Editing Jethro Tull (band) (section)

===Progressive rock (1971–1976)===

Drummer Clive Bunker quit the group in May 1971,{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=80}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jethrotull.com/the-attic/past-band-members-and-guests/clive-bunker/ |title=Clive Bunker&nbsp;– The Official Jethro Tull Website |publisher=J-tull.com |date=12 December 1946 |access-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> citing heavy touring schedules and his wish to spend more time with his family. Bunker was replaced by [[Barriemore Barlow|Barrie Barlow]], whom Anderson renamed "Barriemore". Barlow's first recording with the band was for the five-track EP ''Life Is a Long Song''.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=80}} Except for Barre, the line-up of Jethro Tull now consisted entirely of former members of the John Evan Band from Blackpool.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=80}} In July 1971, Jethro Tull relocated to Switzerland to avoid increasingly strict UK tax laws and became [[tax exile]]s. The move put strain on Anderson's marriage to his first wife, which lasted for another year before they divorced.{{sfn|Benson|2002|p=31}}

Anderson became annoyed with music critics who described ''Aqualung'' as a [[concept album]], which he had not intended it to be. "I always said at the time, this is not a concept album. It's an album of varied songs ... in which three or four are kind of the keynote pieces for the album, but [that] doesn't make it a concept album."<ref>Banter track that accompanies the 2005 ''Aqualung Live'' album recorded for [[XM Satellite Radio]]</ref> He decided to "come up with something that really is the mother of all concept albums" in response.{{sfn|Rees|1998|p=48}} Influenced by the style of [[Monty Python]], he wrote a suite that combined complex musical ideas with offbeat humour and made fun of the band, its audience and its critics.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|pp=84,85}} This album, released in 1972 as ''[[Thick as a Brick]]'', consisted of a single continuous piece of music running for 43 minutes, spread over two sides of vinyl, an uncommon format for rock albums.{{sfn|Smith|1997|p=113}} It was written and recorded in stages, the whole band helping with arrangements,{{sfn|Nollen|2002|p=83}} and was co-credited to a fictional schoolboy, Gerald Bostock.{{sfn|Rees|1998|p=48}} ''Thick as a Brick'' became the first Tull album to reach number one on the (US) ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=82}} The following year's ''[[A Passion Play]]'' was the only other album by the band to do so.<ref>{{AllMusic |class=album|id=r10373|tab=charts-awards|label=Billboard chart info ''A Passion Play''|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Jethro-Tull-cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Ian Anderson and Martin Barre of Jethro Tull in Chicago, 1973]]

''[[Living in the Past (album)|Living in the Past]]'' was also released in 1972; it is a double-[[compilation album|album compilation]] of remixed singles, [[B-side]]s and outtakes, including the entirety of the ''Life Is a Long Song'' EP, which closed the album.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=87}} The third side was recorded live at New York's [[Carnegie Hall]] on 4 November 1970.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=67}} The album was a success and allowed new fans to catch up with the band's early singles, particularly in the US where they had not been popular on initial release.{{sfn|Rabey|2013|p=87}} ''[[New Musical Express]]'' called Jethro Tull one of "Britain's most important and successful 2nd generation progressive bands".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tullpress.com/nme1jul72.htm|title=Jethro Tull Press: NME, 1 July 1972|website=Tullpress.com|access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref>

In the summer of 1972, the band attempted to record a double album at [[Château d'Hérouville]] studios in France, which [[the Rolling Stones]] and [[Elton John]], among others, were also using at the time, but they were  not happy with the studio and abandoned the project, subsequently referring to it as the "Chateau d'Isaster". They returned to England where in early 1973 they recorded and released ''A Passion Play'', another single-track concept album, with allegorical lyrics focusing on the afterlife and, like ''Thick as a Brick'', containing unusual instrumentation. The album also featured an eccentric interlude, "The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles", co-written by Anderson, Evan and bassist Hammond and narrated by Hammond.  ''A Passion Play'' sold well but received poor reviews, including a particularly damning review of a live performance from [[Chris Welch]] of ''[[Melody Maker]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tullpress.com/mm30jun73.htm |title=Melody Maker, 30 June, 1973 |access-date=19 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807062904/http://www.tullpress.com/mm30jun73.htm |archive-date=7 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the negative reaction to the album, Anderson angrily shut himself away from all communication with the press.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stump |first=Paul |title=The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock |date=1997 |publisher=Quartet Books Limited |isbn=0-7043-8036-6 |page=168}}</ref>

While the band's popularity with critics began to wane, their popularity with the record-buying public remained strong, as was seen by the high sales figures of their follow-up album, 1974's ''[[War Child (album)|War Child]]''. Originally intended for the soundtrack of a film,<ref>{{cite book |last=Stump |first=Paul |title=The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock |date=1997 |publisher=Quartet Books Limited |isbn=0-7043-8036-6 |page=211}}</ref> ''War Child'' reached number two on the US [[Billboard charts]], was given critical acclaim and produced two singles, "[[Bungle in the Jungle]]" (#12 on the US singles chart) and "[[Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day]]". It also included a short [[Acoustic music|acoustic song]] with satirical lyrics, "Only Solitaire", which was believed to have been aimed at ''L.A. Times'' rock music critic [[Robert Hilburn]], who had written a harsh review of ''A Passion Play'' concerts at the [[Santa Monica Civic Auditorium]]. Anderson said later that the song was written before Hilburn's review and was aimed at music critics in general. The ''War Child'' tour included a female [[string quartet]] playing on the  new material.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}

In 1975 the band released ''[[Minstrel in the Gallery]]'', an album in the style of 1971's ''Aqualung'', which contrasted softer, acoustic guitar-based pieces with lengthier, more bombastic works reinforced by Barre's electric guitar. Written and recorded during Anderson's divorce from his first wife [[Jennie Franks]], the album was characterised by a more introspective tone and received mixed reviews.{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}} By this point in their career, Jethro Tull had been awarded five [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] gold records for sales of ''Stand Up'' (1969), ''Aqualung'' (1971), ''Thick as a Brick'' (1972), ''Living in the Past'' (1972), ''A Passion Play'' (1973), and would earn a sixth for ''Minstrel in the Gallery'' (1975).{{sfn|Murrells|1978|p=295}} For the 1975 tour, [[Dee Palmer]], who had long been the band's orchestral arranger, joined the band on stage on keyboards and synthesisers. In February 1975, Jethro Tull sold out five nights at the 20,000-seat [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|Los Angeles Forum]], prompting ''Melody Maker'' to run the headline "Jethro&nbsp;– Now The World's Biggest Band?"<ref name="jethrotull.com">{{cite web|url=http://jethrotull.com/minstrel-in-the-gallery/ |title=Minstrel in the Gallery |publisher=Jethro Tull |date=5 September 1975}}</ref> Bassist Hammond left the band after the tour and was replaced by [[John Glascock]] from [[flamenco]]-rock band [[Carmen (rock band)|Carmen]], who had supported Tull on several dates on the ''War Child'' tour.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}

''[[Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!]]'' was released in 1976. It is a concept album about the life of an ageing rocker. (On the ''[[Bursting Out]]'' live version of "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll", released two years later, Anderson denies that the song is about himself.) Glascock made his first appearance as bassist with Tull on this album, and also contributed harmony and second vocals. Palmer continued as arranger, and appeared as a guest keyboard player on two songs. A television special was recorded showing the development of the album's concept in a live show, with the band dressed in tongue-in-cheek outfits, but was never officially released.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
On the 1976 tour, Jethro Tull became one of the first bands to use giant projection screens in the larger stadium shows.<ref name="jethrotull.com"/> ''Too Old...'' did not sell as well as the other 1970s albums, but the 1976 compilation ''[[M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull]]'', achieved Platinum Album in US and Gold record in UK.