Jethro Tull singer remarks irk fans(FR Popular political mention)

Zwire ^ | 11/13/03 | DAVE SOMMERS

[Pikamax]

Jethro Tull singer remarks irk fans

DAVE SOMMERS , Staff Writer 11/13/2003

Is he really "Thick as a Brick," or as classic rock lovers insist, just suffering from "Locomotive Breath?"

Whatever song they choose, Jethro Tull fans across the state are boiling mad at the band’s lead singer Ian Anderson, and are planning some type of payback for remarks he made to the Asbury Park Press recently in which he claimed Americans should in essence be ashamed to fly their country’s flag.

In fact, classic rock station 94.5-FM "The Hawk" has not only stopped playing all Jethro Tull songs, they are urging anyone who attends the two scheduled Anderson shows in New Jersey this weekend to bring along an American flag, just to wave it in the Scotland-born rocker’s face.

Jim Spector, program director for WTHK "The Hawk," explains the decision.

"I’d estimate that 99 percent of the phone calls we got (this week) were from people asking us to pull all Jethro Tull songs from the air," said Spector, who cited comments Anderson made to Asbury Park Press reporter Mark Voger.

"And that’s what we did."

In the article, Anderson told Asbury Park Press reporter Mark Voger that he despises President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair so much for "invading" Iraq, but that he thinks we are despised by the world due to our "invasion."

And if that wasn’t enough, Tull went on to express disgust in seeing "the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house" across the country.

"Unfortunately, the way the world sees it, we don’t look kindly on the flag-waving stuff anymore. In Europe the only time you see flag-waving is at soccer games when people beat the (excrement) out of each other," Anderson told the Asbury Park Press.

"But most of the time we keep the flag-waving out of normal society these days because we know that it just engenders old animosities. (W)e old Europeans ... are a little sadder and wiser as a result of having the (excrement) beaten out of us a number of times, and our cities and national monuments destroyed," the rocker said.

"It’s easy to confuse patriotism with nationalism," he added.

Anderson’s tour, entitled "Rubbing Elbows with Ian Anderson" tour, is designed to be more than just a musical event, he noted.

For example, during each show, Anderson will invite a local radio or TV personality with him onstage, along with several audience members.

Occasionally the talk turns to his views of the world.

As for containing Saddam Hussein, Anderson said that task should have been handled by the U.N. not the U.S. led coalition.

"I mean, you know, to call (the Iraq occupation) a war is to attempt to dignify a spurious invasion as something that sounds rather grand. As a career-molding war for you-know-who. I mean, to call it a war is just a disgrace," he said.

"We are all going to have to learn that sad lesson that what was done in Iraq is the wrong thing. We had Saddam Hussein pretty much under control. To do what was done by Blair and Bush is, I think, a great sin for which I suspect both of them will pay in terms of career and reputation in the way that it is written up in history."

America must work better with other countries if we expect to have peace, Anderson said.

"We have to work over the next two or three generations, not the next two or three months or years (to step) out into the world and gently show a kinder and more human face."

Many music fans do not seem to agree.

"If you don’t wish to see our Flag, take your butt back to Great Britain ... (and) don’t let the door hit you on your way out," one anonymous critic known as Gunner Mike wrote last night on the popular political Web site, www.freerepublic.com.

Anderson/Jethro Tull is scheduled to play Saturday at the Count Basie Theater in Redbank and in Collingswood tomorrow at the Scottish Write Auditorium.

Meanwhile, Spector said he has invited Anderson to be interviewed on 94.5 "The Hawk," but so far has received no reply.

"The morning show "Free Beer and Hot Wings" is strongly encouraging anyone attending area Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull shows to bring American flags and wave them proudly," the station said in a press release.

[united1000]

Guess he wanted for Iraq what the UN did for Rwanda.

 

Good guess

[Revolting cat!]

Flute solos in rock and roll! In every song! ROFL!!

Hey, but he done 'em standing on one leg! Doesn't that count for something?

[Michael.SF.]

While Mr. Anderson has a problem with "the narrow-minded nationalists" who display the flag,

We display our flag daily. We do so in support of our son who served overseas (10 month Tour on the USS Lincoln). Anderson lumps all flag wavers into this category, while over looking something more simple and basic:

The love and pride of two parents for their son.

But juding from some of Anderson's lyrics one could assume that love and pride were not part of his upbringing. One could assume that he was a masturbatory, pedophiliac and obsessed with bodily functions. But if I was to make that assumption I would be making a judgement based on limited knowledge and I am not going to do that.

Mr. Anderson would do well to consider other possibilities and to refrain from placing people into false catergories.

[COBOL2Java]

Why can't these hasbeens and holdovers keep their mouths shut about political issues they know nothing about.

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"

This is often attributed to Mark Twain, although I can't find a definitive reference. Nice to see the entertainment world keeps this maxim alive...

[mtbrandon49]

I have the same reaction that I did when they picked Jethro Tull over Metallica at the music awards several years back.

Who the H@ll is Jethro Tull?

[mtbrandon49]

Tell him what you think.

http://www.j-tull.com/musicians/emailband.cfm?member=Ian

[dead]

From your link:

Avoid emails that lavish praise like "you're the greatest!" and "you guys rock."

LOL! That shouldn’t be a problem!

[Question_Assumptions]

In the article, Anderson told Asbury Park Press reporter Mark Voger that he despises President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair so much for "invading" Iraq, but that he thinks we are despised by the world due to our "invasion."

Of course he doesn't despise the UN for giving Saddam more than a decade to put hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis through toture chambers and into mass graves.

And if that wasn't enough, Tull went on to express disgust in seeing "the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house" across the country.

There is an airport in Newark. Please buy a one-way ticket and don't come back.

I think I now understand why my grandfather always said, "If I loved Scotland so much, I would have stayed there." I'm beginning to think all of the smart inventive Scots left and all of the socialist losers stayed beyond.

[Quix]

I deplore violence.

And I'd hate to see the flag desecrated.

But it still could be construed at poetic justice

if

some red strips, some white strips and some blue strips of cloth were found to be stuffed in orifi on both ends of the Dull Tull

[RedWhiteBlue]

And if that wasn’t enough, Tull went on to express disgust in seeing "the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house" across the country. "Unfortunately, the way the world sees it, we don’t look kindly on the flag-waving stuff anymore. In Europe the only time you see flag-waving is at soccer games when people beat the (excrement) out of each other," Anderson told the Asbury Park Press. "But most of the time we keep the flag-waving out of normal society these days because we know that it just engenders old animosities.

Well, Ian. When we wave fly our flags on our homes or our cars here, we are not waving them in some other country's face. This is a big country, and unlike Europe, where alot of cars go from one country to the other with ease, 99% or our cars probably never even leave the US. And the flags on homes generally are never viewed by someone from a different country. So we generally do not engender animosity from foreigners by diplaying Old Glory, nor do we do it for that purpose. Get over it, you has-been.

I'll never understand why some people find it wrong to be proud of one's country. I don't find it in the least unnatural when someone from another country is proud of their homeland.

[BSunday]

And if that wasn’t enough, Tull went on to express disgust in seeing "the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house" across the country.

He's just mad because nobody knows what the Scottish flag looks like, but everyone knows Old Glory

[CaptRon]

In Europe the only time you see flag-waving is at soccer games when people beat the (excrement) out of each other," Anderson told the Asbury Park Press.

I guess the Europeans are right; they are more cultured than us. How could we have missed it?

I feel so ashamed.

[RedWhiteBlue]

Mr. Anderson would do well to consider other possibilities and to refrain from placing people into false categories.

His critical thinking skills are definitely lacking. Instead of fully dissecting and examining the issue, he chooses to stereotype. The man is intellectually lazy.

[KevinDavis]

Who?

[proud American in Canada]

Here's my email:

We all appreciated your remarks made to the Asbury newspaper--it's always enlightening and educational to hear what actors and musicians think about global politics.

It's particularly edifying since the typical American is so unbelievably stupid and naive, right?

You're just another of the countless "entertainers" who think patriotic Americans--many of whom have family members with their lives on the line in the service of democracy and human freedom--are stupid, unthinking morons. Yet isn't it strange that you and the rest of the "entertainment elite" are quite content to be paid in American dollars.

You like the U.S. dollar just fine, but not the flag... However that flag that you find so nauseatingly ubiquitous is a cherished symbol of freedom, bravery and sacrifice.

So stay in Europe with the flags of your choice and get paid in Euros. Welcome to near-empty American stadiums for the rest of your career.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Jethro Friggin' Tull?

Another one from the "Where are they now?" bin.

[Bon mots]

He was a fat porker 25 years ago, he must be a full-blown whale by now.

[Teacher317]

"But most of the time we keep the flag-waving out of normal society these days because we know that it just engenders old animosities. (W)e old Europeans ... are a little sadder and wiser as a result of having the (excrement) beaten out of us a number of times, and our cities and national monuments destroyed," the rocker said.

Better to hide your allegiances and your pride rather than to risk offending someone... just like a whipped old dog. Pathetic, and a disgrace to the rebellious heart of rock and roll. "Wave that flag and eff 'em if they don't like it!", is what any rocker (with any balls left) would shriek from the highest rooftops!

[scotsman1]

SO ALL THE INTELLIGENT SCOTS LEFT AND ONLY SOCIALIST LOSERS ARE LEFT?.NO.PLEASE DON'T INSULT US........HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HERE?.IF YOU WERE PROUD OF YOUR SCOTTISH BLOOD,YOU HAVE AN OFFENSIVE WAY OF SHOWING IT...............I LIKE AMERICA,BUT I AM PROUD TO BE SCOTTISH,AND LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHICH,UNLIKE YOURS,HAS A NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND PUTS MORE PEOPLE PER HEAD THROUGH FURTHER EDUCATION THAN ANY COUNTRY IN EUROPE...........NOT BAD FOR A NATION OF SOCIALIST LOSERS........AND I AM A CONSERVATIVE...........

[scotsman1]

MANY FOLK KNOW WHAT THE SCOTS FLAG LOOKS LIKE(THE ST ANDREWS CROSS----WHITE CROSS ON A BLUE FLAG IF YOU DONT KNOW,MATE).HOW PATHETIC THAT YOU FELL THE NEED TO INSULT A PROUD COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE,WHO ARE AMONG YOUR FEW ALLIES.........