Flying Colours: The Jethro Tull Reference Manual

Book Description

The most complete, accurate and authoritative history on the group Jethro Tull.

Customer Reviews:

This is the REAL Tull book - forget the others.......2002-12-22

The author has compiled excellent information from the band and their record companies to produce the best reference guide on Jethro Tull. I'm not sure why people do not like real information that contradicts the common Tull misinformation, but the author has succeeded in taking the chance of presenting this data in a straightforward style. It's not a literary masterpiece, but this information cannot be presented any other way. After all, where else can you find out exactly when the band recorded or toured in the early days - especially since the dates and other information came from bassist Glenn Cornick's diaries? When such accurate sources like this are used in the book, you can't get any better. While one can nitpick here about accuracy without citing any examples, this is the only book that confirms concert dates by newspaper ads and reviews as well as going direct to the source. Great job.

Far from the best.......2002-11-07

This might interest those unfamiliar with Tull, but for those who already know a bit, it's a disappointment.

Much of the information has previously appeared elsewhere or is simply well-known by fans, so readers gain little further insight about the band from this not particularly well-written repackaging. Unlike other books on the market, there is little direct input from Anderson & Co.

The one potential strength of the book is the mass of raw facts in the reference section. It is only fair to warn that its readability is similar to that of a telephone directory, but that's the nature of the material, not the author's fault. If readers really want all these dates, etc., they'll accept the format.

What is the author's fault is that this reference information is simply wrong, far too often. Prior information seems to have been unquestioningly reproduced, errors and all, so that even after readers pick away the obvious errors, the rest can't be relied on. Newspaper ads for concerts that were later cancelled, or memories that ex-members have later admitted were mis-remembered, have gone in apparently without checking.

If you don't need to know the minutiae, the other Tull biographies are more suited to you than this one. If you do want to know every tiny detail, go for something better researched.

Buy the music, not this book.......2002-07-01

While it may contain every factoid known about Ian and the boys, this book is so difficult to actually read as to be virtually worthless. Sentences are often incomplete, not to mention thoughts or paragraphs, and there is a complete lack of cohesion.

If completely rewritten and given a decent editing it might be worthwhile, but that hasn't happened so do yourself a favor and get the remastered version of Stand Up instead.

Surprisingly Good.......2001-08-30

I was surprised that a writer that first wrote books about Manfred Mann, the Yardbirds, Frank Zappa and the Zombies would give Tull such a fair and in depth treatment. I thought this book was better that David Rees "Minstrels in the Gallery" book.
There are a lot of photos, some I've never seen before, which is saying a lot from this long time fan of the band. Unfortunately all the photos on the inside are in black and white.
There is more detail here about other members of the band (particularly John Glascock and David Palmer) than anyplace else. The orientation is toward the entire band, not just a focus on Ian Anderson. That doesn't mean it is short on information about Ian. It delivers there too.
There is a reference section in the back that is packed with more detailed information about releases, appearances etc. than you could possibly want. If the answer to a question about the history of the band can't be found here, I doubt it will be found anywhere else.

A Must For Tull Fans.......2000-08-11

Quite an enjoyable book that I always keep close by. I was very impressed with the range. Gig list, discography, and excellent 'behind the scenes' commentary regarding each album. The lack of color photos is a bummer, but that is my only complaint. I wish someone would put a book like this together on Genesis.

Average customer rating:

Whee! I just got this yesterday
Il mondo "testuale" dei Jethro Tull
Helpful for non-English mothertongue Tull fans
So that's what that Scot was saying.
A must have for Tull fans

Jethro Tull: Complete Lyrics

Manufacturer: Palmyra Verlag, George Stein
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Ian Anderson, founder and singer of the band, not only introduced the flute to rock music, he is also a very versatile songwriter. In his lyrics he uses motifs from Celtic mythology, creates grotesque collages, expresses a simple earthbound view of life and voices criticism on modern-day society. Anderson's rock poetry is a blend of present and past, it is both sensitive and blunt, metaphorical and direct.

Customer Reviews:

Whee! I just got this yesterday.......2003-01-09

This is a nice resource for Tull fans -- most of whom probably already have it, but mine just arrived yesterday.

Anyway, for anyone who doesn't already know it, this volume collects all of the lyrics from Tull's and Ian Anderson's official releases from _This Was_ in 1968 to _Roots to Branches_ in 1995.

The first twenty or thirty pages consist of Ian Anderson himself providing a retrospective/commentary on the various releases, and on the stages of Tull's long and varied career. These are culled from a couple of talks with Anderson and they're clearly transcriptions of oral interviews, with all the limitations thereby implied. (For example, the word "tempo" is consistently transcribed as "temper".) They're pretty informative, though, and at any rate I like the transcriptions since I enjoy listening to Anderson talk.

The lyrics themselves will be most useful for those albums/CDs with which the words aren't already included in the liner notes, but there are also a handful of helpful footnotes scattered throughout. (Nothing interpretive; just stuff like the actual name of the "Winged Isle" and the significance of "Beltane," items probably already familiar to longtime Tull fans but perhaps not to the band's newer audience.)

There are also a dozen-odd pages of photos, some of which had never been published before this. (There's a list at the back of the book telling who's in them and when they were taken. Incidentally, one allegedly from "1974" -- Anderson on a motorcycle -- appears to be misdated; it looks to be from a decade later. I assume "1974" is a typo for "1984".)

Some customers may also want to know that Anderson donates all his royalties from the sales of this book to a fund for the preservation of wild cats. I'm delighted to have contributed to such a cause and I'd have bought the book sooner if I'd known.

Il mondo "testuale" dei Jethro Tull.......2001-03-05

Chiunque avesse intenzione di scoprire qualcosa di veramente entusiasmante dovrebbe acquistare questo libro in cui sono raccolte tutte le emozioni e le sensazioni scritte da chi mi fa emozionare ogni volta che ascolto le sue parole. Ian Anderson, geniale nei suoi testi come nella sua musica, vi porta in un mondo fantastico con argomentazioni varie e mai noiosamente ripetitive. La musica dei Jethro Tull deve essere ascoltata ma anche...letta!E vi assicuro che per chi come me riesce anche a suonarla l'emozione più bella è quella di addentrarsi in ogni sua sfaccettatura. Vi consiglio di acquistare questo libro che è cultura...non solo musicale. Io devo ancora acquistarlo perchè in Italia non si trova!!!Ma non mancherò di accaparrarmene una copia quanto prima,a costo di farla arrivare dall'America. Per i Jethro Tull...questo ed altro! W la musica (quella buona) e W chi ti infonde lo spirito per volerla suonare, fino in fondo.

Helpful for non-English mothertongue Tull fans.......2000-10-30

For anybody bothering around with the lyrics one does not understand or possibly even misunderstand, this book is essential. Now I have wider access to the meaning of the texts sung by Tull.

So that's what that Scot was saying........2000-05-29

Quality hardbound book essential for any Tull fan. Lyrics for the audibly challenged to help us understand what that leapin' lemur of a musician was singing and snarling all these years. If you were a fan, this book can resurrect your latent Tull spirit. Book even covers his "warty rejects". Get a fill-up of Tull fuel and drive Baker Street enlightened.

A must have for Tull fans.......2000-04-02

This is a must have book for any Tull fan. It covers the lyrics to every album from This Was through Roots to Branches (hopefully a new edition will be forthcoming to cover J-Tull.Com and Ian Anderson's Secret Language of Birds) There is also commentary on each album by Ian Anderson for further insight.

Book Description

Flute solos from 18 Jethro Tull songs have been transcribed for this collection. Songs include: Bungle in the Jungle * Cross-Eyed Mary * Fire at Midnight * Look into the Sun * Nothing Is Easy * Thick as a Brick * The Witch's Promise * and more.

Jethro Tull / Greatest Hits, Volume 2: Acoustic Tull"

Average customer rating:

Overall a great, useful resource
Great Collection of Tull Sheet Music!
great music!
A WASTE OF MONEY ! ! !

Jethro Tull / Greatest Hits, Volume 2: Acoustic Tull"

Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jethro Tull Greatest Hits: Electric Tull

ASIN: 0769291988

Product Description

Volume 2 -- Acoustic Tull features Barre's ground-breaking 'unplugged' guitar on: Fat Man * My God * Skating Away * Thick As a Brick * Mother Goose * A Cheap Day Return * Glory Row * Life's a Long Song * A Song for Jeffrey * Sossity, You're a Woman * Up to Me * Witch's Promise * Wond'ring Aloud.

Customer Reviews:

Overall a great, useful resource.......2000-02-16

Great book, nicely detailed. One minor complaint: perhaps I don't understand the way these things are supposed to be laid out, but sometimes the names of the guitar chords given reflect the key change brought about by the placement of the capo on the neck, and sometimes they don't. Also, the fingerings for the chords are given sometimes, but not always. This isn't a real problem as the tabs are very good. But lest this review sounds too negative, let me stress that that the book is really a great collection of sheet music for some fantastic and difficult (at least for me!) songs.

Oh yeah, one other little thing (not related to the sheet music): the book description describes "Martin Barre's ground-breaking acoustic work" and as I understand it from the albums themselves, it's Ian Anderson playing acoustic guitar.

Great Collection of Tull Sheet Music!.......1999-08-28

Although some of the notation is not the complete score (missing instruments), the written chords make it easy to figure out what the heck is going on in the music. Overall, both of these books (Electric Tull included) are well notated and will provide many years (or decades) of fun, depending on your playing ability.

great music!.......1999-03-22

Jethro Tull music is a blessing. I'm so happy to have found such a great collection of sheet music.

A WASTE OF MONEY ! ! !.......1998-12-18

The selection of songs is questionable at best. Only 13 Songs. No bass notation. Too bad there isn't a zero star rating which is what this deserves.

Minstrels in the Gallery: History of Jethro Tull (Music)

Average customer rating:

The Tale of the One-Legged Flute Player
Reviewer Joseph Kimsey should have written this book!
A Somewhat Superficial Read
A chronological history of a band, but not much more.
Very informative; raises questions.

Minstrels in the Gallery: History of Jethro Tull (Music)
David Rees
Manufacturer: Firefly Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968-2001

ASIN: 0946719225

Book Description

"Rees has interviewed all the key players and told the Tull tale with zest and candor. A fine read for Tull fansand non-believers alike."-Mojo "The author manages to maintain both his enthusiasm and enough perspective to make his narrative believable, and his chronicling of the band 's sometimes turbulent history is gripping without slipping into sensationalism. Essential reading for Tull's vast fanbase, of course."-Record Collector

Customer Reviews:

The Tale of the One-Legged Flute Player.......2004-04-10

David Rees has done what no one had previously; which was write a credible book on the band known as Jethro Tull. I like the warm, laid back style of the narrative. Also, another bonus is that Rees is impartial for the most part in relation to the songs and the band's history. However, Rees could have provided more insight into the songwriting and the nasty fallout that led to the dismissal of the classic lineup that lasted from 1972-1979. Overall a good read and a must for anyone wanting to know more about the genius of Tull

Reviewer Joseph Kimsey should have written this book!.......2000-05-11

I used to a mad Tull fan thirty years ago. TAAB was my favourite album. Tastes change. I bought this out of interest and for old time's sake. I couldn't believe just how superficial it is! David Rees runs a Tull fan club. Maybe he just hasn't had the time to do this bio justice. Ian Anderson may not be Bob Dylan, but Tull's body of work surely deserves at least SOME analysis! I read it in one sitting and doubt that I'll ever have a reason to go back to it (although a current Tull fanatic may get more out of it!). Now, back to Rogan's Byrds biography!

A Somewhat Superficial Read.......2000-01-12

I'm grateful to Dave Rees for writing the first real bio of Jethro Tull; at first I was exhilarated that there was finally (!) a book on Tull, and I read it in one sitting. But, not to be unkind, it could have been better. David, in my opinion, could have made it more interesting and insightful by choosing many of the songs and explaining what makes them so fascinating (for me at any rate)to people who may have picked up the book but are not familiar with Tull. For example: One Brown Mouse was inspired, according to Ian, by Robert Burns. The song North Sea Oil was written about the touch and go oil economy in Aberdeen in the late 70's, Farm on the Freeway about the financial problems of the American farmers, Moths: the clever metaphor of the lovers being consumed by the flame, Fylingdale Flyer: about an incoming nuclear missle,and the multitude of songs based on Anglo-Scots-Celtic subject matter: Kelpie, Pibroch, Solstice Bells, Jack In The Green, Beltane, etc. And also describe the instrumentation of the songs. Unfortunately, most people seem to know Jethro Tull only by their few radio hits Bungle In The Jungle, Aqualung, & Living In The Past. While these songs are great(except for Bungle), they certainly are not the limit of what Tull are capable of. Perhaps by describing the different changes and nuances of the music, for example: the twists and turns of Thick As A Brick, the unexpected dynamics changes in Minstrel In The Gallery and Baker Street Muse, the charm of Moths and One Brown Mouse, would perk up the interest of people reading the book but are not very familiar with the band. Tull has put out a much greater variety of music than just Bungle In The Jungle. It would have been great to read why Ian is particuarly interested in Celtic subjects (I know he's Scottish, but maybe there are more reasons), what spurs his different interests, what are his favorite books, his political opinions, his views on his music. Also, I would love to know more of Martin Barre's background. Why, exactly, is he attracted to Ian's music? Which guitarists influenced him? Has he ever contemplated leaving Tull? Has he and Ian ever disagreed on the direction of the music? His favorite Tull music? In short, stuff that Tull fanatics (such as I) don't already know and that would intrigue budding Tull neophytes. And not to be ultra-cranky, but I disagreed with a lot of David's opinions on Tull's work. Contrary to David's views, I think Heavy Horses is awesome: JT's best, better than anything I've ever heard from them or anyone else; Stormwatch is excellent, certainly not mediocre; Broadsword is overpraised, Tull sounds dated on it; Too Old Too Rock N' Roll, while not their best, isn't, in my opinion, their least creative album, and most of Under Wraps is dire indeed. I hope people don't think that I disliked the book, I just think it could have been a little better. David's writing style is great: it's very laid-back and familiar, and I love his use of British slang; after all, you can't get much more British than Jethro Tull, can you? All in all, a good book that is certainly worth reading.

A chronological history of a band, but not much more........1999-09-19

Rees has written mostly information that has already been written about Tull. There is little emphasis on the formative years and how this band grew from being a group of teenage friends who played in a garage in Blackpool to major rock stars in the Seventies. In short, the later years are over-empasized. Also, the philisophical nature of the music and the philosophies of the musicians themselves seem to be missing, or at least secondary. I would like to know more about why the music came out the way it did than when and where.

Very informative; raises questions........1999-06-03

Congratulations to Dave Rees on putting out very good history of a very good and enigmatic band. This chatty book fills in many details that true Tull fans will have been wondering about. However, it also raises questions. For example, WHY was (is) the management of Chrysalis so inept at marketing Tull? HOW has Martin Barre managed to stay so long? WHY does Ian have to be such a prick? -- All in all this is a very good book. Nobody but Rees could've written such an objective and appreciative history without fawning over the band. Way to go Dave.

Average customer rating:

A difficult read
A good effort, but no inside info.
Loved Reading This Book
Aqualung and Jethro Tull taken seriously

Aqualung (33 1/3)
Allan F. Moore
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0826416195

Book Description

Formed in 1968, Jethro Tull are one of rock's most enduring bands. Their 1971 album Aqualung, with its provocative lyrical content and continuous music shifts, is Tull's most successful and most misunderstood record. Here, music professor and fan Allan Moore tackles the album on a track-by-track basis, looking at Ian Anderson's lyrics and studying the complex structures and arrangements of these classic songs.

Customer Reviews:

A difficult read.......2007-06-23

Unless you are both a music student/professor and a diehard Jethro Tull fan, I fear that like me you will discover this book is likely to be very hard going. Allan Moore is both and that style permeates the whole analysis of this 1971 breakthrough album by Tull.

The interesting thing about the 33 1/3 series is how variable and eclectic the variety of writers are. The thing that hits one most about this specific book is that unless you really know the album inside out and Tull's greater musical history, you are hampered from the outset and the greater part of the book proves pretty unfathomable. Every song gets dissected with a musical surgery analysis that drains any desire to go and listen to the album further and the numerous footnotes to other books, articles and websites (including a fair number by the author) leaves you wondering if you have ended up in some heavy version of a music pseuds corner.

One of the least enjoyable of the series I have read so far!

A good effort, but no inside info........2007-04-11

I'm not a rabid JT fan, but like anyone who listened to progressive FM in the early 70s I am very familiar with the music. I found this book well-written and interesting up to a point. However, I think that the most interesting books in the 33 1/3 series are those in which the author had access to one or more of the persons who participated in the writing and/or production of the album. This book is not in that category. For instance, all quotes from Ian Anderson are taken from previously published interviews. There are also quotes about the album taken from Internet discussion groups. I believe this book would be of interest to hard-core fans, though. The author is well steeped in the music, has done his homework, and has written a serious analysis.

Loved Reading This Book.......2007-03-25

Reading this book sent me into a Jethro Tull whirlpool. While reading the book I listened to Aqualung non-stop, and the song in particular. The author, Allan F. Moore, wrote a bit too high brow for the subject matter, but I suppose he did that to give the album literary credibility, or perhaps that is the only manner in which he knows to write. Nonetheless, it is a great and fun read. In fact, it made me want to read more of the series, something I have yet to do. In Aqualung, Moore dissects each and every song, and spends a great deal of time writing about "Aqualung" and "My God." He also divides the album in halves by its original lp sides, and discusses them as separate themes, something I'd toyed with when listening to the album in the early seventies, but never could delineate such as Moore did. I found myself wanting to listen to each song as I read about it, and try to get a good grip about the themes he discussed. Sometimes I agreed, sometimes I thought he was a bit adrift. At slightly over 100 pages, it went fast and since I had great interest in the topic, it went particularly fast for me. It works well to listen to the album first, then read the book all the way through, then read it and listen to each song as he discusses them.

Aqualung and Jethro Tull taken seriously.......2006-03-28

The author, the head of the Department of Music of Surrey, is both knowledgable of music, Jethro Tull and of the era in which Aqualung was created. For me, it was a true joy to read this -albeit too short- book. The music and lyrics are discussed with the same seriousness one might expect in reading about a significant symphony.

Jethro Tull Greatest Hits: Electric Tull

Average customer rating:

Great Series of Tull Sheet Music!
JT is the best band i've ever heard in my life

Jethro Tull Greatest Hits: Electric Tull

Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jethro Tull - Aqualung (Tab)

ASIN: 0898988918

Product Description

Now available for the first time, all of Jethro Tull's classic rock hits in complete note-for-note transcription format. Volume 1 -- Electric Tull features Martin Barre's classic guitar work on: Aqualung * Cross-Eyed Mary * Teacher * Locomotive Breath * A New Day Yesterday * Bouree * Bungle in the Jungle * Living in the Past * Minstrel in the Gallery * Nothing Is Easy * Sweet Dream * To Cry You a Song * Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die.

Customer Reviews:

Great Series of Tull Sheet Music!.......1999-08-28

Both of these new Tull Sheet Music books are great, and although they may not be as complete or comprehensive as you may think, it is certianly a great aid for learning some of the most popular Tull songs. The (Electric Tull) Book is larger (101 pages) than the Acoustic one, and both include great songs. This one includes Tabs/chords, etc. for Aqualung, Bungle in the Jungle, Locomotive Breath, Minstrel in the Gallery, and Teacher, among many others! Well worth the money!

JT is the best band i've ever heard in my life.......1998-07-01

I won't be long, i've actually never heard the album, but i know it's great, i know all the songs. It's a good idea to put the electric and acoustic ones on separate cd-s, i hope i'll get some money soon to buy it.

The Best Of Jethro Tull Volumes I and II

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The Best Of Jethro Tull Volumes I and II

Manufacturer: Cherry Lane Music Publ.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 089524585X

Product Description

Contains 21 of the group's songs. Book measures 9" X 12".

Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968-2001

Average customer rating:

Great history of an elusive band
The best history of the band so far, warts and all
Not a biography at all
Great Band. Great Book!
OK. We finally get started!

Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968-2001
Scott Allen Nollen
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786411015

Book Description

Originally formed by singer-songwriter Ian Anderson in psychedelic 1968, the band Jethro Tull has been recording its own kind of rock and roll and touring the globe for more than three decades.

This is a history of the band through the present, written by an acquaintance of several of its members. The book includes a chronology of all of the band's recordings and information on all accompanying tours, with the author's critiques as well as the band's own reminiscences and opinions of each album. Also included are previously unpublished interviews with founder Ian Anderson, long-time band member David Pegg, other band members, Glenn Cornick, Andy Giddings, and Doane Perry, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Great history of an elusive band.......2006-04-13

A reader of this book recently criticized it for not being a "biography." Nowhere does this book nor its publicity materials claim that it is a "biography" of any kind. It is "A History of the Band, 1968-2001," as it explicitly states on its cover. And it's a book obviously meant for someone who is already a Jethro Tull fan: Let's face it, if a person isn't a fan of the band, he isn't going to read this book, anyway. And anyone who knows anything about Ian Anderson realizes that this is a man who is INTENSELY private about his personal life. Scott Allen Nollen has known the members of Jethro Tull for nearly 20 years, and he got as close to these musicians as anyone is EVER likely to get. Even the band's own longtime musicians (some of more than 15-20 years) haven't gotten close to their "boss," who maintains a very private existence even after concerts, keeping himself separated from other members of the band. The remarkable thing about Nollen's book is the degree of access he has had to the members of Jethro Tull (three of whom--Glenn Cornick, Doane Perry, and Ian Anderson himself--proofread the entire book manuscript and made corrections prior to Nollen's sending it to the publisher; plus, Anderson penned the foreword, and David Pegg wrote the afterword; so, as far as accuracy goes, this is as good as it's going to get). For readers who dream that a definitive "biography" will be written of Jethro Tull (a bio of an entire band?), keep on dreaming. There is no way Ian Anderson will ever let someone like Guralnick into his sphere--and why would he? Just the material Nollen got from good ol' Glenn Cornick (who was fired from the band in 1970) is worth the price. This is not a book by "a fan" only: Nollen (whose work I have been reading since the '80s) is a professional historian and the author of 15 critically acclaimed books on film and music, including tomes on Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Boris Karloff (the authorized biography with Karloff's daughter, Sara Jane). This book on Jethro Tull, by the way, was a finalist in the Association for Recorded Sound's Best Rhythm & Blues/Rock and Roll Book category in 2002 (one of three Nollen books nominated for major awards). Finally, for readers who constantly carp about author's getting "backstage passes" and hanging out with rock stars, let your jealousy cloud any attempts at genuine "criticism." Everyone's a critic, whether he's qualified or not. Next time you feel like lambasting someone else's legitimate published work, first spend a few YEARS trying to research and write one of your own.

The best history of the band so far, warts and all.......2006-02-17

This book delivers exactly what it says it will: a history of Jethro Tull. Most books on rock bands written by fans are pretty bad, but this one isn't. It's not a great work of literature, but it is the best history of the band I've seen, and the most thorough.

The book starts with a personal "Preface" that emphasizes Nollen's personal connections with the band, especially with David Pegg. This get tiring after a bit, and doesn't add much to the book as a whole other than giving Nollen some street cred. After this, he turns to a brief history of Ian Anderson and how the band came together in the 1960s.

Most of the book is a chronological discussion of every album and tour. Sometimes he emphasizes a blow-by-blow discussion of songs on an album, and sometimes he makes more general claims about the album's goals, distinctiveness, and quality. Obviously, that's easier to do with more thematic albums, especially those of the 1970s. This very long chapter eventually becomes tiring even for the dedicated fan, however, since it discusses 31 albums one after the other.

Nollen emphasizes the music, which is hard to convey well in print. As several reviewers have pointed out, it would be interesting to spend more time with the lyrics, which lend themselves better to the printed page.

Nollen also rates each album for quality with one to five stars, though he only uses the range from 2.5 to 5. He gets the rank orders more or less right, though he likes Tull's work before Aqualung and since "Stormwatch" more than I do. Even there, we pretty much agree on the rank order - - "Crest of a Knave" is better than "Rock Island," for example.

I would have liked to see some higher-level organization here, grouping albums together. One part would discuss "This Was," "Standup," and Benefit"; the next, "Aqualung" through "Minstrel in the Gallery," and so forth. Tull's music falls so naturally into periods, and it seems a shame not to follow those periods in a history of the band.

Better organization would also tend to emphasize the contributions of the band to (progressive) rock. The music from the 1970s has had the most impact, though as Nollen notes, the band has remained creative since then. I would also be interested to read about how Tull has influenced other artists.

Overall, I think this is an essential book for the Tull fan, and the person who eventually writes the definitive history of the band will be thankful for having this book as reference. On the other hand, I don't think that people who are approaching Tull's music for the first time would get much out of it. The lack of higher-level organization makes it hard for a person who is familiar with one group of albums to understand what Tull is doing in a different, unfamiliar group of albums.

Not a biography at all.......2006-01-15

If you don't know a thing about Tull, you'll be lost in the first few pages. If you know a little, you'll still be lost in the first few pages. Even if you know a bunch about Tull, this thing becomes a tedious, plodding through the mind of an avid fan, all too eager to wave his back-stage pass in your face. I do hope one day someone will write a real biography on Tull; indeed, one of the great rock bands to emerge from the 60's. Perhaps Mr Anderson could get someone like Peter Guralnick or David Ritz to do a real biography. Until then, don't waste your money on this. You'll get much the same information by investing in one of the box sets (plus, you'll get something to listen to).

Great Band. Great Book!.......2004-04-17

I listen to all kinds of music, but mostly admire the adventurous, whether it be classical, jazz, blues, folk, country or rock and roll. It's either good or it isn't, right? WELL, JETHRO TULL have made some damn good music for more than 35 years, and this guy, Scott Allen Nollen, nails it down, mates! A great HISTORY of the band; a great album-by-album review; interviews with many of the major band members; unpublished photos from IAN ANDERSON himself; + the foreword from IAN, too! There are MANY insights into music in general here + lots of other great stuff! WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT!

OK. We finally get started!.......2003-06-07

As Mr Parker so eloquently wrote, this is but a small beginning for what many of us hope will end up in a 'Tull' book that does this incredible band, and it's fans, justice.

I feel NO band has ever taken the listener to the places Tull has. And they have done that all under the 'guise' of excellant musicianship, one-of-a-kind lyrical genuis, and kick butt rock and roll.

So...I must agree that the work is fair, but not what some of us are looking for as the 'definitive work' for Jethro Tull, especially at the price. You see we 'still got something on my mind.'

Average customer rating:
Very Best of Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Rock | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0634079611

Book Description

16 essential classics from this progressive rock band featuring flautist Ian Anderson. Includes: Aqualung - Bouree - Bungle in the Jungle - Cross-Eyed Mary - Living in the Past - New Day Yesterday - Nothing Is Easy - Song for Jeffrey - Thick as a Brick - and more.

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