Now Available: Jethro Tull, Minstrel In The Gallery – 40th Anniversary La Grande Édition

The past year has been a good time to be a Jethro Tull fan: in July we released the so-called “Extended Performance” of A Passion Play, in November we delivered the 40th anniversary “Theater Edition” of Warchild, and this week brings another 40th anniversary edition – and a La Grande Édition, no less – of another classic Tull album.

Originally released in 1975 (as you may have guessed from that whole 40th Anniversary thing), Minstrel in the Gallery was one of Jethro Tull’s strongest efforts of the decade, delivering an instant classic with its title track as well as songs like “Requiem,” which scored some airplay as a single, and the absolutely epic “Baker St. Muse.” But if you think you know the album, you may be surprised when you check out this new and extremely elaboration anniversary edition, which includes:

• The original album and seven bonus tracks (six previously unreleased), two mixed to 5.1 surround, and all to stereo by Steven Wilson
• A second disc features a live recording of the band from 1975
• Flat transfers of the original LP mix at 96/24 (plus the B-side “Summerday Sands”)
• Flat transfer of the original quad mix of the LP (plus “Summerday Sands”)
• An eight-minute film of the band performing “Minstrel In The Gallery” in Paris from July 1975

Even better, the whole affair comes packaged in a case-bound DVD book that includes an 80-page booklet featuring an extensive history of the album, track-by-track annotations by Ian Anderson, recollections by roadie Kenny Wylie, Maison Rouge maintenance engineer Pete Smith, and string section member Liz Edwards, plus lyrics, a tour itinerary, and rare and unseen photographs.

If you don’t want the whole kit and caboodle, there’s also going to be a single CD and digital version issued, and fear not, vinyl fans, a new stereo remix of Minstrel In The Gallery has also been released on 180-gram vinyl. (Move fast, though: it’s a limited edition pressing.) But in case you do desire the whole shebang, here’s the full track listing:

Disc One: New Steven Wilson Stereo Remix

1. “Minstrel In The Gallery”
2. “Cold Wind To Valhalla”
3. “Black Satin Dancer”
4. “Requiem”
5. “One White Duck / 010 = Nothing At All”
6. “Baker St. Muse”
a. “Pig-Me And The Whore”
b. “Nice Little Tune”
c. “Crash-Barrier Waltzer”
d. “Mother England Reverie”
7. “Grace”
8. “Summerday Sands”
9. “Requiem” (Version 1)*
10. “One White Duck” (Take 5)*
11. “Grace” (Take 2)*
12. “Minstrel In The Gallery” (BBC version)*
13. “Cold Wind To Valhalla” (BBC version)*
14. “Aqualung” (BBC version)*

Disc Two: Live At The Palais Des Sports, Paris, July 5, 1975 (A Jakko Jakszyk Stereo Mix)

1. “Introduction (The Beach Part 11)”
2. “Wind Up”
3. “Critique Oblique”
4. “Wond’ring Aloud”
5. “My God”
a. Flute Solo Including: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Bouree/Quartet”
b. “Living In The Past”
c. “My God” (Reprise)
6. “Cross-Eyed Mary”
7. “Minstrel In The Gallery”
8. “Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day”
9. “Bungle In The Jungle”
10. “Aqualung”
11. Guitar Solo
12. “Back-Door Angels”
13. “Locomotive Breath” with improvisation and including “Hard Headed English General” and “Back-Door Angels” (Reprise)