Jethro Tull announce first album in 20 years

Jethro Tull have announced their first studio album in 20 years. The Zealot Gene will be part of a new deal for the band with Sony Music/InsideOutMusic

“After 54 years in the world of music recording, it is with great pleasure that I now sign Jethro Tull to a record company which reminds me, in many ways, of the old Chrysalis label — both as an independent and in its later years in partnership with EMI,” Frontman Ian Anderson said of the new signing.

“Here are real music guys with a passion for the best and most creative in rock music. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship and more releases to come.”

A release date for the album has yet to be revealed, but it will be their first proper LP since 1999's J Tull Dot Com.

This news comes after Anderson revealed that he is suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“I’ve spent 50 years of my life onstage amongst those wretched things that I call smoke machines,” he told Dan Rather on The Big Interview. “Today [they] are lightly referred to as ‘hazers’ as if they’re somehow innocent and not damaging to your lungs. I really do believe that’s a very significant part of the problem that I have.”

The prog rock groups current menmbers are: Anderson, guitarist Joe Parrish-James, drummer Scott Hammond, pianist John O’Hara, and bassist David Goodier. Guitarist Florian Opahle also contributed The Zealot Gene.