Jethro Tull: Still Living In The Past - 5CD/Blu-ray

There can’t be many bands as prolific at not releasing their own material as Jethro Tull - and then at digging through their vaults and pretty much setting it all free. Living In The Past was originally a 1972 catch-all release featuring singles, outtakes and a handful of live goodness to bulk the album into a full double outing. That said, with it perfectly capturing the years from 1968 to 1971 and featuring some seminal music such as “Driving Song�, “Teacher� and “Singing All Day� alongside the Life Is A Long Song EP in its entirety, it’s long been seen as way more than the sum of its parts. Add in two songs - “By Kind Permission Of� and “Dharma For One�, which made up all of side 3 - taken from the band’s 1970 Carnegie Hall show, and neither is it a surprise that Living In The Past is a firm favourite of many Tull fans.

I guess, however, the question really has to be - how do you take a double album of odds, sods, extras and lives and stretch that to 5 CDs worth of material and an accompanying blu-ray (not DVD like the previous hardback book reissues in this series have contained)? In answering that query I’ll open with one of my main quibbles with Still Living In The Past, namely that at no point on the CDs do you discover the original album’s running order. That’s a particular bugbear of mine and something that also took the wind out of my sails as I took in the recent reissues of Fish’s first two albums for example. These are records we’ve grown up with, loved and cherished and now, well, they are something slightly different. As complaints go it’s a teensy-totsy minor one, but it’s there nonetheless. If, however, vinyl is your bag, then the 2LP half-speed master, remixed by Steven Wilson that comes with a large booklet containing some of the liner notes from the CD set does redress this issue somewhat, gathering together all of the studio and live cuts from the UK and US versions of the original album(s) and placing them in the correct order as best it can. I can also confirm that the copy I have sounds magnificent.

However, as you delve into CD 1 of original mixes, remixes, edits & demos 1968-1971, the treasure trove remains well stocked even if there are no actual unheard songs here in the way other reissues in this series have delighted us with. “Wond’ring Aloud Again� is revealed as an Ian Anderson early demo where the great man is all alone strumming and musing to quite stunning effect - and I’ve gone back often to this piece and the thunderous ‘master mix’ of “My God� which seems to have had even more life breathed into it.

Discs 2 and 3 take a record each from the original 1972 release and flesh them out to a total of 31 tracks between them. Steven Wilson, as you’d expect, twiddles nobs, caresses faders and tickles the ears of laptops to present new remixes that land with the authority, care and understanding he’s shown the rest of this catalogue. That said, if you become fatigued by track repetition - clearly different though those version be - then be aware that the likes of “Life Is A Long Song� shows up three times across the studio discs, as does “Locomotive Breath� and “Teacher�. Conversely, for completists and song comparison specialists this will be manna from heaven.

Another highlight of this comprehensive Jethro Tull reissue series (now confirmed to continue on to Under Wraps, if not further - yes please!) has been live content and here is no exception. Admittedly the Live At Carnegie Hall 1970 show has been available previously in a number of guises, but unleashed in its entirety across two discs and again given a hugely successful remix, it really is quite the triumph. Featuring the powerhouse line-up of Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Glenn Cormick, John Evan and the utterly mighty Clive Bunker (listen to him on “Dharma For One� if you don’t believe me), this is maybe the epitome of a band firing on all cylinders. Anderson plays his usual convivial/contrivial host as he leads his merry men through the subtlety of “Sossity You’re A Woman�, the intricacy of “With You There To Help Me�, the power of “My God� and so much more.

As you’d expect, the blu-ray carries all of the above material, adding in original flat mixes of the UK and US versions of the album, surround options and other expected bells, whistles and promo videos from the time. Those who have previously delved (or dived headlong) into this reissue series will also know to expect some marvellous written content and previously unseen photos hidden within the 100 page book that sits between all the discs. Not the easiest of reading formats, but Anderson’s recollections in conjunction with Martin Webb and the other goodies make the effort hugely rewarding.

I have often been heard to say that this multi-disc Jethro Tull series and the written content that comes within them really does reach the gold standard of album reissues. So much so in fact that little things like missing out the original track running order, the slight repetition and availability of some of these songs (if not these versions) elsewhere in this reissue series, knocks this to a 4 from 5 stars release. The music itself and the intention behind it is pretty much faultless.

Track Listing
CD1: Original Mixes, Remixes, Edits & Demos 1968�"1971
1. A Song For Jeffrey (1971 Remix), 2. Love Story (1971 Remix), 3. A Christmas Song (1971 Remix), 4. Living In The Past (1971 Remix), 5. Driving Song (1971 Remix), 6. Sweet Dream (1971 Remix), 7. Singing All Day (1971 Remix), 8. Teacher [US Album Version] (1971 Remix), 9. Inside (1969 Stereo Mix - Previously Unreleased), 10. My God [Early Version] (1970 Master Mix - Previously Unreleased), 11. Just Trying To Be (1970 Master Mix), 12. Wond’ring Aloud Again [Demo] (1970 Mono Demo - Previously Unreleased), 13. Wond’ring Again (1970 Master Mix), 14. Lick Your Fingers Clean (1970 Stereo Mix - Previously Unreleased), 15. Locomotive Breath (1971 US Single DJ Edit), 16. Life Is A Long Song (1971 Master Mix), 17. Up The ’Pool (1971 Master Mix), 18. From Later (1971 Alternative Master Mix - Previously Unreleased), 19. Life Is A Long Song (1971 Alternative Master Mix - Previously Unreleased)

CD2: Steven Wilson Mix [Sides 1 & 2] except*
1. A Song For Jeffrey (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 2. One For John Gee (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 3. Love Story (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 4. A Christmas Song (2018 Remix), 5. Living In The Past (2016 Remix), 6. Driving Song (2016 Remix), 7. Bourée (2016 Remix), 8. Fat Man (2016 Remix), 9. Singing All Day (2013 Remix), 10. Sweet Dream (2013 Remix), 11. 17 (2013 Edited Remix - Previously Unreleased), 12. Teacher (UK Single Version, 2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 13. The Witch’s Promise* (1971 Remix), 14. Teacher [US Album Version] (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 15. Inside (2013 Remix), 16. Alive And Well And Living In (2013 Remix), 17. Just Trying To Be (2011 Remix)

CD3: Steven Wilson Mix [Sides 3 & 4 except*]
1. By Kind Permission Of [Live] (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 2. Dharma For One (Live 2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 3. Wond’ring Aloud (Early version, 2011 Remix), 4. Wond’ring Again (2011 Remix), 5. Lick Your Fingers Clean (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 6. Up To Me (2011 Remix), 7. Hymn 43 (2011 Remix), 8. Locomotive Breath (2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased), 9. Life Is A Long Song (2011 Remix), 10. Up The ’Pool (2011 Remix), 11. Dr. Bogenbroom* (1971 Master Mix), 12. From Later* (1971 Master Mix), 13. Nursie* (1971 Master Mix), 14. Locomotive Breath (Unplugged 2025 Remix - Previously Unreleased)

CD4: Live at Carnegie Hall, November 4, 1970 (Part 1 - 2025 Remix)
1. Introduction to Nothing Is Easy, 2. Nothing Is Easy, 3. Introduction to My God, 4. My God, 5. Introduction to With You There to Help Me, 6. With You There to Help Me / By Kind Permission Of, 7. Introduction to A Song for Jeffrey, 8. A Song for Jeffrey, 9. Introduction to To Cry You A Song, 10. To Cry You A Song

CD5: Live at Carnegie Hall, November 4, 1970 (Part 2 - 2025 Remix)
1. Introduction to Sossity; You’re A Woman, 2. Sossity; You’re A Woman (including Reasons For Waiting), 3. Introduction to Dharma For One, 4. Dharma For One, 5. Introduction to We Used To Know, 6. We Used To Know, 7. Guitar Solo, 8. For A Thousand Mothers

Blu-ray
AUDIO Steven Wilson Studio Remixes in 24/96 PCM Stereo (except * Steven Wilson Studio Remasters in 24/96 PCM Stereo) Steven Wilson Studio Remixes in DTS 5.1 Surround Steven Wilson Mix [Sides 1 & 2] Steven Wilson Mix [Sides 3 & 4] Flat stereo 24/96 Transfer of Original Living In The Past Studio Album Reels (UK and US versions combined) Flat stereo 24/96 Transfer of Bonus Unreleased Original Mixes Steven Wilson Live Carnegie Hall 1970 2025 Remix in 24/96 PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround
VIDEO - The Witch’s Promise (March 1970 Promo Film, directed by Piers Bedford) - Teacher (UK Single Version, March 1970 Promo Film, directed by Piers Bedford) - Teacher (US Album Version, March 1970 Promo Film, directed by Piers Bedford) - Life Is A Long Song (September 1971 Promo Film, unknown director)

Added: July 7th 2025
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Still Living In The Past @ Burning Shed
Hits: 52
Language: english

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