Jethro
Tull
Over a career
spanning 40 years Jethro Tull has released over 20 studio
albums (including an Orchestral work). 8 Live albums, 14
compilations with 26 members of varying periods of tenure in 20
line-ups in addition to countless illegal bootlegs which have
surfaced over the years.
Performing almost 2,900 concerts makes Jethro Tull one of the one
of the longest lived and defining musical acts of the progressive
rock genre. Both core members, Martin Barre and Ian Anderson have
released solo work with leader Ian Anderson receiving the
MBE for music in 2006, among other
prestigious awards in the arts.
Current members who are all actively in outside projects are Mr.
Anderson himself, on flute, guitar and other various instruments,
Martin Barre on guitars, session man David Goodier on bass, music
educator John O`Hara on keyboards and accordion and veteran drummer
Doane Perry as well as occasional guests.
As legendary as their olde English namesake, Jethro Tull are still
touring with another studio album on the way. For one of the best
loved rock bands ever there is no end in sight anytime
soon.
Discography
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"This
Was" 1968 The first album by the rock band Jethro Tull was recorded at a cost of only £1200 GBP. The album overall has more of a rhythm and blues feel than the progressive rock the band later became known for. |
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"Stand
Up" 1969 Stand Up represents the first album project on which Anderson was in full control of the music and lyrics. The album goes in a different direction from his earlier work, revealing influences from Celtic music, folk and classical music. |
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"Benefit" 1970 Released in April 1970. It was the first album to feature John Evan on keyboards. The album is heavier than Stand Up, and many of the tracks feature more elaborate arrangements than Tull's earlier material. |
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"Aqualung" 1971 The first side of the LP contains a series of six character sketches, including two sketches of people of questionable repute. The overall message of the lyrics on the second side is said to be "pro-God but anti-church". |
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"Thick as
a Brick" 1972 Its lyrics are built around a poem written by a fictitious boy, "Gerald Bostock" a.k.a. "Little Milton". The album featured only one song, lasting over 43 minutes. It reached number one on the (U.S.) Billboard Pop Albums chart. |
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"A
Passion Play" 1973 The dense lyrics, filled with wordplay and allegory, along with music that some found lacking in creativity compared to earlier work, have made A Passion Play one of the most disputed albums in Tull's catalog. |
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"War
Child" 1974 Originally meant to accompany a film project (the album was planned as a double-album set), it was reinstated as a ten-song, single-length rock album after failed attempts to find a major movie studio to finance the film. |
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"Minstrel
in the Gallery" 1975 The title refers to the use of a minstrel's gallery in the great hall of castles or manor houses. Stylistically the album is varied. The songs "Minstrel In The Gallery", "Black Satin Dancer" are hard-rock. |
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"Too Old
to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!" 1976 A concept album released was remastered in 2002. The CD version contains two bonus tracks that were cut from the original LP, "Small Cigar" and "Strip Cartoon". This is the first Tull album to feature John Glascock on bass. |
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"Songs
From The Wood" 1977 Filled with folk and fantasy imagery, and ornamental folk arrangement, the album is a departure from the hard rock of earlier Tull material. The album reached #8 on the Billboard album chart, making it the last top ten album for the band to date. |
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"Heavy
Horses" 1978 It is considered the second album in a trilogy of folk-rock albums, although folk music's influence is obvious on virtually every Tull release. The album abandons much of the folk lyrical content typical of the previous studio album, Songs from the Wood, in exchange for a more realist perspective on the changing world. |
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"Storm
Watch" 1979 The album deals with the deterioration of the environment, warning of an apocalyptic future if mankind does not cease its drive for economic growth and pay attention to nature. |
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"A" 1980 A was recorded as an intended Ian Anderson solo album before Tull's record label, Chrysalis, asked that it become credited to the group to help the label get through overall slow record sales. This is the reason for the album's title, as the tapes were marked "A" for "Anderson". |
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"Broadsword
and the Beast" 1982 It mixes electronic sound with acoustic instruments and is a cross between the synthesizer sound of the 1980's and the folk-influenced style that Tull had in the previous decade. |
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"Underwraps" 1984 The songs' subject matter is heavily influenced by bandleader Ian Anderson's love of espionage fiction. This is the only Jethro Tull album where the majority of songs were co-written by band members. |
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"Crest of
a Knave " 1987 The album was a critical and commercial success. Jethro Tull went on to win a 1989 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, beating odds-on favorites Metallica with their album …And Justice for All. |
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"Rock
Island" 1989 The album continued the hard rock direction the band took on the previous effort, Crest of a Knave. The line-up now included Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Dave Pegg and new drummer Doane Perry. |
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"Catfish
Rising" 1991 It is the first (and last) blues-oriented Tull album. It features a stripped-down sound in contrast with the lush, keyboards-heavy arrangements of the previous albums. |
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"Roots to
Branches" 1995 It carries characteristics of Tull's classic 1970's art-rock and folk-rock roots alongside jazz and Arabic and Far Eastern influences. All songs were written by Ian Anderson and recorded at his home studio. |
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"J-Tull
Dot Com" 1999 The album's name bears much resemblance to their official website, J-Tull.com and may have been a promotional effort for their newly acquired home on the internet. |
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"The
Jethro Tull Christmas Album" 2003 The songs are a mix of new material, re-recordings of Tull's own suitably-themed material and arrangements of traditional Christmas music. |
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