Jethro Tull Aqualung 40th Anniversary Edition Box Set.

Ordered mine yesterday. I'm such a mug. But It's in my all time Top 20 and if it has been sympathetically remastered (as seems to be the claim) it will be worth a punt for sound quality and as a little collectible for me.

Helen bought me a little model of Geddy Lee's Jazz Fender today, complete with a stand for it to sit on. That was thoughtful and seems to point to August being the month of acquiring unnecessary but nice little things. You only live once.

Harry,

If Steven Wilson has worked the same magic on it, he has worked on the King Crimson and Caravan albums of late?

It should be very good.

Stu

I own an Aqualung remaster already, it is OK if not spectacular. Is this going to be an alternate version-or is it just the other bits and pieces that are new?

Bruce

Bruce,

Have a read on burningshed.

Stu

Thanks

Nice website too,

Bruce

Rip off No xxxxx fill in any appropriate number. Come on almost £90 for one album , which has been "done" before? SW strikes again, the master of the album rip off?

I know but what can I say? I'm a fool but with luck a happy one.

In mitigation I ordered the "regular" Achtung Baby remaster because even someone as shallow as me couldn't help but balk to the point of nearly vomiting at the super mega limited addition box set. At the price as well as the tacky content. 

Harry,

I agree that this IS a great album, of which I have three vinyl and two CD copies.

I still can't bring myself to part with ninety quid for another copy, even if the currency had devalued by 25% in two years!

Short arms and deep pockets.

Do post your thoughts when it arrives - hopefully 'What a ripoff', for my sake!

M

I won't be backwards in coming forwards I assure you.

I wish there was a higher volume of feedback in this section for the cogitators. I've been waiting for someone to be brave enough to buy The Stones' London Years and report back. Having done some research on the providence I ended up buying the 196 and it's very good.

I can't fault it at all. Sounds like a remix in places. There's a little bit more going on but the overall balance has not shifted. It sounds nice. More detailed than any other version I have and it hasn't been brick walled. The second CD doesn't contain any curios not available in other releases and I think an opportunity has been missed here. They are worth having if you don't already. I've heard some alternative versions and run throughs posted on the Web that still haven't made it onto a CD.

Bruce,

I have not heard it yet.

I  have to go and see Ian to get my copy.

I have a AAA pass to any gig i want, but cant travel at the mo

He has left it open for me and my daughter or son Jethro to pick and choose.

What a guy.

This all came about because of the snow this time last year when they played Canterbury Cathedral.

and we couldnt get there.

Stu.

Funny, I spend more time these days on Ebay, tracking down original un-messed with versions of the 70's albums I love on CD, rather than going for the remastered (even if it is well done) versions.

It is a good time for that, as a lot of people are selling off CD's as they go Flac, MP3, etc.

I do buy the re-issues that have gems of live performances that have only circulated in the bootleg forums/site though (Bowie's 'Station to Station' with the Nassau '76 show, or 'Thin White Duke' bootleg, and the Floyd boxes that have the Earls Court '74 show.)

Perhaps a question for elsewhere in the forum, but I would rather spend twice as much money making two stereo channels sound better rather than spreading those costs across five channels. 5.1 has just not appealed to me (yet?).

Maybe I am more of an anachronism than I would like to think.

Then you're in good company.

For me it slides back to habit and behavior. AV, Feelaround, and all that is fine. I have a modest AV system which gets the job done for my needs. It's a happy distraction and pleasant  occasional pastime. 

Music? Ah, now, that's a different kettle. I like two channel music. It's a religion.

Music videos? Love 'em. And they sound better on my system in surround. It's not high quality but that's not an essential requirement - as long as I can hear who is playing what.

Musical enjoyment comes in many forms. Genuine relaxation, insight and appreciation doesn't. I am happy with my lot.

> Funny, I spend more time these days on Ebay, tracking down original un-messed with versions of the 70's albums I love on CD, rather than going for the remastered (even if it is well done) versions.

Hi Jamie

The original CD of Aqualung is dreadful - who says, some dude named Ian Anderson. Apparently, it has the opening and closing chords missing and is generally dull. (Corrected in later versions)

There was lots of noise on the various Aqualung releases, the original vinyl being compressed to make it sound as good as they could in the day. Thick As A Brick suffered from hum.

Steven Wilson has cleaned up the releases, not remixed on tinkered with them, but simply removed the hiss and hum. The 5.1 is not gimmicky like PF with sound effects popping here, there and everywhere, but simply there to give you extra ambience. (Aside: PF never played Roy Harper for his contribution to WYWH, but "hats off " to him, he got something back from them in the end - great what you learn from RC). 

Great interview in Record Collector.  

The best releases were the Stephen Hoffman DCC and the 45 rpm 4 LP set. 

Avoid the 25th anniversary issue.

I was totally convinced by Ian's sincerity and have ordered my copy, perhaps I'm just thick as a brick, but I believe there is a benefit to Steve W's approach and it will stand up, this was my impression anyway; he hasn't used any heavy horses on this one and Ian doesn't want his fans living in the past.  

RC gives you a break down on the good, bad and ugly Aqualung releases. 

The cover art is poor too, makes Ian look like a tramp and very drab colours (again IA's opinion). 

All the best, Guy

Thanks Guy

Sadly I have the 25th anniversary sets of both 'Aqualung' and 'Thick as a Brick'. I was not concerned by remixing of the actual instruments, but by compression and EQ.

The Led Zeppelin, Rush, and Genesis remasters have given me a distaste for the term 'Remaster', although the King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator ones don't seem bad.

I suspect that Jimmy Page was quite genuinely pleased with the remastered Led Zeppelin releases, but having stood next to too many stadium P.A's in his time, has made his opinion less than valid. (His fretwork though is still very valid.)

I like and trust Ian Anderson (lovely person on stage), but value the reports from this forum more, as Naim owners value a quality of sound from an end user's point of view.

Perhaps I should have a search for the Steve Hoffman releases of the Tull albums? How would they compare with Steven Wilson's work on the album?

All the best.

Jamie

"Funny, I spend more time these days on Ebay, tracking down original un-messed with versions of the 70's albums I love on CD, rather than going for the remastered (even if it is well done) versions."

Me too Jamie. The 25th anniversary remaster is pants and as others have stated Ian Anderson was never happy with the sound of the album from the start.

The Steve Hoffman DCC version is the corker on CD, but is rare/expensive. There's a s/h copy on eBay at the moment. Bids are at £74 with 7 days to go. New copies fetch around £150.

Trusted ears tell me that Steven Wilson has done a good job on this re-issue.

I've ordered the CD, resisting the rip-off version complete with a JT willie-warmer, signed piss-pot and model of a seed-drill.

John.

I've listened a couple more times and decided that this is a pretty decent re-master that has not lost the character of the slightly wonkily-recorded original but given it a good spruce-up without overdoing it.

The voice in particular has been 'improved', rather revealing the idsoyncracies/shortcomings of IA in places!

Don't tell him I said that Stu.

Bruce 

This Aqualung re-master is delightful and gives a great album the treatment it deserves; Steven Wilson has done a great job removing the noise and his and simply letting the music shine through. These comments refer to the vinyl. 

The digital version is very good, if slightly different from the SHM. 

I think the SHM is impressive sounding, whereas the new release is more musically enchanting. 

Next year, they are doing Thick As A Brick. 

OK so it is not super-value like last year's Sandy Denny box set (probably the greatest box set ever), but I wouldn't pay some joker on evil bay £74 when you can get this version for a few pennies more. Mind you that's no big deal as I'd never buy anything off evil bay 

I'm very impressed with Steven Wilson;s work on KC and JT even if I'm not a PT fan. 

The best releases were the Stephen Hoffman DCC and the 45 rpm 4 LP set. 

Avoid the 25th anniversary issue.

The 45rpm 4LP set was issued by Classic Records. IMHO this is the best reissue SQ wise on vinyl. This box set cost me less than half the price of the new 40th Anniversary edition. I doubt the vinyl copy could be any better than the 45rpm one and I'm not interested in any of the other contents of the package, so I won't be parting with £90 for this one.

I agree with Jamie s comments about the Led Zep remasters which sound terrible compared with the original vinyl issues.

Led Zep vinyl and CD remasters did not sound terrible.

THEY WERE A CRIME AGAINST MUSIC .

Stu

John,

I think Steven  is in tune with the old classics that he loves.

He did a great work on the King Crimson and  Caravan's Land Of Grey And Pink this year.

Stu

Yes, it's very fine - better than we'd dared hope!

Well we have about a year to save up for the Thick As A Brick Anniversary Edition, which Mr Wilson has already done the mix for, and which I reckon is an even better record than Aqualung.

I rather suspect the Thick As A Brick LP is going to sound even better than the MoFi versions you and I are fortunate to have.

David