anything by NOT listening to them over the years.”  Another guy says, “that bass was sooo distorted and muddy sounding."  I’m thinking to myself, “That’s the way Tom Petersson’s 12-string bass is supposed to sound.”  Maybe I’m such a music fan and geek. I did my research on this concert so it would be an immense enjoyable experience.  I wanted to go! This was a concert I wanted to see. For those people who just went because it was a free concert with your State Fair gate fee, Don’t go because you think you have to. Go because you want to.

After seeing this concert and thinking about the longevity of this band, I began to think that this is an amazing band that definitely deserves more respect than they get. Along with bands like Deep Purple and Rush, Cheap Trick definitely belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!….AND SOON!

This has definitely been one of the best f***ing rock bands I’ve ever seen and I will continue to tell the world of this awesome band!