Product Description
In 1972, Ian Anderson wrote and recorded the Jethro Tull Progressive Rock classic album `Thick As A Brick'. The lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age. The record instantly became a number one Billboard Chart album and enjoyed considerable success in many countries of the world.

So, forty years on, what would Gerald Bostock - aged fifty in 2012 - be doing today? What might have befallen him? The anniversary "part two" album will examine the possible different paths that the precocious young schoolboy, Gerald Bostock, might have taken later in life through alter-ego characters with song-section identities illustrating the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity. Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.

CD
1. From A Pebble Thrown
2. Pebbles Instrumental
3. Might-have-beens
4. Upper Sixth Loan Shark
5. Banker Bets, Banker Wins
6. Swing It Far
7. Adrift And Dumfounded
8. Old School Song
9. Wootton Bassett Town
10. Power And Spirit
11. Give Till It Hurts
12. Cosy Corner
13. Shunt And Shuffle
14. A Change Of Horses
15. Confessional
16. Kismet In Suburbia
17. What-ifs, Maybes And Might-have-beens

DVD (Special Edition Only)
1. DVD includes 5.1 Surround Sound of entire album tracklisting (Mixed by Steven Wilson)
2. `The making of the album' (25 min)
3. Interview with Ian Anderson talking about the album
4. Interview with Steven Wilson- Lyric reading (25min)- Artwork

Standard Edition:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0073XORLU/?tag=imwan-20

Special Edition:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0073XORCY/?tag=imwan-20

So, we wait nearly 10 years for a Tull studio album and we get this instead? What gives, Ian?

This could be really good or it could be awful. Never really liked the idea of albums having sequels. That said, I like that this (potentially) could be an ambitious art rock kind of project.

And then on the other (third) hand, no Martin Barre is a serious problem.

If you guys rave about it, I'll consider it. Otherwise............

This will probably suck big time. Time for Ian to hang the skin flute up...............Ouch!

I'm gonna go into this with an open mind. If I don't expect something on the level of the original (which is impossible at this point), and maybe just a solid Anderson solo album with similar themes to TAAB, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. Still, Barre will be sorely missed.

I'd rather just have a Thick As A Brick Deluxe Edition.

That's happening too.

Yes, but it's being pushed back. The Progressive Ears site has a thread on TAAB2, and there's a Steven Wilson quote saying he now doesn't know when the deluxe edition is coming out.

This may be the wrong forum, but does anybody know what the situation is with Martin Barre'? I fully accept TAAB2 as being an Ian Anderson album, because Ian himself has stated that Martin is as integral a part of Jethro Tull as he is. It's just I would hate to think that his is a solo because Ian and Martin have had a falling out or there are health issues.

I don't know if they had a falling out or not but reading between the lines in this interview with Martin it doesn't seem like Ian & Martin are the closest of friends, and that Martin isn't that happy with Tull's inactivity the last couple years. Also I don't think hMartin was that happy with recent tours where he was reduced to basically being in a backup band for a guest violinist instead of being the lead guitar player in Jethro Tull.

http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/int ... re2011.htm

.
Ian Anderson plans to release a sequel to the Jethro Tull classic 'Thick As A Brick' that coincides with the original album's 40th anniversary.
Anderson will also embark on a 19-date UK tour to commemorate the anniversary of 'Thick As A Brick,' with the new sequel album set for release on April 2nd in the UK and April 3rd in North America.

Noble sent over this information about the release: In 1972, Ian Anderson wrote and recorded the Jethro Tull Progressive Rock classic album 'Thick As A Brick.' The lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age. The record instantly became a number one Billboard Chart album and enjoyed considerable success in many countries of the world.

So, forty years on, what would Gerald Bostock – aged fifty in 2012 – be doing today? What might have befallen him? The anniversary "part two" album will examine the possible different paths that the precocious young schoolboy, Gerald Bostock, might have taken later in life through alter-ego characters with song-section identities illustrating the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity. Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.

Ian Anderson says of the album, "As we baby-boomers look back on our own lives, we must often feel an occasional 'what-if' moment. Might we, like Gerald, have become instead preacher, soldier, down-and-out, shopkeeper or finance tycoon?" Adding, "And those of more tender years - the social media and internet generation - may choose to ponder well the myriad of chance possibilities ahead of them at every turn ....."

To coincide with this groundbreaking release, for the first time since 1972, Anderson and fellow musicians John O'Hara (keyboards), David Goodier (bass), Florian Opahle (guitar) and Scott Hammond (drums) - as well as some guest performers - will take to the road to perform the album in its entirety and, it can now exclusively be revealed that, in addition, there will be a second part to the show where Anderson and the band will also perform the sequel.

Thick As A Brick 2 ('TAAB2') tracklist [CD, digital]
From A Pebble Thrown
Pebbles Instrumental
Might-have-beens
Upper Sixth Loan Shark
Banker Bets, Banker Wins
Swing It Far
Adrift And Dumfounded
Old School Song
Wootton Bassett Town
Power And Spirit
Give Till It Hurts
Cosy Corner
Shunt And Shuffle
A Change Of Horses
Confessional
Kismet In Suburbia
What-ifs, Maybes And Might-have-beens

'Thick As A Brick 2' will be released as a standard jewel case CD and digital download, and in a Special Edition 2-disc package with DVD featuring 5.1 stereo mixes, 24-bit stereo mix, video of the making of the album, interviews with the musicians and Ian Anderson reading the lyrics in various locations.

April
18th Liverpool Philharmonic
19th Sheffield City Hall
20th Blackburn St George's Hall
21th Harrogate Royal Hall
22th Manchester Opera House
24th Derby Assembly Rooms
25th Ipswich Regent Theatre
27th London Hammersmith Apollo
28th Bristol Colston Hall
29th High Wycombe The Swan Theatre
30th Birmingham Symphony Hall
May
2nd Oxford Apollo
3rd Reading Hexagon
4th Guildford G Live
5th Cardiff St David's Hall
6th Southampton Guildhall

I still cannot believe this isn't a Tull album. I just don't get it. Martin Barre will be doing a tour of Tull songs (and playing flute-not sure who is singing), but I can't see that doing well. Something just isn't right here.

Sadly, Jethro Tull, to me, has not been effective since The Broadsword and The Beast.

Yeah, one would think Barre might take this as a bit of a put down.

Yeah I agree with the "WTF?" reactions to this being an Ian solo thing. Definitely there is more going on behind the scenes between him & Martin methinks. I think Jethro Tull as a band is now truly done, stick a fork in 'em, said to say.

This begs the question, "Ian, why is this even necessary?"

Wow, just happened to notice that I wrote "said to say". That is hilarious. I meant "sad to say".

"Said to say" sounds pretty cool though, like it is supposed to have some kind of deep ironic meaning.

Ian must have decided its time for a change from the jethro Tull band and do something under his own name, you never know this new CD may be brilliant.

I expect a nice piece of work. Ian won't put out junk because he's an excellent musician and takes pride in his work. "Divinities" and "Secret Language of Birds" are both sophisticated and well realized albums. For me, Thick As A Brick 2 is a no-brainer purchase.

I sure do hope that Thick As Brick (1972) gets the Steven Wilson treatment very soon.

I agree with all the "No Martin = WTF?" sentiments. TAAB2 should be a Tull album.
I also agree with the "prefer a DE of the original" sentiment. Give me a WIlson remix, a SACD of the original, outtakes/demos, and possibly a '70's live performance & I'd be far happier.
What possibly irks me the most is seeing song titles. Shouldn't this logically be one continuous piece like the original was?

Yes it should, IMHO. I thought maybe I was the only one bugged by this. I'm also going to be let down if the packaging doesn't continue the newspaper concept from the first album. Thick As A Brick is my favorite thing that Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson ever did and I guess I feel about this the way Star Wars fans felt about the prequels. I hope I'm wrong.