Jethro Tull, Nude & Bicycle, 1969

BG-203  Original Jethro Tull 1969 concert poster by Randy Tuten featuring an old time nude Pinup girl from behind and Bicycle

Description

Describing this Fillmore West poster, artist Randy Tuten says, “When I designed this poster, I tried to reflect the turn of the century 1900's with a French postcard style poster, kind of a Victorian and psychedelic 60's music design. Maybe to reflect Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson's wild flute playing, a kind of classical psychedelic.”

 

 

These shows reflected the coming of age of Jethro Tull. It was their second U.S. tour but their first as headliners. Immediately after releasing “Stand Up,” the group set off for the U.S. including an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. Guitarist Martin Barre recalled, "It was really the turning point for Jethro Tull—for everything that we were to become and everything we were to inspire in others." The band was invited to play at Woodstock, but Ian Anderson declined, being afraid that the band would be permanently typecast as hippies, able to play only one musical style.

 

 

Jethro Tull paid their dues with beginnings in 1964. By 1967 they were still having trouble getting repeat bookings and they took to changing their name frequently to continue playing the London club circuit. Founder Ian Anderson recalled looking at a poster outside a club and concluding that the band name he didn't recognize was actually his. Band names were often supplied by their booking agents' staff, one of whom, a history enthusiast, eventually christened them "Jethro Tull" after the 18th-century agriculturist. The name stuck because they happened to be using it the first time a club manager liked their show enough to invite them back.

 

 

Living in a tiny unheated apartment at the time, Anderson bought a large overcoat to keep him warm, and, along with the flute, it became part of his early stage image.

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