Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968-2001
Boasting back-to-back number one albums in the early 1970s in the United States, British band Jethro Tull was once one of the biggest rock groups in the world. Led by erudite flutist Ian Anderson, Tull has blazed a wholly original trail in the rock world for nearly 35 years. Longtime fan Nollen (The Boys) parlays his friendship with the band into an engaging biography that benefits from the participation of former and current band members. The bulk of the book is one long chapter divided into sections for each of the band's 31 albums. Nollen includes vital statistics (band members, song titles, U.K./U.S. chart position, etc.), rates each album on a one-to-five scale, and provides critical analysis of virtually every song. Quotes from interviews with band members are accompanied by quotes from Anderson's hired hands, which offer great insight into the band. Though Nollen's book is better written and more comprehensive than David Rees's Minstrels in the Gallery, its relatively narrow appeal and high price make it an optional purchase for popular music collections. Also available are Greg Russo's Flying Colours: The Jethro Tull Reference Manual and Barbara Espinoza's Driving in Diverse: A Collective Profile of Jethro Tull. Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.