In 1972, Jethro Tull released a landmark concept album, Thick as a Brick, that contained only one almost 34 minute song spread over the two sides of the record. The album was supposedly written by a boy by the name of Gerald Bostock whose parents lied to him about his true age. The album was a major hit and cemented the group’s progressive rock reputation (hello, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame).
Ian Anderson is updating the story on April 2 (April 2 in North America) with Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened To Gerald Bostock? The character would now be 50 and the album will examine the possible different paths that he might have taken later in life through alter-ego characters with song-section identities illustrating the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity. Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.
Ian Anderson said “As we baby-boomers look back on our own lives, we must often feel an occasional ‘what-if’ moment. Might we, like Gerald, have become instead preacher, soldier, down-and-out, shopkeeper or finance tycoon?” Adding, “And those of more tender years – the social media and internet generation – may choose to ponder well the myriad of chance possibilities ahead of them at every turn …..”
The album will be released as a single CD with eight-page boo
booklet and a CD/DVD combo with sixteen-page book. The DVD will have 5.1 surround mixes, 24-bit stereo mix, videos covering the making of the album, interviews with the musicians and the lyric reading where ian Anderson reads the lyrics in various settings.
In addition, Anderson will be on the road with his band and some guest musicians to not only perform the original album in its entirety but also the new composition.
1. From A Pebble Thrown (3:04)
2. Pebbles Instrumental (3:30)
3. Might-have-beens (0:50)
4. Upper Sixth Loan Shark (1:13)
5. Banker Bets, Banker Wins (4:27)
6. Swing It Far (3:2
7. Adrift And Dumfounded (4:25)
8. Old School Song (3:06)
9. Wootton Bassett Town (3:43)
10. Power And Spirit (1:59)
11. Give Till It Hurts (1:12)
12. Cosy Corner (1:24)
13. Shunt And Shuffle (2:12)
14. A Change Of Horses (8:04)
15. Confessional (3:0
16. Kismet In Suburbia (4:17)
17. What-ifs, Maybes And Might-have-beens (3:36)
Total time: 53:38
Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, acoustic guitar
John O’Hara – keyboards
David Goodier – bass
Florian Opahle – guitar
Scott Hammond – drums
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