"Ian chose TONY IOMMI for Jethro Tull, instead of ME" Martin Barre
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- Martin Barre recounts the nerve-wracking audition he had for Jethro Tull, which didn't go as planned. From his first encounter with Ian Anderson to the intense atmosphere in the audition room, Martin opens up about the pressure, anxiety, and ultimately, the unexpected turn of events that followed.
For background, Martin reflects on being the only other flautist in England, apart from Ian Anderson, playing in the Roland Kirk style, building anticipation for the fateful meeting with Ian and himself. After supporting Tull with his band, Martin reveals that through Terry Ellis, the manager of Chrysalis Records, he was given the opportunity he had secretly longed for. Martin carefully recounts the nerve-racking audition, where he found himself amidst a sea of guitarists vying for the same role.T he audition went badly, with Ian Anderson initially wanting Tony Iommi to take the role as guitarist. It didn't work out with Tony, who would of course go on to become the riff master in metal gods, Black Sabbath!
VRP Rocks dives into the fascinating dynamics between Martin and Ian, shedding light on their early chemistry and Martin's initial struggle to find acceptance within the band and the audience. Discover the turning point where Martin's exceptional guitar work meshes with the Tull sound, captivating fans, and securing his place as an integral member of the iconic band.
If you are a podcast listener you can hear the interview in full by searching for episode 101 of VRP Rocks. Just search for VRP Rocks on your podcast app of choice and hit subscribe or follow!
MB will always be known for creating the Tull guitar sound no one could replicate. Totally unique and original player.
Mark Knopfler did it pretty good. Good enough to at least confuse people into thinking JT were trying to sound like Dire Straits (instead of vice versa, which was the case).
Yes, I agree
Mick Abrahams , although with a different approach started the Tull guitar
sound then went on to form Blodwyn Pig.
@@douglasbuck711 Mick Abrahams was a great guitarist but too far rooted in blues for Tull. Anderson started, but had no ambition to make Tull another UK blues band.
Barre was the the perfect newbie replacement for Anderson's direction.
That is absolutely the truth, Mick was way too bluesy for Tull but I still enjoyed his work on the first Tull album.
So I must agree with you about Martin being the one to shape Tulls style.
Martin B is such a kind and gentle soul… He never gives himself credit for how good a guitar player he really was… EXCELLENT
Martin is such a classy guy- his shows are outstanding. This years tour has been a smashing success!
So good to hear! Have tickets to two shows (band + electric)
Martin is still a breath of fresh air every time I see a clip of him speaking. His humbleness and humility have never left him, even after cementing his place in the pantheon of all-time great guitarists decades ago. It’s a shame his former bandleader didn’t pick up any of the humility and grace that Martin exudes so naturally. Such different personalities they are.
How very true!
if not for his strong personality and resolve, there would be no Jethro Tull. Humbug to slamming the genius of Jethro Tull.
@@BobC59 Plus that would be the man who his farm manager on the Isle of Skye, Ian MacKinnon spoke thusly of to me in 1985...." I could not imagine working for a finer gentleman." Yet many Tull fans speak of Ian as if they know. They do not.
And in different roles
@@raybrettman9618 So true.
We saw Tull in 72 and Martin Barre was the best guitarist I had ever seen!! He was incredible!! And gentle giant opened up!! Martin is my top 5!! No doubt!!
Saw that tour too. It was the Thick as a Brick tour. Also became a Gentle Giant fan that night
Martin Barre: A man so musically important, they named a chord after him!
Good1
🤣 🤣
He is one of the few guitar players from the 60's that evolved over the years, much like David Gilmour and Jeff Beck. Great interview!
Absolutely yes.
It;s so nice to see such a brilliant guitarist like Marin be so humble!
Martin Barre has his own style of playing and not many guitarists can really claim that.
His solo on Aqualung is a great example of what he can do (under pressure, too)
I have admired him from the first Tull album he was on and have had the pleasure of seeing him on two occasions, many years apart
I listen to Aqualung with my MP3 and the earphones, and you can really hear Martin's masterful work very crisp and clear. He really is one-of-a-kind.
No question about the “Aqualung” solo being among the greatest rock guitar solos.
And yet his guitar on the Stand Up album was incredible. He was obviously meant for the job.
Not only a lovely chap and incredible musician, but very underrated in how he (and David/Dee Palmer) helped with the musical arrangements to make everything sound so good. He was also essential to the heart of the band. I am so glad to see him doing well with his own GREAT band on the road doing justice to the Tull (and occasionally his own) discography.
I've always loved the early JT music. So incredibly original. MB had a large part in their sound. I did not know that he too played flute. Thanks for sharing this info with all of us fans.
His solo on Aqualung is still one of my favorites 50+ years later.
It's a masterpiece ✨️ He talks about recording that solo on another video on our channel, if you've the chance to check it out 👍ruclips.net/video/bdPbgfU9zwo/видео.htmlsi=n9_b0276LmxOS3pJ
Jimmy Paige watched Martin as the Aqualung solo was being recorded.
Martin , you're not a non league player, you are the best. I applaud your humbleness, but you my friend are terrific and a big reason why Jethro Tull was so successful.
I'll tell you now, I would never have been a Tull fan without Martin there. All my very favourite Tull tracks are the electric ones like Minstrel in The Gallery, Aqualung, Black Satin Dancer, Sweat Dream , Dark Ages, Back Door Angels....the list goes on
After being a huge fan of JT from the beginning when a friend turned me on to This Was (without Martin, but still good music), and seeing Martin in concert with JT twice, I have to say that I cannot imagine anyone else playing exactly the right notes for Ian's music as well as Martin did. I couldn't get enough and almost wore out my LPs, as my neighbors at the time could attest.
Martin Barre kicked butt on Benefit, Minstrel, A, Broadsword, Roots to Branches. What a career!!!
Most underrated guitar player ever.
By who?????
@@namcat53 same question I ask... these "under rated" comments are so f stupid. I have seen people say the Beatles were under rated...
in your mind only
What a legend ! ...MR. MARTIN "LANCELOT" BARRE !!!! ...
The world is so glad Martin stuck with it after that first horrendous audition. Things worked out for Tony as well obviously....
Jethro Tull, without Martin Barre is not Jethro Tull. IMHO.
Martin talks to me about that here: ruclips.net/video/GmzDaV8LE18/видео.html
Agree
You can see Iommi play with Tull in The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus . It looks very weird.
Hello Martin, I had a friend in high school named Mike and he told me that not even Jimi Hendrix could play the triple stroke like you could on passion play. Martin, I believe you are the best guitarist ever there’s nobody that can play like you can I seen my first concert in 1972 at the LA Coliseum, thick as a brick and, the next year was passion play. there is nobody that could play the music that you and Jethro Tull can play. Tommy can’t hold a candle to you. He’s OK but nothing like you. Thank you for all your great music.
We are seeing Martin and his band in Wabash, Indiana soon. We can't wait! :)
Love hearing these back stories about the heady days of rock as Ian calls them.
What a nice gentleman to say such good things about Hendrix. Martin himself is one of the nicest guys on earth. I've met and talked to him, so I know. Thank you very much for this lovely interview.
Can you even imagine for a second Tony being Tulls guitarist and Martin Black Sabbath’s? That would’ve been two different worlds. I guess we would never know what that could’ve sounded like lol. Let’s just say I’m pretty happy that it ended up being what it is. Two great guitarists for different reasons. It was meant to be. This was a great interview in finding out what most people didn’t know.
A real sliding doors, alternate universe kind of thing isn't it!
@@VRPRocks I’m just trying to place it in my head, Locomotive War Pigs? Maybe that could work lol
Fairies Wear Boots has the ring of a Tull song title, imagine that with some flute on it?
Tony actually played flute on one or two Sabbath tracks.
Tony played with tull for a second
Great interview.... great questions. Huzzah. Class act. Martin. New to ur channel. But. Good stuff brother. Peace. Johnny w. Philly USA🍁🌟🍁
Casual Conversation ,,
Names Dropping...
What a lovely man! You made a massive impression on me when I bought Stand up! It was outstanding at the time. I was a massive Cream and Jimi fan, still am but now I was also a Tull fanatic. Thanks Martin. Hope to see you soon.🇬🇧🏴 Yorkshire.
There's a few more clips from my interview with Martin on this channel if you'd care to check them out 👍👍
@@VRPRocks I will be doing and thanks for this. Martin is a troubadour and very relevant. Cheers I will be subscribing.
Fantastic story from the horse's mouth! Thanks for posting this interview. Looking forward to seeing MB and co.!
Mr Martin Must Be in Jethro Tull, That is Obvious.✌
Thank you Martin for so much wonderful music. My favorite guitar player of all time.
Absolutely fantastic interview 👍🏻
Martin is great and humble 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Fascinating story, thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it
Love he mentions John Mayall and Mick Taylor (who played with John Mayall (as did most of the great blues guitarists in England including Clapton).
very humble guy !
The British music scene in the 60s was really amazing. So many talented people crossing paths and playing together in earlier bands before the right chemistries evolved and all of the now famous bands emerged. If you want to read about this in detail, check out the book, Bathed in Lightning: John McLaughlin, the 60s and the Emerald Beyond. The first half of the book covers the emerging scene.
Thanks for the great interview. I have been a huge fan of Martin from when Stand Up came out. I feel he is one of the most unique and identifiable guitarists out there, both in sense of tone and phrasing. And what blows me away the most, is his absolute humility. Seems like a rather Stand Up guy to me... sorry, I couldn't resist. 😁
Very good! If you're interested there are a couple of other videos from my full interview with Martin on this channel. If you have the time 👍
@@VRPRocks Thank you! I've subscribed to your channel, so I will check it out!
As a lifelong Tull fan and now a Plymouth resident for 35 years I had no idea that the city played such an important role in the band’s foundation. I’ve heard many stories about the Van Dyke club, though.
What a story ! Heard JT and Martin i Fridriksberg Copenhagen in a Sportshall in !970 . ( Stand Up just releast) In the paus between 1 and second set people cept clapping so Martin
played solo improvization while the other three went backstage. That solo was so great that it made a big,big impression on me that evening.Martin is playing in a fantastic style. One of the bedst in the world !!!!!!
Martin is and always will be Tull's guitarist! I saw them live in Seattle many years back and he blew me away. Seems like a nice person too. I am a huge Ian Anderson fan, but I suspect that humility isn't his strong suit. Martin makes up for the 'deficit'!
Great stories there Martin.
Great Story by Martin Barre. Loved it.
Another great interview installment! Really enjoying these, and very interesting things that Martin says. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it! Still more to come 🤘👍
not a ground-breaking observation probably, but...
you can't invent a better guitar part than Martin displays on the title track from Songs From the Wood. it is absolutely masterful.
Thank you, Martin, for that and everything else!
Thank god for this guy
I just saw Martin in Westbury Long Island, amazing. I mean not just good but amazing!
That's great to hear!
I love this story.
One of the best of all time Mr. Barre
This was, stand up, an benifit are 3 of the greatest rock albums ever recorded! I still have my original copy of stand up with the pop up inside! I still play stand up often to this day. I regret that Martins band has played in my town several years in a row at a small college theater an i missed them. Some videos of those shows are on you tube an Martins chops are absolutely better than ever.
Tony Iommi said that his brief stay in Jetro Tull was an eyeopener. He learned there about discipline and that good bands rehears for hours everyday.
Ian wailing and soaring on the flute, with Martin driving hard 'trading paint' in the other lane . . . nothing else like them.
Martin will always be one of my favorite guitarists because he could step out and show off, but his core playing always fit the music elegantly and with courage. I bought This Was on a whim when I saw the cover in a record store and I was mesmerized by their take on the blues. I saw one of their first tours in the U.S. (Kansas City) in 1969, on the undercard for Fleetwood Mac, with Joe Cocker as well. The audience was stunned by JT, mostly Ian's antics, codpiece and all that. The music was so exciting to me, but some people actually booed!! Martin showed me his own humanity in 2000 at a show in Baltimore with a young guitarist named Joe Bonamassa opening. 😆 Joe had the audacity to cover A New Day Yesterday and Martin came out and played a song with him. Joe is now a megastar and has always held up Martin as one of his giants. A great person.
Let's not forget that Tony Iommi also played flute at that time (In 1969 before they recorded the Black Sabbath album, they played a song called: "A song For Jim" that was constructed in the same way as "Dharma For One" an instrumental with a drum solo...But it all ended for the best in the end, with 2 super bands!
A Song for Jeffery ... Hammond, a future Tull bassist after Glenn Cornick.
@@McMurphyKirby I always wondered what Glenn thought of those songs...There was one in every Tull album with Glenn...1-A song For Jeffery 2-Jeffrey goes to :Leicester Square 3- For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me...He left right before Aqualung and then...no more song about Jeffrey...Oh Jeffrey is a very talented bassplayer, but so was Glenn...
Jeff had to play by rote, but was a close friend of Ian’s. When he left Tull he left music and returned to being an artist.
To me Martin's guitar is the only 'Tull' sounding guitar.
You'd never know from listening to Stand Up that he felt so insecure in the group in the early days after replacing Mick Abrahams. I remember feeling " oh this group will fall to bits" after Mick left, but I was so wrong and Martin's playing on Stand Up is just wonderful, as is the song writing of course. It remains my favourite JT album.
Tony Iommi was a core blues player, like many others, in 69-70. Evil Woman was Sabbath's first hit, all blues, and the B side of the 45, I forgot the name now, even more so.
Love Martin. Thanks
What a time and place to be a musician!
Sounds like Ian Anderson knew where he was going with his music, and knew that Martin would be the right choice once they got there.
A little ophthalmology hint: Those suffering from glaucoma may find great relief in crying, which easily comes with the extended solo on "We Used to Know"!
Stand up is my favourite Jethro Tull album
In early 1969 my pal Stuart, one year older than me aged 16, talked me into going with him to the Redcar Jazz Club on 7th February to see a group I’d never heard of called Jethro Tull. I don’t know how my parents allowed me to go on a Sunday evening, so school next day, especially as it was licensed premises, so we were both underage. We had a table near the stage and fairly central, so great view. What an experience that was for me as a 15 year old!
Ian's best decision to go with Martin..and his worst decision to Let him Go..no question
JA DAVE ABSOLUT RICHTIG WIE SIE ES SAGEN.BESTE WAHL FÜR TULL WAR MARTIN BARRE.NUR IAN'S SPÄTE ENTSCHEIDUNG MARTIN ZU FEUERN WAR ABSOLUT NICHT DAS BESTE.UND DESHALB IST MARTIN BESCHEIDEN,NUR IAN ANDERSON IST ES NICHT.JETHRO TULL OHNE MARTIN BARRE IST NICHT MEHR DAS GLEICHE.SO IST ES EBEN.😢
MARTIN BARRE DER ÜBER VIER JAHRZEHNTE BEI JETHRO TULL WAR IST EINER DER 10 BESTEN ROCKGITARRISTEN DER WELT.ER IST SO SYMPHATISCH,BESCHEIDEN EINFACH EIN TOLLER MENSCH.❤😊
except for Hendrix (nobody is in his league) Martin is a peer with every guitar great he mentioned
Minstrel In The Gallery Guitar Hook is one of the best! Like a”Money For Nothing” opening, but much more complex. Love Martin Barre’s Guitar!!
Martin, you must have been with Tull in '69 or '70 in Seattle. I've been a fan ever since. Rock on old timer!
Went to Chicago show soon after Stand Up release Alas sold out, But did see them a couple times in later years.
I wasn't aware he'd played the flute pre Tull. MB always comes across as a really nice guy.
Well, I think Martin is a great Blues player. Think about the intro to Locomotive Breath, which is brilliant Blues in every way.
In a recent interview Ian said they’d also considered David O’List from The Nice, but he either couldn’t or wouldn’t play blues, while Martin could play both blues and progressive.
I think Martin is every bit as great a guitar player as Eric Clapton - any day!
I concur! 😉
100 x's better.
Clapton is overrated
@@jimbrookfield9011 How indisputably right you are!
Martin barre the one of the greatest underrated guitar plays that ever ever played a guitar
What a great story!.
Very interesting.
Jethro Tull Was awesome !!!!
Great interview...was hoping he would reflect on his time with Fat Mattress. Very under appreciated musician.
Martin's tale of his audition for Tull sounds much like Adrian Belew's recounting of his audition for Frank Zappa.
In my early teen years I fell in love with JT. They remained my favorite band growing up in the 60's and 70's and longer. I have never (until recently) missed a JT performance. Ian Anderson is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, composer. Martin's guitar work however is just as much JT as Ian's flute and composition. I can't bring myself to see them anymore as JT without MB is not Jethro Tull and unfortunately ian's voice is completely gone. It is sad to watch. I loved Jethro tull and Ian and Martin and several other talented musicians that played with them. I do have a small resentment though on how Ian forced Martin out of the band. To a real Jethro Tull fan, what they are doing today is not Jethro Tull. I hope that Ian will retire soon as what he is doing now is embarrassing.
No knock on Tony,but Martin is awesome.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yes he comes across as a very nice modest man without the usual music biz bull
When one of the biggest curmudgeons in Rock, Ritchie Blackmore, says Martin’s one of the nicest guys he knows, he probably is.
Martin...Fricken "A" person and guitarist!
Although Toni is great at what he does Martin my respect for you is undying my forefather you are Great
great player, right up there in the panoply. why didn't they break out two flutes? Ian is also a great guitarist. so strange when they look down on their own talents.
Chas Chandler bought Hendrix here Noel lived here i used to chat with Jimi in the Cafe de Paris it was across the road from the Hillside Club although they never admit it thats where the Experience started .
Martin is great
Tony Iommi thought Jethro Tull was too much like having a proper job so left .
Actually Tony is on record saying how the 'discipline' that Ian established really hit a cord with him and he imposed a very disciplined approached to Sabbath's early rehearsal/songwriting process. It was the "music" that didn't quite jive for him.
@@interstellaroverdriven6450 thats not what i heard him say . But then folk change things over time .
It would have been great to hear two Flutes in Tull with Martin. That would have been something else. But that never happened. I wonder why
Are you sure Martin never played the second part on Bouree in the early days? I know Barrymore Barlow popped up from behind his kit to play a line on flute when the record had Ian playing acoustic and flute at the same time.
@@seed_drill7135 I believe that if you check the original LP credits, Martin did indeed play second flute on a few tracks. As for Barrie Barlow's "one-liner popup" onstage during "Songs from The Wood", it's actually Ian's original flute line from the original recording, mimed in concert by Barrie to make it appear that he was actually playing it ... but alas, he wasn't.
Yeah,..notice Barry's flute was overly large and fake...mimed to tape. I wonder if Martin played the double flute line in "Reasons for Waiting",..one of the most beautiful songs...ever.
Lovely fella and a great player. It all worked out but it was a shame to lose Mick so soon. It was a band that would go through too many changes.
Start with yourself tull
Just imagine if Tony Iommi had worked out, we likely wouldn't have Heavy Metal music as we know it because Tull would have taken him in a completely different direction than the one that Sabbath did. Somewhere there's a parallel universe where Tony Iommi is the long time JT guitarist and Metal just isn't that heavy.
It's crazy to think of, isn't it!
Tony was not that melodic, and limited in style...well suited for early metal. IMO
Stand Up 👍🏆
the story that Anderson used to tell is that Martin arrived at an audition where there was no amp, so he had to play his Gibson unamplified. However, he was so nervous that his breathing was louder than his guitar playing. "You could see he was playing the guitar, but what you heard was identical to the sound of a 14-year old masturbating". Nonetheless, Anderson decided to give Martin a try.
WOW! This man opened for Hendrix, Bloomfield, Beck, Page and Zappa? SMH. Talk about about the Mt Rushmore of guitar players. Don't get it twisted Bloomfield was a monster with his modal blues playing ass. lol😊
Martin......no reason what so EVER to sell yourself short mate.....your guitar chords ARE the Jethro Tull sound....sssh !!
I checked out the Tull tour 2023 for 5 seconds of the guitar player of which you speak. You had better believe that was instant clickout. Martin, dude, no regrets, it's on record fer crissakes.
Martin just needs to replace a flautist and singer that left Jethro Tull.
Why would Tommy Iommi want to play in JT? No offense, but JT is sooo passé. What, like he wants to play rhythm guitar for one of Ian’s wretched flute solos?
Iommi is too simplistic for Tull and Ian,...he's perfect for teenage garage band wannabe's though.
@@willicat44 Black Sabbath is a "teenage garage band wannabe" lol? Wow lol.
Lol; also why would he want to be a sideman in somebody else's group when he could be (more or less) the center of his own (look at some Sabbath stage shots & note who is in the middle & whose mic stand is off to the side lol). Geezer said "Tony has always been his own man." Things worked out exactly as they were meant to.