Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi recently reunited with Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson, sparking speculation among fans about a potential collaboration after sharing a photo of their meeting on Instagram.
The post detailed a recent lunch meeting between the two musicians and their wives, where they spent hours catching up.
“Maria and I met up with my dear friend Ian Anderson and his wife Shona last Thursday for lunch,” Iommi said. “We had a fabulous time and we very much enjoyed our day. We talked for hours! Brilliant!”
The reunion quickly drew excitement from fans. One said, “Did he try to get you to join his band again?” Another commented, “Imagine a collab like this: Ian at the mic and flute and Tony killing it in the 6 strings.” Another fan added, “A collaboration? Anderson and Iommi—why not? That’s a story that could have another chapter.”
Iommi joined Jethro Tull in late 1968 as a temporary replacement for guitarist Mick Abrahams. His only widely documented appearance with the band was at The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in December 1968, where they performed “A Song for Jeffrey.” He left soon after because he felt out of place in an established band and wanted to build something of his own, reuniting with his Birmingham bandmates to help form Black Sabbath.
Anderson has said the two “knew and had done a bit of playing together” before that short-lived collaboration, and the pair have remained friends over the years.
