I was (and am) not a massive Jethro Tull fan in that I was (and am) not all that familiar with their body of work, but being a child of classic rock radio in the '80s it was impossible to escape them. There was one record I was really gaga over, their 1978 live album Bursting Out. For all the times I spun that record, and it was countless, it never really compelled me to dig deeper or check them out further. Go figure.

Bursting Out was enough to get me to part with my $18.50 in 1989 dollars to see them live. I remember loving the show despite being unfamiliar with most of the music. I also recall it being a very long show, though it seems to have clocked in at around two hours (per the video below). My impression was also likely due to not knowing the music. 

I have had an excellent recording of this show for years but cannot say I have listened since I downloaded it. Coming across the video of the show, I am not at all surprised now that I enjoyed the concert. They were doing a lot of what I went for at the time: They were bombastic, excellent players, and Ian Anderson was a wooly madman - flute and all. They are far less comical than I expected, relative to their peers.  

Of the many mid-life crises I encounter, large and small, one of the most persistent surrounds the limited nature of time compared to the unlimited nature of music and books. The rabbit holes go ever deeper, the pile on the night stand grows ever higher and the clock ticks ever louder. While I am always on the hunt for the next artist, sound, or thing to learn about, it is fun to look back sometimes, to draw the line and connect the dots of who I am, where I came from, what I love, who I've loved, what I've explored and what the dead ends were. 

Jethro Tull are definitely a road not followed by me, and one I am likely to never really wander down. I have increasingly less time for white baby boomers playing loud guitars, no matter how good or well-recommended. I begrudge no one pursuing their art or calling for as long as it pleases them to but that pile needs chipping away at...so, with that, I wish you more treats than tricks and leave you to some Tull.