Feb 11: J is for Jethro Tull

An alphabet of bands and artists during February. These were selected by the Spotify algorithm.

Another obvious choice from the algorithm in one sense, although I only listen to earlier Tull these days - more recent albums do not have the same spark.

Their name comes from that of an early agricultural innovator, who developed a way of distributing seeds on fields.

When they released their first single, their name was misspelt on the label as Jethro Toe.

Around about 2004, Ian Anderson developed a problem with his vocals and had to have throat surgery, and since then he has mostly talked through the albums and then attempts to sing live. I saw Tull play live on and off from 1983 to their fiftieth anniversary tour - when I decided that was that. 

On these more recent performances there is also far less of the mandolin and acoustic guitar which were so thrilling back in the 1980s when they were played as much as the oft-twirled flute, and the one leg balance was firmer. 

I'm glad to have the memories from 40 years ago... and to have seen them in small venues. Tull were one of my most viewed musical acts - probably over a dozen times I saw them in various line-ups. I just missed the John Glascock era sadly.

Here's a classic from the 1980s, which has still not appeared on albums that are available on streaming services. It's the theme from a TV documentary series 'The Blood of the British' and is called Coronach.

They have produced a whole range of classic albums.

Perhaps their most consistent album was 'Songs from the Wood'.

I remember getting this out of Rotherham Library in the days when I didn't have the money to buy lots of albums. 

It’s inspired by the thought that perhaps nature isn’t as gentle as we’d like to believe. And it takes as its theme the natural and supernatural inhabitants of the woodlands of old England.

This was followed by "Heavy Horses" which continued in a similar tone, with more classic songs.

One of their more ecological albums was called 'Stormwatch'.

The album cover featured the opening lines from a track called 'Dun Ringill'. 

This is an old Iron Age defensive structure on the Strathaird peninsula shores of Loch Slapin, on land owned by Ian Anderson. I visited it several times on trips up to Skye and watched otters.

The lines were actually spoken by the veteran Sky weather presenter Francis Wilson.

The weather's on the change, Ice clouds invading
Pressure lines joint in faint discord and the stormwatch brews
A concert of kings as the white sea snaps
At the heels of a soft prayer whispered

There is a whole blog to be created about the music of Tull, and I shall return to their music several times this year, for memories of concerts and encounters and particular albums. There are plenty of songs linked to land and landscapes - from the urban structures of 'Steel Monkey' to the Cuillin Ridge in 'The Waking Edge' and the decline of American agriculture in 'Farm on the Freeway'.

This track was taken from the album 'Crest of a Knave'. 

Crest of a Knave won the 1989 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental, beating the heavily favoured ... And Justice for All by Metallica and critics' choice Nothing's Shocking by Jane's Addiction.

The Grammy award was controversial as many did not consider the album or Jethro Tull to be hard rock, much less heavy metal. Under advice from their manager, no one from the band turned up to the award ceremony, as they were told that they had no chance of winning.

I've also mentioned Tull previously, as they were one of my "musical encounters of the first kind..."

Discography - AI generated so caution needed...

When searching for suitable references I came across this film, which I hadn't seen before... Interesting to see Eddie Jobson on the plane, as U:K were supporting Tull on this tour. David Palmer also before they became Dee.

What 'J' comes up in your alogorithm?

Do you have any memories of Jethro Tull concerts?