Rock On! Wednesday, March 22, 2023 – Jethro Tull, Renaissance, Caravan, Spirogyra & Horslips

Psychedelic, heavy, prog and more innovating sounds spanning the late 60s and the early 70s – Wednesday March 8th. Dan’s pick of the week: Jethro Tull (Aqualung), Renaissance (Scheherazade and Other Stories), Caravan (In the Land of Grey and Pink), Spirogyra (Bells, Boots and Shambles) & Horslips (Live).

Jethro Tull is een Britse progressieve rockband uit Luton, opgericht in 1967 rond de Schotse voorman Ian Anderson. Aanvankelijk speelde de band bluesrock en jazzfusion, maar al snel werden elementen van Engelse folk, hardrock en klassieke muziek in de groep opgenomen, waardoor een kenmerkend progressief rockgeluid ontstond. De bandleider, oprichter, voornaamste componist en enig constant lid van de groep is Ian Anderson, een multi-instrumentalist die voornamelijk fluit en akoestische gitaar speelt, en tevens de leadzanger is.

Classic Rock Review: ”

Aqualung, the fourth album by Jethro Tull, was recorded at the same time and in the same studio (Island Studios, December 1970) as the fourth album by Led Zeppelin. While recording a section of the album’s title song, “Aqualung”, lead guitarist Martin Barre was moved to impress his counterpart, Jimmy Page and laid down a solo that was totally unorthodox for his style. The result is now an indelible part of Jethro Tull’s legacy, as “Aqualung” the song and Aqualung the album are among their most famous works. This little example of Barre’s guitar work is one of the things that, for better or for worse, make Aqualung one of the most unusual (top-notch) albums in rock history.

The album feels like a concept album and I suppose you can claim that it is. Except there is not a single concept to tie everything together, but rather three or four disparate concepts. So is it a concept album at all? Further, this album is loaded with quality, original material that entertains, enlightens, and intrigues. (…)

On their next two albums (Thick As a Brick in 1972, A Passion Play in 1973), Jethro Tull would create full-fledged, unambiguous, concept albums that would be well-regarded by prog rock enthusiasts but panned by more tradition rock fans. With Aqualung, they come pretty close to satisfying both of these camps, whether intentionally or not.”

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 12:00 noon CET Brussels – 11 a.m. GMT London. Repeated: 16:00 & 20:00 hrs CET Brussels, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. GMT London
Ends: 12 midnight CET Brussels, 11 p.m. GMT London.