Jethro Tull
Ian Anderson: vocals, flute, guitar
b. 10 August 1947, Edinburgh, Scotland
Martin Barre: guitar
b. 17 November 1946
Glen Cornick: bass
b. 24 April 47, Barrow-in-Furness, England
Clive Bunker: drums
b. 12 December 46, Blackpool
 
1963
Anderson forms the Blades (blues band) in Blackpool, England
 
1967
December: Anderson and Cornick stay in London to look for club work after touring band (John Evans' Smash) breaks up. Towards the end of the month, they recruit new members to form a blues-based band.
 
1968
January. They play a number of gigs in and around London, often with dissatisfied customers. Their agent provided them with several names, changing the band's name in order to keep finding new gigs. Finally, he names them after 18th-century British agronomist-inventor. The name sticks when they start getting good reviews.
February. Agents Terry Ellis and Chris Wright (who will later form Chrysalis Records) obtain a contract with MGM.
March. "Sunshine Day" / "Aeroplane" (released as Jethro Toe) [MGM 1384] Produced by Derek Lawrence.
June. They gain an evening at the Marquee Club and use this as a rehearsal opportunity for music they will record.
29 June. They appear as a warm-up act to Pink Floyd for a Hyde Park concert.
August. They sign a contract with Island Records after performance at Sunbury Jazz and Blues Festival.
August. "Song for Jeffrey" / "One for John Gee" [Island WIP 6043]
October. This Was [Island ILP 985/ILPS 9085] (UK #10)
Anderson (liner notes, 2001): I pushed for the name This Was to make some kind of statement regarding the temporary nature of the band’s then musical style and in the hope that we might move on from the musically limiting blues-based tunes to incorporate the other influences which I was assimilating from various sources.
December: "Love Story" / "A Christmas Song" (UK #29) [Island WIP 6084]
 
1969
April: Barre replaces Mick Abrahams on guitar and the band begins developing a new style for their next album.
May: "Living in the Past" / "Driving Song" [Island WIP 6056] (UK #3)
July: Stand Up [Island] (UK #1)
October: "Sweet Dream" / "Seventeen" (UK #9)
 
1970
January: "The Witches Promise" / "Teacher" (UK #4)
John Evans joins on keyboards
April: Benefit
May: "Inside" / "Alive and Well and Living In"
June: Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond replaces Cornick on bass.
http://www.j-tull.com/
Something Old, Something New Schedule Old Pros
  13-apr-12