Page 45 - Seniorstoday February 2022 Issue
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the actual Jethro Tull sound became evident a concept album. Fans often describe
on songs like ‘Reasons For Waiting’. ‘We Aqualung and Thick As a Brick as their
Used To Know’ and ‘Look Into The Sun’. favourite Tull records, but both weren’t
However, the tune to really catch the public instant sellers, growing in sales as time
fancy was Anderson’s take on the classical passed. Anderson used the same single-
Johann Sebastian Bach piece ‘Bouree’, which piece formula in A Passion Play, but that got
even today remains a staple at concerts. negative press reviews.
Tull performing ‘Bouree’ in France - 1969 Jethro Tull’s live performances were hugely popular
The album Benefit (1970) was followed by The other Tull attraction was its live
the hugely successful Aqualung, whose title performance, with Anderson being
track and ‘Locomotive Breath’ became all- considered one of the best showmen on the
time favourites. Since some of the songs were circuit. He played the flute standing on one
about deprived people and others reflected leg, wore outrageous medieval attire with
Anderson’s views on organised religion, codpieces and charmed the audience with
the media and fans described it as a concept his humour between songs. Naturally, there
album. However, Anderson disagrees, have been some folks who have attended
saying it was just a collection of songs with Tull concerts regularly since the late 1960s.
maybe two or three having something in The Tull following kept growing through
common. He agrees that the next album the 1970s, with the records Minstrel In The
Thick As a Brick “certainly was (a concept Gallery, Songs From The Wood and Heavy
album), reflecting the surreal and cynical Horses. The sound varied between acoustic,
British humour of that time, specially Monty electric, folk and medieval influences, and
Python”. though the band had its distinct identity, it
Released in 1972, Thick As A Brick was clubbed in the larger ‘progressive rock’
completes 50 years coming March 3. It category along with Pink Floyd, Genesis,
consists of a single song with a narrative King Crimson, Yes and Emerson Lake &
over two sides, based on words by a fictional Palmer, none of who were similar to one
character, eight-year-old Gerald Bostock. another or to Tull. The classic 1970s line-
The album cover was designed as a tabloid up also had Barre on guitar, John Evan
newspaper’s front page, and Anderson’s on keyboards, bassist John Glascock and
broad idea was to release the parody of drummer Barriemore Barlow, with David
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #32 | FEBRUARY 2022 45
