Ian Anderson (b. 1947)

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Biography

Ian Scott Anderson is a British musician best known for being the chief vocalist, flautist, and acoustic guitarist of the British rock band Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist who also plays harmonica, keyboard, bass guitar, bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone, and a variety of whistles. His solo work began with Walk into Light in 1983; since then he has released another five albums, including the sequel to the 1972 Jethro Tull album Thick as a Brick, titled TaaB 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock? (2012).

Timeline

The story of Ian Anderson, told in moments.

1968 Event

Formed Jethro Tull. Named the band after an 18th-century agriculturalist because their manager picked it from a history book. Anderson played flute standing on one leg. Nobody else in rock was doing that.

How did a band named after an 18th-century farmer become progressive rock? Was that accidental?

1971 Event

Aqualung released. A concept album about homelessness, religion, and hypocrisy. The title track's opening riff became one of the most recognizable in rock. Anderson wrote it on acoustic guitar, not flute.

Is Aqualung about homelessness, religion, or both? What makes that opening riff so unforgettable?

1972 Event

Thick as a Brick. A single 44-minute track performed as if it were written by an 8-year-old prodigy. The album cover was a fake newspaper. Anderson was satirizing concept albums while making one.

Was Thick as a Brick a parody or a sincere concept album? Was the fake newspaper cover your idea?

1989 Event

Won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance over Metallica. The audience booed. Anderson said he was as surprised as anyone. He'd been playing flute solos in the category of Metallica.

Did you really want a Grammy for hard rock over Metallica? What did you think when the audience booed?

In Their Own Words (5)

The original Jethro Tull was a 19th century English agriculturist who invented a seed drill you see... the first automatic process where by small holes were made in Mother Earth and even smaller seeds were deposited one at a time and neetly covered over as a cat does after having been naughty.

GTK Ep 899. Broadcast 12th August 1974, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, interviewed by Gary Hyde., 1974

I may make you feel but I can't make you thinkYour sperm's in the gutter, your love's in the sink.

"Thick As a Brick"., 1972

In the beginning Man created God; and in the image of Man created he him.

(text on back of album cover), 1971

Oh father high in heaven — smile down upon your sonWho's busy with his money games — his women and his gun.

"Hymn 43", 1971

I don't think it's very easy to make friends with musicians. We're all a bit paranoid. It soon becomes very heavy.

Artifacts (15)

Indian Chief

Samuel Anderson Robb

1888–1903 · Paint on white pine

aic View

Combinatorial Designs and Tournaments

This is an extensively revised version of the very successfulCombinatorial Designs: Construction Methods which was published in 1990 by Ellis Horwood and is now out of print. A new chapter on league...

1997

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Combinatorics of Finite Sets

Among other subjects explored are the Clements-Lindström extension of the Kruskal-Katona theorem to multisets and the Greene-Kleitmen result concerning k-saturated chain partitions of general...

2002

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Jethro Tull - Flute Solos (Songbook): As Performed by Ian Anderson

(Artist Books). Flute solos from 18 Jethro Tull songs have been transcribed for this collection. Songs include: Bungle in the Jungle * Cross-Eyed Mary * Fire at Midnight * Look into the Sun * Nothing...

2006

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Here Come the Regulars: How to Run a Record Label on a Shoestring Budget

Ian Anderson started recording music when he was thirteen and launched his own successful label, Afternoon Records, in 2003, when he was just eighteen. Now this wunderkind of the indie music scene has...

2009

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Handbook of Depression

The book provides an overview of the whole field of depressive disorders by two recognised experts. Written by well known authors, one European and one from USA this pocket-sized book covers the whole...

2011

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A First Course in Discrete Mathematics

Discrete mathematics has now established its place in most undergraduate mathematics courses. This textbook provides a concise, readable and accessible introduction to a number of topics in this area,...

2012

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Knight

Ian Anderson is a mature and beautiful new voice on the literary scene. Knight is breathtaking in its scope, exquisite in its tenderness, and uplifting in its refusal to succumb to the despair which...

2013

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Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip: California, Oregon and Washington

1,700 miles of vibrant cities, coastal towns, and glittering ocean views: Embark on your epic PCH journey with Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Inside you'll find: Flexible Itineraries: Drive the...

2022

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Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip: California, Oregon & Washington

1,700 miles of vibrant cities, coastal towns, and glittering ocean views: Local author Ian Anderson guides travelers on an epic journey with Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Inside you'll find:...

2025

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full responsibility in deed, not just words.

am, who shot and killed Vicki Weaver in a standoff at a remote cabin at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992. He said he wanted Reno to accept "full responsibility in deed, not just words." Such an...

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When guns are outlawed, I will become an outlaw.

At the scene, he distributed pro-gun rights literature and bumper stickers bearing slogans such as, "When guns are outlawed, I will become an outlaw." He told a student reporter: The government is...

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Moon Southern California Road Trips: Drives along the Beaches, Mountains, and Deserts with the Best Stops along the Way

Hit the beach, hike hidden trails, or soak up some desert sun: the outdoor adventures are endless with Moon Southern California Road Trips. Inside you'll find: Pick Your Road Trip: Find flexible...

2020

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I have certain other 'militant' talents that are in short supply and greatly dem...

McVeigh began announcing that he had progressed from the "propaganda" phase to the "action" phase. He wrote to his Michigan friend Gwenda Strider, "I have certain other 'militant' talents that are in...

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Because the truth is, I blew up the Murrah Building and isn't it kind of scary t...

rs, he responded with a well-known line from the film A Few Good Men, "You can't handle the truth!" He added, "Because the truth is, I blew up the Murrah Building and isn't it kind of scary that one...

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