Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Shares the Story Behind the Iconic Riff From "Aqualung"
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)
“Aqualung” Aqualung (1971)
“I compose most of my songs on acoustic, and therefore the way I play the guitar impacts on the way the song sounds.
"I wrote the main riff [to ‘Aqualung’] in a hotel room in New York City. At the time I was trying to write songs that had [single-note] lines that would translate on the electric. I knew the ‘Aqualung’ riff would work well because it pretty much echoes the vocal melody.
"In this case, the riff I played for Martin Barre [Jethro Tull lead guitarist] on the acoustic instantly became the song’s electric part.”
Here's a live video of the band performing "Aqualung" at Madison Square Garden in 1978:
From the GW archive: This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of Guitar World Acoustic.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
“We’re very into shredding and treating the guitar the way Yngwie Malmsteen or Eddie Van Halen would treat a guitar”: Syncatto's Charlie Robbins is the latest virtuoso to feature on Cobra Kai’s guitar-driven soundtrack
“I walked right past Stevie Ray Vaughan when my dad was talking to him. My dad called me back and said, ‘There’s somebody here you want to meet’”: George Thorogood guitarist Jim Suhler on the first time he met SRV – and the profound advice he received