Jethro Tull - WarChild II (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix) (2023)

Recorded during the WarChild sessions from 1973-1974, the collection of Jethro Tull tracks have been remixed by Steven Wilson and will be released on vinyl for the very first time as WarChild II. Chosen by Ian Anderson, these tracks are a selection of fan favorites that were included on CD2 of the War Child 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition from 2014..

Reflecting on 1974, the year of release, Ian Anderson says, “Verging uncomfortably on Glam Rock - at least in terms of stage clothes - JT was on the rebound from the excessively proggy A Passion Play of 1973. Still having not quite got over my brief flirtation with the alto saxophone, I warbled through a few choruses and riffs with the wretched thing in an album of nice and mostly brief tunes.

But looking back, the music and performances were no disappointment in hearing it all again - especially in its remixed form - and the fine musicality puts it up in the top few albums of the years with the Martin Barre, John Evan, Barrie Barlow and Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond line-up. David (as he then was) Palmer provided wonderful orchestrations for several tracks.

I kissed goodbye to the saxophone after the final sessions and returned, to the relief of all, to the flute as my principal wind instrument of choice. Of course, my flute did feature on several of the WarChild tracks, but I always saw the album as representing the best of my sax-playing and being an important part of the instrumentation, especially in the slightly sleazy, clubby material of the title track. Dear old Alto sax - RIP.”