Original Jethro Tull ― The Glory Years, 1968-1980

Jethro Tull was one of the truly innovative rock bands to emerge from the late 1960s. At their peak the idiosyncratic group, fronted by multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, resembled a troupe of roving English minstrels. Crafting a signature progressive rock sound that resisted easy categorization, they were often derided by critics as too British, too eccentric, too theatrical. Over the span of a decade, “Tull” would release a string of sublime albums featuring intricate compositions in a wide range of musical styles, with little regard for the showbiz maxim “give the public what it wants.” Focusing on the band’s peak creative period of 1971–1980, this history includes insider accounts based on exclusive interviews with key members and rare photographs from Anderson’s personal collection.

Writer and publications consultant Gary R. Parker lives in Palm Springs California.