Posted on Nov 23rd 2009 1:30PM
By Pat Pemberton
http://www.spinner.com/2009/11/23/jethro-tull-singer-calls-rolling-stones-circus...

While 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus' brought together some of the greatest musicians in rock history, the concept was just a bit silly, according Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson.

"It was a strange atmosphere because it was Mick Jagger's baby," Anderson tells Spinner. "He and the director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, they had this vision of what they were going to do. They didn't seem to communicate it to the rest of the Rolling Stones, let alone anybody else. We all arrived there, and it was all a bit embarrassing and self-conscious."



The concept was intriguing -- a 1968 TV special that featured the day's top performers playing music in a big-top atmosphere, complete with circus performers and silly costumes. Invited to perform were the Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal and a super group known as the Dirty Mac, which consisted of John Lennon, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell. While the musicians all gathered at once, long delays took the steam out of what should have been a momentous occasion.

"They wanted everybody there all the time because they wanted to make it look like an atmosphere where everybody was together and having a lot of fun and blah, blah, blah," Anderson says. "In fact, it was just deadly boring and a bit silly."

Tull, still a relatively new band, performed the show's first number, 'Song For Jeffrey.' While the Stones performed six songs, most people who saw the show -- including the Stones -- felt that they were badly outperformed by the Who, so the show was shelved until 1996, when it was finally released on video with a soundtrack on CD.
While some have suggested the show proved that the Who were better live performers, Anderson said the Stones had simply played themselves out.

"I was there, and they were pretty good when they were rehearsing," he says. "But they just did too much, and I think Mick Jagger sang himself out. When it came to the crunch, the Who just came in and did a few songs, did what they normally do and -- crash, bang -- the Stones, who had been rehearsing and working at it for ages, felt perhaps a little overshadowed by the energy of the Who."

I'd have to see it again, but I'm pretty sure everybody was live & not playing along with a recording, but from what I read & heard, it was a long, long show, the Stones part were rehearsed over & over, so many takes filming on each song, & they were up for days, lots of coke I would imagine,  Brian looks right out of it,  but The Who somehow looked fresh when they did their set, but at the end, when they did Salt Of The Earth, everybody looked stoned.

"In fact, it was just deadly boring and a bit silly."

Sounds like a 'circus' was perfect for Ian...

Ive seen Tull live on several occasions and they were always very good and energetic.

However, I dont remember their performance on R & R Circus as being too memorable.

Doesn't Mick resemble Brad Pit in this header photo

I never cared for J. Tull, a guy playing a flute????? their music was not rock & Roll to me, I prefer Ten Years After from that time frame, both groups started around the same time, I find J. Tull very boring.

why all the disrespect for Tull? just cuz Ian is a complete ass, a control freak, plays his flute wears a codpiece and prefers a medieval wardrobe doesnt take away from his accomplishments as great writer, composer and bandleader. they where picked because they had just done a record, had a great rep and rocked enough for the stones!!! Tull with a couple of exceptions (in the early eighties) never released a poor record musically. their first four lps are IMO and millions of others some of the best rock records ever recorded, not to mention their magnum opus thick as a brick!!!  Tull like Zep their closest contemporary incorporated other elements into their music. Mr Barre while maybe not as fast as Mr lee certainly is an accomplished player. Didnt Mr Lee leave TYA because he wanted to do more than be a speedfreak show? i love TYA but the Lee/Lefevre release is IMO is more interesting than anything TYA put out. where is mr lee these days? he only seems to play in germany.........

ok ok, I always liked Jethro Tull's music and I had all their albums and they were a cool band.  I just get mad when anyone disses MICK and so I go on and defend him BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!