Although ensconced in a substantial 18th C country home in Buckinghamshire Anderson, like a number of rock stars, sought to rediscover his Scottish roots. Having purchased Strathaird he needed to offset its running costs and in 1978 established a salmon farming and processing business which he built-up at various locations in the Highlands, including salmon farms on Skye.

Having since sold much of the estate he retains the salmon business which today turns over some $20m a year and employs around 250 people. Although this activity is kept very much separate from his public persona Anderson is proud of its continuing success in a highly competitive market.

The original Jethro Tull was an 18th century agriculturalist who invented the seed drill using pedals from his local church organ. It was one of several weekly names used by the band to encourage repeat bookings but in 1968 it somehow stuck. Since then the band, relaunched in 1980, has released 30 albums of which 60m copies have sold. It has performed 2500 concerts in 40 countries and still performs as many as 100 concerts a year to fans, both long-standing and new, all around the world.

Courtesy of Geoff Holman