Gustavo Al the man is a total living legend. My favourite era is songs from the wood, heavy horses, I’ve just started to really enjoy too old to rock n roll as well because there’s a wonderful tv special recording of that album here on TH-cam. Most of their earliest stuff is very enjoyable too even though it’s more blues based.
I was about 16 or 17 in the Boston, Ma area when I first heard Songs From the Wood; I loved the record player arm on the tree stump set to look like it was on a record! Absolutely GENIUS! Props to whomever dreamt that up, it was the first L.P record I ever bought and It caused me to look back to the band members, the History and moreover, to become a steadfast fan. A very not wealthy fan, but steadfast. I was so not connected in those days, [exactly when I should've been...] My first live concert was, in fact, Tull's "Songs from the Wood" tour at the Boston Garden. Sadly, rather than be able to impress my first G.Friend with close seats, the only ones available were 3rd balcony nosebleeds, my seat being directly behind one of those notorious steel columns. Needless to say, although I thoroughly enjoyed the music and whatever glimpses thru squinting eyes at Ian out front, our little "love" relation was then pretty much a "this was" moment, Fortunately, we are still in touch today thru facebook. I have >nearly< every album except some were stolen from me.I'm trying to get near new condition replacements but, alas, hard to get them in my like new condition in my collection. Today, Ian isn't on this tour. But guitarist extraordinaire, Martin Barre has a group who can well handle JT's classic playlist songs, and will be leading them at Arlington, TX this coming new year. I will try to see them if it hasn't already sold out. Last time I saw Ian was at Dallas' FAIR PARK AMPHI-THEARTRE on a "last minute" show addition. Got a decent seat that time! Was probably meant to happen- great time/ great concert!! Outstanding as always! I wanna say it was "Trees to Branches"(?). I have a wall with my Songs From The Wood album placed into a frame I hang with other key band's albums I cherish like, the Who's, "Who are You"; Pink Floyd's "Wish You were Here"; Led Zep's "In through the Out Door", flanked by a Rush moving pictures Tee shirt frame, and a boston WCOZ tee of their tv spot: cartoonized image of Pete Townsend holding his guitar high against smoke & laserlight beams.
What a great interview with Ian Anderson. Very reflective and highly informative. He is still humble and down to earth. Always loved his music. JT was the music of my generation. WTF...I am 66 years of age and still enjoy every minute of it. .
Harald Wallrath I’m 50 and love JT, and all the progressive music of the late 60s into the 70s was, in my opinion, probably the greatest era for rock music development in recent history. Music has gone down a slippery slope since mid 80s because record executives want the 3 minute wonder who has the look now, instead of letting an artist express themselves over the course of a full album. The days of experimentation have long gone and Ian was one of the leading pioneers of that wonderful era. You have a good day sir👍🏼
@@Eleventhearlofmars i dont think it has anything to do with the execs. they re kinda out of the picture anymore. (thank god). its just evolution. There was the "common practice" period of 1750 thru say 1900 and all the great masters. Then the same thing happened. it all changed thru experimentation and evolution. down hill. its a reflection of the times. with technology, industry, wealth etc etc. the human race is slowly regressing in some ways. Man's best days are behind him. we live in a time of accessability and instant gratification. nothing lasts anymore. its a disposable world.
chriskoz99 well ,thankfully ,in this disposable world I’am still able to listen to full albums and concerts. I think a lot of younger people are getting wiser to the guff that’s being churned out now musically. Don’t get me wrong there is still some good music around but you won’t find it in the popular stuff that all sounds the same.
I was 13 when my oldest sister said, if you want to be a real musician (which I believe I am... as do many other people who enjoy my albums & concerts) you HAVE TO LISTEN TO JETHRO TULL!!! And I did... again and again and again... I believe I now own every Jethro Tull album on CD (and gladly some very old vinyl as well!). Of course Aqualung was the first album, then the double Living in the Past, Stand Up and Benefit... I play electric violin, guitar, bass, keys and vocals... Prog-rock became my thing throughout High School. I saw Jethro Tull seven times over the years... You never ceased to blow my mind both musically and with your amazing theatrical concerts. I'll never forget the Under Wraps tour with you guys bursting out of the giant paper piles... I certainly didn't see that coming! I don't recall which tour, but I'll never forget you starting the show with Songs From the Wood, but couldn't find you on the stage, then suddenly a spotlight hit a certain spot in the audience, and you leapt up and bounded up onto the stage... You combined magic and illusion with amazing music... KANSAS is the only other band that even came close to the combination of those ingredients, and they only did it on occasion. You may have fallen into the prog-rock category (which I think you should be proud of!!!) but nobody combined amazing music with theatrical illusion and magic! I think that Peter Gabriel era Genesis also did theatrical rock, but I was never fortunate enough to see them in concert. I think Peter Gabriel is a genius, which is what I think of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull! Anyway, I miss you guys... all the different lineups... If you ever do tour again, and you play in the State of Washington in the USA, I will be there for certain! I also have a number of Ian Anderson's solo albums and love them equally as well! Thank you Mr. Anderson (and friends) for all the music and amazing concerts. You will forever be in my heart and my CD player!
I have seen Jethro Tull 4 times, aqualung, thick as a brick, Passion Play, and Minstrel in the gallery.... Ian Anderson ( what a musician!) love Martin Barre, John Evans ( a madman in his own right) I don’t believe anyone can touch Anderson’s flute playing, lyrics, acoustic, harmonica, and vocals along with the rest of the band have quite a unique style, one of the finest groups in the history of not just rock,but the history of musc!! Thank you Mr. Anderson!!
It really is a pleasure hearing him talk. He has the kind of humbleness and curiosity that you rarely see in established musicians, especially of his age.
@@ddeufemia True enough, but not necessarily or completely of IA. As docsketchy said here two years ago, he's a genius so maybe he has the right to be a bit egotistical. I concur.
Fabulous ! My hero at age 15 where I thought he was a folk hero from Lord of the rings or something like that …… always knowing from then till still today …… Ian’s a musical genius
Why do people say he's self-centred and egotistical? He's articulate and well-spoken, which is perhaps a bit rare for a "rock star" but I find it refreshing. He's also a genius, so maybe he has the right to be a bit egotistical.
docsketchy some people would rather he be a rock star cokehead with attitude. The fact he’s articulate and speaks well doesn’t go down well with some. To me he’s a living legend.
I totally agree with you and I love Ian Anderson, but he's so dismissive and condescending he's almost a caricature of a stodgy old pomp. I don't understand his reason for turning down Woodstock. Tull played many similar outdoor festivals. And the majority of their fans were hippies, so what's he on about?
He always seems quite humble in my opinion. On the other hand he probably has the right to be egotistical should he wish because his lyrics (the ones that I've heard anyway) are just incredible! I'm a bit of a metalhead so generally don't pay too much attention to lyrics, but the lyrics on the Aqualung album surpass anything I've heard to this day - that album was just bloody amazing on all levels.
Incomparably brilliant among the many bands and styles of my era (1959-present. Born in 1952 and fortunate to hear the vagaries and evolution of music, Tull stands up and Ian is a superb interview. Thanks
Probably the best interview of Ian Anderson I've seen, or read in years. He's a musical genius, but there is very little pomp,or arrogance I may have seen in his earlier years. It seems that age can bring some humility, no matter your influence, fame, or fortune. He and Martin Barre have survived the 60's-2019. I had the opportunity to meet MB after a show some years ago and he was charming and very cool. Long live Tull.
Great interview! Some of my first concerts as a teen were seeing Jethro Tull at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. One of my biggest influences and favorite bands of all time. They were truly artistic in every respect, from composition to performance, yet still rocked!
That was wonderful. As an visual artist, I love listening to musicians and their practices, inspirations, and those quixotic moments of pure light and creativity. I saw Jethro Tull numerous times in the very early 70s. This gives what I saw heard/felt/saw new meaning. Anderson is a smart guy and obviously a creative genius. I am so grateful that he founded Jethro Tull.
Ian Anderson plays like 8 different musical instruments and he understood how to entertain. He was quite a jolly good showman! His mad flute skills lifted music to a new plane! Songs like Locomotive Breath, Aqualung and Thick as a Brick will never be old, only gold. Decades later they're still classic. Ian is the unusual musician, he avoided drugs altogether and didn't drink. Very few could say that. He's intelligent and well spoken and and he's set a good example for others to follow. I love most of his music and Jethro Tull is one of my all-time favorite bands. Long live the flautist!
Sir Ian Anderson.. Thank you for the music, you are truly blessed, we wish and pray that you are safe and sound all the way from Mother Earth...Peace and love to all your family.
Gotta be considered the essential IA interview. Fantastic insight about Tull's musical comeuppance and interesting bits of history thru the Master's eyes. Very much enjoyed this. Thank you, once again, Remy Tena for more superb Jethro Tull material!
An excellent interview, Ian Anderson expresses his experiences brilliantly as he writes and performs, genuinely and entertaininglt. I have enjoyed Jethro Tull since 1972. Thank you for all those years and the years to come. 🎸🙏👏
Me and a mate hitch hiked to Manchester in 74 to see Tull on the Warchild tour after seeing them through the years 70 to 74. He always fascinated me with a sort of mystical pied piper thing that he did with that flute being played like nobody played it before. We followed him after the gig, he was wearing a leather jacket, got the obligatory autograph and he went to an Indian restaurant for a curry. We were sleeping rough and penniless so unable to afford restaurants. Plus we were a bit smelly from sleeping wherever we could. The guy is undoubtedly a genius.
Dear Mr. Anderson. The very fact that you could sit there (18 mins) and say your band weren't truly groundbreaking, inspirational, and forever changing the definition of music then come out with a list of "failures" that amount to "we were young and hadn't seen everything yet" proves that you are genius: that the amazing was meant to be better may be arrogant to some but it fills me every time I hear you.
Just made that afraid to switch statement valid today for me. New instrumentation does spur song writing capability. With no drums ( living in a condo) I have been using guitar, piano,bass, and even the kitchen sink to enlighten my musical muse. Just wrote these thoughts that having my son at 48 has brought me to a new collective that creates harmony I have been dreaming of. This video rewards my thoughts as you have one here that really needed to have the FUN that the old switcheroo can bring. Thanks for the Cheer.
Mr Anderson, like the others, thank you for your music, I spent my teens listening to you and have enjoyed your music through the years and seeing you in concert.
Guys like IA and many rockers who lived through their fame and get old, are always interesting to hear music and the industry from their inside side. Go listen to Frank Zappa if you want to hear the inside of what drove music in his era and for a decade or 2 past his death.
Man! Living In the Past is in 5 time?! Now that I think of it I get 6-2-2 from it. This is incredible stuff! Incredible! Library of Congress worthy, Smithsonian worthy, Louvre worthy, Voyager galactic explorer worthy material here.
Ian Anderson is probably the musician I would most like to perform together with in concert . The music of Jethro Tull had a huge influence on me growing up, and their concerts were amazing, like seeing an 18th century theatrical performance, but with rock music. This interview really details how their songwriting walked the fence between progressive rock and other more popular styles of music, and how they created their unique balance between the two.
Don Felder, who wrote the chords to Hotel California didn't join the Eagles until 1974 so he wasn't in the band when they supported Tull in '72. Mr Anderson thanks for all your wonderful music.
I love his interviews. I first loved the music from Warchild barely 14 yrs old. I love everything they've done. I feel for those who didnt give the later work a chance. The albums A , Broadsword, Dot Com etc I love. Secret Language of Birds, Rupis Dance, Homo Erraticus are Brilliant. Give a listen
One of the most memorable concerts for me was Aqualung in Albuquerque,NM, crica 1972, the stage crew and band members were all costumed in a similar manor, so one could not tell who was who. At the time there was a pretty good thunderstorm going on. At one point the band members stood huddled in a group in the middle of the stage. Every time there was thunder they would all kind of shriek and dance around. Then they removed their overcoats and there they were! Such great, and unique group of musicians, help shape my of love music for the rest of my life. Thank you Ian Anderson , and all the rest of the great musicians associated with the band.
17 August, '19. I first got into Tull FIFTY years ago - I grew up in the San Francisco/Berkeley (hippies) area - My brother + I became JT-heads in RECORD time...and we were surrounded by All Types Of music (read: classic, historic bands and hit songs) at the time. Saw them in person - some of the GREATEST live shows/stuff I Have EVER seen. Some of these comments are just wannabe troll-envy! Enjoyed this vid immensely.
I, too have been into Jethro Tull over 50 years. It was my big brother's favorite band and I had all the albums on vinyl. Now on digital. IMHO the reason JT is not in the hall of fame is because they never gave in. Listen to him: that same deep concern that brought us Aqualung and Thick As A Brick is evident in this video. He doesn't party like a rock star, he has causes he takes up for with his music. The Hall of Flamers aren't comfy with that.
Yes, quite articulate for a musical bloke.....and a memory like an elephant! I read the intricate 33-1/3 Aqualung pocketbook of the making of that album on a beach down south and enjoyed it very much as it is full of time capsules like Ian describes in this interview....amazing chap he is!
I can't get some guys here, complaining about Anderson, been "egocentric". I only can assume that you guys are new to Anderson and JT, without a real clue about him. I know a lot of guys who are losers and still egocentric. If Anderson looks or sound egocentric, he has all the reasons in the world to be. How many musicians from 1967 still playing today or fill concerts? Very, very few, Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull still rocking. Anderson is a genius musician, who no only write some of the most creative, intelligent and poetic songs of all time. Beside that, Anderson is an master musician, playing all the instruments in some of his songs, beside singing. How many artist can fill his boots? no many.
lenny zaroff well said sir, the man is a living legend who still puts his music about today. No matter whether you think he’s not as good as once was he still puts himself on the line to entertain fans. That is to be lauded and the guy doesn’t deserve down the banks from anyone. Especially no marks who’ve never moved off their arses their whole lives?! I’m with you 100%
@@kati1017 That's the thing, isn't it? He's having so much fun up on the stage, you can't help but share in it. Been a fan of Tull and Ian Anderson since the beginning, 50 years+, and will be until my atoms are returned to the universe.
Hi Ian I just want to pay tribute to the best and most significant musician and human being I have followed through time. Unfortunately, my record collection was stolen a few years ago, and will be very expensive to get back. Wish You all Well
Some commenters mention their perception of Anderson as being egotistical which, to me, is confounding. I view him as a very courageous but humble musician and a very gracious, humble man.
What would you have Anderson say, I was pretty good? The band was decent? The fact is that Tull was one of the great bands of the sixties and seventies. He is, and should rightfully be proud of his contributions to music.
Great interview, but there's definitely one part in there where IA is just being disingenuous: When he says that Jethro Tull as musicians weren't as good as Yes and the other prog rock groups. I'm a huge Yes fan, but this is simply not true. Any band that could pull off A Passion Play or the Minstrel in the Gallery album was simply at the top of the heap in terms of instrumental prowess, arranging ability, the lot. Maybe there was no one in Jethro Tull with the off the charts ability of, say, Rick Wakeman, but collectively they were every bit as skilled as Yes at the top of their game. I would submit that there was no band with the ability to play as an ensemble that could match Jethro Tull at their peak.
have to agree! as an ensemble (excluding ELP of course as they are in a different galaxy) i find it hard to choose between TULL/KANSAS - Anderson/Livgren-Walsh. I would put Gentle Giant at the top. They are extremely technical but not very coherent or interesting. ...and as far as Wakeman goes, i think he is overrated. waaaay too much repetition in his work. and did i say very repetitive.
Every member of Yes is an absolute genius with their instrument. However, it's not technical prowess which makes the best art, it's creativity. And no band was better than Tull in a creative sense.
He was very specific in saying they weren't as good during the making of Stand Up (1969). Perhaps he'd compare the Passion Play or Minstrel skill level more favorably, but no one playing on Stand Up is as good as the Yes members, or ELP, or King Crimson.
Not that anyone cares and I am a lifelong fan, I love the Stand Up lp while Benefit is my youth but so many many more...so wonderful. Thank you Mr. Anderson . You made my life joyous.
Me and a friend hitchhiked 20 miles to the town of Woodstock to buy Aqualung..remember it well after all these years..walked into a small record store and there it was..good old days as they say
Never liked hotel CA but times we use to know is a fav. of mine. Tull to me had what most bands seem to lack, contemplative. Ian very down to earth & always kept his senses about him, wiser then any other famous band member I know of.
I always liked Ian. His voice is so deep and sometimes scary but always full of honor and even when he was having a hard time with it the sound he projected makes you want to cuddle with your sweetheart. Back when I was finishing my four year stint in the Marines I hooked up with a chic and was fortunate to take her to the woods and we found love in front of an open fire in the mountains after listening to Songs From the Wood. Now that I think of it I manipulated the old in/out from many of my lady friends listening to Tull.
+AmericanIsraeliJew Ian crafted 1 lp which I called rock's 9th symphony. of course since classical & rock are night & day, brilliance & mediocre, one must always take this into account. "your wise men don't know...". How our "rock Beethoven" could EVER coin app is the stuff of rock greek tragedy...funny ian almost always came across like some gifted officious @#$%& in interviews, even from long ago & for tull? Cleveland still lies fallow.
Ian shortchanges "This Was" ... I was just listening to that today in the yard while I was working, and it is such a great album ... but precisely because it was not just blues, it was jazz-blues. "Beggar's Farm" is such a cool song, and the little jazzy interludes and improvisations are fantastic, and how do you classify "Dharma For One" which is another awesome song ... which I wish they would redo and embellish sometimes. Ian has never, never done "JUST" a blues, or rock or jazz or folk or whatever song ... and that's a big reason why I like his music so much. It gives your brain something to do because if you want you can hear something new in every song.
Benefit was the first album I ever purchased. Heard a commercial on my local radio station(KSHE95) and thought it sounded great! I still think it is their best!
Comes across as being a rather astute intellectual for a rocker. Saw an earlier interview from 82 on the Dave Letterman show and was surprised with him then considering his music and wild looking performances. Dave Brubeck’s Take Five was one of my favorites as an adolescent at the time.
As a trumpet player in band and orchestra in high school our director was well known for reminding us that jazz was syncopated Bach. Bouree is as much jazz as rock but unless you're a musician or familiar with formal music theory I think that's rather hard to grasp. I've always considered rock & roll, as well as rock, as being urban folk music with R & R being blues derived and 'rock' more along the lines of jazz in that it experiments with more diverse modes. Both have roots in the blues but one hasn't strayed as far away from those roots. "Blues is easy. Jazz is hard." It took people like Ian, Pete Townsend and a few others to break the rock and pop molds and elevate rock to a level rather like jazz in it's sophistication. Maybe this isn't directly analogous but loosely so.
A friend of mine once interviewed Ian for his newspaper column. His comment afterward was, "Ask Ian what time it is, and he'll tell you the inner workings of a clock!"
Great interview about Tull's early years. Stand Up was my first Tull album which was brilliant to my teenage ears. Tull have done a lot of good stuff since then but I can't imagine anything being better than Stand Up, though perhaps benefit comes close. I'm even a bit scared to buy anything later by Tull in case it disappoints me. I'm trying to get to grips with Thick as a brick and A passion play but I'll get there no doubt. Fantastic interview nonetheless.
Man u have to give the later stuff a try,, with an open mind and more than one listen, it's like seeing an abstract painting that suddenly becomes clear and leaves u smiling
Harold Burrows abstract painting, definitely a good comparison. The first time I heard Baker St Muse, I absolutely didn’t “get” the arrangement. After many listens, it just reveals it’s brilliance.
TAAB was much easier for me than PP. Still don’t fully hear PP the way others must be hearing it. But I said the same thing about Benefit at first....now I can’t stop listening to it. “I’m with you LEMMMM!!”
yeah, it was kinda predestined that tull would venture into alot more complexity in music such as "thick as a brick" and "a passion play", which are incredible pieces of art! ian mentions that mick abrahams was a typical blues guitarist, so martin barre comes along, who was perfect for the still young tull. great interview, with ian expressing many points in time here.
Mr Anderson, just thank you for the music you offered to us.
Here!Here! From Lisbon Portugal!
Gustavo Al the man is a total living legend. My favourite era is songs from the wood, heavy horses, I’ve just started to really enjoy too old to rock n roll as well because there’s a wonderful tv special recording of that album here on TH-cam. Most of their earliest stuff is very enjoyable too even though it’s more blues based.
I was about 16 or 17 in the Boston, Ma area when I first heard Songs From the Wood; I loved the record player arm on the tree stump set to look like it was on a record! Absolutely GENIUS! Props to whomever dreamt that up, it was the first L.P record I ever bought and It caused me to look back to the band members, the History and moreover, to become a steadfast fan. A very not wealthy fan, but steadfast. I was so not connected in those days, [exactly when I should've been...] My first live concert was, in fact, Tull's "Songs from the Wood" tour at the Boston Garden. Sadly, rather than be able to impress my first G.Friend with close seats, the only ones available were 3rd balcony nosebleeds, my seat being directly behind one of those notorious steel columns. Needless to say, although I thoroughly enjoyed the music and whatever glimpses thru squinting eyes at Ian out front, our little "love" relation was then pretty much a "this was" moment, Fortunately, we are still in touch today thru facebook.
I have >nearly< every album except some were stolen from me.I'm trying to get near new condition replacements but, alas, hard to get them in my like new condition in my collection.
Today, Ian isn't on this tour. But guitarist extraordinaire, Martin Barre has a group who can well handle JT's classic playlist songs, and will be leading them at Arlington, TX this coming new year. I will try to see them if it hasn't already sold out. Last time I saw Ian was at Dallas' FAIR PARK AMPHI-THEARTRE on a "last minute" show addition. Got a decent seat that time! Was probably meant to happen- great time/ great concert!! Outstanding as always!
I wanna say it was "Trees to Branches"(?). I have a wall with my Songs From The Wood album placed into a frame I hang with other key band's albums I cherish like, the Who's, "Who are You"; Pink Floyd's "Wish You were Here"; Led Zep's "In through the Out Door", flanked by a Rush moving pictures Tee shirt frame, and a boston WCOZ tee of their tv spot: cartoonized image of Pete Townsend holding his guitar high against smoke & laserlight beams.
What a great interview with Ian Anderson. Very reflective and highly informative. He is still humble and down to earth. Always loved his music. JT was the music of my generation. WTF...I am 66 years of age and still enjoy every minute of it. .
Harald Wallrath I’m 50 and love JT, and all the progressive music of the late 60s into the 70s was, in my opinion, probably the greatest era for rock music development in recent history. Music has gone down a slippery slope since mid 80s because record executives want the 3 minute wonder who has the look now, instead of letting an artist express themselves over the course of a full album. The days of experimentation have long gone and Ian was one of the leading pioneers of that wonderful era. You have a good day sir👍🏼
@@Eleventhearlofmars i dont think it has anything to do with the execs. they re kinda out of the picture anymore. (thank god). its just evolution. There was the "common practice" period of 1750 thru say 1900 and all the great masters. Then the same thing happened. it all changed thru experimentation and evolution. down hill. its a reflection of the times. with technology, industry, wealth etc etc. the human race is slowly regressing in some ways.
Man's best days are behind him. we live in a time of accessability and instant gratification. nothing lasts anymore. its a disposable world.
chriskoz99 well ,thankfully ,in this disposable world I’am still able to listen to full albums and concerts. I think a lot of younger people are getting wiser to the guff that’s being churned out now musically. Don’t get me wrong there is still some good music around but you won’t find it in the popular stuff that all sounds the same.
@@Eleventhearlofmars Kid. I'm almost 70 and raised on JT. Fan from the beginning. This Was, Aqualung , and Ian Anderson et al. concerts.
I’m fascinated by this man
I was 13 when my oldest sister said, if you want to be a real musician (which I believe I am... as do many other people who enjoy my albums & concerts) you HAVE TO LISTEN TO JETHRO TULL!!! And I did... again and again and again... I believe I now own every Jethro Tull album on CD (and gladly some very old vinyl as well!). Of course Aqualung was the first album, then the double Living in the Past, Stand Up and Benefit... I play electric violin, guitar, bass, keys and vocals... Prog-rock became my thing throughout High School. I saw Jethro Tull seven times over the years... You never ceased to blow my mind both musically and with your amazing theatrical concerts.
I'll never forget the Under Wraps tour with you guys bursting out of the giant paper piles... I certainly didn't see that coming!
I don't recall which tour, but I'll never forget you starting the show with Songs From the Wood, but couldn't find you on the stage, then suddenly a spotlight hit a certain spot in the audience, and you leapt up and bounded up onto the stage...
You combined magic and illusion with amazing music... KANSAS is the only other band that even came close to the combination of those ingredients, and they only did it on occasion.
You may have fallen into the prog-rock category (which I think you should be proud of!!!) but nobody combined amazing music with theatrical illusion and magic!
I think that Peter Gabriel era Genesis also did theatrical rock, but I was never fortunate enough to see them in concert.
I think Peter Gabriel is a genius, which is what I think of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull!
Anyway, I miss you guys... all the different lineups... If you ever do tour again, and you play in the State of Washington in the USA, I will be there for certain!
I also have a number of Ian Anderson's solo albums and love them equally as well! Thank you Mr. Anderson (and friends) for all the music and amazing concerts. You will forever be in my heart and my CD player!
I have seen Jethro Tull 4 times, aqualung, thick as a brick, Passion Play, and Minstrel in the gallery.... Ian Anderson ( what a musician!) love Martin Barre, John Evans ( a madman in his own right) I don’t believe anyone can touch Anderson’s flute playing, lyrics, acoustic, harmonica, and vocals along with the rest of the band have quite a unique style, one of the finest groups in the history of not just rock,but the history of musc!! Thank you Mr. Anderson!!
Fred C. Dobbs aka Rik Dalton! Saw them once in the 70’s remember it well
His band were all tremendous musicians. Bad ass drummers, ALWAYS!
It really is a pleasure hearing him talk. He has the kind of humbleness and curiosity that you rarely see in established musicians, especially of his age.
Covert narcissists use humility to destroy you.
@@ddeufemia True enough, but not necessarily or completely of IA. As docsketchy said here two years ago, he's a genius so maybe he has the right to be a bit egotistical. I concur.
I don't know what it is about him, but I could listen to his voice forever. Happy to see he's aged into a graceful older gent.
Fabulous ! My hero at age 15 where I thought he was a folk hero from Lord of the rings or something like that …… always knowing from then till still today …… Ian’s a musical genius
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 74yo Aussie fan.
Brilliant interview of a Master musician.
I love hearing true musical masters discuss how it all began.
Mr Ian Anderson Thank You for the Music . It is indeed music we could hang our hat on ( One of your original Quotes )
Why do people say he's self-centred and egotistical? He's articulate and well-spoken, which is perhaps a bit rare for a "rock star" but I find it refreshing. He's also a genius, so maybe he has the right to be a bit egotistical.
yeah. i dont get it either. at all.
docsketchy some people would rather he be a rock star cokehead with attitude. The fact he’s articulate and speaks well doesn’t go down well with some. To me he’s a living legend.
I totally agree with you and I love Ian Anderson, but he's so dismissive and
condescending he's almost a caricature of a stodgy old pomp. I don't understand his reason for turning down Woodstock. Tull played many similar outdoor
festivals. And the majority of their fans were hippies, so what's he on about?
@@Cyrano66 I am also catching a whiff of condensation
He always seems quite humble in my opinion. On the other hand he probably has the right to be egotistical should he wish because his lyrics (the ones that I've heard anyway) are just incredible! I'm a bit of a metalhead so generally don't pay too much attention to lyrics, but the lyrics on the Aqualung album surpass anything I've heard to this day - that album was just bloody amazing on all levels.
Incomparably brilliant among the many bands and styles of my era (1959-present. Born in 1952 and fortunate to hear the vagaries and evolution of music, Tull stands up and Ian is a superb interview. Thanks
Me too!
Probably the best interview of Ian Anderson I've seen, or read in years.
He's a musical genius, but there is very little pomp,or arrogance I may have seen in his earlier years.
It seems that age can bring some humility, no matter your influence, fame, or fortune.
He and Martin Barre have survived the 60's-2019.
I had the opportunity to meet MB after a show some years ago and he was charming and very cool.
Long live Tull.
I love Jethro Tull due to the fact that it's a mix between rock and blues. It's like a happy medium. P.S. I'm 28 and love rock
57, still listening to Tull :-)
... but have you seen the Jack in the Green? I have... 😆
Great interview! Some of my first concerts as a teen were seeing Jethro Tull at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. One of my biggest influences and favorite bands of all time. They were truly artistic in every respect, from composition to performance, yet still rocked!
That was wonderful. As an visual artist, I love listening to musicians and their practices, inspirations, and those quixotic moments of pure light and creativity. I saw Jethro Tull numerous times in the very early 70s. This gives what I saw heard/felt/saw new meaning. Anderson is a smart guy and obviously a creative genius. I am so grateful that he founded Jethro Tull.
Ian Anderson plays like 8 different musical instruments and he understood how to entertain. He was quite a jolly good showman! His mad flute skills lifted music to a new plane! Songs like Locomotive Breath, Aqualung and Thick as a Brick will never be old, only gold. Decades later they're still classic. Ian is the unusual musician, he avoided drugs altogether and didn't drink. Very few could say that. He's intelligent and well spoken and and he's set a good example for others to follow. I love most of his music and Jethro Tull is one of my all-time favorite bands. Long live the flautist!
Sir Ian Anderson.. Thank you for the music, you are truly blessed, we wish and pray that you are safe and sound all the way from Mother Earth...Peace and love to all your family.
Gosh what a wonderful fellow. I'm glad I'm a Tull fan.
Gotta be considered the essential IA interview. Fantastic insight about Tull's musical comeuppance and interesting bits of history thru the Master's eyes. Very much enjoyed this.
Thank you, once again, Remy Tena for more superb Jethro Tull material!
An excellent interview, Ian Anderson expresses his experiences brilliantly as he writes and performs, genuinely and entertaininglt. I have enjoyed Jethro Tull since 1972. Thank you for all those years and the years to come. 🎸🙏👏
The first album was a great blues album. I jammed along with it a hundred times.
Me and a mate hitch hiked to Manchester in 74 to see Tull on the Warchild tour after seeing them through the years 70 to 74. He always fascinated me with a sort of mystical pied piper thing that he did with that flute being played like nobody played it before.
We followed him after the gig, he was wearing a leather jacket, got the obligatory autograph and he went to an Indian restaurant for a curry. We were sleeping rough and penniless so unable to afford restaurants. Plus we were a bit smelly from sleeping wherever we could.
The guy is undoubtedly a genius.
Classy guy. The best concert in Boston Garden I ever saw. 1972 or 3, Never forget that one.
I heard Bobby Orr & Yaz & Havlicek were there, too !
Dear Mr. Anderson.
The very fact that you could sit there (18 mins) and say your band weren't truly groundbreaking, inspirational, and forever changing the definition of music then come out with a list of "failures" that amount to "we were young and hadn't seen everything yet" proves that you are genius: that the amazing was meant to be better may be arrogant to some but it fills me every time I hear you.
No band ever has made a sound like Jethro Tull their unique in so many ways and they are talented and very undersung .
Just made that afraid to switch statement valid today for me. New instrumentation does spur song writing capability. With no drums ( living in a condo) I have been using guitar, piano,bass, and even the kitchen sink to enlighten my musical muse. Just wrote these thoughts that having my son at 48 has brought me to a new collective that creates harmony I have been dreaming of. This video rewards my thoughts as you have one here that really needed to have the FUN that the old switcheroo can bring.
Thanks for the Cheer.
Terrific and relaxed interview. One of the best I've seen with Ian.
Mr Anderson, like the others, thank you for your music, I spent my teens listening to you and have enjoyed your music through the years and seeing you in concert.
What a fascinating interview from a fascinating musician.
Guys like IA and many rockers who lived through their fame and get old, are always interesting to hear music and the industry from their inside side. Go listen to Frank Zappa if you want to hear the inside of what drove music in his era and for a decade or 2 past his death.
Nice to hear IA fondly saying about Eddie Vedder/Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Thanks for the video.Long Live Tull.🤘🤘
You are just so great, such a amazing band!!! Fans from Iran.
Im always impressed how these young guys were able to pull this off. Not losing the thread or thier minds ,genius and gods grace
Man! Living In the Past is in 5 time?! Now that I think of it I get 6-2-2 from it.
This is incredible stuff! Incredible! Library of Congress worthy, Smithsonian worthy, Louvre worthy, Voyager galactic explorer worthy material here.
IAN is well spoken, and very accurate with reminisences of JETHRO TULL, in the early days.
Wonderfully thoughtful and articulate.
Great interview ….
Ian Anderson is probably the musician I would most like to perform together with in concert . The music of Jethro Tull had a huge influence on me growing up, and their concerts were amazing, like seeing an 18th century theatrical performance, but with rock music. This interview really details how their songwriting walked the fence between progressive rock and other more popular styles of music, and how they created their unique balance between the two.
Don Felder, who wrote the chords to Hotel California didn't join the Eagles until 1974 so he wasn't in the band when they supported Tull in '72.
Mr Anderson thanks for all your wonderful music.
I love his interviews. I first loved the music from Warchild barely 14 yrs old. I love everything they've done. I feel for those who didnt give the later work a chance. The albums A , Broadsword, Dot Com etc I love. Secret Language of Birds, Rupis Dance, Homo Erraticus are Brilliant. Give a listen
Ian Anderson: Number One in a field of One.
You might want to go read and listen to Frank Zappa.
One of the most memorable concerts for me was Aqualung in Albuquerque,NM, crica 1972, the stage crew and band members were all costumed in a similar manor, so one could not tell who was who. At the time there was a pretty good thunderstorm going on. At one point the band members stood huddled in a group in the middle of the stage. Every time there was thunder they would all kind of shriek and dance around. Then they removed their overcoats and there they were! Such great, and unique group of musicians, help shape my of love music for the rest of my life. Thank you Ian Anderson , and all the rest of the great musicians associated with the band.
17 August, '19. I first got into Tull FIFTY years ago - I grew up in the San Francisco/Berkeley (hippies) area - My brother + I became JT-heads in RECORD time...and we were surrounded by All Types Of music (read: classic, historic bands and hit songs) at the time. Saw them in person - some of the GREATEST live shows/stuff I Have EVER seen. Some of these comments are just wannabe troll-envy! Enjoyed this vid immensely.
I, too have been into Jethro Tull over 50 years. It was my big brother's favorite band and I had all the albums on vinyl. Now on digital.
IMHO the reason JT is not in the hall of fame is because they never gave in. Listen to him: that same deep concern that brought us Aqualung and Thick As A Brick is evident in this video. He doesn't party like a rock star, he has causes he takes up for with his music. The Hall of Flamers aren't comfy with that.
Dude for sure....wonderful, honest and very down to earth.
Yes, quite articulate for a musical bloke.....and a memory like an elephant! I read the intricate 33-1/3 Aqualung pocketbook of the making of that album on a beach down south and enjoyed it very much as it is full of time capsules like Ian describes in this interview....amazing chap he is!
I can't get some guys here, complaining about Anderson, been "egocentric". I only can assume that you guys are new to Anderson and JT, without a real clue about him. I know a lot of guys who are losers and still egocentric. If Anderson looks or sound egocentric, he has all the reasons in the world to be. How many musicians from 1967 still playing today or fill concerts? Very, very few, Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull still rocking. Anderson is a genius musician, who no only write some of the most creative, intelligent and poetic songs of all time. Beside that, Anderson is an master musician, playing all the instruments in some of his songs, beside singing. How many artist can fill his boots? no many.
lenny zaroff well said sir, the man is a living legend who still puts his music about today. No matter whether you think he’s not as good as once was he still puts himself on the line to entertain fans. That is to be lauded and the guy doesn’t deserve down the banks from anyone. Especially no marks who’ve never moved off their arses their whole lives?! I’m with you 100%
He gives of himself TOTALLY in each performance! The audience leaves with a FABULOUS out of this world LIFETIME memory!
Birds of a feather flock together.
@@ddeufemia
What is it with you? You seem to have an axe to grind when it comes to IA
@@kati1017 That's the thing, isn't it? He's having so much fun up on the stage, you can't help but share in it. Been a fan of Tull and Ian Anderson since the beginning, 50 years+, and will be until my atoms are returned to the universe.
'To write songs, try to compose them on an instrument that you cannot play'. Very prophetic. It took me years to realise this to be true.
Musical genius and very intelligent man.....loved growing up with Tull
tremendous insight into the times! Very bright guy who followed his own path!
My choice of Music and lucky to see them a few times in London late 70s :
Hi Ian
I just want to pay tribute to the best and most significant musician and human being I have followed through time.
Unfortunately, my record collection was stolen a few years ago, and will be very expensive to get back.
Wish You all Well
I meet him in Frankfurt in the '80s. Such a nice person with a great sense of humor.
A band to my life, fabulous
Some commenters mention their perception of Anderson as being egotistical which, to me, is confounding. I view him as a very courageous but humble musician and a very gracious, humble man.
What would you have Anderson say, I was pretty good? The band was decent? The fact is that Tull was one of the great bands of the sixties and seventies. He is, and should rightfully be proud of his contributions to music.
IAN ANDERSON DIEU VIVANT MERCI POUR CES BELLES ANNEES 65/75 LES MEILLEURS GREAT !! charles de france 68TARD REBEL YELL !!
Great interview, but there's definitely one part in there where IA is just being disingenuous: When he says that Jethro Tull as musicians weren't as good as Yes and the other prog rock groups. I'm a huge Yes fan, but this is simply not true. Any band that could pull off A Passion Play or the Minstrel in the Gallery album was simply at the top of the heap in terms of instrumental prowess, arranging ability, the lot. Maybe there was no one in Jethro Tull with the off the charts ability of, say, Rick Wakeman, but collectively they were every bit as skilled as Yes at the top of their game. I would submit that there was no band with the ability to play as an ensemble that could match Jethro Tull at their peak.
I totally agree with you again.
@pa59 i find Howe extremely boring. its one thing to play technical. its another to be entertaining. Trevor surpasses all of them, by far.
have to agree! as an ensemble (excluding ELP of course as they are in a different galaxy) i find it hard to choose between TULL/KANSAS - Anderson/Livgren-Walsh.
I would put Gentle Giant at the top. They are extremely technical but not very coherent or interesting.
...and as far as Wakeman goes, i think he is overrated. waaaay too much repetition in his work. and did i say very repetitive.
Every member of Yes is an absolute genius with their instrument. However, it's not technical prowess which makes the best art, it's creativity. And no band was better than Tull in a creative sense.
He was very specific in saying they weren't as good during the making of Stand Up (1969). Perhaps he'd compare the Passion Play or Minstrel skill level more favorably, but no one playing on Stand Up is as good as the Yes members, or ELP, or King Crimson.
Great guy , great music !
Not that anyone cares and I am a lifelong fan, I love the Stand Up lp while Benefit is my youth but so many many more...so wonderful. Thank you Mr. Anderson . You made my life joyous.
Really enjoying this. Thanks Remy Tena for the post (and as I see to my right, many other goodies from Tull)! Subscribed :)
I would to hear a collaboration between Ian Anderson and Richard Thompson, two of my favorite musicians.
Yes, that would be good.
Yes!
Love his theatrics while playing
A true musical inspirer
Me and a friend hitchhiked 20 miles to the town of Woodstock to buy Aqualung..remember it well after all these years..walked into a small record store and there it was..good old days as they say
Do I understand it corrtectly? A bit less than a year he played the flute when they started to record "Stand up"? It is unbelieveble!
Impressive but not unbelievable. The flute is really just a posh penny whistle
Yes....I had never played harmonica ....put it on my neck while playing guitar and Wala... piece of cake.
Wonderful interview ... or narrative ... or whatever ... thanks!
Were so lucky to have him !
A definite candidate for one of the most interesting men alive.
Very smart and influential musician
Tull is the band all good keltic punk rockers had in thier record collection!
Thanks Remy....Like his historical analysis
Never liked hotel CA but times we use to know is a fav. of mine. Tull to me had what most bands seem to lack, contemplative. Ian very down to earth & always kept his senses about him, wiser then any other famous band member I know of.
I have followed Tull through the years. Ian might want to be asked about 1971 at Red Rocks. But I always felt his best was Teacher.
Love this man and influence
I always liked Ian. His voice is so deep and sometimes scary but always full of honor and even when he was having a hard time with it the sound he projected makes you want to cuddle with your sweetheart. Back when I was finishing my four year stint in the Marines I hooked up with a chic and was fortunate to take her to the woods and we found love in front of an open fire in the mountains after listening to Songs From the Wood. Now that I think of it I manipulated the old in/out from many of my lady friends listening to Tull.
+AmericanIsraeliJew Ian crafted 1 lp which I called rock's 9th symphony. of course since classical & rock are night & day, brilliance & mediocre, one must always take this into account. "your wise men don't know...". How our "rock Beethoven" could EVER coin app is the stuff of rock greek tragedy...funny ian almost always came across like some
gifted officious @#$%& in interviews, even from long ago & for tull? Cleveland still lies fallow.
Very interesting, good to hear Beefhearts name too of course.
You’re a great actor too.
Love
Mr.Stai
❤
Ian shortchanges "This Was" ... I was just listening to that today in the yard while I was working, and it is such a great album ... but precisely because it was not just blues, it was jazz-blues. "Beggar's Farm" is such a cool song, and the little jazzy interludes and improvisations are fantastic, and how do you classify "Dharma For One" which is another awesome song ... which I wish they would redo and embellish sometimes. Ian has never, never done "JUST" a blues, or rock or jazz or folk or whatever song ... and that's a big reason why I like his music so much. It gives your brain something to do because if you want you can hear something new in every song.
Love you Ian and JT is the best band in the world.
A modest man - as the best are...
Benefit was the first album I ever purchased. Heard a commercial on my local radio station(KSHE95) and thought it sounded great! I still think it is their best!
Comes across as being a rather astute intellectual for a rocker. Saw an earlier interview from 82 on the Dave Letterman show and was surprised with him then considering his music and wild looking performances. Dave Brubeck’s Take Five was one of my favorites as an adolescent at the time.
I like the way he eulogises Peter Green who is on the opposite pole of the moral compass.
I can't make up my mind who gets my vote!
Martin IS credited with flute in the two songs Ian mentioned
As a trumpet player in band and orchestra in high school our director was well known for reminding us that jazz was syncopated Bach. Bouree is as much jazz as rock but unless you're a musician or familiar with formal music theory I think that's rather hard to grasp. I've always considered rock & roll, as well as rock, as being urban folk music with R & R being blues derived and 'rock' more along the lines of jazz in that it experiments with more diverse modes. Both have roots in the blues but one hasn't strayed as far away from those roots. "Blues is easy. Jazz is hard." It took people like Ian, Pete Townsend and a few others to break the rock and pop molds and elevate rock to a level rather like jazz in it's sophistication. Maybe this isn't directly analogous but loosely so.
Amazing man
I can't get into Pearl Jam, but I'm glad he had that moment. Nice interview.
Stand up, the best album ever !
A friend of mine once interviewed Ian for his newspaper column. His comment afterward was, "Ask Ian what time it is, and he'll tell you the inner workings of a clock!"
I wish he would talked about other albums besides "Stand Up" all the time. Tull has such a
rich catalogue of albums.
Ian Anderson, is a gift from God as far as I'm concerned..
Why Jethro Tull is not in the Rock and Roll HOF is a great mystery.
RRHOF? does anyone care ?
Think of it as an accolade 😊
Great interview about Tull's early years. Stand Up was my first Tull album which was brilliant to my teenage ears. Tull have done a lot of good stuff since then but I can't imagine anything being better than Stand Up, though perhaps benefit comes close. I'm even a bit scared to buy anything later by Tull in case it disappoints me. I'm trying to get to grips with Thick as a brick and A passion play but I'll get there no doubt. Fantastic interview nonetheless.
Man u have to give the later stuff a try,, with an open mind and more than one listen, it's like seeing an abstract painting that suddenly becomes clear and leaves u smiling
Benefit doesn´t come closer to my taste. Aqualung is even better
Harold Burrows abstract painting, definitely a good comparison. The first time I heard Baker St Muse, I absolutely didn’t “get” the arrangement. After many listens, it just reveals it’s brilliance.
TAAB was much easier for me than PP. Still don’t fully hear PP the way others must be hearing it. But I said the same thing about Benefit at first....now I can’t stop listening to it. “I’m with you LEMMMM!!”
Great musician and a real gent!
RIP in the heavenly music😊
yeah, it was kinda predestined that tull would venture into alot more complexity in music such as "thick as a brick" and "a passion play", which are incredible pieces of art! ian mentions that mick abrahams was a typical blues guitarist, so martin barre comes along, who was perfect for the still young tull. great interview, with ian expressing many points in time here.
What is the track being played with the end credits please? I'm confused that I don't recognise it!?
Extremely intelligent fellow, Mr Anderson. 😊