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Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson names the legendary punk singer who asked him for an autograph: “It’s not for me, it’s for my mother”
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson has revealed which famous punk singer once nervously asked him for an autograph, in a new interview feature published in Prog magazine where fans and peers put questions to him. The anecdote emerged after ex-Stranglers vocalist Hugh Cornwell asked Anderson whether punk's rise felt like a genuine turning point for rock music or merely a passing phase, prompting Anderson to recall the encounter as part of his answer.
Anderson said he viewed punk's emergence as broadly inevitable, citing acts such as the MC5 and the Ramones as part of that lineage. The full story of the autograph request, including the singer's reported explanation that it was "not for me, it's for my mother", appears in the new issue of Prog, which also features questions from members of Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Opeth.
In short
- Ian Anderson recalls a punk singer asking him for an autograph.
- Story features in Prog magazine's new Anderson Q&A issue.
- Hugh Cornwell's question on punk's legacy prompted the anecdote.
Explained simply
Jethro Tull was one of the most significant progressive rock bands of the 1970s, fronted by Ian Anderson who became renowned for his flute playing and distinctive vocals. The band sold millions of albums and influenced countless musicians across multiple genres during their decades-long career.
Anderson has given an interview to Prog magazine where various musicians ask him questions about his career and influence. One anecdote that emerged during the interview reveals a moment of mutual respect between the progressive rock and punk worlds, traditionally seen as opposing forces in rock music.
Punk emerged in the mid-1970s as a deliberately raw and simple reaction against the complexity and excess of progressive rock bands like Jethro Tull. Though initially presented as opposing movements, the interview suggests mutual admiration existed between musicians from these seemingly contradictory genres.