He became an institution with albums like Aqualung and Stand Up but Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson is on a quest to look after a different part of British history – the nation’s churches. Chris Price caught up with him as he prepared to appear with Justin Hayward and Bruce Dickinson.

After returning to perform at Canterbury Cathedral for a second successive year, you would be forgiven for thinking Ian Anderson is a Christian. That is where the Jethro Tull flautist and leader would politely point out you were wrong.

“That doesn’t mean I am of the Christian persuasion,” said Ian, who has sold 60 million records in a 40-odd-year career as frontman of Jethro Tull.

“I’m a supporter of Christianity and the grand community buildings which are part of our heritage. We won’t be making any more of these churches. Nothing resembles their grandeur and the architecture of the great medieval churches. Anything past the Victorian times has taken on a different look. The newer churches are not as nice.”

As the snow covered Canterbury Cathedral this time last year, the beauty of the building was brought out even more. Yet even if the white stuff does not fall when he performs this time, Ian has brought along two Christmas crackers to make sure he gets bums on seats: Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson and Moody Blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Justin Hayward will join him for the gig. The show is a big departure from the notoriously full-on style of all three and a rare chance to see them in an acoustic setting.

“The important thing is to bring people in to the context of a place of worship,” said Ian, 64, who has now been playing in churches for the last couple of years in the UK and abroad.

“Whether they choose to sign on the dotted line or never come again, it is nice to get people to come into the building they might walk past every day.”

Justin Hayward is a man of faith and plays at his local church at his home in France. Although Ian and Bruce have only met a few times before, Ian understands the singer is a confident Christian but one who has “an open mind”.

Ian has very strong beliefs himself and talked at length about his reasons for being a supporter of Christianity without being a member – giving him the ability to be critical of it. He is very eloquent and serious without ever becoming boring. “I am someone who has strong beliefs but I don’t believe in an interventionist God so that rules out all organised religion” he said. “You could describe me as a deist. I don’t believe in the power of prayer. I believe in my own conviction. I keep an open mind.”

It is unsurprising that Ian has such an affinity with churches. His first awareness of music was church music, then just before his teens he listened to rock and roll and the blues before embracing folk, jazz and classical music in his teenage years. All of these influences then went into the success of Jethro Tull.

The 1960s and 1970s rockers celebrated the 40th anniversary of their seminal album Aqualung this year, with EMI Records releasing a deluxe collectors edition of the record. Released in October, it came complete with new mixes and previously unreleased material.

“It’s an album which touches all of the little moments of social awareness in my early years” said Ian. “A couple of the songs touch on organised religion.

“I think it is timeless music and that it works well today. We can still play those songs.

“At the time it was just the next record but its power as a piece of music has grown over the years and lots of people find something important in it.”

Canterbury Cathedral’s Christmas Rock Concert: The three wise men

IAN ANDERSON

Leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull. Also plays the acoustic and electric guitar, bass, bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone, harmonica. Received an MBE in 2008.

BRUCE DICKINSON

Singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

JUSTIN HAYWARD

Best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the Moody Blues. Enjoyed international solo success in 1978 when he appeared on the concept album Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, which yielded the hits Forever Autumn and The Eve of the War.

Ian Anderson, Bruce Dickinson and Justin Hayward perform Canterbury Cathedral’s Christmas Rock Concert in support of the Canterbury Gift on Saturday, December 10. The tickets have just sold out (from £10 to £35) but returns will be available on the day either in person or via the box office on 01227 464764.