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Nick Blagona is mixing new Gillan’s album

Ian Gillan, One Eye To Morocco promo photo

Billboard has an article about a new state of the art Jukasa Studios built last year on a native reservation in Canada, just an hour outside of Toronto. Enjoying the tax exempt status, the studio can save it’s clients paying the 13% Ontario tax on it’s services. Nick Blagona is the chief engineer and he’s been busy:

…Now, Jukasa’s chief engineer Nick Blagona is mixing Ian Gillan of Deep Purple’s new solo album there…

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.



32 Comments to “Nick Blagona is mixing new Gillan’s album”:

  1. 1
    Robert says:

    That’s terrific. But when someone will start mixing Deep Purple’s own album?..

  2. 2
    Roberto says:

    I am very interested…

  3. 3
    Drdp says:

    This is all GREAT news as I love any and all of Big’s solo stuff..BUT…… We need that new band album more! I guess the time off between tours was spent on this rather than band material. IT’S TIME BOYS!!!!!

  4. 4
    T says:

    As a Deep Purple fan, news such as this comes as bittersweet.

    Gillan is known for outstanding solo albums, with Dreamcatcher being my personal favorite, along with the Glover collaboration Accidentally On Purpose. The Toolbox material, Naked Thunder…and all this outside of Gillan and Ian Gillan Band. In addition, Nick’s work is beyond question. The new album is likely to sound great.

    It must be said that the various members of Purple are free to do whatever projects they see fit; as owners and masters to do with Purple whatever they feel; and to proceed with their respective careers in whatever manner produces the most personal enjoyment and professional success. It is their life and their band.

    That said, however, this fan continues to be frustrated with the lack of new Purple material while members burn time for solo appearances and projects that could have been used for a long overdue and much needed Deep Purple album.

    As a fan, the point of view is quite different, and while the personal freedom of the Deep Purple members has to be appreciated and respected, likewise it must be understood how a longtime–LIFEtime–fan feels.

    Purple has become a vehicle–a source of revenue–for the finance of various solo projects none of which can touch Purple’s potential. Meanwhile, this is Gillan’s SECOND project since the last Deep Purple album, and this amid comments that they can only go into the studio when the mood strikes them. The members of Deep Purple do not seem to have trouble getting into the mood for extracurricular activities.

    This makes acceptance of these albums difficult. It is hard to listen to these works with the knowledge that we could have had a new Deep Purple album instead. Is it time for Deep Purple to disband and concentrate on solo activities full time? At least that would render the argument moot.

    I wish Ian Gillan all success in his new endeavor and am confident it will be at his usual level of artistic brilliance. I’ll probably wear grooves into the surface of the CD.

    On the other hand, I feel that *someone* needs to make a MOVE–be it a current member or someone outside the current band line-up.

    Deep Purple tours–but do they EXIST? Do they remain relevant? How long can they “ride the wave” of their reputation?

    I sympathize with Gillan’s frustration at constantly being peppered with questions about a new album; yet, at the same time, it is difficult for the fan to be enthusiastic for these solo projects when the members remain complacent. One cannot make excuses NOT to record and then–record something else. This fan feels slighted in the same way Gillan feels annoyed at the “new album” question.

    A new solo album is not needed. A new Purple album will ensure the survivability of the band. Sometimes, one has to finish the chores before going outside to play.

    So I am looking forward to the new Ian Gillan album.

    I guess. ?

  5. 5
    james jay says:

    In the U. S. A. they call it a Fee in addition to any tax. A new word for the same outcome— Highway Robbery. My favorite is the “Franchise Fee” WTF is that?
    Any case, how about a new DP at the Jukasa?

  6. 6
    stefan says:

    Why, what´s the point, is it a ego thing Ian…..WHAT ????? No matter how good the songs might be,I´m not that interested !!! Give us want we all want and what is looooong overdue, a new DEEP BLOODY PURPLE album !!! Stop jerking us around for f**ks sake or retire, I´m bloody tired of the more or less same set list being recycled endlessly !!!!! Good thing we have good old Glenn Hughes, always something interesting cooking there !!!!

  7. 7
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Nothing new here, and it doesn’t mean it will be out next week or anything. Nick is just doing the work again. As far as I know this will not be an album but a series of Ep’s, according to Ian in an interview a few months back.(might be a change in that plan though, as usual) But it is supposed to be very much in the vein of his last album. This news seems to be more about Nick’s studio with the mention of Ian’s album being mixed there, likely due to it being a most familiar name on his current plate.

  8. 8
    Rover says:

    I guess I may not break any new ground, but… why the solo album and not a Deep Purple one?

  9. 9
    Bo says:

    I can only agree 100% that a new REAL Deep Purple almum is more important that a new Gillan album. When I writes REAL it’s beacuse I dont want a new typical DP album which is not a real rock album. I want them to play rock where you have the Purple trademark all over. Just like when the came back with Perfect Strangers. That was Purple.
    the reason why it takes them so LOOOONG time to do a new one, could easly be beacuse they dont know what to do. Look at the setlist for the last MANY yers. Still based on the purple sound of “long time ago”. Not the new Morse sound. He is great, the band smile and I love that, BUT I dont love the Morse sound at all. Bring back REAL Purple sound or I prefer A Gilland tour with great Gillan songs and rare Purple songs.

  10. 10
    Skúli says:

    Don’t forget that we don’t own the band. As much as I am looking forward to (or hoping for?) a new DP album I don’t feel that I have a right to demand one.

    As for Gillan making a second solo effort since ROTD – more power to him. It has been made clear repeatedly that the band needs to collectively “get in the mood” and I don’t think it’s fair to expect him (or any of the band members) to abstain from doing their thing, especially not on the basis that DP-fans might find it somehow unseemly given how much time has passed since the last album.

    That being said; I am dying for a new DP-album! 🙂

  11. 11
    dave_wallis says:

    Hey guys, I think some of you are going a bit too far. It’s the band that decides what’s more important to them at the moment. I’m very glad they’re still recording at this age! And Gillan is probably most active of them all and always full of ideas and enthusiasm when it comes to recording, so nobody can or should dare to suggest that something else is more important. That’s not how it works. Respect the man. Don’t treat him only as a DP vocalist because he’s much more than this!
    If they don’t feel like recording similar kind of songs again – and that’s what’s it all about in case of current Purple (Back To Back = Almost Human, Girls Like That = 69, Silver Tongue = Somebody Stole My Guitar “fast vsn” etc.) – they should do what they think is best for them. Not for the fans, for God’s sake!

  12. 12
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Not only that, this Ian Gillan material is all from various bits an pieces in his head that primarily get shared with Steve Morris in the sparest of times. For instance Ian’s last album was an accumulative 11 years worth of such ideas. I don’t know about anyone else but 11 years without an Ian solo album really gets on my nerves moreso than five years without a Morse era Purple album in a demographically fauled up market for hard rock music. They either forge on progressively or stay in the Classic Rock rut. Either way they take risk, it’s just too bad they will of course have to lean toward the latter instead of the former. For all it’s worth this is where the mistake lies, anymore than two year between albums will do that to anyone. Frustrated yes, just not surprised or containing enough energy to care anymore. I know I’m unhappy with their lack of general caretaking in this department. But any time Gillan spends working on something else simply has nothing to do with it, as the ideas aren’t of the same musical process as it takes for Deep Purple to get together and focus on a band recording that takes much more time, effort and scheduling. Let’s just hope when this supposed session does happen they’re all more than ready to bring 100% to it. I do believe Ian rightly when he says things like, ‘we’re not making records anymore, just for the sake of making records, we will be putting more into it than that from now on…’ and ‘why make a second rate Deep Purple album’, as this is what will happen if and when they undertake such a thing because they’re either expected to or pushed down that road. So you see this was yet another pieced together in spare time album, or series of EP’s as Ian did call it recently. It will also likely have a short running time like ‘OETM’ did, you know, like the kind of stuff that doesn’t take anywhere near the focus that making a Purple album demands. But anyway, personally I like his last solo album better than anything he or Purple have churned out since Purpendicular… yes, I listen much more to Morocco than Rapture, it has varied music on it, something Purple hasn’t so much as thought of doing since Purpendicular.

  13. 13
    Tommy H. says:

    Of course the musicians themselves decide what they want to do and I respect that. But like Gillan said: “If you’re not interested in pleasing other people, then do it in your own room.” Deep Purple always was a live band and folks are enjoying them at concerts. To be honest:

    Do fans really go too far when they simply want to hear something new after some years? Isn’t that a very natural behavior an experienced artist has to expect?

    On the other hand: Steve already mentioned that Deep Purple has plans to go to the studio next year. And Ian told us a while ago that he will record a new solo album soon.

  14. 14
    HZ says:

    @11

    They should be like what Ritchie was criticized about – thinking of them selves and not the fans – if I understood you well… And playing old Ritchie’s riffs constantly, and saying we’re like that you know, we are what we are today – new, fresh ideas all over the place, and Ritchie wasn’t fans guy, but we are?

  15. 15
    purplepriest1965 says:

    @ T.

    ” A new solo album is not needed.”

    I do understand the frustration and so on whats being written here but…….

    A good album is a good album.
    Deep Purple or solo or……whatever.

    Today I played Bananas by DP,the last Don Airey album and 2 solo albums by Tommy Bolin.
    Not really hardrocklike the band made once made when I fell in love with the band but nonetheless…….
    VERY ENJOYABLE.

    I d not say this current band IS Deep Purple.
    But that aside…….

    They have produced some “nice” things since Morse stepped in.

    But “nice” ofcourse is not the same as exiting.(…..)
    And underplaying it live never helped either.

    Although getting almost adventurous around 1996 after that the setlist syndrome never faded.

    The oeuvre by DP with Morse……

    It always has been sort of dismissable compared to the old gems written by a younger incarnation of this outfit.

    The same accounts for certain solo try outs.

    While Dreamcatcher was murdered by the production One Eye To Morocco, which got an immense hyping this site,did not make a big impact either.

    Its not that I did not want it to be good.MIND YOU!!!!!

    To remind some of you and newbies, I always loved my fair share of NON hardrocking music besides the old “hang-ups”.

    So, its definitely not a matter of time or energy.
    It has nothing to do with the fear of not selling a cd.
    It MUST have to do with a non deniable lack of passion for doing something in the ” Deep Purple vein”.

    Indeed, they have the right to do anything they like.

    And I am one of those people that prefer to witness solo gigs like Don Airey did.
    This instead of DP with, I tried for years but it never clicked,Morse and a Gillan that crackles himself to the end.
    And Don is very good but he is no Jon Lord.

    I LOVE songs in which Ian screams but appearantly that section is out of his territory forever now.
    I d never have mind if he had left that painful region forever and used his strenght left.
    And that was still very impressing on a good day.
    Too many days of having a cold, I mean.

    A certain strenght and charisma always attached to Ian faded since 2000, IMHO.
    Here and there it re appeared.

    I loved how he sang on Bananas.

    I never understood why they did not play Sun Goes down.Could have been a grand one, espescially when extended.
    But DP since 1984 denied their real strenght being the improvisational side.

    Why on earth FADE good tracks in the studio is also beyond my comprehension.

    Love Silver Tongue and Bananas and Sun Goes Down.

    THOSE tracks should have been played to death live!!!

    Throw in Strange Ways and things like that and we are getting exited.
    No One came was a real blast in 1996.
    They should have followed that path and setlists would never have been boring.

    One can always hope for a surprise.
    But its a bit late and too many years wasted.
    Down the drain.

    If Ians new solo stuff will be like OETM I ll try again the whole bunch, probably.
    I am one of those lunas that cant accept the fact that he is not fond of something his heroes do.
    But I m afraid it will get shelved to play once in a while.

    So, maybe this time the season really did change.
    Forever……

    Today I got fined for riding my bike somewhere where the police were trying to fill in their quota.
    Easy target.
    Stayed calm while observing 2 sexy women in uniform.
    Another thing I had in common with Gillan, hehehe.

    Have to compensate that fine by doing something criminal elsewhere ladies.

    Cheers.

  16. 16
    josh says:

    Yes – #10 thats the point !! Let the guys do their own thing and it will be GREAT. cheers

  17. 17
    Tim Corbett says:

    Ok. So Big Ian is recording a solo album , so what! It say’s a lot about the current state of DP. They are trading on past glories. They go on tour, throw in the odd unplayed live track & deliver a best of set list. DP are a caberet act & should get their act together. There is no point in a new album as they’d only play it @ the warm up shows & we’d be back to where we are now before we know it. When you look @ the back catalogue th@s where the live shows come from. Go out there & play a live set from the material that hasn’t been played. Yes, Gillan this means material from Mk 3, 4, 5.

  18. 18
    Roberto says:

    considering the quality of their last album ROTD (except for the title track), I don’t need another deep purple album of that low level…(that’s my opinion)…If they need time to write great songs or they are nomore inspired,it is better for them to not record…

  19. 19
    TruthHurts says:

    A follow-up to the excellent “One Eye To Morocco”? That’ll do nicely, especially if Steve Morris was/is involved again.

  20. 20
    Michiel says:

    Gillan’s latest was a nice platter, but that doesn’t mean we need another one this soon. I mean, not before a brand new DP album.

  21. 21
    james jay says:

    @12 blaming the “fuzz” for your actions? easy target? sounds like a “cop out”
    but- i agree IG should stick with singing and less screaming. the man can still sing.

  22. 22
    Tracy Heyder (aka Zero the Hero) says:

    Love it and hate it…..

    Reminds me of the days when Purple officially disbanded back in 1976, and I went in search of ALL Things Purple Related. I found various recordings of bands whereby Purple People did session work and did solo efforts. It became a Life Style. I was obsessed in finding anything and everything related to Purple. I feel this obsession looming again. I remember finding out that Gillan had done some solo albums. GREAT!! And they were. They still are.

    If Purple is DONE, there will apparently be some Purple offspring still for a while. IT’S ALL GOOD.

    If Rapture is the final Album, so be it. It was a good one. May as well have been the last MK1 album in 1969, or ‘Who Do You Think We Are’ from 1973, or ‘Come Taste the Band’ from 1976, or ‘House of Blue Light’ from 1987, or ‘Slaves and Masters’ from 1991, or ‘The Battle Rages On’ from 1993, or ‘Abandon’ from 1998…….All points in time when the Band had to either replace or quit.

    What’s your preference? Having skipped all these amazing Purple line-ups and recordings or having them continue to exist for you all to Bitch about????

    Ian, I look forward to this effort and to any and all you feel worthy of putting out. Same for the rest. It’s a Musical Purple thing.

    And of course, a New Purple Album would be GREAT, but if it ain’t in the cards….so be it. As I stated in a past post, is ain’t likely with the present line-up. But if it happens…..”I THANK YOUOOOUUUUUU!!!!!””””

    JOB WELL DONE.

    cheers

  23. 23
    gillan60 says:

    I’m not too interested in a new cd of the band only to conform to the fans. I prefer that DP edit something when they are able to show good material, no matter how much time passes between a CD and the following.

  24. 24
    Julian Woodward says:

    If they can find the energy and inspiration to produce another album with the breadth and originality of Purpendicular, then I would be DESPERATE to hear that. What I don’t want to hear, though, is another Abandon or another TBRO. So dull. A Gillan solo album might at least be a bit ‘different’.

  25. 25
    Crimson Ghost says:

    @21

    Thanks for explaining… input perfecto!

  26. 26
    Crimson Ghost says:

    But it was @15 James, not @12, but as I said, well done.

    @15 -I d not say this current band IS Deep Purple.

    Can we have some control over the topic meandering? Your posts would be just as enjoyable without being all over the place. I’m glad you don’t take it personally, it breeds my respect. But respecting the assortment of directions you go that don’t have anything to do with it is another thing. I know you can do it, you have more than enough artistic sense, don’t use it against yourself so much. I hope saying ‘happy holidays’ doesn’t offend you. “Dry your eyes my little friend.”

  27. 27
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Hey Larry!!!

    I will rename myself Guirlande D ‘Amour, ok?

    Mark

  28. 28
    olivier says:

    Well We’ll get a new DP album “when the stars are right”… meanwhile, this new one shall be tasty.

  29. 29
    Tracy Heyder (aka Zero the Hero) says:

    Great name for the next album…..”When the Stars are Right”.

    Cheers

  30. 30
    BigB says:

    I find this bit of news to be frustrating. I think it’s become quite obvious that the guys aren’t interested in Deep Purple anymore, other than as a (touring)vehicle to generate funds. I believe that when a new DP album is finally dragged into existence, it will be their last. They’ll do another tour, but it will be a farewell tour. Let’s face it, they’re too old to wait another six years in between studio albums. In my opinion, it’s time to start saying your goodbyes because this band will cease to exist once (and if) a new studio album has been released and toured.

  31. 31
    Crimson Ghost says:

    @27

    Hey Marrk!!!

    That translates as Geraldine, nice name. But not ok! lol!

  32. 32
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Geraldine?

    Sounds more like some kinda lemonade or something.

    Maybe it sounds like it but you are reading, not listening.

    Better meander into better territories like wine?

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