craigb

Ian?  Is that you?

... could be Jerry the Sumo Wrestler.

I had a friend back in high school who's name was Joey Tull.  One of the "motor heads" in the school. Drove an old funeral home hurse.  Racing slicks on the back, jacked up with air shocks, blower poking through the hood and green sparkle paint with chrome pipes.... a very cool looking and intimidating  sounding ride. But I guess you're not talking about THAT Tull.
 
At the time I was in high school, Jethro Tull was doing the Aqualung LP and around that time Thick as a Brick came out.  A bass player buddy of mine knew every word and nuance of that album. He had the record and the 8-track.
 
I always thought that Ian Anderson was one of the modern day musical geniuses along with Jeff Lynn of ELO. What those guys did at the time they did it was awesome. In spite of that, I really wasn't a huge JT or ELO fan. Never went to see them in concert.

I saw them twice. The first was 1971, the second was 1983.
 
'71 was waaaaaay better. IA was already taking hits of oxygen during solos (I was seated above and behind the stage) in 83.

I cannot fathom how anyone could not like Jethro Tull, or at least their good stuff.  Admittedly, some of their output over the years has not been equal to that produced when Mr. Anderson was at his most inspired.  But when they're firing on all cylinders (Aqualung and way too many other songs to list), they are superb.
 
Anyway, this thread reminds me ... it's getting close to the season when it's appropriate to pull out what is arguably the best Jethro Tull album of them all.  Yes, it's the Jethro Tull Christmas Album.  Don't scoff if you haven't heard it.  I once did that ... I was wrong.