Rock with a twist: Jethro Tull

Have you ever heard of a rock group with a flute player as their front man? Jethro Tull have been circulating the rock musician world for almost four decades. Front man Ian Anderson encaspulated his rock songs with a burst of flute playing which captured many musicians and audience ears and eyes around the world.
Jethro Tull formed in 1967, they are a British rock group who contributed in changing the method of a typical rock band. Jethro Tull have released many live DVDs and can be first seen on the "Rolling Stones, Rock and Roll Circus." Jethro Tull alone have sold more than 60 million Cd's worldwide.
After auditions for a replacement guitarist in December 1968, Anderson chose Martin Barre, a former member of Motivation, Penny Peeps, and Gethsemane, who was playing with Noel Redding's Fat Mattress at the time. Barre was so nervous at his first audition that he could hardly play at all, and then showed up for a second audition without an amplifier or a cord to connect his guitar to another amp. Nevertheless, Barre would become Abrahams' permanent replacement on guitar and the second longest-standing member of the band after Anderson.
The band was soon to be on it's way. Ian Anderson has changed his band members throughout time, however Barre's incredible talent on the guitar has allowed him to stay within the group for such time.
Jethro Tull only toured Australia less than five years ago, playing at the State Theatre in Sydney. They stole their own show by playing songs like Locomotive Breath, Teacher, Songs from the Wood, Jack in the Green to perfect sound as one would hear on the original album. The characteristics developed in these songs are full on rock based, especially Locomotive Breath; it really does hit the spot, when it comes to the feelings that rock songs can give their audience. Locomotive Breath has almost poetry for it's lyrics and the music is hard, strong and tempo changing. The main instruments used for a rock band are facilitated to their utmost complete. However, Anderson brings in his clever flute playing which shows audiences that rock music can be not just a bunch of loud drum playing and amazing guitar riffs.
Jethro Tull are a great rock group who have changed history, in that they use other genres and cultures to mould what is their music. The rock sounds that they produce really blow anyone away, however Andersons flute playing brings another layer to the level that rock music has. The stereotypical stance of flute playing that Anderson uses also lets us audience become aware that rock music is a great thing, it is not just a rebellion image with loud sounds; Anderson expresses it as 'artwork' and I believe he does this through his flute playing and overall creativity within Jethro Tulls songs (not to forget his amazing energy on stage).


-"In the shuffling madness, of the locomotive breath, runs the all time loser, head long to his death."