In a new interview with Rock History Music, Ian Anderson shut the Jethro Tull reunions down.
“I fully understand why people have a favorite album. Then the band members on that album will be those that they probably would review most as musicians and members of the band,” he acknowledged. “Of course with the passing of years, it’s not possible to keep the same people just as you can’t have the same people playing in an American football team or an ice hockey team. They have their years where they are productive and physically and mentally great at their jobs, but then they move on.”
“That’s what happens with musicians and sadly three members of Jethro Tull are no longer with us and many of those that are still alive are not feeling terribly well at the moment and it’s something you have to keep in mind that these things are not forever,” Anderson added.
In November 2011, Martin Barre said there were no plans for more Jethro Tull work. In 2012, he started his own band, Martin Barre’s New Day, with former Tull bassist Jonathan Noyce, and they mostly played Tull songs.
In another interview this April, Anderson explained thoroughly why it would be difficult for the rest of the band members to reunite.
“I have no beef with Martin. But if an interview that I saw recently on YouTube is anything to go by, then he seems a very unhappy person,” said Anderson. “I don’t think that would make the atmosphere within the band very easy.”