Jethro Tull 50th anniversary edition of ‘This Was’ available Nov 9th

Rhino Records is celebrating Jethro Tull’s This Was 50th Anniversary with a deluxe 3 CD/DVD reissue on November 9th. After several name changes, Jethro Tull played its first show as Jethro Tull in February 1968 with the group releasing its debut months later featuring Ian Anderson, Mick Abrahams, Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker. The album debuted at No. 10 on the U.K. albums chart, and was the first step in a 50 year (and counting) journey that made Jethro Tull one of the world’s most successful progressive rock bands.

The original album and its bonus tracks are presented in several mixes including stereo, 4.1 DTS and Dolby Digital remixed by Steven Wilson. Bonus live BBC sessions recorded in 1968 will also be included and presented in a case-bound DVD book filled with an extensive history of the album, track-by-track annotations by Ian Anderson, plus rare and unseen photographs.

Recorded during the summer of 1968, This Was is the only Jethro Tull album to feature guitarist Mick Abrahams, who left the group shortly after the album came out to form Blodwyn Pig. The title of the album refers to the band moving away from its early blues-based sound, which was referenced in the original liner notes: “This was how we were playing then – but things change – don’t they?” The album includes songs that have been in and out of Jethro Tull’s live show for 50 years, like “My Sunday Feeling” and “Beggar’s Farm.” Also featured are several bonus tracks, including “Love Story,” “A Christmas Song,” “Sunshine Day” and “Aeroplane.”

In 1968, BBC Radio featured the band twice on its award-winning program, BBC Top Gear Session. Both of those performances – nine songs in total – are featured on the second disc, including live versions of “Serenade To A Cuckoo,” “Love Story” and “My Sunday Feeling.” Rounding out the disc are B-sides, outtakes, radio advertisements, and an unreleased mono mix of “Someday The Sun Won’t Shine For You” (Faster Version). The final CD features the album’s original U.K. stereo mix and its original mono mix.

The DVD features the original album and bonus tracks remixed by Steven Wilson in 4.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital surround and 96/24 LPCM stereo. There are also 5.1 surround versions of “Love Story” and “A Christmas Song.” Also included in 96/24 LPCM stereo is the 1969 stereo mix that was released in the U.S.

3 CD/DVD

CD 1: Steven Wilson Stereo Remix

1. My Sunday Feeling
2. Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You
3. Beggar’s Farm
4. Move On Alone
5. Serenade To A Cuckoo
6. Dharma For One
7. It’s Breaking Me Up
8. Cat’s Squirrel
9. A Song For Jeffrey
10. Round
11. Love Story
12. A Christmas Song
13. Serenade To A Cuckoo (Take 1)*
14. Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You (Faster Version)*
15. Move On Alone (Flute Version)*
16. Ultimate Confusion*

CD 2:

1. So Much Trouble (BBC Sessions)
2. My Sunday Feeling (BBC Sessions)
3. Serenade To A Cuckoo (BBC Sessions)
4. Cat’s Squirrel (BBC Sessions)
5. A Song For Jeffrey (BBC Sessions)
6. Love Story (BBC Sessions)
7. Stormy Monday (BBC Sessions)
8. Beggar’s Farm (BBC Sessions)
9. Dharma For One (BBC Sessions)
10. A Song For Jeffrey (Original Mono Mix)
11. One For John Gee (Original Mono Mix)
12. Someday The Sun Won’t Shine For You – Faster Version (Original Mono Mix)*
13. Love Story (Original Mono Mix)
14. A Christmas Song (Original Mono Mix)
15. Sunshine Day
16. Aeroplane
17. Blues For The 18th
18. Love Story (1969 US Promo Single Stereo Mix for FM Radio Airplay)
19. US FM Radio Spot #1
20. US FM Radio Spot #2

CD 3:

1. My Sunday Feeling (Original Stereo Mix)
2. Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You (Original Stereo Mix)
3. Beggar’s Farm (Original Stereo Mix)
4. Move On Alone (Original Stereo Mix)
5. Serenade To A Cuckoo (Original Stereo Mix)
6. Dharma For One (Original Stereo Mix)
7. It’s Breaking Me Up (Original Stereo Mix)
8. Cat’s Squirrel (Original Stereo Mix)
9. A Song For Jeffrey (Original Stereo Mix)
10. Round (Original Stereo Mix)
11. My Sunday Feeling (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
12. Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
13. Beggar’s Farm (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
14. Move On Alone (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
15. Serenade To A Cuckoo (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
16. Dharma For One (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
17. It’s Breaking Me Up (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
18. Cat’s Squirrel (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
19. A Song For Jeffrey (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)
20. Round (2008 Remastered Version – Mono)

DVD:

  • Original album and bonus tracks remixed by Steven Wilson in 4.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital surround
    and 96/24 LPCM stereo
  • “Love Story” and “A Christmas Song” in 5.1 surround
  • 1969 U.S. stereo mix in 96/24 LPCM stereo

* previously unreleased

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com