Why Does The Rock Hall Of Fame Hate Jethro Tull?

I'm sorry, I'm talking about folk rock. What are you talking about?

 

British folk rock.

 

And there we have it...

 

definitely.

 

It’s run by morons. You could combine all songs from almost every band in it and Tull would still have more quality songs lol

 

Here in the US......Jethro Tull seemed to be an acquired taste, especially among Gen X'ers (those born from 1964-1980). I thought I was on an island much of my adult life, as I knew no one personally who was also a fan....and I can't even describe the ribbing I underwent in college (1989) when Tull was chosen over Metallica for Heavy Metal album of the year. It wasn't until I discovered various music forums on the internet when I realized there were JT fanatics everywhere.

 

Fairport, Steeleye Span, The Strawbs, Fotheringay etc and then Songs of the Wood-era Tull (I see, in wiki, that Ian Anderson produced Steeleye Span’s ‘74 album Now We Are Six. I didn’t know that). Yes, an entirely separate genre.

 

Indeed, I forgot to mention The Strawbs who predated all of them although as we know they started more as a bluegrass band shifting over to Folk.

 

As to why Rock Hall hates Tull: Personally, I doubt it’s hate but the Hall is evolving all the time. First, of course, someone from within the nominating committee has to go to bat for them. Once nominated, then all the recent “prog” voting members (and their other contemporaries) can vote for them. Or not.

Every time a band or individual is voted into the Hall they become voting members. So the Moody Blues chaps can all vote for Tull if they want to (six possible votes). But they’ve got to make it onto the ballot first.

 

Fairport, too, didn’t start out as British folk rock. About a year ago someone on the forum pointed out how similar they sounded to Jefferson Airplane on their first (?) album.

 

Big difference is that the Byrds didn't record a lot of actual folk songs, mainly drawing from contemporary songwriters like Dylan and Seeger. Fairport started the same way, then took a big turn when they (really Ashley Hutchings) started getting deeply into the English folk tradition.

 

I like the song Steel Monkey, but other than that, I am not convinced that they are anywhere close to HOF quality.

If I was a voting member of the HOF I would vote no.

 

Yep very true. They kind of drifted into folk rock. In fact, as I recall, early reviews used the Jefferson Airplane comparison.

 

Because of that Jethro Tull incident back in 1989 with Metallica?

 

Wondering aloud, why Tull's not in the hall.
Their tunes are so good, when will they get the call.
We buy all the remasters, as we drain our bank accounts.
And file for bankruptcy.

Wondering aloud, when will the hall wake-up.
On the cover of Rolling Stone, Ian wore make-up.
And it was only one cover.
Then Ian goes, laughing all the way to the bank.
And I empty my wallet.
Into Ian's pocket.
The hall has some gall.

 

I actually think the Grammy thing works against them in a big way. Jethro Tull has sort of become a punchline for many because of the backlash of them winning the hard rock/metal award over Metallica, and when you throw in the fact that were considered progressive rock, a subgenre for which the HoF committee clearly has low regard, it's no surprise that they haven't come close to making it. The R&RHoF is a joke anyway.

 

Well there’s your problem. You like the wrong songs

 

Is Metallica in the HOF? Tull have about 150 songs of good to great quality. Metallica have about 3?

 

Or this one:

 

Not my experience - they were wildly popular in the Seventies and still popular in the Eighties - NY/NJ area at the time. A local news show (don’t recall the name) used Hunting Girl as its theme music.

 

jayzes kroyst, is that a mullet ?!!

 

Oh, is that true?
Didn’t know that.

Now I’ll have to ignore their music from now on, do I?
Thanks for letting me know!!!

 

I don't really follow the HOF closesly but occasionally Iwill read a paragraph or two or see few moments on tv released to it. Even with my lack of knowledge I find myself quite surprised that Jethro Tull is not represented in the Hall while so many so-so bands and artist prance about its halls.

 

Jethro Tull was unquestionably one of the core rock bands of the Seventies. Aqualung, TAAB and SFTW are all in the top drawer. And the other half-dozen or so albums they put out that decade were all quite strong.

I haven't listened to much Tull for a long time, but keeping them out of the Hall has been ridiculous, and one of the things that destroys the Hall's credibility.

 

I think it's a merkin...