Jethro Tull announce 'The Zealot Gene', their first album in 20 years

Taking fans by surprise, rock legends Jethro Tull have announced their first album in 20 years, titled The Zealot Gene.

In a pleasantly surprising move, rock legends Jethro Tull have announced that they will be back with a new album, The Zealot Gene, in early 2022. This will be the band’s first album in 20 years. The band has also signed a new record deal with InsideOutMusic/Sony Music.

“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,” the band’s vocalist and flautist Ian Anderson said in a statement.

“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.” he said.

While no details about the album are out yet, excitement is well-deserved. Last year, longtime fans of the band were shocked by news of Ian Anderson’s COPD diagnosis. In an appearance on the show, The Big Interview, Anderson told Dan Rather: “I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anybody in public before — I am suffering from an incurable lung disease which I was diagnosed with a couple of years back.”

Anderson then went on to state that his ‘days were numbered’, which led some fans to believe that his diagnosis was terminal. Later on, however, he clarified that he was referring to his days as a singer, owing to his condition.

“I really meant when talking to Dan Rather last September that my days as a singer were numbered, rather than days to live! After all, I am 73 years old this August! But I should be OK for a few more years if COVID-19 doesn’t get me first.”