My favorite album is 51 ! Jethro Tull's "A Passion Play” still inspires me

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

I realized after posting that I implied that Thick as a Brick, not A Passion Play, was a number one Billboard album that plummeted after the critical response. I might’ve lost it in the edit somewhere but I meant to say that both were #1 albums but A Passion Play plummeted due to controversy.

[@miscellaneousetc.4280]

My favorite album of all time. Changed my life.

[@nolongerthere]

Totally agree about "The Hare;" such a fun childlike delight!

[@paulhart3812]

My favorite album of all time. I love The Silver Cord and Foot of Our Stairs sections. Ian’s voice is god-like on this album.

[@docbobster]

Passion Play was my first rock concert, and perhaps the best show I ever saw.

[@Gilbert-m9l]

It was my third one, after "Thick As A Brick" (North American spring '72 tour), then Gentle Giant (March '73) , then Tull again in Montreal (June 02, '73) for aPP. And it WAS, for me too, the best rock show I ever attended - the quite complete audio tape which circulates on KZbin bears witness to how rocking great the event was... It's really a crime that the record company, or perhaps Ian Anderson, didn't want to have any part of that huge tour filmed... They were so popular with these shows in North America, it's silly that they have passed such an opportunity for the sake of history... When you think of all the work that was put into the rehearsing and that stage production... ...And for those who wonder about the popularity of the band then... With that Montreal Forum show, Tull beat the attendance of The Rolling Stones at the same venue, the previous July... Going from memory here (I have a local newspaper article stashed away with the stats re. the historical attendances at the Forum, where I picked this info up), it was something like 19,000 for the Stones, and 20,000 for Tull!

[@MrLuridan]

Yup, you have impeccable taste.

[@ozzpockettriesbassguitar5647]

Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play have long been my two favorite Tull albums (which is saying a lot)...in fact, not just my favorite Tull albums....but in my top ten albums in general.

[@kevinogracia1615]

Love "Passion Play." Can't wait to get my greasy fingers on the Steve Wilson re-mix. Thanks... Peace on earth.

[@classicalbum]

My favourite album by Tull

[@InsideBilderberg]

My favorite Tull album for sure.

[@jackadesman7143]

Still my favorite Tull album!!! I know every lyric and nuance of this amazing album!!!!!

[@BG-id2cv]

Having been there at the time and Thick As A Brick impressing on me so much that on a first few listens of APP...I was not enamored. After about a dozen listens, I was hooked. An absolute masterpiece. BUT there are shortcomings......it should never have been a continuous track; TAAB should have been the only one for this. As we know now, there were titles for each individual piece on APP and they should have released it like that. The Hare...well it's there and it's the interlude, but again, in my opinion, it slightly detracts from the entire album. So I put APP just a smidge behind TAAB. TAAB is upbeat, the concept (fake English town/people, the newspaper, etc) is brilliantly humorous and the music/songs are monumental from start to finish. Gotta love Tull. The most consistent innovative rock band in the history of contemporary music (in my opinion!).

[@neutralearth1061]

A Passion Play is our favorite Jethro Tull album as well. It inspired us to do our own one song concept album, Coma.

[@markcorcoran482]

Upon its original release, l snatched it up, immersed my self, and saw them in concert not long thereafter, and l’m STILLon a high from that show. I’d asked for the bookset as a birthday gift when it was new, but subsequently informed that it would take a while, the buyer got cold feet and canceled the order! I did eventually get the single disk. I do miss the music that takes us out of The Hare pt 1, and I’m not too keen on the addition of what feels like one verse too many in The Foot of Our Stairs section. The Forest dance music that takes us in and out The Hare is sublime! And OH, that wonderfully idiosyncratic, and tasty solo of Martin’s in the Magus Perde ( l believe) section. Etc. A previous comment says a rerelease of the book set is coming…Hurrah! If true.

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

yes - late August ! check for the link in the description

[@markcorcoran482]

@@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout Thanks!

[@richardwadholm4019]

I thought I was the only Tull fan who loved Passion Play. I still think it represents some of the very best music to come from Jethro Tull's blues/metal era (and of the early 1970s era more generally). Nice to hear that I am not alone!

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

Never really got into this album, haven't heard it for years but after listening to your thoughts I'll give it another go. I seem to remember when this album was released in the UK it didn't go down particularly well with the music critics, I think they were expecting another Thick As A Brick or Aqualung. Given the amount of albums Tull have released over the years with all the different line ups and Ian Anderson being inclined to try something different, its not surprising that when fans are asked about their favourite album, there are a lot of different answers. For the record mine is Benefit, but I really like most of them.

[@mariocarcavelos]

Hello, Nice presentations of what I see on your channel. Passion Play is a fantastic album and there are many dark scenes in the music as well as the lyrics. Every time I listen to the album I discover new details, it's an incredible album. It might also be interesting to review Minstrel In The Gallery, 40th Anniversary, La Grande Edition. I would like to congratulate you on the other bands you put in your reviews, such as King Crimson, Opeth, Genesis and so on. It might be interesting for you to make a video about Dream Theater, a good band that would certainly look good in your portfolio too. I leave as a suggestion the album "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory" Cheers

[@progmonster2010]

This remix made me really like an album I liked. The sound and addition to foot of the stairs improved it 10% which is quite a bit. It’s almost up there with TAAB now. The chateau material sounds 20% better though. Audition and Left right are two of my fave Tull tracks. 1980 A album is my fave remix though. The improvement is excellent and I’m a new fan of crossfire and working John

[@uncleambient]

Superb Tull album

[@riggedyouupvr9616]

As a fairly recent Tull fan, passion play was hard to get into at first and I had to come back to it after a few months to really appreciate it. I also agree they should have split it into tracks. Heard somewhere Ian deliberately made pp more dense lyrically as a response to the rowdy crowds in the states. Once I acquired a copy, I was shocked the hare section is split over both sides. Never the less, has become one of my favourite Tull albums. And damn the 5.1 is so good

[@escapeinto4khd319]

My first Tull show at MSG in NYC An absolute incredible experience. I’ve never considered any band on par with Tull and at 66 years old the music can still hold all its genius and magic. Passion has to be my favorite and I do have the Steve Wilson edition. Can anything compare? Possibly Tommy or Darkside of the moon, but Passion is its own masterpiece. Great vids I subbed to your channel 😎

[@woutervansoest1087]

Thank you for this , nice to hear there are more people who rate " A Passion Play" number one !

[@thomaswery3087]

I also love A Passion Play.Could be my favorite today but I think in my opionion they had like 13 albums in a row that could be my no.1 for that day.Saw them on that tour of course it was awesome.I've seen Tull somewhere around 26 times.Obviously a big fan

[@Mickau]

So glad to hear such an erudite discussion of this challenging, but endlessly rewarding album. A few comments: · I prefer the original mix to the Wilson (perhaps, for me, the dense mix compliments the dense lyrics better?) · That said, the restored Foot Of Our Stairs section really redeems the remix for me · I originally found The Hare.. a distraction, but grew to love it. I never skip over it. JHH's narration is sublime. · I'd be very curious to know Your opinion of The Chateau D’Herouville/Chateau D'isaster recordings (I love it equally as much as the APP album proper).

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

@@Mickau hi ! We did a lengthy discussion on the Chateau sessions when the vinyl came out earlier this year, check it out kzbin.info/www/bejne/hF7Plq2hhs-Ul5osi=Izrdp8YptzvoxRUV

[@myprogrockshow3025]

A Passion Play and Thick as a Brick are definitely my favorites because they are the most progressive. When choosing signed album artwork from Ian Anderson, I chose A Passion Play.

[@michaelpdawson]

I'm only breathing, there's life on my ceiling, the flies there are sleeping quietly....

[@peterock4210]

My first “ rock show” was Tull @ MSG on the Stormwatch tour. Older fans raved about the Passion play tour. I cannot say that PP makes my top five but I love your take. Your discussions are always enlightening.

[@calummcgregor3662]

Cool video .... I love Tull but this album is one that, after decades (I'm 63), I am only now finally getting to grips with / appreciating now that it's been indexed into specific tracks and I can create a "No Hare" version!! Musical interlude or not, the Hare ... is just, not for me, gets in the way .... although I understand it had that Interlude role to play in the live show upon release. Mind you, when you, made the Wiinie the Pooh connection, that actually resonated (I've got a great 4CD set of the stories) ... Anyway, back to the main "hare-less" album, I am regularly returning to it at the moment as I try to unpack all the bits and make sense of it all ... and, yes, some of the musicianship is stellar. Have ordered the re-issue of the deluxe box set (together with Stand Up and War Child sets) to complete my deluxe library ... great band, still doing it - both on album and live. The flute work on Rokflote is superb (but the guitar sound is a wee bit "mushy" sometimes). Saw the band live in Aberdeen 3 months back and it was a great, high energy, great playing, great sounding set with Ian in surprisingly good voice ... I'd buy a recording of the tour if one ever gets released. Thanks again for video. CMcG, Aberdeen, Scotland

[@robertduda6336]

Passion Play broke the mainstream critics brains. Couldn’t crap on Ian and the Lads for their virtuosity, so they took the easy way out and spewed about the over the top allegorical lyrics that didn’t conform with the Cement headed 3 Chord tricks, that soothed their pablum filled gullets.

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

Well put ! Hahaha

[@williambaldridge1203]

I like both. I always liked the original.Never had a problem with it.But I also like the Stephen Willson remix, but I'm glad to hear your opinion on it, because now it gives me some things to look for that I hadn't really noticed, but I will the next time i'm listening to it. I appreciate your review, and I'll look forward to your next one.

[@Phlakaton88]

They are doing a second release of this book box. Gotta grab it this time.

[@jasonshort1437]

I as well discovered this album at a fairly young age, probably listened to it too much and it completely warped my tastes. I blame it for my Beefheart and Cardiacs fandom haha. Needless to say, i absolutely love it. So what is the upcoming reissue of it? Hopefully that means a Wilson remix on vinyl.

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

@@jasonshort1437 it’s the same as the 2014 reissue that I’m showing in the video. It’s been out of print for a long time.

[@LeeLucas]

Passion Play for me was one of the harder albums to come to terms with and get into, it was most likely Steve Wilson's mix and the multichannel mix in particular that got me to appreciate it more. However, I do not think it is as good as the album that preceded it which is one continuous piece of music and for me personally Thick As A Brick is what I would call a masterpiece and has always been my personal favourite album in the Tull catalogue. Having heard Passion Play since it more or less came out in the seventies I find there are times were I really enjoy the album and others when I feel that is a bit too disjointed. I enjoyed tuning in by the way and subscribed.

[@pd9121]

Ian, the lyrics of APP aren’t so “obtuse” (your word) if you’ve ever compared it alongside John Milton’s epic poem, “Paradise Lost.” Milton was a 17th C. British poet. I actually wrote a 50-page tome comparing the two works, and sent it to Ian Anderson in 1974. And believe it or not, he wrote me back on bright green Chrysalis Records UK stationery. There is no doubt in my mind Anderson got the whole death-judgment-rebirth idea and traveling between worlds from Milton’s famous work. All you have to do is pay attention to “Overseer”/Edit 8 to know this is Lucifer talking. Cheers from Chicago. (Paradise Lost info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Lost) P.S. “Magus Perdé” = “lost king”…remember the 3 magi from Bethlehem? Perder means “to lose, lost.”

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

@@pd9121 interesting

[@Shockzone1495]

Hey there's another album I would like to request for you to review. it's Hydra from the band Toto, it's their second studio album released in 1979.

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

@@Shockzone1495 my friend is also asking me to listen to it. I don’t have it, would you consider donating it to the channel if I put it on my Amazon wishlist ??

[@Shockzone1495]

@@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout ouch. I only listen to it on KZbin in KZbin music. that's how I listen to majority of my albums. sorry man.

[@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout]

@@Shockzone1495 I try to stick to stuff that’s already in my collection, it’s easier for me to talk about and have a visual element

[@Shockzone1495]

@@ShedSoundsMediawithIanBeabout I understand.

[@MatthewJHesse]

Hey Ian! Great synopsis of A Passion Play. To this comment, however: I, too, love Hydra (my favorite by Toto) so I went to your wish list but Amazon won't let this be shipped as a gift. I bought it anyway and am having it sent to my home address. I'll bring it with me to ProgDay and give it to you there! (So you can manually remove it from your list. 😁)