News

Jethro Tull vocalist Ian Anderson discussed the physical challenges of singing at an older age in a new interview, but, in doing so, managed to belittle Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger as “a shouter.” He also offered up a somewhat callous comment about Phil Collins, Billy Joel, and Ozzy Osbourne (although it should be noted that the interview was conducted shortly before Ozzy passed away).

Back in 2020, Anderson revealed he was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd), and reasoned that his “days as a singer are numbered.” However, he has continued to perform since then, and is in the midst of a European tour with Jethro Tull, with dates scheduled well into 2026.

In a video conversation with Now Spinning Magazine (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), Anderson talked about the physical demands of singing and playing the flute at age 77, remarking, “It depends what you do. You can be physically animated,...

The Sword have announced a pair of reunion gigs, as the Texas stoner rock heroes appear to be back for good.

Following their appearance at the Levitation festival in Austin in 2024, as well as a few recent winter shows in Austin, Baton Rouge, and Houston, The Sword will return to the stage on April 10th at the Granada Theater in Dallas, as well as the following night, April 11th, at Paper Tiger in San Antonio. Tickets are on-sale Friday (February 7th) at 10 a.m. local time via local ticket outlets.

Get The Sword Tickets Here

The 2025 gigs align with the 15th anniversary of 2010’s Warp Riders, a modern stoner-rock classic, and come roughly three years after The Sword called it quits in 2022.

In a new interview with Revolver, singer-guitarist Jd Cronise compared the reunion to “putting on a comfortable pair of sneakers,” and revealed that the band has “lots more...

Although Hank Hill may prefer the musical stylings of Willie Nelson and Jethro Tull, he has emerged as an unsung hero of a campy pop subgenre, his now-iconic outburst at a Cigarenders meeting serving as the inspiration for hyperpop duo 100 gecs’ single, “money machine,” now at 110 million listens on Spotify and counting.

Hank’s road to hyperpop stardom was born at roughly the same time as many of the genre’s Gen Z fans — in 1997. Attending a stop-smoking support group alongside his wife Peggy and his son Bobby during Season One’s “Keeping Up with Our Joneses,” a cranky, nicotine-deprived Hank didn’t mince words when the meeting’s host dared to question his willpower.

“You’re callin’ me weak?” he snapped. “Look at your little birdy arms, they’re no thicker than a cigarette! I could smoke them little arms!”

If this refrain sounds familiar, you’re not huffing...

Jethro Tull have announced their 24th studio album, titled Curious Ruminant. Ahead of its March 7th release, the legendary progressive rock band has unleashed the title track.

After a near 20-year gap between albums, Curious Ruminant is Jethro Tull’s third LP in the past few years, following 2022’s The Zealot Gene and 2023’s RökFlöte.

Curious Ruminant contains nine tracks, with the shortest being the album closer “Interim Sleep” at two-and-a-half minutes, and the longest being “Drink From the Same Well” at nearly 17 minutes.

Joining singer-flautist Ian Anderson on this album are current Jethro Tull members David Goodier (bass), John O’Hara, Scott Hammond (drums) and new guitarist Jack Clark. Also appearing on Curious Ruminant are the band’s former keyboardist Andrew Giddings and guest drummer James Duncan.

The album is available for pre-order in various formats, including a super deluxe edition featuring clear vinyl and an accompanying artbook. Pre-orders are available here.

As fans are well aware, a number of famous rock stars contributed to Monty Python projects — Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd all helped to finance Monty Python and the Holy Grail, George Harrison mortgaged his home to pay for Life of Brian and, more recently, Mick Jagger introduced the troupe’s reunion show press conference while implicitly poking fun at his own career.

Despite this cozy relationship, few musicians took any direct artistic inspiration from the sketch comedians — although Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson did name-check Monty Python while attempting to explain the album Thick as a Brick.

But in 1988, one of the biggest rock supergroups in music history, The Traveling Wilburys, included more than one shout-out to the Pythons in their debut album.

The group’s stacked lineup included George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne and the legendary Roy Orbison. According to Orbison’s son,...

André 3000 has a request: Please stop calling his latest project a “flute album.”

On New Blue Sun, the rap genius does indeed play a number of woodwind instruments, but the eight-track ambient jazz set also features bells, chimes, keyboards, cymbals, piano, drums, sintir, a gong and a wind controller.

“The media has touted it as this flute album and I think it’s a misrepresentation of the album. It’s way more than a flute album. They belittle it by calling it a flute album because there are actual flutists that have made flute albums, like Jethro Tull and Paul Horn,” 3000 tells THR. “I think it could be a turnoff to some people if they think, ‘Yo, he’s just in a room playing this flute.'”

While the media may have tried to put the project in a box, the Grammys are singing its praises. New Blue Sun...

From Jimi Hendrix to Foo Fighters, the Coda Collection brings music legends to your screen.

Get ready to dance to the beat of your own drum. If you’re a music fan looking to fully immerse yourself in musical experiences, then the streaming service, The Coda Collection, could be a great add to your streaming line-up. The Coda Collection is a dream come true for music lovers looking for a deeper connection to their favorite artists and performances. Packed with a curated collection of music documentaries, concert films, and exclusive content, this niche streaming channel goes beyond the bright lights of the stage to explore the stories and artistry behind the music. Whether you’re a fan of rock, jazz, blues, or beyond, The Coda Collection offers a front-row seat to some of the most memorable moments in music history. Here’s everything you need to know about The Coda Collection.

Opeth have released their new album, The Last Will and Testament, with a spotlight on the track “§4” featuring legendary Jethro Tull singer-flautist Ian Anderson.

Anderson contributes spoken word and flute playing to the seven-minute song, which takes listeners on a wild musical journey.

“‘§4’ is an oddball song, just written by instinct,” said Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt in a press release. “I’m not a clever guy when it comes to writing music. People call us ‘thinking man’s metal,’ I think that’s laughable. I listen to music from so many different genres, it’s impossible to me to stick to one genre.”

He continued, “We ended up with a flute solo by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, which was kind of an accident in a way, because I asked him to do a narration, not flute. As he was doing the spoken word bits, he asked me ‘do you need a flute solo?...

Universal-owned animation studio Illumination surprised fans with a Halloween special based on its popular Sing franchise. The special, Sing: Thriller, was released on Netflix this Wednesday and announced the day before.

The 11-minute short sees the cast and characters reenact scenes from the music video for the famous 1983 Michael Jackson song “Thriller.” Many of the actors, such as Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Nick Kroll, Taron Egerton, and Tori Kelly, return for the special. Garth Jennings, director of the first two films, also returns to direct and voice the character Ms. Crawly.

So is Sing: Thriller full of spooky songs and terrifying tunes? Let’s find out.

The special begins with the theater troop performing a play at the theater. We see many cameos in the crowd, including a surprise return of fan-favorite Mike the Mouse from the first Sing movie, who was originally voiced by Seth McFarlane. They put...

To celebrate the Fourth of July, Classic Vinyl (Ch. 26) is counting down the mega-titles from the First Generation of Classic Rock — according to you, our listeners!

Classic Vinyl4th of July 400 CountdownListen on the App

Listen on the App

Your votes have been tallied, and now it’s time to listen to the results. Stream the full countdown on the SiriusXM app, or hear it on-air throughout the long Fourth of July weekend.

Directions: Since freedom to cast your vote is an integral part of Independence Day, that’s what we need! Select your 25 favorite songs from the list below. It’s a randomized list so every voter will see it differently. You may vote once between now and June 30 at 11:59pm Et.

Can’t see the poll? Click here to vote.

Biggest and best titles from the First Generation of Classic Rock

These are the possible song choices...

It’s been a few years since Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter first announced The Abandons, but the Western series has finally started shooting. Netflix announced the start of production of the first season of The Abandons in Calgary, with an official cast photo seen above.

The official logline for The Abandons reads: “As a group of diverse, outlier families pursue their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, ‘justice’ is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law. The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets, as this family fights to keep their land.“

“I...

Looking back, 1974 was a groundbreaking year for new musical releases. To re-create some of the magic that year brought, Classic Vinyl (Ch. 26) is counting down the top “50 Albums Turning 50” — as voted by you, our listeners!

50 Albums Turning 50Stream the full countdown nowListen on the App

Listen on the App

The “50 Albums Turning 50” countdown premieres on Classic Vinyl (Ch. 26) on May 24 at 3pm Et.

Stream it anytime, anywhere, on the SiriusXM app.

Directions: Vote once for up to 20 of your favorite albums in the poll below before 11:59pm Et on May 20, 2024.

Can’t see the poll? Click here to vote.

Albums from 1974 you voted on

These are the possible album choices for this year’s “50 Albums Turning 50” countdown:

Aerosmith – Get Your Wings

America – Holiday

April Wine – Live!

Argent – Encore: Live in Concert

Bachman–Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile

Bad Company – Bad Company

Bill Wyman – Monkey Grip

Billy Joel – Streetlife Serenade

Blue...

Mary Timony wants the summer to never end. On Monday, the former Helium guitarist released “Summer,” the newest single from her album Untame the Tiger, out Feb. 23.

“I wanted it to be a guitar stomper kind of in the vein of The Kinks, Jethro Tull or Elf and have simultaneous guitar solos at the end,” Timony said in a press release. “I’m excited to play this one live.”

Timony will tour starting at the end of February, making stops across the country for shows in cities such as Minneapolis,...

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues are iconic comedic movies that remain cult classics today. The franchise launched the careers of actors like Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, and solidified Will Ferrell's role as Ron Burgundy as his seminal role. Memorable moments from the movies include Ron's chaotic jazz flute solo, the News Team's struggle with a thick Australian accent, and Ron's hilarious misunderstanding of a psychologist's role.

Both Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues feature some iconic moments, most of which are remembered for comedic reasons. The first Anchorman was one of the most quotable movies of the 00s and remains a cult classic today. The second movie followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, and although not quite as revered as the first, still serves very well as a natural sequel. The...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Doctor Who's "The Star Beast."

Doctor Who's first 60th-anniversary special includes unique acknowledgments in its credits, with comic book legend Dave Gibbons, known for his work on Watchmen, being one of the contributors. Dave Gibbons was the lead artist for Doctor Who Weekly/Monthly in the late-1970s to early-1980s, and "The Star Beast" comic, on which the special is based, was one of his creations. Apart from Watchmen and Doctor Who, Gibbons has worked on iconic comic series like Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, and Daredevil.

Doctor Who’s first 60th-anniversary special has a strange connection to a legendary Watchmen comic legend, but his credit on the episode is definitely earned. First airing in 1963, the British sci-fi series Doctor Who has become a titan of television, with its popularity soaring after its revival in 2005. In celebration of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary,...

Last week, the news that André 3000 would be releasing an album of instrumental flute jams was greeted with enough head-scratching to draw blood. But don’t tell that to Jake Fridkis, who plays principal flute with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. If you’ve heard DJ Khaled and Drake’s “No Secret” or Roddy Rich and Ty Dolla Sign’s “llf,” among others, you’ve heard his instrument, which was woven into the fabric of those tracks. “It’s now hit the point where people are saying, ‘Flute is the new instrument in rap,...

After nearly two decades, Andre 3000 is releasing a new album — made up entirely of flute music. So, on Thursday night’s episode of “The Daily Show,” Leslie Jones lost her mind a bit.

The former member of OutKast announced the news on Tuesday, describing the project — titled “New Blue Sun” — as “an entirely instrumental album centered around woodwinds; a celebratory piece of work in the form of a living, breathing, aural organism.” It even came with some video footage of Andre playing one of his flutes, which “The Daily Show” made sure to use.

“Oh, you know what? This is a beautiful, fascinating experiment in — ” Jordan Klepper began, before Jones cut him off (the two tag-teamed the headlines segment of the show on Thursday).

“No!” Jones screamed. “No it is not! I gotta say something Jordan; this man is one of the greatest rappers of all time. We have...

The physical version of Baldur’s Gate 3 will come on two discs for PS5 and three for the Xbox Series X/S, and it’s looking very deluxe indeed. More here:

Larian Studios has revealed a physical version of its smash-hit RPG Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Deluxe Edition will ship with the game on two discs for the PS5, and on three discs for the Xbox Series X/S. The PC version, meanwhile, doesn’t have the game on the disc: instead it ships with a single DVD that contains an app for downloading the game from Steam.

There are all sorts of other extras included with the Deluxe Edition, too, which retails at $79.99/€79.99. There’s a game soundtrack on three CDs, a double-sided map, stickers, patches and a poster of a mind flayer, but best of all is the box artwork. It’s styled after the...

The 2024 Grammy Awards nominees were announced Friday morning (November 10th), and Metallica lead the way among metal acts with three nods.

In the Best Metal Performance category, Metallica’s “72 Seasons” will compete against Disturbed’s “Bad Man,” Ghost’s cover of Iron Maiden’s “Phantom of the Opera,” Slipknot’s “Hive Mind,” and Spiritbox’s “Jaded.”

Metallica’s 72 Seasons LP is up against Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are, Greta Van Fleet’s Starcatcher, Paramore’s This Is Why, and Queens of the Stone Age’s In Time New Roman… in the Best Rock Album category.

And in the Best Performance Song field, Metallica’s “Lux Æterna” will vie with tunes by Arctic Monkeys (“Sculptures of Anything Goes”), Black Pumas (“More Than a Love Song”), boygenius (“Not Strong Enough”), and Foo Fighters (“Rescued”).

The only rock category Metallica won’t compete in is Best Rock Song, where the nods went...

There’s no more appropriate reason to put Monty Python and the Holy Grail back in theaters than the celebration of a comically off-year anniversary. That is exactly what’ll happen this December, when the 1975 comedy classic returns to the big screen to celebrate its 48th-and-a-half anniversary.

The film will screen in select theaters across the country on Dec. 3, with additional showings scheduled for Dec. 6. For those who simply cannot help themselves, select theaters will be showing a special “Quote-a-Long” version of the film, while offering a safe space for...

The David Bowie World Fan Convention brought the artists who worked with David Bowie to the audience who grew alongside his mythical output. Prior to the festivities, singer, fashion model, and actor Ava Cherry discussed the profound influences she brought to the singer-songwriter. Cherry was also quite open about how Bowie attempted to return the gestures, if not always the clothes he borrowed.

After Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars finished their mission, and just prior to recording Diamond Dogs, Bowie put together a trio he hoped would take off on their own orbits: Ava and the Astronettes. Front and center was his girlfriend, Ava Cherry.

After hearing Cherry harmonize with the top soul voices at an afterparty for Stevie Wonder’s Carnegie Hall concert, Bowie recruited Ava to go on the road to end the Ziggy Stardust tour in Japan. “David said ‘You’re a singer?’” Cherry tells Den of Geek.

In the summer of 1989, Paul McCartney hit the road for the first time as a solo artist. The Wings tours of the Seventies had featured only a smattering of Beatles songs, but this time around he was going to play nearly 20 a night. Pulling this off would require a guitarist who was capable of re-creating some very famous parts originally played by George Harrison and John Lennon. McCartney had his choice of big-name players for the job, but he went with Robbie McIntosh.

“That tour was the high point of my life,...

Progressive rock legends Jethro Tull have announced “The Seven Decades” in support of their new album RökFlöte.

The band’s 2023 US tour dates kick off August 18th in Highland Park, Illinois, and are scattered across the subsequent months before wrapping up November 4th in Albany, New York.

A Live Nation ticket pre-sale starts Thursday (April 20th) at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster using the code Vinyl. General ticket sales begin Friday (April 21st) at 10 a.m. local time. For preferred seats or sold-out shows, you can also pick up tickets via StubHub, where your purchase is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s Fan Protect program.

The tour announcement comes just in time for the release of Jethro Tull’s 23rd studio album, RökFlöte, on Friday (April 21st). The album’s title translates to “rock flute” — an ode to frontman Ian Anderson’s instrument of choice

The band recently released the LP...

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted is reuniting his eponymous metal band, Newsted, for their first show in 10 years. The metal act will make its return on May 20th at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The gig will bring Jason back together with original members Jesus Mendez Jr. (drums) and Jessie Farnsworth (guitar). New guitarist Humberto Perez replaces Mike Mushok, who has a busy year ahead with his main band Staind.

Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday (April 21st) at 10 a.m. Et via Ticketmaster. If the concert sells out, fans can check StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program.

Newsted only lasted a couple of years in their first incarnation. In 2013, they released an EP titled Metal and a full-length LP titled Heavy Metal Music, both well received by critics and fans. However, Jason abruptly ended the band in 2014, and largely remained out...

When guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani started imagining a recording career for himself based around instrumental compositions, he knew it could be possible — thanks in large part to the fact that the late Jeff Beck had scored hit albums (Blow by Blow, Wired) without the help of a singer a decade earlier. Satriani, who also replaced Beck on Mick Jagger’s 1988 solo tour, shared his thoughts on Beck’s legacy in a new interview on our Rolling Stone Music Now podcast. Here’s his tribute in his own words:

When I started playing,...

Kurt Sutter has got the green light for his outlaw western series The Abandons.

The streamer has handed the Sons of Anarchy a ten-part series order for his period action drama, which was first revealed by Deadline a year ago.

The series, which will see Sutter serve as showrunner and exec producer via his SutterInk banner, is set in the Old West.

It follows a group of diverse, outlier families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon when a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out.

These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, “justice” is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law. The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets,...

I lost my mind during the plague year. The fact that my country also lost its mind was of little comfort.

Maybe you lost your mind too. There were so many opportunities. Maybe you were hiding from an invisible virus in an oppressive New York apartment, listening to the sirens all night long. In the morning you went for a bike ride through vacant streets and came across a hospital where they were stacking bodies like cordwood. Or maybe you were sheltering-in-place in a small town, Zooming and doom-scrolling into the abyss,...

In addition to a massive 50th anniversary tour and lengthy compilation, Jethro Tull announced their first official book. The Ballad of Jethro Tull — a lavishly illustrated history of the band — is set for release in November.

In an informative video from Ian Anderson, the frontman details the book and its two versions. “You’ll see there’s a choice of two editions of the book, one of which comes with a seven-inch vinyl record of me reading a specially written poem called ‘The Ballad of Jethro Tull,'” he says while gripping his signature flute.

"Rock Band" will come to the iPhone, and EA wants it there by the end of October. After teasing its release yesterday, EA Mobile posted a complete track list and gameplay details this afternoon, along with The Beastie Boys, AFI, Blink-182 and Pixies songs. Including guitar, bass, drums and vocals parts, the App Store release will use the iPhone and iPod touch's Bluetooth capability for up to four-member multiplayer sessions. More details and the track list appear after the jump.

"Rock Band is coming to iPhone/iPod touch this month," EA Mobile announced on its Twitter account. That reveal was followed by a batch of screenshots for the game, which also promises access to a an in-game music store.

"Check out the in-game Music Store to purchase additional tracks from Ok Go, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Lenny Kravitz, Social Distortion, Devo, and more," the release on EA Mobile's Facebook page reads.

By Richard Stellar

There was a song, I think in the ‘80s, called “Farm on a Freeway,” by Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson. It was a bittersweet rocker, the lament of a poor American farmer who allowed his family's heritage to be bulldozed over to make way for a ribbon of concrete.

"They say they gave me compensation …

That's not what I'm chasing. I was a rich man before yesterday.

Now all I have left is a broken-down pickup truck.

Looks like my farm is a freeway."

I thought it so appropriate to the corporate mindspeak that is regurgitated...

No one remembers who wins at the Grammy Awards — besides the people who win and lose — unless the awards are hilariously wrong, like they often are. (Did you know this year's ceremony marks the 20th anniversary of Jethro Tull beating Metallica in the metal category? When Metallica was at its peak?)

What people do remember are incredible performances, like Prince and Beyonce's in 2004, and Kanye West's last year. Here's a list of some of this year's major performers. (Click here for a full list of nominees, watch the awards at 8 pm/Et Sunday on CBS, and follow us on Twitter.)

Read More >...

We know the Grammy Awards almost always get it wrong, but sometimes they get it really, really wrong. Not counting psych-prog folkers Jethro Tull edging out Metallica for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental in 1989 (a choice disqualified from this round-up, lest it make the other misfires seem like spot-on hits in comparison) here are a few more of the most egregious Grammy shafts. Know of any we missed? Don't think any of these are too bad, actually? Slug it out in the comments.

Nominations for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards were announced this morning, with several Fangoria Musick favorites revealed as contenders.

Rob Zombie picked up a "Best Hard Rock Performance" nom for "Lords of Salem" from last years "Zombie Live" set; while the soundtrack for Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street picked up a nom for best complilation soundtrack, joining The Dark Knight which is up for best original score. Slipknot picked up their 7th nomination for "Psychosocial" off of their recent self-titled release, joining Roadrunner labelmates Dragonforce, along with Metallica (no Jethro Tull this year?), Judas Priest, and Ministry in the running for "Best Metal Performance".

The awards show will be held on February 8, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

By Michael Atkinson

Like a missing-link hominid stepping out of the jungle, famous photographer William Klein emerges on 21st century DVD as the great bullgoose Art Film-era satirist we never knew we had. Hallowed for his still images and his documentaries, the Paris-based Klein also made three furiously hostile lampoons that were nominally released, ignored and then forgotten. Until now, you could only find "Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?" (1966), "Mr. Freedom" (1969) and "The Model Couple" (1977) in scruffy bootlegs from pro-am vendors like Pimpadelic Wonderland . and given the movies' paucity of reputation, you would've had little reason to do so. A busy '60s shutterbug for the French Vogue, Klein more or less fell in with the Left Bank New Wavers (Resnais, Demy, Marker, Varda) and the Panic Movement (Fernando Arrabal and Roland Topor both show up in "Polly Maggoo"). But his perspective was New Yawk pugilistic, his humor was mercilessly...