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Thread: Jethro Tull and the Mellotron

  1. #1
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    Jethro Tull and the Mellotron

    I've been on a Tull kick of late(this doesn't normally happen until the Autumn months) but I digress. I can't help but notice the extreme lack of not only Mellotron, but also 12 string acoustic. The latter is very odd in that they incorporated a lot of acoustic instrumentation due to a strong foundation in folk idioms. I never did understand why a great many have lumped them into to the symphonic prog category. I know of two instances where a mellotron was used. The first being "Witches Promise", and the second being the intro to, "Cross Eyed Mary". Are there any other examples that you Tull aficionados can provide. In addition, I have yet to find an example of a 12-string acoustic being used. Thanks for the help.

  2. #2
    I can't think of any other Mellotron use. Guess Ian and the group preferred "real" strings until David Palmer began playing synth in the late 70's.

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    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    The mellotron was largely absent due to John Evans not owning one. And by the time he moved on and Jobson took over (briefly), it was a tad out of style. Now, he did play it a tiny bit on the tracks you mention, and it was used on "Cup Of Wonder" several years later, but whether that was Evans or Palmer is anyone's guess. If it was Evans, I'm assuming he borrowed the instrument from someone.

    As for the 12-string acoustic, it wasn't really Ian's style for the most part, and I believe he was responsible for the majority of acoustic guitar in Tull (yes, I know there are exceptions to that rule, and Barre did play some). Ian seems to prefer small guitars.
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    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    it was used on "Cup Of Wonder" several years later, but whether that was Evans or Palmer is anyone's guess.
    My guess is that that is actually the Vako Orchestron that Palmer is credited as playing on Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll. (Oddly, that credit has been deleted from later editions of Too Old...).
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  5. #5
    Ian plays 12 string on the studio version of Sweet Dream.

  6. #6
    The mellotron is featured on the intro to Cross Eyed Mary.
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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pb2015 View Post
    I can't think of any other Mellotron use. Guess Ian and the group preferred "real" strings until David Palmer began playing synth in the late 70's.
    that's my guess as well
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Yes, in David Palmer they had a regular string arranger, which most progressive bands did not.

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    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Sounds like a good name for Ian's new band.

  10. #10
    Other than the two obvious concept albums and a handful of other songs, I would hardly lump them into Symphonic Prog. I am somewhat puzzled that you seem to think Mellotron and even 12 string guitar is a must for Symphonic Prog. Organ can easily perform similar functions that Mellotrons are used for. The sound quality difference is debateable, but Keith Emerson used his Hammond quite often.
    As for 12 string guitars in Symph Prog, I would say it is used much less often than 6 string guitars.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by florentine pogen View Post
    I never did understand why a great many have lumped them into to the symphonic prog category. I know of two instances where a mellotron was used.
    I can name dozens of "symphonic prog" bands who didn't sport a mellotron. So what? JTull's compositional approach in parts of their repertoire (as on APP and most of Songs from the Wood, for instance) followed far wider principles of theoretical formality than that of many other "symph" acts of their day. The fact that they also embodied a whole other array of impulses and influences doesn't aschew this.
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    To Jubal: It is extremely important to read the initial post, before offering up an opinion about said post. This also applies to you Scrotum. I don't think that Tull should be classified as a symph prog band nor do I want a list of so called progressive bands that do not include mellotron as part as their compositional scheme. Sometimes, it's better to read the original post and and allow cognitive function to dictate if you indeed have something relevant to offer up as a cogent rebuttal. In other words, "Don't show your ass!"

  13. #13
    Member StevegSr's Avatar
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    Tull were not a tron band. And it seems to me that they did quite well without one. And, personally, I love the icy tone of the mighty mellotron.
    To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by florentine pogen View Post
    It is extremely important to read
    Indeed. And that "list of non-tron bands" was not an offer, but a hypothetical illustration of a point. Would I myself describe Tull as a "symphonic prog" band? No. They were a 70s rock group dwelling in various waters, including several areas of "progressive" such. However, when you so obviously emphasize the connection between a specific instrument and a far less formally specific style of musical language, the counterquestion itself becomes hypothetical. An idiomatic description as fundamentally bizarre and contradictive as "symphonic rock" would allow for many an interpretation, but to stick to some extremes let's mention acts such as The Enid, Red Queen-era Gryphon, some of Esperanto Orchestra's work or Russian 80s ensemble Horizont (or Gorizont); through-composed electroacoustic yet still fairly rhythm-metred dynamics simulating scopes of philharmonic mode and technique. And not a 'tron in sight.

    I personally think Tull were a kinda bongo-dildo reggae soul troupe.
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  15. #15
    While we're here......
    http://www.planetmellotron.com/

    OK, what's it all about? After seeing a couple of lists of 'albums containing Mellotron', I thought I'd try to bring the idea up to date, and have a really concerted effort at listing everything. Madness. Utter madness. If you knew the number of hours I've spent in record shops, on the net, rummaging through (mostly very understanding) friends' collections, listening to borrowed album after borrowed album... I love it really. I know it's sad, but it keeps me off the streets. And I've enjoyed it. Get a life, Thompson...

  16. #16
    My guess is that the TRON on the INTRO of Cross Eyed belong to King Crimson, who seemed to always be recording at Basing St, the same studio that TULL used to record AQUA.

    I know GENESIS borrowed it as well for Nursery Cryme. Steve convinced Tony to purchase this TRON from Crimson.

    These are all educated guesses and probably wrong. :-)

    Jim

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Indeed. And that "list of non-tron bands" was not an offer, but a hypothetical illustration of a point. Would I myself describe Tull as a "symphonic prog" band? No. (...)
    At A Passion Play - their finest moment imo - they are symph as hell, though not with tron but with the keys of all over the place - that Mini Moog above all.
    Could be there a nice symph album without tron but with synths, organ and piano? Well, of course.

  18. #18
    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    I dont miss mellotrons at all and I love those damn things. 12-strings? That's not something I've ever thought I was missing personally. That's me though.

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