Jethro Tull have announced they will release a new four disc, two DVD 50th Anniversary edition of their 1970 album Benefit, through PLG UK on November 5.
Benefit, the bands third album, was one of only a handful of Tull releases that didn't receive a new 40th anniversary edition. The album featured Ian Anderson (flute, guitars, vocals), Martin Barre (guitars), Glenn Cornick (bass) and Clive Bunker (drums), who were joined by John Evan on piano and organ, who would go on to play on all of Jethro Tull’s albums throughout the 70s.
Highlights of Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) include:
- Original album and associated recordings remixed by Steven Wilson
- Additional associated recordings including mono and stereo mixes of various A and B sides
- The 1970 Fillmore at Tanglewood concert, with new stereo remix by Steven Wilson
- Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago 1970 concert in mono
- Steven Wilson’s 2013 remix of the album, 5 extra tracks in DTS and Dolby 5.1 surround and stereo 96/24 LPCM
- Flat transfers of the original UK+US LP master in LPCM
- Additional tracks Sweet Dream, 17 and The Witch’s Promise
- The 1970 Fillmore at Tanglewood concert on video with Steven Wilson’s 2020 audio remix in stereo and 5.1 surround.
Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) contains a copious amount of expanded material, building upon the 2013 Steven Wilson remixes. CD3 contains a previously unreleased Steven Wilson remix of Jethro Tull performing at Tanglewood in 1970, while DVD2 has the previously unavailable film footage of that show. Further to that, CD4 contains a newly remastered mono version of a previously unreleased concert at The Aragon Ballroom in 1970.
The 100-page book, enclosed within the hardback book packaging, contains an essay from Martin Webb, who expands upon the 2013 A Collector’s Edition booklet notes.
Following that are comments on each of the album’s tracks, from Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker, as well as interviews with Robin Black (studio engineer of Benefit and many other Jethro, Tull albums), Terry Ellis (‘executive producer’ of Benefit), Joshua White, who directed the 1970 Tanglewood Festival which features on DVD2, and Steven Wilson, explaining the mixing of Benefit in 2013. The masses of anecdotes are surrounded by legions of images of the band and memorabilia from the era.
Jethro Tull: Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition)
Disc One - Original Album Steven Wilson Stereo Remixes (1-17)
1. With You There To Help Me
2. Nothing To Say
3. Alive And Well And Living In
4. Son
5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me
6. To Cry You A Song
7. A Time For Everything?
8. Inside
9. Play In Time
10. Sossity; You’re A Woman
Associated Recordings
11. Singing All Day
12. Sweet Dream
13. 17
14. Teacher (UK Single Version)
15. Teacher (US Album Version)
16. My God (Early Version)
17. Just Trying To Be
Disc Two - Additional Associated Recordings, Original 1969-1970 Mono Mixes
1. Singing All Day
2. Sweet Dream(UK single ‘A’ side)
3. 17 (UK single ‘B’ side)
4. The Witch’s Promise (EUR single double ‘A’ side)
5. Teacher (UK Single Version) (EUR single double ‘A’ side)
6. Teacher (US Album Version) ( US single ‘B’ side)
7. Inside (UK Single ‘A’ side)
8. Alive And Well And Living In (UK Single ‘B’ side)
9. A Time For Everything ( US single ‘B’ side)
Original 1969-1970 Stereo Mixes
10. Sweet Dream
11. 17
12. The Witch’s Promise (UK single double ‘A’ side)
13. Teacher (UK Single Version)(UK single double ‘A’ side)
14. The Witch’s Promise (US promo single ‘A’ side)
15. Teacher (US Album Version) (US promo single ‘B’ side)
1971 Stereo Remixes
16. Singing All Day
17. Sweet Dream
18. The Witch’s Promise
19. Teacher (US album Version)
Original Radio Spots
20. Benefit Radio Spot #1
21. Benefit Radio Spot #2
Disc Three - Live At The Tanglewood (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
1. Introduction And Tuning
2. Nothing Is Easy
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. With You There To Help Me / By Kind Permission Of
5. Dharma For One (incl. Drum Solo (edited))
6. We Used To Know
7. Guitar Instrumental
8. For A Thousand Mothers
Disc Four - Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chigag0 1970 (Mono)
1. Introduction And Tuning
2. My Sunday Feeling
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. To Cry You A Song
5. With You There To Help Me / By Kind Permission Of
6. Sossity; You’re A Woman / Reasons For Waiting
7. Nothing Is Easy
8. Dharma For One (incl. Drum Solo)
9. We Used To Know
10. Guitar Instrumental
11.For A Thousand Mothers
DVD 1
Steven Wilson’s 2013 remix of the album and 5 extra tracks in DTS and Dolby AC 3 5.1 surround and stereo 96/24 LPCM. Flat transfers of the original UK+US LP master in 96/24 LPCM & Additional tracks Sweet Dream, 17 & The Witch’s Promise
DVD 2
The 1970 Fillmore at Tanglewood Concert on video with Steven Wilson’s 2020 audio remix in stereo and 5.1 surround.
