Jethro Tull issued their debut album, This Was, back in 1968 to little fanfare. Few knew that this mix of blues, folk and psychedelia would usher in one of the most successful careers in all of rock. Now, a staggering 50 years later, leader Ian Anderson is celebrating that half-century mark by hitting the road with his venerable band for 50 Years of Jethro Tull, promising to not only cover the high points throughout the years, but also dig back into some of the very early material as well.

We chat the early days of the band, what’s in store for the new tour, and the continued reissue campaign of their catalog (Heavy Horses is the latest in the batch).  We also discuss a little-known fact – that Tommy Iommi of Black Sabbath briefly joined Jethro Tull in the early days.