Jethro Tull
Progressive |
Formed by the charismatic Ian Anderson (vocal/flute/harmonica/guitar/occasionally everything else) and guitar master Mick Abrahams in the late 1960s, Jethro Tull defined the Progressive Folk subgenre by mixing progressive rock with folk-rock and blues. With over sixty million albums sold, and having played over two thousand five hundred gigs across fourty countries, the band continue to write and perform to this day (although the only member of the original lineup still present is mainstay Anderson), typically playing a hundred shows to around thirty thousand people a year, and still co ...read more
Formed by the charismatic Ian Anderson (vocal/flute/harmonica/guitar/occasionally everything else) and guitar master Mick Abrahams in the late 1960s, Jethro Tull defined the Progressive Folk subgenre by mixing progressive rock with folk-rock and blues. With over sixty million albums sold, and having played over two thousand five hundred gigs across fourty countries, the band continue to write and perform to this day (although the only member of the original lineup still present is mainstay Anderson), typically playing a hundred shows to around thirty thousand people a year, and still continue to make progress over thirty years after their debut.
The band's first two albums were heavily blues influenced, but in the first half of the 70s they leaned towards progressive rock with hints of folk. 1972's Thick as a Brick was the first album to feature one continuous piece of music, and is often regarded as one of the best in the genre. Ian Anderson's writing was heavily influenced by his views on society and religion, the 1972 classic is a satirical concept album attacking Britain's unwillingness to deal with issues that aren't "politically correct". Tull's most well-known song, rock radio-wise, "Aqualung" is about an alcoholic, homeless pedophile. In the late 70s Jethro Tull's albums brought up a more folk-rock feel, but all three of these folk driven albums received good reviews from the press (who Anderson had been fighting with throughout the 70s) and are favourites among fans.
Jethro Tull didn't have as good of a decade in the 80s. A (1980) was an Ian Anderson solo album released as a Tull album, and was a drastic change in sound for the band, heavily influenced by electronic music. Its follow-up was not well received, Anderson had developed throat problems while touring, and Jethro Tull went on hiatus. They returned in 1987 with Crest of a Knave. It brought back the hard rock sound, as well as commercial and critical success. The band even won a grammy in 1989 for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance (much to Metallica fans' dismay). It caused an uproar, as Jethro Tull weren't really regarding as Hard Rock, and weren't anything new. Despite shaky line-ups the band released an album every year in the 70's, and continue strong today, with guitarist Martin Barre and Ian Anderson still the core of the group. A new release is expected sometime in 2007. « hide |
