Ian Anderson, the legendary frontman of Jethro Tull, is undeniably famous for one particular image: “the guy who stands in the middle playing the flute while standing on one leg.” However, this signature move wasn’t something he ever planned—it simply evolved over time.
When Jethro Tull was formed in 1967, Anderson had been involved in various blues bands, playing as a singer, guitarist, and harmonica player. But as he explained to Classic Rock in 2020, the formation of Jethro Tull was a response to the shifting music scene. “We came out of that period where to get a gig – let alone get a record deal – you had to be in a blues band or an out-and-out pop group,” he reflected. “But on the periphery, there was Captain Beefheart and The Graham Bond Organisation—very different from purist black American blues, which was important to the development of Jethro Tull.”
It was during this time of musical experimentation that Anderson made a spontaneous, life-changing decision. “I’d been playing guitar and harmonica,” he recalls. “But as a guitarist, I was never going to be as good as Eric Clapton, simple as that. So I parted company with my Fender Strat, whose previous owner was Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, and I bought a flute, for no good reason. It just looked nice and shiny.”
Initially, Anderson struggled with the new instrument. “At first, I couldn’t get a note out of it. I put it back in its case and never touched it again for six months, until somebody said to me: ‘You don’t blow into the hole, you blow across it!’ Oh, okay. Suddenly, I got a note, then another and another. Within a week, I was playing blues solos, and it became part of our gig.”
That was the birth of the iconic Jethro Tull persona—the frontman who plays the flute while standing on one leg. Anderson also clarified that it was always his right leg he stood on. “Yes, ever since I started playing harmonica at the Marquee Club, I’ve always stood on the right leg,” he confirmed.
Over the years, this unique stance has become a defining feature of Jethro Tull’s live performances. Anderson has often been asked about it, especially during his solo tours, where audiences are encouraged to ask questions. One memorable exchange took place during the “Rubbing Elbows With Ian Anderson” tours in America. “A woman asked me, ‘Does standing on one leg mean that one leg is stronger than the other?’” he recalled. Anderson quipped, “Does one look bigger than the other to you?” When she noticed that his right leg appeared slightly bigger, Anderson humorously invited her on stage to measure his thighs with a tape measure—much to the delight of the audience.
Despite the fun interactions, Anderson also admitted that performing on one leg comes with its challenges. “The worst thing is a carpeted floor,” he said. “Your foot doesn’t turn as it would on a wooden floor, and you twist your knee.”
Though standing on one leg while playing the flute was never part of a grand plan, it has since become an iconic part of Ian Anderson’s legacy and Jethro Tull’s unique style. What started as a simple whim has evolved into one of rock’s most unforgettable onstage trademarks.
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