Although for several years Tull were probably my favourite band, I can't say I'm particularly sorry to hear this news. As a band, they'd stopped making new music around a decade and a half ago and to be frank, nothing they released from the late seventies onwards has endured, an opinion which Anderson himself seems to acknowledge in this article. I walked out of their Newcastle City Hall gig after half an hour the last time they toured, so bored was I by the cold, heavy metal approach to their great early songs and by Anderson's by then clearly shot vocals.
As far as the Tull catalogue is concerned, the earlier the better applies for me. I'm more likely to reach for their near-faultless first four albums when I get the itch - which, happily, I still do - to hear some Jethro Tull. The quality remains throughout the 70's albums but there's a notable dive in Anderson's songwriting and delivery from 'Stormwatch' onwards, the odd decent track excepted.
That said, I'm curious to hear Anderson's latest stuff. Stuart Maconie premiered his new single on Freakzone the other week and it sounded quite good. Maybe not having to write with other musicians' techniques in mind may be a good thing…though I'm not holding my breath for another 'Benefit'. Sigh.
(Of greater concern to me than whether or not Tull exist as a band is the wellbeing of their first - and greatest - guitarist. Mick Abrahams has endured some tortuously poor health in recent years and it seems doubtful that he'll perform again: a great, great shame. He's a fabulous musician and an all-round good guy. And he lives near you, Mick: if you see him, give him my best!)
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