Since the 1960s, British progressive rock band Jethro Tull has pushed the technical and compositional boundaries of rock music by infusing its musical output with traditions drawn from classical, folk, jazz, and world music. The release of Thick as a Brick (1972) and A Passion Play (1973) won the group legions of new followers and topped the Billboard charts in the United States, among the most unusual albums ever to do so. Tim Smolko explores the large-scale form, expansive instrumentation, and complex arrangements that characterize these two albums, each composed of one continuous song. Featuring insights from Ian Anderson and in-depth musical analysis, Smolko discusses the band's influence on popular culture and why many consider Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play to be two of the greatest concept albums in rock history.

Thick as a Brick is a story of desire and denial. It’s about friend-zoning someone, even when you wanna jump his bones. Because he calls you perfect, but you know he’s a threat to your heart. Tattoos, boyish charm, a million-dollar bank balance, and a faulty filter between his brain and his mouth? That’s romance author, Drew Katterman. Big boobs, tiny waist, wide hips, and a painful case of self-consciousness? That’s me, up-and-coming audiobook narrator, Zelda Gordon. Drew’s fans call him brilliant. His detractors call him a playboy. My reviewers call me talented. My enemies call me opportunistic. Drew? He calls me perfect. And I call him a threat to my heart because he’s flirtatious, fun, and rich. He also has a gorgeous girlfriend, and I want only a professional relationship with him to prove my detractors wrong. Right? So why do his sexy smile and kind words inspire ideas that have nothing to do with a microphone and a manuscript? My competitors may be wrong about me sleeping my way to success, but they’re correct about one thing: I’m in this business to succeed. Screwing with Drew Katterman can only break my heart and prove the competition right. NOTE: Thick as a Brick hits a two on the spice-o-meter, but the rest of the series is a hot level four. This means if you're offended by four-letter words and people enjoying sex, this isn't the series for you.

An intimate, yet thorough, look at one of Britain’s biggest ever bands

The year 1972 saw the release of Jethro Tull's iconic album, Thick As A Brick. A song spanning two whole sides of the LP with no gaps in between, Thick As A Brick was unusual even by so-called progressive rock standards at the time. Ironically, even though band leader Ian Anderson joked that the album was intended as "a bit of a spoof", it has gone on to be remembered as a masterpiece of the genre nearly fifty years later. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Thick As A Brick from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

Originally formed by singer-songwriter Ian Anderson in psychedelic 1968, the band Jethro Tull has been recording its own kind of rock and roll and touring the globe for more than three decades. This is a history of the band through the present, written by an acquaintance of several of its members. The book includes a chronology of all of the band's recordings and information on all accompanying tours, with the author's critiques as well as the band's own reminiscences and opinions of each album. Also included are previously unpublished interviews with founder Ian Anderson, long-time band member David Pegg, other band members Glenn Cornick, Andy Giddings and Doane Perry, and more.

Jethro Tull was one of the truly innovative rock bands to emerge from the late 1960s. At their peak the idiosyncratic group, fronted by multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, resembled a troupe of roving English minstrels. Crafting a signature progressive rock sound that resisted easy categorization, they were often derided by critics as too British, too eccentric, too theatrical. Over the span of a decade, Tull released a string of sublime albums featuring intricate compositions in a wide range of musical styles, with little regard for the showbiz maxim "give the public what it wants." Focusing on the years 1968-1980, this history includes insider accounts based on exclusive interviews with key members and rare photographs from Ian Anderson's personal collection.

For Jethro Tull, 1975 would prove to be a fascinating year. With Aqualung and Thick As A Brick behind them, and with A Passion Play and War Child having been met with a mixed critical reception, their next album, Minstrel In The Gallery is the product of a band who kept on going and who weren't afraid to explore. Minstrel In The Gallery is abundant in innovative musical ideas and insightful lyrics. Recorded in sunny Monte Carlo and described by Sounds as "a pleasant surprise", the album is a fascinating combination of acoustic and heavy rock teamed with a strings section, and of course, flute. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Minstrel In The Gallery from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today.

For the first time, Jethro Tull founder, singer, songwriter and photographer Ian Anderson has gathered together the complete lyrics from all of the Tull and solo albums in one volume. This hardback book is illustrated throughout with new, original and previously unpublished photographs taken by Ian to accompany certain lyrics. Ian has combed through everything from This Was in 1968 to unreleased 2021 songs, taking in all of his solo albums and tracks released only on box sets and compilations, to collate more than 300 song lyrics. After listening to original masters, checking notebooks and song sheets, Ian is confident that this book represents the complete, collected lyrics of his more than six decade-long career.

Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are concise, lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, history, and more. This pocket-sized reference book looks at this legendary rock band and analyzes its place in music history. Looking at each and every Jethro Tull album from a comprehensive perspective, as well as including concert trivia and biographical information and a look at the solo careers of band members past and present, this book for both the casual and hard-core fan offers insights that will enhance one's listening pleasure.

The concept album is one of popular music's most celebrated-and misunderstood-achievements. This book examines the untold history of the rock concept album, from The Beatles to Beyoncé. The roots of the concept album are nearly as old as the long-playing record itself, as recording artists began using the format to transcend a mere collection of songs into a listening experience that takes the listener on a journey through its unifying mood, theme, narrative, or underlying idea. Along the way, artists as varied as the Moody Blues, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Parliament, Donna Summer, Iron Maiden, Radiohead, The Notorious B.I.G., Green Day, Janelle Monáe, and Kendrick Lamar created albums that form an extended conversation of art and music. Limits were pushed as the format grew over the subsequent eras. Seminal albums like the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Who's Tommy, Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, stand alongside modern classics like Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville, Kendrick Lamar's good kid, "m.A.A.d city," and Beyoncé's Lemonade. Mixing iconic albums with some newer and lesser-known works makes for a book that ventures into the many sides of a history that has yet to be told-until now.