Jethro Tull - M.U.

[reyneman]

Aritist: Jethro Tull
Title: M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull
Year of Release: Unknown (last C is 1975)
Record Label: Chrysalis (German Import)
Genre: Rock

OK, boys and girls, I'm only listing this record to prevent you buying it!

The track listing looks great, the vinyl is quiet- so quiet that Ian Anderson must have been 20 yards behind the group while singing. What a disappointment- one of the worst mastering jobs I've had the displeasure of buying. Muffled, no mid range, no lower octaves. In order to prevent you from buying this particular record, I provide the following:
Record number: 202 661-352, under Chrysalis is Im Ariola-Vertrieb.
Printed in West Germany, also has the number LC 1626.
On the label is GEMA STEMRA BIEM
Dead wax has 202661 A-1 /80 S (B-1 for other side)

Please heed my warning- DO NOT BUY THIS GERMAN IMPORT.

[luvvinvinyl]

Thanks, for the heads-up, Ray. I saw a copy of that at a certain AKer's house, but he said it was spoken for. :D I'll be looking for a different pressing, for my collection.

[reyneman]

Naw, even Grumpy wouldn't pawn off a record this bad (OK, he would, but maybe not knowingly :) )

I, unfortunately, actually PAID GOOD MONEY (well, $5) for this piecer.

At least the crappy American Gold record I bought only cost 25c (and well worth that amount- I always get a good laugh from those who first hear it) (no one, however, asks for a second listen) (in fact, I don't think anyone has managed to make it through an entire side- including me).

Ah luvvinvinyl- I feel a special bonding moment coming on. I think I have a couple of records to send your way :rofl:

[Celt]

I had the original Chrysalis USA vinyl of it. Thought it sucked then. EMI did a much better two-disc anniversary collection many years later (The Best of J.T.). The one you are referring to is typical of 70's compilations. Many were assembled from 2nd and 3rd generation copies and the sound quality was almost always awful. Besides, I hated the alternate versions they used on M.U. (Moo).

[Drybasement]

There is a song on M.U. titled Rainbow Blues that for a long long time getting M.U. was the only place you could hear it. Rainbow Blues would not appear again on any Tull release until the remaster of War Child in 2002.

Coincidently, the song Glory Row could only be heard on Repeat: Best of Tull Vol 2 and would not appear again until that same 2002 War Child remaster.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[mhardy6647]

This thread has triggered a random memory in Mark's addled mind: In the late winter of 1976 my high school chorus toured the southeast (well, VA/NC). The buses had 8-track players on them. At a rest stop, one of my buddies bought an 8-track of the very album under discussion. We then listened to that sucker, as I recall, approximately incessantly, for the rest of the trip. I don't believe I have listened to it since :-)

[OneMalt]

Production quality aside, some songs from this album, like Rumble Through The Jungle, conjure up some great memories of my freshman year at the University of Buffalo.

[wineslob]

Hummm you are goin to make me go into my collection and dig that sucker out. I have a pressing from the mid-80's of it and now I'm curious to see which pressing it is. I find most of the late 70' to the 80's "Tulls" rather dull sounding.

[KeninDC]

M.U. was the first CD I ever purchased. I remember when CDs first came out and the record store I frequented in Charlottesville, VA had just a few behind the counter.

[pbda]

reyneman, your post encouraged me to pull out my copy of M.U. It's a US Chrysalis pressing that I bought around 1978 and haven't listened to probably since around 1981. The disc itself is in pretty good shape, but I concur on the sound. With the exception of a few cuts (the Thick as a Brick excerpt, oddly, seems to come through relatively unscathed). I'd characterize the sound as muddy, with unnaturally overemphasized bass.

I went to a Jethro Tull concert at the Providence (RI) Civic Center during college, and the sound was a lot like on this LP. Coincidence?

[shacky]

Wasn't Locomotive Breath remastered for this LP? And Rainbow Blues is awesome.

Saw Tull at the MSG just as Aqualung came out. They were incredible. Played most of Benefit and Stand Up. Keyboardist would dance from piono on one side of stage to organ on other.

Saw them many years later at Shea Stadium. Just not the same as that ealry mojo they had going.

If you really like tull, there's a Live BBC CD with some excellent (also some bad) tracks. New Day Yesterday is even better live on BBC.

[jfine]

I have the US chrysalis press with the souvenir poster, best part about it. Mostly only listened to fat man, skating away, and nothing is easy.

I have had other issues with imports as well, (Canada (Capitol) and France (Atlantic) especially) except for UK beatles parlophone which always sound good to me.

.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

Best LP of this is the UK Chrysalis. It's still from copy tapes but lower generation tapes. General rule: Best sounding vinyl is from the Country Of Origin of the recording. Exception is if it was mastered in a foreign country in which case either country's LP is equally fine.