Bilbo Veverka didn´t limit himself to search for his own roots in music and technology of farming. He and his friends from the Discussion Club Lopuch, with Jethro DoNot to single out in particular, managed to disclose and restore the alternative history of the significant bands Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig who, in spite of the long time elapsed, were parapsychologically influenced by musical and farming achievements of historic Squirrel Cousins´, the ancestors to today´s Squirrel Cousins. This near-detective search brought to light facts and historic peripetia in anachronistic order and often in several contradictory versions. To keep you informed about this thrilling search we submit the historic facts in a raw state exactly in the way Bilbo Squirrel and Jethro DoNot retrieved them from the thick sediments of dust.

"Yesterday I put on a record by Blodwyn Pig after a long time again: 'Ahead Rings Out' - really fantastic music. It was released in 1969 and Abrahams was recording it about the same time Anderson was recording 'Stand Up'. If I didn´t know 'This Was', 'Stand Up' and this record and someone had me listened to all 3 of them and gave me a guess which band had recorded 2 of them I would guess at 'This Was' and 'Ahead Rings Out'.:-)"

I was always interested in what had happened if Abrahams had become a leader of Jethro Tull. For me we would only listen to solo records by Ian Anderson or Anderson in a band with a different name and the name of Jethro Tull would be swallowed by the earth as Blodwyn Pig´s was. By "swallowed by the earth" I mean "in terms of general knowledge".

It almost a science fiction scenario: In this changed history Anderson would record 'Stand Up' with Tony Iommi on guitar and Martin´s talent would get lost in shabby guitar solos played in Music Barrs. :-)))

It may not have been true that Anderson had won the combat for leadership in the band - Abrahams simply had different ideas and left. It could have happened the other way very easily if the rest of the band had had the ideas as Abrahams did. Anderson would probably found a line-up of Anderson-Barre-Hammond-Barlow-Evans under a different name in 1969 and the record 'Heavy Horses' could come into existence in about 1975. ;-)

"If 'Heavy Horses' was released as early as 1975 I wouldn´t care because I was born in 1976. :-)))"

"Or you would care because 'Aqualung' and 'Thick As A Brick' were released before you were born anyway. :-)"

Glascock would substitute for Hammond as early as 1973, Anderson should have talked him out of smoking thanks to which Glascock shouldn´t have died and have played with Jethro Tull until now. David Palmer should have played with Jethro Tull since 1973 and he should probably have never changed his sex to Dee Palmer. There should have been no change in the band´s line up in 1980. Since about 1984 Glascock should have been a singer instead of Anderson who should have only played on flute, acoustic guitar and mandolin and have written still better music and lyrics. Glascock should have been still better a singer and with a course of time his voice sounded like that of Anderson´s in his young days. The core of the apple would be that he would have met singing teachers, as Bulik Veverka did 20 years later,to get instruction on how imitate Anderson´s early voice and not to spoil one´s vocal cords which was for Anderson unthinkable to do because when he started to heal his vocal cords they hade already been irreversibly spoilt. Instead of 'Under Wraps' there should have been released an absolutely essential record with Glascock as a singer halfway through it, a good one in comparison with 'Thick As A Brick' or even better.

"Bloody Abrahams why hadn´t he left together with the rest of the band without Anderson? ;-)"

Blodwyn Pig hadn´t recorded very much after that - perhaps Abrahams wasn´t as prolific a composer as Anderson was. The question remains, what have happened if Jethro Tull had coninued with Abrahams without Anderson - if the line-up of Abrahams-Cornick-Bunker-Lancaster (on flute, violin and saxophone) were as prolific as Anderson himself.

"We could write a book 'Alternative History Of Jethro Tull - First 40 Years'. :-)))"

"And in the region of the mentioned book would we also compiled the mentioned essential record? And how about Anderson´s band´s name? What would Iommi do? :-)))"

Well, as far as I know, Iommi would continue with Jethro Tull awhile but he should hate being there further on and leave and found Black Sabbath. I wouldn´t change anything about it, simply after having been sacked from Jethro Tull Ian Anderson should have called for his old friends from John Evans Band, brought a few musical ideas to their first reherseal which to be released as 'Thick As A Brick' later on and organized audition for a guitar player. Martin Barre came to the second audition, played a bit which Anderson didn´t like and said: "next one!" then Iommi played his bit and Anderson said: "I have always wanted to have a left-handed guitar player in the band, the flute is played from the other side, so he accept him!" However, Iommi asked for the band ´s sound to be like that of Black Sabbath ´s who hadn´t existed until then. As he found out this idea wasn´t feasable within Jethro Tull he left quickly. And Anderson said: "We are not going to lose time with the next auditions and accept the guitarist who had played before Iommi, he wans´t just too bad. It´s true he doesn´t play on the right but who on hell had come with the idea of left-handed guitarist in the band?" So Iommi´s role is as identical in the alternative as in real history. The only difference is the point that there is a full verbal speech of Anderson´s during first reherseals in the alternative history.

It is still left for us to find the name of the band which is mistakingly put for Abraham´s Jethro Tull.

There are two possibilities:

Perhaps Ian Anderson should have said: "What was our original name before the silly fool came up with the ridiculous name „Jehtro Tull“? After all we gradually had ten other names and the last one preceding the stupid 'Jethro Tull' was pretty good." When we come to this alternative version of history it will only suffice to search by the preceding name to Jethro Tull before their first historical performance in Marquee Club on 2.2.1968. Maybe you can find it in the competitive book "Little History of Jethro Tull - First 30 Years" by David Rees.

"Here we go. Our favourite band would bear the name 'Candy Coloured Rain'!"

Secondly, when Abrahams sacked Anderson he should have said: "Why are we called 'Jethro Tull' at all? What fool invented such a blunder? Why don't we start being called 'Blodwyn Pig' as of now? A better name than inferior 'Jethro Tull' isn’t it?" The rest of the band were left no else than agree. So Abraham‘s Jethro Tull were renamed to Blodwyn Pig and Anderson wasn´t barred any longer from giving it back a name of Jethro Tull and performing under the re-vamped name in the line-up of Anderson - Barre - Glascock - Barlow - Evans - Palmer until now.

"How do you think? I am giving a public opinion poll. Or anyone with any other idea? ;-)))"

I believe Abrahams wouldn´t rename the band. Jethro Tull with their record 'This Was' were well-established on the musical scene. The new name wouldn´t bring anything better. Anderson should have changed to "Candy Coloured Rain", recorded 'Stand Up', the new name would become well-known however Anderson should hate this one even more bitterly than "Jethro" inside Jethro Tull.

Yes, it´s the way it was. As it is well seen, the democratic approach so typical of the developed western civilization can be kept even throughout the historic research. Whatever doubt may occur the historic realities can be found out by the means of referendum institution or all-people voting.

Bilbo Veverka (in his own claw) and Jethro DoNot (in his own note) or both in their own hands at Lopuch (http://www.lopuch.cz)