This classic 1984 Jethro Tull Radio Broadcast including tracks from Tull’s 15th studio album, “Under Wraps”, which came out September 7th, 1984. The songs’ subject matter is heavily influenced by bandleader Ian Anderson’s love of espionage fiction. It was controversial among fans of the band due to its electronic/synthesizer-based sound, particularly the use of electronic drums. Guitarist Martin Barre has referred to it as one of his personal favourite Tull collections.
“Under Wraps” as an album with its drum machine and eighties keyboard motifs wasn’t altogether a popular album with Tull fans. The live tour though with actual thundering drums from Doane Perry was something else. On the UK leg of the tour before Ian Anderson damaged his vocals the band was on fire. The aforementioned Doane, Peter Vettese on lively keyboards, and wonderful intricate playing from Martin Barre on guitar and Dave Pegg on truly excellent fluid Bass. Anderson himself is in great voice and judging by the stage patter ,He was enjoying himself.
The record reached No. 76 on the Billboard 200 and No. 18 on the UK Albums Chart. The single ‘Lap of Luxury’ reached No. 30. The day after the release, 8th September, Jethro Tull were to be found performing at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, where they put on a stunning show which was broadcast on King Biscuit Flower Hour, This concert is from the band’s second night of three at Hammersmith Odeon, on the ‘Under Wraps `84’ tour.
This release featuring a good selection from the new record, alongside a slew of Tull classics and more recent hits, the show went down a storm with the fans, many of whom still list the gig as among their all-time favourites.
Now released in its entirety on the new 2CD set, this delightful recording is available here for the first time. Eight selections from that particular performance (the 9th) were eventually released on the Raw Fruit Records label, in December 1990, titled as ‘Live At Hammersmith `84’, produced by BBC’s Tony Wilson and Dale Griffin – he of ex-Mott The Hoople fame.
The show feature’s five brand new tracks from the just released ‘Under Wraps’ album, two nearly new from Ian Anderson’s solo album, ‘Walk Into Light’ from the previous year and two from the previous Tull album, ‘Broadsword & The Beast’,
Long-term Tullies will already know that both concerts had been available in decent FLAC quality as free downloads some years ago from Wolfgang’s Vault,
DISC ONE 1 Hunting Girl 7:03 2 Under Wraps #1 5:04 3 Later, That Same Evening 4:19 4 Nobody’s Car 5:11 5 Apogee 5:41 6 Thick As A Brick 7:02 7 Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day 2:44 8 Pussy Willow 4:17 9 Clasp 4:12 10 Living In The Past 4:13 11 Serenade to A Cuckoo 4:39
DISC TWO 1 Band Introduction 1:59 2 Fat Man 6:45 3 Fly By Night 10:40 4 Made In England 5:21 5 European Legacy 3:51 6 Black Sunday 6:30 7 Locomotive Breath 7:14 8 Too Old To Rock And Roll Too Young To Die 8:34 9 Aqualung, Part 1 4:02 10 Aqualung, Part 2 2:33
The Fat Angel Sings 