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Jethro Tull was very much a blues band on their debut album, vaguely reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization only more cohesive, and with greater commercial sense. The revelations about the group's roots on This Was -- which was recorded during the summer of 1968 -- can be astonishing, even 30 years after the fact. Original lead guitarist Mick Abrahams contributed to the songwriting and the singing, and his presence as a serious bluesman is felt throughout, often for the better: "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You," an Ian Anderson original that could just as easily be credited to Big Bill Broonzy or Robert Johnson; "Cat's Squirrel," Abrahams' big showcase, where he ventures into Eric Clapton territory; and "It's Breaking Me Up," which also features some pretty hot guitar from Abrahams. Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" (the first song Anderson learned to play on flute), their jazziest track ever, is one of the best parts of the album. The drum solo on "Dharma for One" now seems like a mistake, but is understandable in the context of the time in which it was done. The one number here that everybody knows, "A Song for Jeffrey," almost pales amid these surroundings, but at the time it was a superb example of commercial psychedelic blues. This would be the last album of its kind by the group, as Abrahams' departure and the lure of more fertile inspiration tugged them toward English folk music. Curiously, the audio mix here is better than that on their second album, with a much stronger, harder group sound overall. In late 2001, This Was was reissued in a remastered edition with much crisper sound and three bonus tracks. The jazzy improvisation "One for John Gee" (a reference to the manager of the Marquee Club), the folky "Love Story" (which marked the end of Mick Abrahams' tenure with the group), and the novelty piece "Christmas Song" have all been heard before but, more to the point, they're worth hearing again, especially in the fidelity they have here.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Horns Arranger - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Additional Background Vocals - Roland Kirk, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion, Writer - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Piano, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Traditional, Writer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer, Writer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Piano, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Writer - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Brownie McGhee, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Harmonica - Roland Kirk, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Traditional, Writer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Earl Hines, Writer - Bernie Andrews, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Dave Tate, Engineer - Robert Crowder, Writer - Billy Eckstine, Writer
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion, Writer - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968 BBC Worldwide Ltd
DISC 2
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Piano, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horns Arranger - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Additional Background Vocals - Roland Kirk, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion, Writer - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Traditional, Writer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Lead Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Drums - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer, Writer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Piano, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Writer - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Mandolin, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Mandolin, Lead Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Lead Vocals - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Writer - Mike Ross, Engineer - Derek Lawrence, Producer - Clive Bunker, Drums - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Horn, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Harmonica - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Writer - Clive Bunker, Drums, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger, Horn - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Mandolin, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Electric Guitar - Clive Bunker, Drums - Glenn Cornick, Bass Guitar
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Terry Ellis, Producer - Jethro Tull, MainArtist - Ian Anderson, Flute, Mandolin, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer - Michael Abrahams, Backing Vocals - Clive Bunker, Percussion - Victor Gamm, Engineer - Dee Palmer, Orchestral Arranger
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1968, 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Album review
Jethro Tull was very much a blues band on their debut album, vaguely reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization only more cohesive, and with greater commercial sense. The revelations about the group's roots on This Was -- which was recorded during the summer of 1968 -- can be astonishing, even 30 years after the fact. Original lead guitarist Mick Abrahams contributed to the songwriting and the singing, and his presence as a serious bluesman is felt throughout, often for the better: "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You," an Ian Anderson original that could just as easily be credited to Big Bill Broonzy or Robert Johnson; "Cat's Squirrel," Abrahams' big showcase, where he ventures into Eric Clapton territory; and "It's Breaking Me Up," which also features some pretty hot guitar from Abrahams. Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" (the first song Anderson learned to play on flute), their jazziest track ever, is one of the best parts of the album. The drum solo on "Dharma for One" now seems like a mistake, but is understandable in the context of the time in which it was done. The one number here that everybody knows, "A Song for Jeffrey," almost pales amid these surroundings, but at the time it was a superb example of commercial psychedelic blues. This would be the last album of its kind by the group, as Abrahams' departure and the lure of more fertile inspiration tugged them toward English folk music. Curiously, the audio mix here is better than that on their second album, with a much stronger, harder group sound overall. In late 2001, This Was was reissued in a remastered edition with much crisper sound and three bonus tracks. The jazzy improvisation "One for John Gee" (a reference to the manager of the Marquee Club), the folky "Love Story" (which marked the end of Mick Abrahams' tenure with the group), and the novelty piece "Christmas Song" have all been heard before but, more to the point, they're worth hearing again, especially in the fidelity they have here.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 35 track(s)
- Total length: 02:06:27
- Main artists: Jethro Tull
- Label: Parlophone UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2009 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
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