This Was

by Jethro Tull

Overview

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

Product Details

Release Date:	03/29/2019
Label:	Parlophone / Rhino
UPC:	0190295611477

Tracks

1. My Sunday Feeling [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
2. Some Day the Sun Won't Shine For You [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
3. Beggar's Farm [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
4. Move on Alone [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
5. Serenade to a Cuckoo [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
6. Dharma for One [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
7. It's Breaking Me Up [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
8. Cat's Squirrel [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
9. A Song For Jeffrey [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]
10. Round [Steven Wilson Stereo Remix]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jethro Tull   Primary Artist
Ian Anderson   Primary Artist,Horn,Flute,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Harmonica,Mouth Organ,Vocals (Background)
Clive Bunker   Primary Artist,Drums,Hooter,Melodica,Percussion
Dee Palmer   Horn
Mick Abrahams   Guitar,Vocals
Glenn Cornick   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Michael Abrahams   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

T-Bone Walker   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Terry Ellis   Composer,Producer,Composer,Producer,Cover Art Concept
Bernie Andrews   Producer
Bob Conduct   Engineer
Ian Anderson   Composer,Cover Art Concept
Clive Bunker   Composer
Victor Gamm   Engineer
Dee Palmer   Horn Arrangements,Orchestral Arrangements
Derek Lawrence   Producer
Peter Mew   Mixing,Engineer,Digital Remastering
Allen Harris   Engineer
Dave Tate   Engineer
Steven Wilson   Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Mastering Engineer
Mick Abrahams   Arranger,Composer
Brownie McGhee   Composer
Isaiah Ross   Composer
Jethro Tull   Producer
Rahsaan Roland Kirk   Composer
Clive Anderson   Composer
Glenn Cornick   Composer
Brian Ward   Photography
John Evans' Smash   Engineer
Len Barnard   Composer
Roland Kirk   Composer
Michael Abrahams   Composer