Singer and flutist (He plays many more instruments) Ian Anderson is celebrating his birthday today !!!
(Photo: Wordpress)
Let's celebrate his birthday with 25 interesting facts:
1. He was born in Edinburgh Scotland on 10 August 1947 as Ian Scott Anderson.
2. In 1959 he moved with his family to the city of Blackpool in the northwest of England.
3. In 1963 he formed his first band - the blues band called "The Blades", together with his classmates Barriemore Barlow (drums), John Evan (keyboards), Jeffrey Hammond (bass guitar) Michael Stephens (guitar). Anderson sang and played the harmonica.
4. By 1964 the band already had six members, and was renamed "John Evan Smash".
5. In 1967 the band moved to the city of Luton, but did not last and disbanded.
6. In Luton, Anderson met drummer Clive Bunker and guitarist Mick Abrahams. Together with bassist Glenn Cornick, whom Anderson knew through John Evan, the first lineup of the band "Jethro Tull" was formed.
7. At this point Anderson abandoned his desire to play the guitar because he thought he could not be as good as Eric Clapton.
8. He replaced the electric guitar with a side flute, and began playing it even in non-traditional styles like rock and blues.
(Photo: courtesy of Chipster PR)
9. When "This Was" - Jethro Tull's debut album came out in 1968, it was only a few months after Ian started playing the side flute.
10. Anderson later taught himself to play many other instruments, such as saxophone, mandolin, bouzouki, keyboards, balalaika, and a variety of whistles.
11. In 1968 he performed with his band on the show "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus". The one who played guitar on that show was none other than Tony Iommi from "Black Sabbath".
12. Anderson and the band's big break came with the album "Aqualung" from 1971, which is considered the band's most successful album and in the eyes of many also its best.
13. The materials on the album were influenced by homeless photographs taken by Ian Anderson's wife near the Thames.
14. Also the album cover which many thought to be a cartoon character of Anderson (and it's not), corresponds with the same photographed subjects.
15. A year later, Anderson released with the band what is considered its creative peak - the concept album "Thick as a Brick".
16. To date, Anderson has released no less than 21 studio albums, 4 EPs, and 9 live albums under the "Jethro Tull" brand.
17. In addition, as part of his solo career, Anderson has released 6 albums, including the masterpiece follow-up album to "Thick as a Brick" which was released in 2012.
18. In 1988 he co-won with "Jethro Tull" the title of "the best hard rock/metal" act at the MTV Awards, for the album "Crest of a Knave", bypassing Metallica with "...And Justice For All". This win caused a kind of storm. Even Anderson himself joked about it when he noted that the members of "Jethro Tull" probably play a very strong mandolin.
19. His daughter Gail works in the film industry and is married to actor Andrew Lincoln, the star of the series "The Walking Dead".
(Photo: Loudersound.com)
20. Anderson is the leader and lead writer of "Jethro Tull" and is also the only permanent member in it.
21. Ian has also been featured on albums by bands such as "Blackmore's Night" and "Renaissance".
22. Anderson's works combine a variety of musical styles including progressive rock, folk, blues, psychedelia, and hard rock.
23. His works have also influenced a very wide range of artists such as: Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Eddie Vedder, John Myung, Joe Bonamassa, Geddy Lee, and more. He even invited Bruce Dickinson to a very special show.
24. Anderson is also a successful businessman, and owns a salmon fish farm and marketing company, valued at about £ 10.7 million.
25. In an exciting interview with Dan Rader on AXS TV, Ian said that he suffers from incurable lung disease and that his days as a singer are few.