Jethro Tull have attracted some unlikely fans over the years, from Stephen King to Nick Cave. But among the most surprising are a pair of punk singers whose own music sits worlds away from the prog giants.
The brand new issue of Prog magazine sees Tull frontman Ian Anderson answering questions from a range of famous friends and fans, including members of Yes, ELP, Opeth and more.
One of the questions comes from ex-Stranglers vocalist Hugh Cornwell, who asks Anderson whether he felt like the rise of punk was “a seismic moment in rock music or just another phase in its history”, leading to an amusing story about an iconic punk singer who sheepishly asked Anderson for an autograph.
“I saw the whole thing as being somewhat inevitable,’ says Anderson in response to Cornwell’s question. “The MC5 was punk to me, then along came the Ramones. And then it crept into the world of British music in the mid-70s.
“I do remember Joey Ramone coming up to me at one point to ask for an autograph. He was a bit bashful: “It’s not for me, it’s for my mother.”
Ramone wasn’t the only punk musician who expressed a sneaking admiration for Jethro Tull. Answering a question from ex-Gentle Giant singer Derek Shulman about the most unexpected Tull fans he’s ever met, Anderson responds: “There have been a few unlikely musicians, none more so than [ex-Sex Pistols singer] John Lydon.
“He once came over to me at an event. He had obviously had a few beers, but he was being completely over the top, saying how much he loved the Aqualung album and that particular song.”
Read the full interview with Ian Anderson in the brand new issue of Prog. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
