Post by maddogfagin on Jan 9, 2010 17:17:35 GMT
Was sent this interview in an email so I'm not 100% sure of where it originates.
Ian Anderson is best known as the guy playing flute while standing on one leg for Jethro Tull, a band whose list of honors inexplicably includes a heavy-metal Grammy. Indeed, to many casual listeners, Anderson is Jethro Tull. But when the mad-eyed minstrel returns to the Valley on Tuesday, Nov. 3, he won't be fronting that classic rock warhorse, which takes its name from a 19th century British inventor.
Ian Anderson
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Where: Dodge Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix.
Admission: $42-$99.
Details: 877-598-8497, livenation.com.
For his show at the Dodge Theatre, Anderson will be performing under his own name. Don't expect any roaring guitars or booming drums. The show will feature Anderson and his solo band performing "acoustic Jethro Tull" music.
We chatted briefly with the 62-year-old singer about his new tour and how it will compare with his hard rock alter-ego.
Question: So what makes an Ian Anderson concert different from a Jethro Tull concert?
Answer: There's little difference on stage. I toured with Tull for eight months this year and will be back on the road with them in the spring. But the musical context is different. Jethro Tull is an established rock band with primarily rock musicians, but I am an acoustic musician. Now for 41 years, I have worked as an acoustic musician within the context of rock music, but the solo tours give me a chance to work with musicians who come from jazz and classical backgrounds, also in the realm of acoustic music. And we must be clear, there are amplifiers on stage, and they are plugged into walls, but the instrumentation is in the acoustic realm.
Q: So what can we expect musically during the show?
A: Well, it is a mixture of three things. There is a pre-existing acoustic Jethro Tull repertoire, and we will be playing some well-known and lesser-known tunes that fall into that category. Then, there are Jethro Tull's big rock numbers, songs from (the 1971 album) "Aqualung." We're re-examining them and taking them back to their roots - because even a song like "Locomotive Breath" started its life strummed on an acoustic guitar in a hotel in the American Midwest. We're taking those songs in different directions. Finally, we will perform some new material. I want to offer something new for the longtime fans who have heard the older stuff many times. It seems like a well-organized balance so far.
Q: Who is in your band?
A: There are a couple of boys from Jethro Tull - bassist David Goodier and pianist John O'Hara. The rest are from all of the realms of classical music. We also have Mark Mondesir, a jazz drummer from the U.K. German guitarist Florian Opahle, this is his first time touring the U.S. And we have borrowed from Carnegie Hall. Meena Bhasin took a leave of absence to tour with us, playing viola.
Q: So ultimately three members of Jethro Tull will be performing at the Dodge. Do the other two members make the difference in Tull's sound vs. your solo sound?
A: Yes. The other two members of Tull are first and foremost rock musicians. It's not easy for them to play quiet. Martin Barre, Tull's guitarist, is a very heavy player. He can play acoustic but is not as comfortable at it. Doane Perry, Tull's drummer, is a big guy from L.A. and he can't play quietly! It's not easy to make musicians bend in different ways, but John and David originally come from jazz and classical backgrounds and are more flexible.
Q: You mentioned new material. Is there a new solo album or Tull album on the horizon?
A: I've been writing and recording material over the past two years. I probably have about two albums worth of music. But with a regular touring band, it is difficult to find time to record. You tend to want to go to ground when you aren't on the road. It's also hard to organize. Everyone has other commitments - families, vacations, other bands. And we all live in different places now. I suppose I could have everyone come and live in my bedroom, but I don't want that, thank you very much. And it's more energizing playing live rather than in the studio. Especially since our records won't sell the way they would 20 or 30 years ago. It effects your motivation to record.
Touring is what we do. It's repetitious playing the same songs night after night, but improvisation makes it interesting and keeps us sane. No two shows are exactly alike. Classical musicians are stuck playing the same pieces the same way every night. We have a great balance between established repertoire and improvisation.
By Michael Senft - Oct. 30, 2009
Interesting final question and IA's answer.
Ian Anderson is best known as the guy playing flute while standing on one leg for Jethro Tull, a band whose list of honors inexplicably includes a heavy-metal Grammy. Indeed, to many casual listeners, Anderson is Jethro Tull. But when the mad-eyed minstrel returns to the Valley on Tuesday, Nov. 3, he won't be fronting that classic rock warhorse, which takes its name from a 19th century British inventor.
Ian Anderson
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Where: Dodge Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix.
Admission: $42-$99.
Details: 877-598-8497, livenation.com.
For his show at the Dodge Theatre, Anderson will be performing under his own name. Don't expect any roaring guitars or booming drums. The show will feature Anderson and his solo band performing "acoustic Jethro Tull" music.
We chatted briefly with the 62-year-old singer about his new tour and how it will compare with his hard rock alter-ego.
Question: So what makes an Ian Anderson concert different from a Jethro Tull concert?
Answer: There's little difference on stage. I toured with Tull for eight months this year and will be back on the road with them in the spring. But the musical context is different. Jethro Tull is an established rock band with primarily rock musicians, but I am an acoustic musician. Now for 41 years, I have worked as an acoustic musician within the context of rock music, but the solo tours give me a chance to work with musicians who come from jazz and classical backgrounds, also in the realm of acoustic music. And we must be clear, there are amplifiers on stage, and they are plugged into walls, but the instrumentation is in the acoustic realm.
Q: So what can we expect musically during the show?
A: Well, it is a mixture of three things. There is a pre-existing acoustic Jethro Tull repertoire, and we will be playing some well-known and lesser-known tunes that fall into that category. Then, there are Jethro Tull's big rock numbers, songs from (the 1971 album) "Aqualung." We're re-examining them and taking them back to their roots - because even a song like "Locomotive Breath" started its life strummed on an acoustic guitar in a hotel in the American Midwest. We're taking those songs in different directions. Finally, we will perform some new material. I want to offer something new for the longtime fans who have heard the older stuff many times. It seems like a well-organized balance so far.
Q: Who is in your band?
A: There are a couple of boys from Jethro Tull - bassist David Goodier and pianist John O'Hara. The rest are from all of the realms of classical music. We also have Mark Mondesir, a jazz drummer from the U.K. German guitarist Florian Opahle, this is his first time touring the U.S. And we have borrowed from Carnegie Hall. Meena Bhasin took a leave of absence to tour with us, playing viola.
Q: So ultimately three members of Jethro Tull will be performing at the Dodge. Do the other two members make the difference in Tull's sound vs. your solo sound?
A: Yes. The other two members of Tull are first and foremost rock musicians. It's not easy for them to play quiet. Martin Barre, Tull's guitarist, is a very heavy player. He can play acoustic but is not as comfortable at it. Doane Perry, Tull's drummer, is a big guy from L.A. and he can't play quietly! It's not easy to make musicians bend in different ways, but John and David originally come from jazz and classical backgrounds and are more flexible.
Q: You mentioned new material. Is there a new solo album or Tull album on the horizon?
A: I've been writing and recording material over the past two years. I probably have about two albums worth of music. But with a regular touring band, it is difficult to find time to record. You tend to want to go to ground when you aren't on the road. It's also hard to organize. Everyone has other commitments - families, vacations, other bands. And we all live in different places now. I suppose I could have everyone come and live in my bedroom, but I don't want that, thank you very much. And it's more energizing playing live rather than in the studio. Especially since our records won't sell the way they would 20 or 30 years ago. It effects your motivation to record.
Touring is what we do. It's repetitious playing the same songs night after night, but improvisation makes it interesting and keeps us sane. No two shows are exactly alike. Classical musicians are stuck playing the same pieces the same way every night. We have a great balance between established repertoire and improvisation.
By Michael Senft - Oct. 30, 2009
Interesting final question and IA's answer.