<P> Thick as a Brick is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released in March 1972 . The album contains a continuous piece of music, split over two sides of an LP record, and was deliberately designed to parody the concept album genre . The original packaging, designed like a newspaper, claims the album to be a musical adaptation of an epic poem by the fictional 8 - year - old genius Gerald Bostock, though the lyrics were actually written by the band's frontman, Ian Anderson . </P> <P> The album was recorded in late 1971, featuring music composed by Anderson and arranged with the contribution of all band members . The live show promoting the album included the playing of the full suite, with various comic interludes . Thick as a Brick is considered by critics to be the first release by Jethro Tull entirely consisting of progressive rock music . It received mixed reviews upon its release but was a commercial success and topped various charts in 1972 . Today it is regarded as a classic of progressive rock and has received several accolades . Anderson produced a follow - up to the album in 2012, focusing on the adult life of the fictional Gerald Bostock . </P> <P> Jethro Tull's frontman and songwriter Ian Anderson was surprised when critics called the band's previous album, Aqualung (1971), a "concept album". He rejected this, thinking it was simply a collection of songs, so in response decided to "come up with something that really is the mother of all concept albums". Taking the surreal English humor of Monty Python as an influence, he began to write a piece that would combine complex music with a sense of humour, with the idea it would poke light - hearted fun at the band, the audience, and the music critics . He also intended to satirise the progressive rock genre that was popular at the time . </P> <P> Anderson has also said that "the album was a spoof to the albums of Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, much like what the movie Airplane! had been to Airport" and later remarked that it was a "bit of a satire about the whole concept of grand rock - based concept albums". Although Anderson wrote all the music and lyrics, he co-credited the writing to a fictional schoolboy named Gerald Bostock . The humour was subtle enough that some fans believed that Bostock was real . Reviewing the 40th anniversary reissue, Noel Murray suggested that many listeners of the original album "missed the joke". </P>

Who wrote the lyrics to thick as a brick