A half-century on the stage: Barre celebrates legacy of Jethro Tull

I played flute in middle school band.

And the flute is one of those instruments which, once you play it, you start listening for it, you quickly realize ... you don't.

It's almost entirely limited to traditional Celtic tunes, classical music, and Christmas CDs.

In middle school, I listened hard for the flute. And while I’d hear it occasionally — an REM or Beatles song — the only rock band that consistency made flute cool was Jethro Tull.

But while Ian Anderson’s flute led me to Tull, it’s the whole soundscape I fell in love with — from guitar solos on “Aqualung” and “Thick as a Brick” to the wonderfully bluesy, underrated 1991 album “Catfish Rising."

And a lot of that is due to the unbelievable guitar playing of Martin Barre.

The Grammy-winning guitar hero and multi-instrumentalist — he can play flute, mandolin, clarinet, whistle, mandolin, bouzouki, saxophone and more — rocked as a member of Jethro Tull for decades, and now has a stellar band of his own.

The Martin Barre Band will play your favorite Tull hits, along with solo songs tonight at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River.

Born in Birmingham, England in 1946, Martin Lancelot Barre joined Jethro Tull in 1968, just in time for their second album, “Stand Up.” (1969.)

He’s also worked with Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, among others, and shared the stage Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin among others.

Barre was one of my picks for Best Concerts of October earlier this month, and his new album “Roads Less Travelled” just dropped this week. So I’m thrilled to share here my interview with the rock legend.

— — —

Daley: I read you started out on flute because your dad loved the clarinet.

Barre: My grandfather was a violinist in an orchestra; my dad wanted to play clarinet [professionally] but I don’t believe in musical families — it sounds a bit too convenient. But if there’s music in your family, you’re more likely to be introduced. My dad loved music, and he was very helpful and keen… He was understanding and led me to find my own way, and gave me space and the opportunity to do something. In those days, the late ‘60s, to try and make money at playing music was unheard of. But he gave me leeway.

Daley: What did you like about flute?

Barre: My dad was a jazz fan, he bought me loads of jazz records, but I didn’t like it — I wanted rock and blues. But [I liked] the flute players I heard — Frank Wess, [Rahsaan Roland] Kirk. I didn’t listen to guitar; I listened to flute players. I just loved the sound of the flute.

Daley: How old were you then?

Barre: I was 14 or 15. I had lessons with an orchestra player, the main flautist for Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

Daley: And what brought you to guitar?

Barre: I wanted to be in a band, and the choices were drums or guitar. Drums were expensive, so it was guitar.

Daley: [laughs.] Were you in bands as a kid?

Barre: Yeah, there were kids in the neighborhood [with] similar interests. Everybody wanted a band. There were thousands of them in ‘60s… It was a great foundation; we were doing hundreds of gigs — five, six a week. It taught you more than you get off YouTube; it taught you about live entertainment.

Daley: Who were some of your first influences on guitar?

Barre: Duane Eddy, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Littler Richard, Gene Vincent, Chuck Berry — any American rocker with a guitar, I’d listen to and learn solos. Most influences were American because that’s where [rock] music was being born. We copied it and then brought it back to you. [laughs]

Daley: [laughs] True…You started out studying architecture in college.

Barre: I was given a choice of lawyer, accountant or going into building. I thought building was the least boring, but it was worse. [laughs] Architecture in the ‘60s was very ugly. I didn’t take to it, and spent too much time doing gigs.

Daley: [laughs] And how did you get your audition with Tull?

Barre: They knew of me because it was only me and Ian Anderson playing flute in that blues style. We finally met and got on well…

Daley: I read your first audition for Tull went badly.

Barre: It was horrible. [laughs] A room full of guitar players. I knew in my heart it was a job I could do, even though I was nervous. It was horrible in that room, I played terribly. [I told them later] "I’d love another chance,” and they said yes… [Eventually] we started doing music that nobody else was doing. Most bands of the day were trying to be in the charts. We didn’t want to be mainstream. We were the rebels of our day. Then we became the boring people, and the punk people wanted to get rid of us [laughs.]

Daley: [laughs] What are your favorite Tull songs?

Barre: "Nothing is Easy,” “A Thousand Mothers," “Back to the Family,” “My Sunday Feeling,” “Steel Monkey.” Just songs that work well live.

Daley: I’ve always wondered, what does the name mean?

Barre: Jethro Tull was a historical character from the 18th century, an agriculturalist who invented a drill and changed farming drastically. He wrote a book. So it was a strange name.

Daley: Looking back at your career, what are a few highlights?

Barre: Traveling, really. Going to Australia, South America, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, the Middle East, the Far East, all of Europe. It’s been an amazing geographical journey...

The concept the people are different in different countries doesn’t work for me. Some [crowds] listen more, are more quiet during a show, but we’re talking millimeters…I don’t mind a noisy audience, either. If they want to be noisy, so will I.

Interview has been edited and condensed. Lauren Daley is a freelance writer and Spotlight music columnist. Contact her at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her at https://www.facebook.com/daley.writer She tweets @laurendaley1.