Jethro Tull - This Was (1968)

Pink Floyd gave the highlight performance for the first ever concert held at Hyde Park in London. The 1968 ticket also boasted three other young, talented bands of the time: Traffic, Fleetwood Mac, and Jethro Tull.

Jethro Tull officially formed in 1967, but Ian Anderson, the band's visionary, was active in Blackpudlian rhythm and blues bands since 1962 such as The Blades and The John Evan Band. These bands covered Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Wilson Pickett in their live sets, which they infused with a rough, edgy Rock. They also featured several artists that would later become members of Tull, but they remained in Blackpool when Anderson moved to London in search of more gigs.

Ian Anderson joined forces with Mick Abrahams to form Jethro Tull. Anderson played the flute (which he had recently picked up, forsaking his guitar), harmonica, and the piano. Abrahams added his skills on the guitar. The two shared the vocals. Clive Bunker on drums and Glenn Cornick on bass rounded out the group. From the influence brought on board by Mick Abrahams, Jethro Tull's style reflected a unique mix between blues-rock and jazz.

It took a while for the band to gain momentum, but they were eventually signed by the Ellis-Wright Agency. They released their first single "Sunshine Day" in February 1968. Their debut album This Was was released later that year on Island Records and was a strong showing of their style at the time. Although it was a relatively successful debut, Anderson and Abrahams would eventually clash on artistic differences. Abrahams felt the band was falling away from its blues-rock/jazz roots while Anderson wanted to push the band into the burgeoning progressive scene. "Love Story" would be the last single featuring Abrahams in the line-up.

Here is the discography surrounding Jethro Tull's debut album:

Live '66 (live 1966 recording as The John Evan Band)
Sunshine Day (1968 single)
A Song for Jeffrey (1968 single)
This Was
Love Story (1968 single)



If you have any suggestions for where the Musical History Tour should go next, give a shout. I'm open to anything as long as it follows an artist's chronological release history.