Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!
| Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! | ||||
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| Studio album by Jethro Tull | ||||
| Released | 23 April 1976 (UK) 17 May 1976 (US) |
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| Recorded | 19 November 1975 - 27 January 1976 at Radio Monte Carlo by the Maison Rouge Mobile Studio, except tracks 8 and 10, recorded at Morgan Studios, in Brussels | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock, folk rock, hard rock, blues rock | |||
| Length | 42:26 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Producer | Ian Anderson | |||
| Jethro Tull chronology | ||||
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Singles from Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! |
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
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| Rolling Stone | (mixed) |
| Melody Maker | (mixed) |
| SputnikMusic |
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Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! is the ninth studio album released by British band Jethro Tull, recorded in December 1975 and released in 1976. It is the first album to include bassist John Glascock who also contributes with backing vocals. Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! is the last Jethro Tull concept album, which follows the story of Ray Lomas, an ageing rocker who found fame with the changes of musical trends.
Like their previous album, Minstrel in the Gallery, the band recorded the album in the Maison Rouge Mobile Studio. They recorded "Too Old to Rock'n'Roll: Too Young to Die!" and "The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive)" along with outtakes "Salamander's Rag Time", "Commercial Traveller" and "Advertising Man (Unfinished backing track)" on 19 and 20 November 1975, "Big Dipper" on 3 January 1976, "Pied Piper" and "Quizz Kid" on 4 and 5 January, "Taxi Grab", "Pied Piper", "Crazed Institution" and "Old Rocker (Quizz Kid intro)" on 8 January, "From a Dead Beat to an Old Greaser", "Salamander" and "Pied Piper" along with outtake "A Small Cigar (acoustic version)" on 12 January, and finally "Bad-Eyed and Loveless" along with outtake "A Small Cigar (orchestral version)" on 27 January 1976.
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson says the point of the album was to illustrate how his style of music may go out of popularity with every other fashion and fad, but he is determined that if he sticks to it, everything comes back around and the style will rise again.
Ian Anderson explains that the concept came from the turmoil of the rise of punk movement, and not meant to be autobiographical of him as an ageing songwriter, although "some members of the press took the album as our attempt to 'get with' the punks". Anderson also stated that the basis of the concept is "to point out that this business [music, fashion] is cyclic, and that if you stick around long enough, you do come into fashion again."
Originally intended to be a rock musical, the story would follow an ageing and retired rock star named Ray Lomas - winning money in a 'Quizz' show, trying to commit suicide and waking up years later to find out that the grease fashion has returned. Although much of the album concept is only explained in the cartoons printed in the sleeves, there are changes in the plot or in details between the cartoons and the music.
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Wikipedia