Anderson recalls acoustic 'attitude' on Aqualung

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Jethro Tull man reflects on writing and recording of album almost 45 years after its release

Ian Anderson has recalled the recording process behind Jethro Tull’s Aqualung – and he calls it an acoustic album with “attitude.”

Next year mark’s Aqualung’s 45th anniversary and Anderson insists it was never his intention to write it as a rock album.

He tells Artisan News: “It’s a very important Jethro Tull album and arguably the most successful selling single album by Jethro Tull. I think of it as being a singer/songwriter album with attitude.

“A lot of the songs were written with an acoustic guitar – and some of them were left that way. They were recorded by me alone in the studio and then we overdubbed some bits to them.”

He continues: “But then there were the rock songs that became more fully arranged rock tracks like Locomotive Breath and the title track. But then, they were written with an acoustic guitar then embellished to make them band pieces.

“It wasn’t necessarily written as a rock album. Aqualung was the one where I was more confident in sitting alone in the studio and recording at least some of the stuff without the band even being there.”

Anderson will play Christmas shows at Lincoln Cathedral on December 10 and St Albans Cathedral on December 11. He’ll appear at HRH Prog IV in Wales next March.

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.