Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson recently spoke about his band’s upcoming concert in Russia. He stated that he is sadly unwilling to perform in the country unless Vladimir Putin is not in charge anymore.
Vladimir Putin’s fire attacks on Ukraine continue even over a month after its start. The cruel attacks have caused so many Ukrainians to lose their lives, leave their homes to hide in bunkers and ask for refugees to the neighboring countries.
The two countries are stuck in a loop where Putin demands difficult compromises, and Ukraine’s President Volodimir Zelenski is unwilling to accept them. Some sources state that World War III might be here, especially if the NATO member countries get physically involved.
While many celebrities have already used their high follower advantage to condemn Putin and stand by Ukraine, some are trying to take more action, like protesting against the president by not performing in the country. Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson recently stood his ground against Putin as well.
Although he has nothing against the citizens of Russia, especially those who don’t support Putin, he is not willing to go to the country as long as Putin is in charge. He stated that the president has a ‘black heart’ and will never admit ‘his weakness.’ He talked about how he would be more than happy to go to the country again if Putin had disappeared.
Here is Anderson’s lengthy explanation:
“I don’t think I could do that if Vladimir Putin is still the man in charge; I don’t think I could do that. And I don’t think anybody else will either. He’s not the kind of man to climb down and retreat and apologize; that’s not in his soul. He has a black heart. He will never, ever admit weakness. He thrives on an ever-increasing sense of his destiny and power. He’s not going to change.
If he’s deposed or assassinated or something like that happens, then, of course, I would. If at least I felt Russia was taking a new place on the world stage in a post-Putin era, then I’d be very happy to go there. But I’m afraid Russia has really done for itself. And it’s very sad because, roughly speaking, in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, I think you would find probably a bit of a majority of people who really didn’t want Putin to be the man in charge.”
He continued:
“In some of the more rural towns and the more industrial towns further east, then Putin is very popular because they believe what they see on state TV. That’s all they get; that’s their only access to news, state television. They don’t read papers; they’re not Internet savvy; all they see is what is on the few channels that they have on state television. That’s what they see; that’s what they believe. And they believe in Putin, the strongman.
But the half of Russia that is not caught up in that ridiculous spell that he has cast upon the people, the other half of them are people like you and me. In fact, I’ve always felt in Russia, as I do in places like Poland and the Czech Republic. I’ve always felt there was an affinity between the British and those people.
But it’s very sad for me personally that we’re in the situation that we are, that quite clearly people like me don’t have any business in going there as long as Putin is carrying out such hideous acts in blatant contravention of any definition of legality and propriety when it comes to respecting neighbors. So, no, I don’t think that’s going to be on the cards.”
You can watch the interview below.
