40 Year Itch : Jethro Tull Goes Overboard

[Purchase]

I cannot recall an album by a British rock band that has given me more pain to endure.

-Chris Welch , Melody Maker

Here's the one takeaway from Jethro Tull's A Passion Play, released in the UK on July 6, 1973: Nobody likes it. People either love it:

"A masterpiece of spirited prog rock. The music keeps turning and twisting, never resting on one idea or theme for more than ten or twenty seconds. And there's never a wrong turn."

Or hate it:

"Hard to believe the same group could record a wonderful piece of music like "Brick" and then turn around and produce this drivel."

Jethro Tull's last #1 LP is a concept album about the life and death of  a man. We can gather that much from the lyrics. And not a hell of a lot more. 

But here. Take a shot and see if you can find the "deep inner meaning " of lyrics like:

Lover of the black and white it's your first night. 

 The Passion Play, goes all the way, spoils your insight. 

Tell me how the baby's made, 

how the lady's laid, 

 why the old dog howls in sadness.

Performances included the screening of this film, "The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles",  written and directed by Ian Anderson.

Some critics used A Passion Play to proclaim the death of progressive rock:

The real disappointment is that it marks, seemingly, the end of an era. After studying this album at great length, stewing my eyes out over the lyrics, reprinted on the inner sleeve, bending an ear to each nuance of the music, I am left with the feeling of never wanting to hear another British rock group album again.

-Chris Welch again

Others. like Stephen Holden, claimed to be finished with Jethro Tull:

\

One leaves A Passion Play with the feeling of having been subjected to 45 minutes of vapid twittering and futzing about, all play and no passion — expensive, tedious nonsense.

The Campus Report July 5, 1973

Alan Smason, WTUL


Top 3 albums played on various college radio stations, according to Billboard Magazine

WRCC (now WFUV)  Rockland Community College , Suffern NY

Steve Siciliano reporting

1. Copperhead Copperhead
2. Phil Everly Star Spangled Springer
3. Melissa Manchester Home to Myself

                                                WRBB-FM Northeastern University, Boston, MA
                                                Donna Hocheiser Reporting

1. Tower of Power Tower of Power

2. Ides of March Midnight Oil

3. Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and David Freiberg Baron von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun

WETS FM, East Tennessee State, Johnson City, TN

Jim Blankenbecler Reporting

1. Cross Country Cross Country

2. Funk Inc. Hangin' Out

3. Reuben and the Jets For Real

40 Year Itch: Lou, Mick and Bowie at "The Last Supper"

Famous photo taken at the Ziggy Stardust retirement party,"The Last Supper",  taken by Mick Rock July 4, 1973.

40 Year Itch : Slade Star in Death Crash

[Purchase]


On July 4, 1973, the week Slade's "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" single debuted at #1, drummer Don Powell's Bentley crashed through a hedge and against a tree and brick wall. Both Powell and his 20 year old fiancee, Angela Morris,  were thrown from the vehicle. Morris died. Powell was badly injured. Surgeons drilled a hole in his skull to relieve pressure on his brain. Many thought he would die. Instead Powell, with cane in hand,  returned to the studio just six weeks later where Slade recorded the future #2 UK hit "My Friend Stan".



To this day Powell has memory problems. Nobody knows who was driving the car. Powell has also lost both his sense of smell and taste.

40 Year Itch : Ziggy Commits Rock n Roll Suicide

On July 3, 1973 David Bowie executed his Ziggy Stardust persona on stage at the Hammersmith Odean. At the time Aladdin Sane was the #1 album in the UK and "Life on Mars" was the #4 single. Rock documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker and two other cameramen captured the evening for a film to eventually be called Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture.




The film begins in the dressing room where Pierre La Roche is applying makeup. In his book Ziggyology, Simon Goddard describes Bowie looking at himself in the mirror

He saw a not a person but a monster. A Frankenstein jigsaw. An eternity of human dreams and fears in one grotesquely gorgeous visage.

By all accounts it was a fantastic show. And of course you can see it for yourself. Bowie appeared to be savoring the moment. He dedicated "Let's Spend the Night Together" to Mick Jagger and "White Light.White Heat" to Lou Reed. For the encore, Jeff Back joined the band for "The Jean Genie/Love Me Do"

And then Bowie made his farewell speech. ( It begins 2:30 in the clip below).

"Of all of the shows on this tour, this particular show will remain with us the longest (cheers from the audience) because not only is it...not only is it the last show of the tour, but its the last SHOW that WE'LL ever do. Thank you"

The band played "Rock and Roll Suicide". Bowie said "Thank you very much. We love you. Bye Bye " and walked off the stage.

Fans were distraught. Reporters didn't quite catch the gist of what happened. The next week NME's headline read "Bowie: That's It, I Quit". Of course Bowie didn't quite. He simply retired one persona, making room for many others to come.

So why give up on Ziggy?  Bowie says he needed to get away from what all that he/Ziggy had become:

 It was circusy. I was never much of an entourage person - I hated all of that. It's a relief for all these years ... not have a constant stream of people following me around to the point where, when I sat down, fifteen other people sat down. It was unbearable.

Stealers Wheel Tries to Get Unstuck

Full Page Billboard ad

[Purchase]

Gerry Rafferty had already left Stealers Wheel when "Stuck in the Middle of You" become one of 1973's surprise hits, peaking at #6 in the US and propelling sales of the debut album. So Rafferty came back. He and Joe Egan fired the rest of the band and recorded the much anticipated follow-up single "Everything Will Turn Out Fine". The original single comes with the band's signature strumming guitar chords, dual Lennonesque vocals and hand claps. 

In its review, Billboard Magazine noted the song had a  "smoother-glowing melody than the jagged leaps of "Stuck in the Middle With You". Hopes may have been high but the "Everything" peaked at just  #49 in the US and #33 in the UK.

Then something shocking happened to the single.

It disappeared.

It's ridiculously difficult to find a copy of the single version of "Everything Will Turn Out Fine". Subsequent albums and CDs all contain a much more highly polished take. It makes the original single, with its guitar breaks, sound like a demo.

I've always enjoyed demos so I'd give the original single the edge.

The 5 Worst Albums of 1973.

#5. Burt Reynolds : Ask Me What I Am

Ask Burt Reynolds what he is? An actor who can't sing.

#4. Danny Bonaduce

Here's an idea: let's get one of the Partridge Family kids who can't sing or play an instrument. Then we'll have him croon about "making love to you " with his "magic wand".

#3. Bob Dylan : Dylan

When Bob Dylan left CBS for Asylum his old label punished him by releasing this set of rejects. It's not totally wretched but it's the worst album Dylan ever made. Until Christmas in the Heart.

                                   # 2. Chris Knight and Maureen McCormick 

Sung with the painful earnestness of wholesome teenage TV stars who see their careers slipping away as the Partridge Family gains audience share.

#1: John Wayne: America Why I Love Her

John Wayne says the hippies have it all wrong. Sure we got wars, poverty, racism, crime and corrupt politcians, but what about that fireman who climbs a tree to set a kitten free? And he was serious.