
Ian Anderson has revealed that he has “an incurable lung disease” called COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Jethro Tull leader discussed his condition during an episode of “The Big Interview” conducted by Dan Rather, which will air tomorrow evening on AXS TV.
In a preview movie of the program, Anderson said:
I am going to tell you something that I had never made public: I have an incurable lung disease that I was diagnosed with a couple of years ago. I struggle. In fact, I have what are called “exacerbations”, periods, that is, when I have an infection that turns into bronchitis for two or three weeks. Period in which it is really hard to work, go on stage and play. I am crossing my fingers now, since I have not had these severe inflammatory states for 18 months. Of course I am taking drugs and, if I am in an environment free of pollution and good in terms of air quality, I feel better. But my days are numbered, even if my daily life is quite normal, in the sense that I can still run to catch the bus. I spent 50 years immersed in smoke machines, on stage, and I think this has influenced the onset of the disease.