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106.6 Radio Rock Interview with Ian Gillan
A few days ago in Rome Ian Gillan was interviewed on the local Radio Rock station.
And the whole show can be heard on the link below, mostly in Italian excepting IG’s answers.
For those on Facebook (isn’t EVERYONE?) you can access their page and view more pictures and video of the day.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
By the, way, GREAT concert at Rome. In the last few years, live, I’ve been often a bit deceived (even if Rome has a positive tradition of great DP concerts, usually) … yesterday I’ve been blown away. An almost perfect mix of new tracks (all of them interesting live, imho) and old tracks with some fresh make-up (Strange Kind was amazing), some risks from the band and a lot of fun for us.
June 24th, 2017 at 03:19I love the way he spoke about Ritchie in the end. He was so calm and I think the wounds have healed nicely but the fact of the matter if the audience still likes the old stuff and over 50% of the set list is of the Blackmore era then it’s wrong to imply that current DP fans don’t value Blackmore contribution to DP. On a similar note Just as much the fans loves Don they never forget Jon Lord contribution as a founding member. So to imply that only a small number of the current fans would like to see a one off gig with Blackmore is utterly wrong and commercialy it would be a massive success. Sorry if I upset anyone but I also have a great respect for Steve.
June 24th, 2017 at 12:58After the Rainbow shows this summer and last summer, I am surprised that anyone still thinks a DP reunion with RB would be something worth listening to. Is nostalgia really so big with some people that the music doesn’t count?
June 24th, 2017 at 22:57Svante @ 3 – indeed nostalgia does ‘rule’ the ‘classic’ era still to this day! Hence the amount of bands with different members on board, playing the classic era songs & being incredibly popular! For many fans it seems a huge deal! Also, the amount of ‘tribute’ bands earning a living off other artists material, says it all really! Here are a few examples of classic era artists travelling the nostalgia road. Roger Waters milks it, Queen or that should really be Brian May & Roger Taylor with Adam Lambert, pseudo Yes (Steve Howe’s version), Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Black Sabbath & many many more, relying on their older & more popular music! A commercial jackpot it is with modern day music so devoid of any everlasting quality it seems! Although there are a few hugely commercially viable ‘modern’ rock bands around these days it seems! Better off leaving the DP thing with Blackmore out, as they are almost finished as Gillan says & Blackmore clearly isn’t totally into his recent ‘rock’ nostalgia thing! Not to worry, we have the history for a little while longer, whilst we are still on planet earth. Cheers.
June 25th, 2017 at 07:07I think a one off gig with Blackmore could wipe out 25 years of the current Line up band achievements. It will be a commercial disaster for the DP current line up as more fans will want to see Blackmore from the nostalgia point of you but not out of respect to Steve.
June 26th, 2017 at 14:55More fans remember Ozzy as the lead singer of Blacksabath rather than Ronnie James Dio. And more fans will vote that DP Mk2 is the ultimate complete DP.
Adel for the win. Perfectly said.
June 27th, 2017 at 10:58Adel @ 5
A one off gig with Blackmore WOULD wipe out the last 25 years of the current line up. Thats why they wont do it.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:44@ 2, 5, 7:
Honestly, watch those videos of the last Rainbow performances. It’s far from Purple’s level. Blackmore was a great guitarist in the 70ies, that’s when he peaked with his playing and compositional skills. Two decades ago he moved into a very different direction away from rock and it’s where he’s been ever since. It’s a completely different approach. He isn’t the rock guitar player he once was anymore and he never will be again. Also it’s not that he could just jump in for one show and deliver a killer performance. It doesn’t work that way. A lot of rehearsing and adjusting would be required and I can’t see that happening because there’s no time to do it.
June 30th, 2017 at 14:12Alan…not from a quality perspective. Ritchie hasn’t produced an interesting musical idea since 95 and judging by the Rainbow gigs…his playing has seriously deteriorated. Morse era stuff…imho…is a vast improvement over any of the reunion era recordings…even PS….which is a pretty weak offering minus the title track and KAYBD.
June 30th, 2017 at 18:18Tommy H and CHIP @ 8 @ 9
Blackmore was happy and ready to play at the Rock and roll hall of fame and it was the DP management that blocked that and who gives orders to managements its the band members!!!!
Blackmore always challenged himself to play different type of music and to imply that he is not good enough in his current state is nothing shot of a silly joke
I urge you both to watch from here to infinite and see how Steve is suffering from arthritis in his hands from the extensive touring and practising.
So I guess by the time Steve reaches his early seventies like Blackmore he would be in retirement. Btw I take no please in stating these facts as I love Steve.
Blackmore is looking after himself very well and is touring on his terms as he pleases but to assume he is not good enough for DP is a sick joke.
Peace and good health to you both.
July 1st, 2017 at 15:01Didn’t expect Ritchie to be the Ritchie of the 90s or even 70s or 80s.
July 1st, 2017 at 21:40His playing over the last 20 years was quite different. I’m not a fan of BN, but every album had some great tracks / ideas that could have been great Rainbow tracks, but unfortunnately also too much fillers.
These shows he did with Rainbow showed that he is no longer the Blackmore we love, but on the other hand they showed that Steve Morse never had and will have that beautiful tone. Despite the fact he doesn’t play that fluent anymore I prefer his playing to Steve’s. Everything DP Morse has recorded is just a footnote in DP’s history.
From where I am sitting watching both bands on the tube & I am not talking about sound quality, performance wise both bands sound tired to me! Sure Blackmore isn’t the player he used to be, but neither is Gillan. They both sound at times, well past it indeed! Also, both bands have that auto pilot sort of feel to them, no fire etc! The Rainbow thing is never going to work as it is & that was sort of predictable in many ways. This current Purple band, well it sounds heavier, but that is about all, it lacks something, something is missing indeed! The two ‘older’ classic bands from the ‘golden’ era to check out chaps are King Crimson & Yes featuring Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman! Reinventing the mind blowing music from their past, with additional ‘different & younger’ players also! Brilliant indeed, so much fire & passion, it sounds reinvigorating! Both lead vocalist are nailing it also! Now that is ‘Classic’ Rock in the year 2017! Cheers.
July 1st, 2017 at 23:15@ #10, Adel:
You can’t just walk in, join a band (even for one show) and everything’s fine like in the old days. A band only works as a unit. It sometimes takes years to develop a functioning unit. It involves the dedication of every bandmember. Eveything else will be a disappointment.
And at this point in their careers I don’t give a damn if Blackmore joined Deep Purple or not. Every single one of our heros changed over the years, I’ll never be what it once was. People have moved on and so should you.
July 5th, 2017 at 11:45@ #10, Adel: (part II)
The only reunion worth the effort would have been the one I wished for six years ago: Jon and Ritchie working together on the recording of the Concerto for Group and Orchestra studio album. It was the last time when I thought that Blackmore could have made a move. I couldn’t care less for this uncomfortable and highly questionable RnR Hall of Fame introduction.
July 5th, 2017 at 12:18Tommy H @ 13 @ 14
July 7th, 2017 at 10:05When mega money is involved the managmemts gets together and sort things out.
The sold out farewell Blacksabbath concerts was a big success but the fans were so gutted not to see Bill Ward on the drums and it turned out that he was very happy to reform and play but the greedy managmemts did not offer him an equal share like the other three members.
Deep Purple has been selling nearly sold out concerts for 25 years on the back of a set list that only contains three four or five at best of any Steve Morse stuff so at least 75% of the songs are from the Blackmore Era.
On the subject of wether Blackmore is good enough for deep purple reunion or how they can play together as a band after all these years then please refer to the Pink Floyed reunion concert at Live 8 to get your answer.
Steve Morse wants to be the last one to play the guitar for deep purple but the first one who founded and made deep purple name is alive and kicking
Peace
@ #15, Adel:
Bill Ward played the drums for Sabbath till 2012, so there’s some merit to the fan’s disappointment. But Ritchie left DP in late 1993 (almost 24 years ago) and this latest incarnation of Rainbow doesn’t perform anywhere near the level of DP, although I like their singer Ronnie Romero. If Ritchie had joined Jon for the Concerto or another project while Jon was still with us it would have been something I had really appreciated. But I don’t care for a DP MkII reunion. It’s something of which there’s already plenty to cherish.
July 10th, 2017 at 09:57Blackmore still sounds very good on a number of the tunes he’s been playing live, such as “Stargazer”. Some of the other ones sound a little limp, like “I Surrender”. That’s mainly because the backing musicians aren’t that good, and – as versatile as he is – Romero doesn’t sound right singing the girlypop-rock fluff of Joe Lynn Turner.
Romero’s voice is much more suitable for songs sung by Ronnie Dio, Dave Coverdale and Graham Bonnett – who could all belt it out. Romero isn’t as good on the Gillan tunes, either. But regardless, you have to remember that Ritchie is in his 70s, an age when many men are dying or dead. He said himself publicly that he’s got advanced arthritis in his fingers and is “fading fast.” Same with Gillan. They’re all doing what they can, and if you can kick back and enjoy some good music and nostalgia that’s fine. But if you try to compare it to their respective heydays, you’re going to be disappointed.
July 10th, 2017 at 18:25James@ 17- Yes I agree with your comments in regards to Romero. Why do they bother trying to do Child In Time???? That is a vocal extravaganza that Gillan hasn’t been able to scream for decades! Gillan was the ONLY vocalist for that classic! Also, I thought Romero was over the top too much at times, forcing it, trying too hard perhaps? Adrenalin no doubt, he gets into it! No need for the backup vocalist either! Some highlights from Blackmore were, playing Woman From Tokyo, Lazy & the little blues jam thing, Russ Ballard guesting at the first gig was nice! Of course the touching Jon Lord tribute, only Blackmore knew Lord & his musical ‘click’ from way back then! Excellent indeed! They ‘Rainbow’, don’t need to try these gigs again though. Maybe it was to get it ‘right’ so to speak, from last years performances! All good fun no doubt, same with ‘Purple’, but it is in the past. as lovely as that is! History NEVER repeats! Cheers.
July 11th, 2017 at 22:09