Credit: Will Ireland)

Jethro Tull singer Ian Anderson “not sure” if he’ll retire from music

Tue 15 August 2023 18:42, UK

Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson has shared his thoughts on a potential retirement from the music industry.

“Back in the ’70s, we released a new album every year, which sounds like quite an industrious process,” Anderson told Mike Hsu of the New England radio station 100 FM The Pike. “But in fact, I’m reminded of Stephen King, the novelist — he’s managed two books a year for pretty much all of his adult life.”

“And so I think those of us who are creative for a living, it’s hard to imagine a year going by and you haven’t come up with something new, even though in my case it may not be a new album release every year, but there’s lots of other creative things that I’ve been doing in the period of time,” Anderson said. “Even if it’s not a new album release, there’s always other stuff going on. And so it’s part of what I do. And I’m not sure how long it will go on.”

Jethro Tull released their 23rd and most recent studio album, RökFlöte, earlier this year. Prior to that, the band put out the album The Zealot Gene in 2022, marking their first album of original material in over 20 years.

“There has to be that point where you just recognise that you don’t have it in you anymore to do that stuff,” Anderson added. “But I can’t imagine what that would feel like. The idea that there’s nothing left; now I have to take up golf or go fishing or something — God help me. I would rather do somebody else’s laundry than take up golf.”

“My son-in-law is a big golfer,” Anderson said. “In fact, he’s coming for a takeaway curry this evening; I haven’t seen him for a few weeks. He’s a big golfer. He does charity golf events where he gets together with other people who you’ve probably never heard of who do these sort of charity golf events. He really loves his golf. Frankly, he’s always asking me to go and play golf with him, but I don’t play golf. It’s a nice thing for those people who enjoy it. It’s a very recreational and mildly physical sport, but for me it spells the end. I’m not ready for golf.”

Listen to ‘Aqualung’ below.