Views from 40 Years of Jethro Tull 1968-2008

Welcome to the official SH Forums' 40 years of Jethro Tull thread: All memories of Jethro Tull are welcome.

Feb. 02, 1968 > Jethro Tull begins with their first concert at London's Marquee Club. The group includes Ian Anderson, Mick Abrahams, Clive Bunker and Glenn Cornick.

Feb.16, 1968 > The single Sunshine Day/Aeroplane miscredited as Jethro Toe is released.

Jan. 24, 1969 > Jethro Tull's first USA concert was at New York's Fillmore East opening for Blood Sweat & Tears.

Jan. 24, 1970 > The British magazine New Music Express chose Tull as best new group by more than 3,000 votes.





tootull ...alive and well and living in ...SH Forums 2008

 

Winter 1971, I see them at the Civic Opera House in Chicago.
Clive Bunker, have I got this right - the bass player, replaced by ???

 

How lucky you were to witness the Aqualung tour, with the one and only Clive Bunker, because it is so little documented (officially speaking)!

The bassman must have been Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond.

 

My own first memory of Jethro Tull was related to the physical appearance of Ian Anderson on stage with his flute, as pictured on some promotional space in a RnR mag for the Benefit album + probably also seeing and being intrigued by this particular album front cover as well as by the peculiar name of the band (evoquing to me something rural, such as the character Jethro Bodine from the Beverly Hillbillies TV comedy series, and something else I couldn't quite grasp). I was around 13 then. Then a little later I heard Aqualung and got hooked thereon for a loooong time!

 

JHH, that does ring a bell.
I had a ticket for the tour, about two years back, same venue, but had to pass because I had just recently adopted Moon.

 

Saw them once back in November 1974 on the Warchild tour.

I remember being disappointed, particularly with Martin Barre's horrendous cacophony of a guitar solo. I was immediately reminded of it the first time I saw Tufnell's solo in Spinal Tap.

Loved the album though.

 

Come on, guys. Glenn Cornick (sp) was the bass player. Who could forget this guy. Amazing man.

 

Thanks, Clive was the drummer. But Glenn had been replaced when I saw them on the Aqualung tour. Barre's playing at the time was really good.
I kind of quit buying their stuff after TAAB and really do like Stand Up and Benefit the most. I thought Glenn's playing especially on Stand Up was sweet.
I am a little biased because he appeared on the Benefit album with the same hollow body Gibson bass I owned at the time. Man I wish I never got ride of that. $150.00 1970's dollars.

 

I saw the "Thick As A Brick" Tour with The Eagles openeing.**

Then "Passion Play".

Then at the Fair Park Coliseum.**

Then something in the early 90's outdoors.

Then at the Bass Hall, the first time around.

**These were the beat and most satisfying shows.
I loved Rock Island.

I love the early discs. Progressive Blues, and Progressive Rock....

However, I am not, nor have ever been a fan of songs like Living In The Past, or Bungle In The Jungle.

The band has covered so much ground, and I admit there is much I never heard...yet.

This is a band that you can look into, at any time of your life. You will find gems all along the way.

 

Saw them do a stellar set at Jones Beach in '88. The ocean made an ideal backdrop for their music. You know you're getting older when you can mark the 20th anniversary of a 20th anniversary tour.

 

I first heard JT on one of L.A.'s underground radio stations, probably KPPC in late '68. If memory serves, "Cat's Squirrel" was probably the track that sent me hunting for the album. I discovered that it was only available as a UK import. Fortunately, I had the extra three dollars (probably from Christmas) that imports cost at the time, and acquired my first British import album. And what a great album it was, and still is.

 

I saw them on their Passion Play tour. They performed a very long concert, playing all of the Passion Play album, all of Thick As A Brick, and quite a few songs from Aqualung and before. They also showed a film of "The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles." I remember Jeffrey Hammond playing a bass that was painted either chrome or some other very reflective finish, and when he turned it just right, it would reflect the stage lighting into the crowd. It was like looking into the sun. Martin Barre played very well that night, and it was one of the better concerts that I have seen. Saw them again a couple of years ago, and they're still great.

 

I've never been a huge Tull fan. But last night I pulled out Stand Up, and decided I should be listening to the band a LOT more.

 

Stand Up is a classic, my favorite Tull record. Around '99, Guitar World had an article on 1969, making a very good case for '69 being the greatest year in rock'n'roll. They had profiles on an endless series of classic records from that year, including Stand Up. I'd had the cd for over ten years, but hadn't listened to it for awhile. So I put it in, and it just completely blew me away. Stand Up somehow actually had more impact on me a decade after I'd bought it. Perhaps Martin Barre's finest moment.

Fun fact: Apparently, this is also Eddie Vedder's favorite Tull record.

 

The man has good taste--it's my favorite among the 6 Tull discs I own:

Stand Up
Benefit
Aqualung
Thick as a Brick
Heavy Horses
Songs From the Wood

 

I was fortunate enough to see them once in Jackson MS (I beleieve it was the War Child Tour) and 3 times between 77-80 at the Oakland coliseum. Every show was excellent.
My only regret is not getting to see them in their earlier period (Stand Up-Benefit) because that is still my favorite Tull.
I have the ticket stubs somewhere, $12.00 price.

 

I saw Tull a couple of years back in Ottawa, Canada at the National Arts Centre, a venue used primarily for theatre, opera, classical music etc that holds about 3 or 4000. In Ottawa smoking is strictly forbidden in public places so I had to laugh when the lights dimmed before the band came on stage and about 6 people in the sold out crowd raised their lighter in anticipation. How times have changed ... for the worse in some ways.

 

I met Jethro Tull himself(Ian Anderson) at the infamous/legendary LI station WBAB.He was witty,funny and intelligent.Almost an oxymoron for a rock star,unh?I got the chance to see them at Nassau Coliseum in 87 during the Crest of the Knave tour,their "comeback" album.It was a great concert with Fairport Convention opening up."Tull" was jumping around the stage like a madman with his flute.I wouldn't mind seeing them again........

 

I don't think Stand Up holds a candle to Benefit.............or even Aqualung or Thick as a Brick.But to each one's taste...........

 

butch, Jethro Tull is the name of the band and not Ian Anderson's "nickname".

This is the name of an XVIIIth century agriculturist and inventor, that probably didn't look anything like a wild-eyed, mad pied-piper in tatters... There are surely a few rock bands that are named after one famous person. See this link on >who< Jethro Tull was:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jethro_Tull_(agriculturist)

And I agree with you on Benefit!

 

Stand Up, Benefit and Aqualung were 3 of my favourite albums around the time they came out. The 3 CD box set "20 Years Of" (from 1988) is a gem and I'm glad I got one before they became scarce!

(Songs From The Wood is a somewhat overlooked gem as well)

 

Stand Up was my very first rock album that i ever owned. My older brother gave it to me for my 9th birthday because he had just seen them here in Minneapolis (1969 tour it must have been) and wanted the record in the house! I had never heard of them but grew to love them.

 

Mate,I was joking !Ok Entendez vous?Dude,if I met the guy(Jethro "Ian Anderson "Tull himself) have 99% percent of his output and have gone to seen him live dontcha think I'd know that Ian is not Tull(Although kids used to say that Jethro Tull sucks as in he sucks!).It was a bloody joke,mate.Do I have to use emoticons or send the poutine police to explain my LI wackiness all the time?
Anyway,we agreed on something,Benefit is the bomb(do I have to explain myself again )
!

 

The actual Jethro Tull is also my avatar. So, at least the hair, ruffles and knickers were at leasr similar, back when Ian had hair.

Being about the same age as the band, I didn't get to see them until the early 90s, Catfish Rising tour. That was the only time I've seen them with Dave Pegg still in the lineup. My wife managed to get us 3rd row center for a theatre show in Asheville, which was my favorite show. Also saw bizzre couplings, with Tull on the bill immediately prior to Kid Rock in Charlotte.

 

You know you've been on SH.tv too long when:

You're listening to a Jethro Tull album and your first thought is which version is tootull's favorite.



Congratulations Ian and the lads on 40 years of some great music.