Jethro Tull recently released an animated video for "Over Jerusalem," a song from their 24th studio album, Curious Ruminant.
Studio Sparks produced the video for the song in Portugal. The band, which released the nine-track Curious Ruminant through Chrysalis Records in March, recently started playing "Over Jerusalem" live on tour.
"Having visited Jerusalem to perform in concert and in Israel generally many times since 1986 I, like much of the world, have felt growing distress at the political, social and cultural dilemmas facing all in the region," says frontman and flutist Ian Anderson. "After the first visit or two, I decided to continue to perform there but to donate all proceeds to various local NGOs: mostly to those supporting co-education of Arabs, Jews and Christians and often with a musical bias."
"The deep and complex history of Jerusalem - brilliantly chronicled in the book 'Jerusalem: The Biography' by Simon Sebag Montifiore - would be best read by many taking the simplistic view and taking polarised sides. Montefiore refers to 'Jerusalem Syndrome,' which pretty much sums up my own somewhat tortured views."
"I continue to hold a deep reverence and concern for the future of one of the most important cities of all time and its pivotal place in the current world. I say in the final line of the song, 'I'm not over Jerusalem.' Like a tragic love affair, it remains a memory which time cannot erase. Don't get me started about Moscow or Kiev…"
