Jethro Tull might hold the unwelcome distinction of being the best band not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (a contested title, to be sure). I thought they’d be a no-brainer on the strength of 1971’s “Aqualung” alone, though perhaps voters aren’t all that fond of prog rock that rages against religious hypocrisy, no matter how much hard-rock ass it kicks. In Ian Anderson’s defense, he was all of 23 when he wrote the album. “Hymn 43,” he said at the time, “is a blues for Jesus, about the gory, glory seekers who use his name as an excuse for a lot of unsavoury things.”
This video pairs live footage with the LP audio. The sound is pretty crappy, but it’s a good approximation of how this went down in concert and demonstrates why Ian Anderson was considered one of the Wild Men of Rock.
