Jethro Tull

"A PASSION PLAY, Forum 73" - UPGRADE to "PILGRIMS PROGRESS"

LA Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA

20-Jul-1973

Lineage:
Unkown > 12" vinyl discs > Digitised > (Trade) Silver CD > EAC > FLAC (Level 8) > DIME

Disc 1
01. A Passion Play. 36.50
02. Thick As A Brick (middle section). 17.42
03. Cross-Eyed Mary. 3.50
04. No Rehearsal/drum solo/218 Babes. 12.15
04. Aqualung. 7.41

Total play time, 1 hour 10 minutes & 38 seconds.


This one is a considerable upgrade to the bootleg CD "Pilgrim's Progress" (in my opinion), which I believe has been previously seeded on
Dimeadozen. All tracks were recorded at the LA Forum on 20-Jul-73 on the second of Jethro Tull's 4 nights at this venue. Both this and
Pilgrims Progress have been lifted from the original vinyl double album issued on the Trade Mark Of Quality record label, ref TMOQ72010.

I have pulled the following text from my review of this CD release on Rateyourmusic.com, to save repeating myself:

'A Passion Play Forum'73 in Inglewood, CA, is a re-release of the original vinyl pressing A Passion Play, Forum 73 (on the "Trade Mark Of
Quality" label, reference TMOQ72010). The cover states it was recorded on the 20 July 1973. The original stunning album artwork has been
accurately reproduced, and the proportions reduced to fit with the CD format. The CD cover is a professionally made, gloss finish, card
sleave designed to resemble a miniature LP. There is a contemporary 1973 concert tour, black and white photograph on the rear cover. The
CD is finished on top face with proper thermal ink, to resemble the surface of a black vinyl LP. The CD is silver finish rather than
coloured CD-R, and is fitted into a paper and polythene inner sleave. A true collector's item!

Onto the performance itself. Someone has spent a lot of time remastering the entire recording - the sound quality is excellent. It is
unclear whether the original master tape has been used for this exercise, or a second generation copy. Pilgrims Progress is the same
recording. The difference between the two is like comparing night and day, however. All trace of tape hiss has been eradicated, and
the music is crystal clear. The PA system can clearly be heard humming. Ian Anderson complains to the mixing desk about this during
the performance. The only less-than-perfect song is "Cross Eyed Mary", where there is a static-like crackling distortion on the high
notes. This could suggest that this CD has been created from a vinyl original, which would also explain the identical running order
and timings as the vinyl release. Therefore A Passion Play is edited, no doubt due to the limitations of fitting onto 12" vinyl.
"Critique Oblique" stops abruptly; "Forest Dance #1", "The Story of the Hare...", and "Forest Dance #2" are missed out completely; it
jumps straight into "Foot of Our Stairs", and ends with "Flight from Lucifer". The drum Solo is also an edited version of what
Barriemore Barlow performed on the night, with over three minutes missing.

There seems to be some confusion of the available recordings of the LA Forum concerts from the 18, 20, 21 & 22 July 1973. Recordings
hailing from these four nights usually state the 20th as the date. This is the case with the CD in this review, and Pilgrims Progress,
and I have no reason to doubt that. However the double CD Supercharged in LA is a compilation of two original vinyl bootlegs from 1973
and 1975; namely Supercharged, on the "Trade Mark of Quality"label, reference TMOQ2814A/B/C/D, and Live At The Los Angeles Forum February
10th, 1975, on the "Wizardo" label reference WRMB 311. Supercharged was recorded on one of these 4 evenings, but not the 20th, as it is
definitely not the same recording. The Supercharged version of A Passion Play is the one used on the recent CD A Passion Play Live, which
is the best version out there. Whoever worked their magic to create A Passion Play Live, please do the same with the rest of Supercharged.

A Passion Play Forum'73 is very highly recommended; you can't get much better for APP tour recording. Pity that it is not the complete concert.'

I have scanned front and rear cover artwork of the album artwork, and also the actual printed silver CD. The artwork is by an artist called
William Stout

Band line up:
Ian Anderson
Martin Barre
Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond
Barriemore Barlow
John Evans.

Perhaps for completists only, or for those wishing an upgrade on the "Pilgrim's Progess" seed. Enjoy!