News Update: April 2005

News Update: April 2005

Riding the Jumbo beast, as we speak, back from sunny Santiago, Chile.

I have just played a few solo shows with local orchestras in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile – mostly old haunts from previous Tull tours – and looking forward to a welcome few days at home before boarding the next Jumbo beast to Australia and Japan.

Long time no speak due to mucho worko and studio commitments, as well as a Christmas break and brief vacation.

Since the last Tull tour in the USA in November, I did an orchestral solo tour in Germany in December where we recorded a DVD and CD to be released soon.  Well, soonish, as the actual release date is to be determined shortly.  Either end May or, more likely, September.

I have had some post-production work to do on that project during the last weeks and am about to do mix down the live Aqualung tapes from the recording at XM Radio studios in Washington last November. This material is to be made available to our fans later this year.

Finished the next three remasters – Under Wraps, Crest Of A Knave and Broadsword with new liner notes, additional “bonus” tracks and sparkly new sound.

We played briefly in Dubai in January but, sadly, and at relatively the last minute, our Indian shows did not materialize to make the trip out East really worth while.

A one-off solo concert to celebrate the opening of the new Brno (Czech Rep.) City Theatre turned out to be a delight with the Theatre orchestra proving surprisingly good – indeed one of the best I have worked with.

In March Tull visited Lithuania and the Ukraine for the first time as well as making a return to Moscow and St. Petersburg. In St. Pete we were joined briefly by local Accordion diva, Evelina Petrova who is an amazing performer. See details on Evelina elsewhere on this site and hear some of her music. She will be playing at England’s Bath Festival in June so catch her if you can.

Two weeks ago, I added some vocals and flute to a couple of tracks on a remake project of the Pink Floyd album, The Wall, produced by Billy Sherwood, ex-Yes producer. I will let you know when that comes out. It will feature a number of respected players, including Steven Lukather, he tells me, from the world of progressive rock and jazz.

Tull Shows to be announced in the next weeks include Tunbridge Wells, UK  on the 29th May (with the Stranglers!) concerts throughout Germany in June,  Italy and Switzerland in July, South and Central America end August/September. Two US tours follow in October and November with an Ian Anderson solo orchestral tour in December in Germany and adjoining countries.

Throw in some recording and general studio time in the “off” periods and it adds up to a busy year. The actual dates and venues will be appearing on this site soon so check them out as tickets become available.  We don’t like to give out the dates until tickets are on sale as the venues get a bit shirty being bothered by early enquiries. Sometimes however, the venues decide on their own initiative to make the dates available for purchase before we have put them on the site, making things a bit confusing. Ah, well – at least I don’t have to buy one.

People often ask when there will be a new Tull album recorded. Well, there are no plans for anything definite due to the location and plans of various band members.  It costs a lot of time and money to make a new album these days and the three months, or so, of time required for me in writing, arranging, recording, mixing and mastering has to be weighed against the lost opportunities to perform live in the various places around the world which would like to see us.

I won’t be able to play live for ever and anyway, rather like the chance to explore more touring options as well as to play solo and with other people. I like to divide my time these days between touring on a regular basis both solo and with Tull, recording with other artists, occasional live performances with others and spending some time with family and pussy cat friends.

As I write this,  I am listening to an exceptional guitar artist, the late Michael Hedges. He is featured this month on the in-flight audio on British Airways. So if you have a longhaul flight booked, check him out. If you don’t have such a journey scheduled it is almost worth booking one to hear him.  Doubtless you will find Michael at Amazon.com. Sadly Michael died in a tragic car crash in 1997.

Other ex-Tull and Anderson musical guests and collaborators out and about include Slovenian songstress Tinkara who has a new record deal with EMI and dates in Europe this summer. My little pal Georgian (near Russia – not Florida) Katie Melua will be in the studio with producer Mike Batt to make a new record. I plan to be cheeky enough to send her some Roy Harper and Mose Allison material to consider for reworking.

Personal news from Band members are that Martin L Barre has purchased a house in Western Canada  and will be spending time there amidst the Rockies. Doane Perry is setting up a personal website top pay tribute to his long-standing German fan Ina. Jonathan Noyce is soldiering on with his Italian lessons. Andrew Giddings is a fully fledged pilot and has an F-16 parked in his garden.

I.A.

April 2005.