Music Diary – 30th December

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 30th December!

Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull)

Happy birthday to drummer Clive William Bunker, who was born on the 30th December 1946 in Luton, Bedfordshire (UK). Clive was the original drummer in Jethro Tull and a member from 1968 until 1971. With the band, he recorded the first four classic studio albums „This Was“ (1968), „Stand Up“ (1969), „Benefit“ (1970) and „Aqualung“ (1971).

Clive Bunker began playing in a band called „The Warriors“ in the sixties. Later he formed with guitarist Mick Abrahams the band McGregor’s Engine, before both founded in 1967 with Ian Anderson and Glenn Cornick Jethro Tull. Shortly after the release of the LP „Aqualung“, Clive Bunker decided to leave the band, get married and spend more time with his wife. Barriemore Barlow, a school friend of frontman Ian Anderson, took over his place.

Clive about his decision: „I had always told Ian, ‚If I find the right lady, I’ll be gone,‘ and I did just that. That was just at the start of their world touring in 1972, and I wouldn’t have been back in England for ages at a time. So I thought that I might as well end it then. Besides, Barrie was always in the background anyway, so I knew I wasn’t going to put them in a difficult situation. You must understand that back then, we didn’t have any time off; it was non-stop work, and I wanted to spend time with my wife.“

After his life with Jethro Tull, Clive played with many acts like Blodwyn Pig, Robin Trower, Aviator, Manfred Mann, Jack Bruce, Gordon Giltrap, Uli Jon Roth, Electric Sun, Steve Hillage, Solstice, Glenn Hughes and Jerry Donahue. Finally in 1998, Clive Bunker’s debut solo album „Awakening“ was released feat. contributions by old Tullers Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and longtime friends Andy Glass, Dave Lennox, Jim Rodford, John Batrum, Vikki Clayton and Graham Dee.

Interesting note:
Doane Perry, who became the new Jethro Tull drummer in 1984, was taught one of his first drum lessons ever by Clive Bunker! I did an interview with Doane and he talks about this historic meeting – you can stream the conversation here (the topic starts at appr. 19:10 min)!

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Music Diary – 17th November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 17th November!

Martin Barre & John Glascock (Jethro Tull – 1978)

On the 17th November two remarkable things happened, which are connected to the British Rock band Jethro Tull:

In 1946 guitarist Martin Lancelot Barre was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Barre joined Jethro Tull in 1969 after the departing of Mick Abrahams and his first recordings with Ian Anderson & Co. can be heard on the second Tull album „Stand Up“ (1969). Martin Barre was the long time member in the line-up beside singer, flute player and acoustic guitarist Ian Anderson. He left Jethro Tull in 2011 and concentrated on his solo works.

Barre’s signature solo on the 1971 Jethro Tull standard „Aqualung“ is still considered as one of the most outstanding guitar solos. It was voted by the readers of „Guitar Player“ magazine as one of the top rock guitar solos of all time.

And on the 17th November 1979, John Glascock, the bass player for Jethro Tull from 1976 until 1979, died at the age of only 28 years. Glascock suffered a congenital heart valve defect, which was worsened by an infection caused by an abscessed tooth. Before joining Jethro Tull to replace Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond on bass, Glascock was a member of the Blues band Chicken Shack and later of the progressive Rock band Carmen. Ritchie Blackmore mentioned John’s fantastic skills in an interview with „Guitar Player“ in September 1978; „John Glascock is a brilliant bass player, the best in the business in rock.“ John Glascock’s playing can be heard on the Tull albums „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976), „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses„, the live album „Bursting Out“ (both 1978) and some parts on „Stormwatch“ (1979).

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Music Diary – 10th September

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 10th September!

Barrie „Barriemore“ Barlow (Jethro Tull)

On the 10th September 1949 Barrie „Barriemore“ Barlow was born in Birmingham, UK. Barlow joined Jethro Tull in May 1971 and replaced drummer and percussionist Clive Bunker, who decided to leave the band after the successful and legendary LP „Aqualung„.  Some of the best Tull albums were recorded with Barrie Barlow and John Bonham from Led Zeppelin said, that he is „the greatest rock drummer England ever produced“. Jethro Tull recorded with Barlow the outstanding studio albums „Thick as a Brick“ (1972), „A Passion Play“ (1973), „War Child“ (1974), „Minstrel in the Gallery“ (1975), „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976), „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses“ (1978) and „Stormwatch“ (1979). Also the live album „Bursting Out“ (1978) features Barriemore Barlow.

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Music Diary – 28th March

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 28th March!

John Evans (Jethro Tull)

Happy birthday to Mr. John Spencer Evans aka John Evan, who was born on the 28th March 1948 in Blackpool (UK)!

Before John became the keyboarder for Jethro Tull, he played for The Blades. Then the band name was changed into The John Evan Band. Bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond (who became a member of Tull in 1971) thought, that this would sound better instead of ‚John Evans Band‘. During that time in the sixties and especially in Blackpool, Evan crossed already paths with people like Jeffrey, Barriemore Barlow and Ian Anderson, who founded Jethro Tull in 1967.

After playing as a session musician for the album „Benefit„, John Evan joined Jethro Tull in April 1970. One year later, he composed the legendary piano intro for Tull’s biggest hit „Locomotive Breath„, which was recorded for the historic rock album „Aqualung„.

Until the big band split in 1980, John’s keyboard playing is featured on the LPs „Thick as a Brick“ (1972), „A Passion Play“ (1973), „WarChild“ (1974) „Minstrel in the Gallery“ (1975), „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976) „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses“ (1978) and „Stormwatch“ (1979). On the 14th April 1980 the last Jethro Tull show with John Evan, Barriemore Barlow and David Palmer took place at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. After that, Ian Anderson changed the line-up completely – only guitarist Martin Barre remained.

With David Palmer, John Evan started the band project Tallis, which didn’t succeed and so he decided to stop his career as a musician and founded his own construction company.

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Music Diary – 2nd November

Hey music lovers all around the world – welcome to my personal music diary!

Today on the 2nd November I added some very different styles of music to my collection – so you can see properly that my taste has no boundaries at all 😉

Back in 1992 I was very happy to get my copy of the 3-CD-Box-Set „20 Years Of Jethro Tull„! Before that I had this release „only“ on vinyl (5-LP-Box-Set) and this one features unheard rarities, B-Sides and rare live recordings. So it was a kind of „Holy Grail“ for us Tull fans all around the world.

On the 2nd November 2007 I bought the albums of the German bands Die Ärzte and Einstürzende Neubauten. „Jazz ist anders“ which features a bonus EP comes in a pizza box – typically for Bela B,, Farin Urlaub and Rod. „Alles wieder offen“ is another fantastic release by Blixa Bargeld and his backing band.

And in 2012 I received my signed copy of the Woodbox Gang album called „Glorious Scars„.

Well, now you can see that I am into any kind of music 😉

Cheers,

Alex Melomane

Music Diary – 19th July

Hello again – another entry in my personal music diary! This time for the 19th July!

Back in 1996 I added a wonderful and special CD to my huge Jethro Tull collection: The MFSL release of the outstanding album „Thick as a Brick“, which entered the charts worldwide in the year 1972. This one is a „Original Master Recording“ and comes as a 24 carat gold disc. The sound of these very special and limited editons is outstanding and nowadays very hard to find.

Other Tull releases of this serie are „Stand Up“, „Living in the Past„, „A Passion Play„, „War Child“ and „Songs from the Wood„.

Cheers,

Alex Melomane

Music Diary – 26th June

Hey Ho – Let’s Go!

Welcome to my music diary for today, 26th June!
On this day I completed my Jethro Tull collection with two nice vinyls:
In 1996 I bought the UK version of the single „Broadsword„/“Fallen on Hard Times“ which was originally released in 1982 to promote the awesome album „The Broadsword and the Beast„.

And in 2001 I received a copy of the „Aqualung“ album – but not the regular one! I got the very special „Quadradisc“ version of it which was first released back in 1975.

And here’s a birthday for today:
Richard McCracken was born on 26th June 1948! He was the bass player in the supergroup called Taste (from 1968 until 1970) which featured the outstanding guitar player Rory Gallagher and drummer John Wilson! So happy bday to Richard!

Cheers and spread the word!

Alex Melomane

Music Diary – 19th June

Welcome to my music diary!

Today (19th June) is another day with no concert entry – shame on me 😉

But nevertheless I did something which has to do with music – buying stuff for my collection:

So back in 1997 I bought the 25th Anniversary Special Edition of Jethro Tull’s masterpiece „Thick As A Brick„. It features the legendary newspaper sleeve as a fold out and two bonus tracks: „Thick as a Brick“ (live excerpt from 1978)  and an interview with the band about the album which was recorded and released in the year of 1972.

On the 19th June 1948 a very talented musician was born: Mr. Nick Drake. This man did only record three studio albums („Five Leaves Left“ – 1969, „Bryter Layter“ – 1970 and „Pink Moon“ – 1972), but all these releases are just masterpieces. Nick Drake died far too early at the age of 26 (25th November 1974).

Cheers,

Alex Melomane