Given that Anderson was one of the leading musicians of his generation and has succeeded in trying his hand at an array of sounds, from jazz to rock and electronic to symphonic, he’s as confident in his abilities as you might expect him to be and emboldened to comment on the work of others, free from the fear of offending. (Farout)
Offering insight into his singular being, he even once admitted that he was “never really a Beatles fan”, a brief comment that accounts for much of how Jethro Tull saw themselves and their place in music.
Of course, Anderson is also an expert on showbiz. He may be a prog rocker, but Anderson has enjoyed immense worldwide success, giving him insight into how other stars operate, including Madonna.
Speaking to The Tapes Archive in 1993, Anderson expertly outlined that as soon as someone becomes monetarily successful as a musician, they tread on thin ice with some of the subjects they can address in their music, as opposed to when they were a penniless, struggling musician; that’s just the paradox they have to deal with. He did maintain, though, that it’s best to get rid of the trappings of fame and be as down-to-earth as possible when at the summit.
For this reason, Anderson supposed that Phil Collins making millions was much easier to comprehend for the world than Michael Jackson or Madonna because the English musician doesn’t come across as overly immersed in “showbiz” and is less likely to upset.
Then, he reasoned why no one seems to like Madonna, a reality he dubbed tragic. He said: “Whereas Madonna is sort of archetypal Hollywood show biz power crazy, sort of over the top. I mean I don’t think anybody really likes Madonna, that’s the sad thing, and yet there’s a lot of talent and, you know, character there. It’s just that, you can’t like this woman, you know, it’s so sad, isn’t it?”
It seems that many people of Anderson’s generation take issue with Madonna and her characterising the ridiculous essence of show business. Even Paul McCartney, a man not known to be offensive, has had a significant issue with the American singer due to what he claimed was her deeply haughty approach.
