For Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull’s 1971 album Aqualung holds a special place in his heart, with the title track being particularly significant. In a conversation with Classic Rock, Anderson opened up about the album’s creation and its monumental impact on the band’s journey. “I think we all knew instinctively that Aqualung was going to be an important album,” Anderson said, reflecting on the pivotal moment. “It would either be the next step up or it would be the beginning of a decline. I was sure that things were not just going to stay the same.”
Fifty years later, it’s clear that Aqualung marked the beginning of a new chapter in Jethro Tull’s history. Anderson has continued to include the iconic title track in the band’s live performances, a testament to its importance in the group’s legacy. He describes the track as “life-changing,” a pivotal moment that paved the way for further success and experimentation in the band’s future albums.
At the time of Aqualung’s release, Jethro Tull had already begun transitioning from their blues-folk roots to a more progressive folk style. The lineup was in flux, with Anderson’s departure from founding guitarist Mick Abrahams and the arrival of guitarist Martin Barre. Despite a rough start, the new partnership between Anderson and Barre eventually solidified into a defining creative force for the band. Additionally, Anderson made the controversial decision to fire bassist Glenn Cornick and replace him with Jeffrey Hammond, a longtime friend, who joined the band shortly before recording Aqualung.
Anderson recalled the unusual way he introduced Hammond to the band: “I remember giving him an early Christmas present of a Framus bass — wrapped up very badly — and a Vox AC30 amplifier,” Anderson laughs. “He said: ‘What am I going to do with this?’ I said: ‘You’re going to turn up at Basing Street Studio the day after tomorrow.’”
Despite the somewhat haphazard preparation, Aqualung was recorded without external guidance for the first time in Jethro Tull’s career. After three albums produced by Anderson and the band’s manager Terry Ellis, the group decided to go it alone. Anderson, wary of producers with a penchant for drugs, narrowed his choices down to only a few, ultimately deciding to take on the responsibility himself.
In a significant moment before recording Aqualung, Anderson sought advice from legendary producer George Martin. “I did actually go and see George Martin before we recorded Aqualung,” Anderson explained. “We talked about whether I should hire a producer or do it myself. George said — probably in the hope that I wouldn’t ask him to produce us — that I should go for it and do it on my own. So I did.”
Creating Aqualung was not without its struggles. One of the album’s standout tracks, “Locomotive Breath,” came to fruition after Anderson took control of a session that had initially failed to produce the desired results. Many of the tracks on the album, including “Cheap Day Return,” were also shaped by Anderson’s solo recording sessions, an approach that allowed him to exercise complete creative control.
Despite the challenges of recording in a converted church with poor acoustics, Anderson is proud of the final product. “There was this tension caused by the dissatisfaction with the studio, and I think we lost our nerve a bit,” he admitted. “I don’t think we played at our best.” However, he believes that the band had a wealth of good material to work with, including the title track, Aqualung.
“The tune’s signature guitar riff made an instantly recognizable calling card for the tune, which would lead off the album,” Anderson explained. “Like any good riff, it’s all to do with little clusters of notes that are instantly recognizable. But the chords that follow it are quite unusual. They’re more classical than rock.” He also pointed out that Aqualung was one of the few Jethro Tull songs without his signature flute, as the track featured more of a laid-back, acoustic guitar-driven sound. “People tend to think of the opening riff, but they’d be hard-pushed to hum much of the rest of it.”
Despite its more subdued sections, Aqualung became a defining moment in Jethro Tull’s career. Anderson has referred to the track as “the most life-changing piece of music” for him personally, as it provided the band with a platform to experiment with even more ambitious musical ideas. He credits the success of Aqualung as a key factor in the band’s continued evolution, saying it “afforded me the opportunity to release even more adventurous albums.”
Now, more than 50 years after its release, Aqualung remains an essential part of Jethro Tull’s live sets. Anderson is adamant that the song is not something the band would ever discard, acknowledging that without it, Jethro Tull may never have reached the heights they did. Additionally, Anderson credits his musical growth to his awareness of other guitarists, notably Eric Clapton, who helped him shift away from the electric guitar to a more diverse playing style that became crucial to the band’s sound.
As Jethro Tull continues to perform Aqualung and evolve, the legacy of the song remains a touchstone in both the band’s journey and Anderson’s personal musical growth.
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