Icon Fetch

Ian Anderson led Jethro Tull for around 40 years, releasing a string of hit albums that endure to this day. A few years ago, he began releasing records under his own name. But, don’t worry – the classic Jethro Tull sound is still intact. Anderson’s latest project is a live rock opera entitled “Jethro Tull.” Yet, it’s not about the band, but rather the original person, who was an English agricultural inventor of the 1700’s. In Anderson’s new story, he imagines that Mr. Tull is transplanted in the future, burdened with the task of feeding an ever-expanding population. The tale is told through the inclusion of many classic Tull songs, as well as brand new pieces that Anderson has written specifically for the project. Also keeping him busy is the ongoing reissue program of his band’s back catalog – most recently with War Child & A Passion Play.

Blues legend John Mayall continues to record albums and play shows, just like he’s done for the past 50 years. His latest project is an opportunity to look back – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers Live in 1967 features never before heard live performances featuring a version of the band that was only together three months. Featuring Peter Green on guitar, John McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums – all future members of Fleetwood Mac. These somewhat primitive recordings were recently restored, and show a band brimming with excitement, led by Green’s phenomenal playing. We chat with Mayall about what makes these recordings so special, Fleetwood’s short tenure in his band, and the possibility of a brand new John Mayall album, coming in the fall.

Translator is best known for their 1982 college radio hit “Everywhere That I’m Not.” The California band released four major label albums before calling it quits in the mid Eighties. The band reconvened in 2012 for a brand new album called Big Green Lawn. Now, they’ve dug through the archives for Sometimes People Forget, a collection of demos and rarities that the band recorded during their peak years. We talk with leader Steve Barton about restoring these old tapes, finding some unreleased songs, and recording with the famous “Wrecking Crew” when he was all of 12 years old.

If you’re a rock or metal fan, odds are you’ve seen Hugh Gilmour’s work. He’s been designing the art and layout for CDs, shirts, posters & DVDs for over 20 years now. He’s worked with artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and his latest project, Bad Company, where he designed the artwork for the first two CDs, their debut & Straight Shooter, remastered with deluxe editions. Hugh’s got some great stuff here – photos of picture sleeves, reel tape boxes, etc. Let’s find out how he puts it all together.

Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly has tackled many different styles in his long career. His latest project brings together some of the finest singers from his native country, and the result is Paul Kelly Presents the Merri Soul Sessions (read our review here), a collection of eleven R&B-tinged tracks recorded with a live band. Some of the guests include Clairy Browne, Vika & Linda Bull, Kira Puru, and Dan Sultan. Kelly talks about what led to this all-star album, the stripped-down way things were recorded, and what each vocalist brought to the project.

Did you know Blood Sweat & Tears played Woodstock? Why weren’t they included in the film and soundtrack footage? We find out the answer to that and much more as our conversation with former BS&T frontman David Clayton Thomas continues. He discusses how his friendship with bluesman John Lee Hooker helped jumpstart his career in New York, and how no one expected the runaway success of the band’s second album, which sold 10 million copies in its first year of release.

David Clayton Thomas is one of the most recognizable voices in all of popular music. He led the hugely successful band Blood Sweat & Tears for around 30 years, having hits like “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “Spinning Wheel,” before embarking on a solo career in the early 2000’s. His latest project is a true labor of love, Soul Ballads (view entry on Amazon.com) comprises 12 classic R&B tracks, filtered through Clayton-Thomas’ deep resonating voice. In part one of our interview, we delve into this project, talking about his influences from Otis Redding to Sam Cooke. He also tells us why he was reluctant to record “Midnight Train to Georgia” at first.

Jubilee Riots is a new name for an established Canadian band, once known as Enter the Haggis. With their new moniker comes a rejuvenated sound on their latest record, Penny Black. For the new album, the band asked fans to write to them and share their stories as topics for potential songs. Letters came from around the globe – and the result is something any fan of the band will be proud of. We talk with vocalist and songwriter Trevor Lewington about some of the amazing stories that were turned into songs, and why the band chose to change their name.

Dickey Lee has had a long and varied career in the music business, starting out recording for Sun Records in Memphis in the late Fifties, he rubbed shoulders with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and others. But, he wasn’t able to find success until a few years later when he struck gold with teenage death songs like “Patches” and “Laurie (Strange Things Happen),” then George Jones recorded his “She Thinks I Still Care” and Lee became an in-demand songwriter in Nashville. Since then, he’s written other successes on both the pop and country charts like Austin Roberts’ “Rocky” and Tracy Byrd’s “Keeper of the Stars.” We talk to this multi-faceted artist about befriending Elvis, the stories behind his biggest hits, and how he feels about current country music.

Georgia bluesman Tinsley Ellis has carved out a name for himself in the last 25-30 years as a searing guitarist and expressive vocalist. His live shows have hit all 50 states, and he still plays around 150 gigs a year. His latest offering, Tough Love, is arguably his finest to date (read our review here), veering from shuffling blues, soulful ballads and psychedelic rock. We talk with Ellis about several “firsts” on his new record, running his own label, and his unique writing process.