When the rock band Jethro Tull became famous in the late 1960s, it was in part because of the group’s uncommon musical mélange, which rock ‘n’ roll fans either immediately embraced or completely rejected. Most prominent in that sound was lead musician Ian Anderson’s use of the flute, with its soaring, percussive runs providing a striking contrast to the more commonplace arrangement of blues guitars and pounding drums. Interestingly, the group started off playing straight up blues. But when Anderson picked up the flute and made it part of his joyful musical mixture of folk, blues, and jazz, with alternative musical themes and unexpected tempo changes thrown in the mix, Jethro Tull’s musical identity was set.
The band’s musical genre was dubbed “progressive rock,” and it was lumped with the likes of prog-rock standard bearers Yes and Genesis. When Jethro Tull released the album Aqualung, it had much critical and commercial success; critics searching for a label called it a concept album, something Ian Anderson very much rejected. But he decided to turn the tables on the critics, and create what he went on to describe as “the mother of all concept albums.” That album came to be called Thick as a Brick, which features a single song that spans the entire album. You can read more about the album on Wikipedia.
Today’s remarkable find is this 40th Anniversary Thick as a Brick Signed Collectors Edition for Sandy victims:
According to the listing, this is a special limited edition digitally remastered release of the Thick as a Brick album, which also contains one previously unreleased live track and interviews with Anderson and bandmates Martin Barre and Jeffrey Hammond. The listing also talks about what makes this particular album so special:
“The Jethro Tull Board is auctioning off a 40th Anniversary signed Commemorative Edition of Jethro Tull’s Thick As A Brick for the New Jersey victims of Hurricane Sandy. Much thanks to Ian Anderson and his band for teaming with us for this worthy cause.
This set is bound with a hard cover and includes a 100 page color supplement. Signatures included are from all the members of Ian’s solo band who are currently on tour performing both TAAB and TAAB2. They are: Ian Anderson, Florian Opahle (lead guitar), David Goodier (bass guitar), John O’Hara (keyboards), Scott Hammond (drums), and Ryan O’Donnell (back-up vocals).”
Back to the flute. In an interview in acousticguitar.com, Anderson explains why he picked up this unique wind instrument in the first place:
“When I heard Eric Clapton play electric guitar in my late teens, I realized that I was never going to be that good. So I decided to trade in my ’60s Fender Strat for a $50 student-model flute. To my knowledge, Eric Clapton did not play flute, nor did Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page, so at least I was in a field of music where I might be the big fish in a small pool. So I have to thank Eric Clapton for giving me my start on the flute.”
And eBay is pleased to provide the platform to sell this one-of-a-kind charity item. Good luck bidding!
