Jethro Tull frontman, Ian Anderson, recently disclosed his newfound admiration for Morrissey, former lead singer of the Smiths, during a conversation with Ultimate Classic Rock. Interestingly, Anderson’s revelation surfaced when asked about his thoughts on Lizzo’s impact on the popularity of the flute in music.
Anderson admitted that he wasn’t familiar with Lizzo’s music, despite her success in introducing the flute to various musical genres. He explained that he doesn’t often listen to music, preferring instead to focus on the works of classical composers such as George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. However, he did mention his recent deep dive into Morrissey’s discography and life, which led him to become a fan of the British singer.
The lead vocalist described how he decided to explore Morrissey’s music one day and to his surprise, discovered a genuine appreciation for it. Anderson confessed that, like many others, he had previously overlooked Morrissey’s music, deeming it irrelevant to his own musical interests. However, this change of heart has made him a self-proclaimed ‘walking encyclopedia’ of everything related to Morrissey, having read his biography and listened to his entire body of work.
When asked about his thoughts on what Lizzo was doing for the flute, Anderson replied:
“I’m afraid I can’t really offer anything. I’ve heard of her, and people have mentioned her name, but I know nothing about the lady. I should obviously listen, but I’m not a great music listener. I’ve never really been a big fan of music as a listener. If I listen to music, it’s more likely to be Handel or Bach or, more recently, catching up on other stuff that I haven’t listened to.
I’ve become a big fan of Morrissey. Now, I’m a walking encyclopedia of everything to do with Morrissey, having read his biography and listened to all of his music. I’ve come to discover something that was missing, really. When you grow up in a certain world, there are things that you just don’t pay any attention to. They don’t seem relevant, musically or personality-wise.
I decided one day, out of the blue, that I was going to listen to Morrissey. I discovered, to my surprise, that I really like Morrissey. So maybe the same thing will happen with Lizzo. I might listen to her and think, ‘Oh, wow, that’s really great!’ But it will be one of those chance events when I suddenly decide to let my fingers dance on the QWERTY keyboard and look her up on YouTube or something.”
The flautist also acknowledged the possibility of a similar experience with Lizzo’s music, suggesting that he might eventually become a fan of her work as well. He noted that discovering new artists often happens through unexpected events, such as a sudden decision to search for their music on YouTube.
