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The “Glorious Road” to Deep Purple collecting
I’ve been wanting to submit this “lost treasure” for a long time, but I couldn’t find it. Well I couldn’t wait any longer. While digging through my Deep Purple Collection, I recently unearthed this one of a kind collector’s piece. This is the actual finished cover for the Gillan “Glory Road” LP which was rejected for the one they ultimately used. It is was ready for production when at the last minute, someone changed their mind and shelved it. Luckily for me, it wasn’t destroyed. How did I become the proud owner of this “one of a kind” piece? Read on……
At the time (early 80’s), I was already well into collecting all things Purple, and I was in contact with anyone I could find who could help me work on completing my task — Acquire All Things Deep Purple. Deep Purple was no longer a band at the time, and therefore, finding everything from the Deep Purple Family was the game, along with anything Deep Purple had done in the past. I live in the US, and I found myself corresponding with many a chap overseas in Europe through the mail system. There was no such thing as e-mail and websites. I found myself totally consumed in this hobby in just a short time. This is where this little gem comes in.
One day in 1982 the mail carrier knocked on my door holding a package from London, which I wasn’t expecting. Upon opening it, I found this amazing and one of a kind item. It was sent as a token of appreciation due to some favors I had done in return for Purple Findings. I can’t disclose the name of the individual whom sent me this, but let’s just say he was one of the “Big Guys” and high up in the food chain in the Gillan camp. He obviously was the “Real McCoy”. It’s been packed away all of this time, in my “Rare and Special” Box, and I decided to look for it and share it with fellow Purple fans here on THS.
The contents of this package goes beyond just an album cover. There are also these pieces which were included. Various other original hand drawn variations of cover art concepts, an 8×12 black & white glossy of the band, actual negatives of the pictures of the band and model used for the cover. The album sleeve is laminated and opens like a book cover. This thing was ready for production and is complete.
Now that I have unearthed it, I intend to take it along to the next Deep Purple meet & greet I attend and surprise Mr. Gillan with it. He is given credit on the sleeve notes for some of the concept and design. It will be interesting to witness his reaction, and whether or not he recollects it at all. The only thing missing from it is his autograph, and I intend to acquire that. Of course with my luck, I will probably be hand-cuffed and taken away for having this “misplaced” piece of Gillan history for the past 26 years.
“Aye, Caramba”!
Cheers,
Tracy Heyder
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
You lucky bugger!
August 9th, 2008 at 19:28Wow,
I have never heard of this nor seen anything of it.
What a great collection, thanks for sharing it here.
Also the group hoto is unknown to me.
Karl-Heinz
August 10th, 2008 at 07:51Never heard Glory Road… you made me curious now. Guess I’ll have to check it out. Have other Gillan albums though.
August 10th, 2008 at 08:13You lucky bastard….wish I was the proud owner of this rarity!Enjoy and treasure it!!
August 10th, 2008 at 09:21What a wonderful picture the one with Gilla’s band next the tree!!!
August 10th, 2008 at 11:04Makes me wonder what other treasures you have ,
August 10th, 2008 at 18:03Thank for sharing this one,
That was the first album of his I bought,
good stuff!!
What a killer story…and a killer lp. Dont sell it…at any price!!!!!
August 10th, 2008 at 18:17micke:
Yes, you need to look for this one. It is probably his best solo record. The original version was released as a Limited Double gatefold. The extra record was called “For Gillan Fans Only”, and was basically the band, swapping instruments and just having fun with some oddball tunes. The present version of the CD that is available includes the “For Gillan Fans Only” extras. So you should definitely get a copy. You will not be disappointed!!!!
drew:
ME TOO! I’ve been collecting Purple and Alice Cooper for years now, and most of it has been stored away for a very long time. I don’t have an inventory record of my collection, and I was not very organized in my putting it away, so I too will be surprised when I dig further to see what all I truly have. I was inspired to search for this particular piece when earlier, in a different blog, I was corresponding back and forth with ‘Crimson Ghost’, regarding our collection. Soon after having that ‘chat’ I began my search and amazingly enough, it showed up fairly quick. Now, I will probably do some more digging…..who knows what lurks in the many boxes…
Ray:
Sell it?????? As with my many guns…You would have to pry it from my stiff, dead hands.
I have also forwarded the info to the Deep Purple Appreciation Society, and they confirmed it’s rarity. They are going to put an article in their magazine publication, “Darker than Blue” issue #80. I recommend all Purple Collectors to subscribe to their club. They have a huge merchandize store and a very informative magazine and website…. http://www.deep-purple.net/.
Glad I was able to locate this piece of history, and share it with fellow Purple Fans after all this time.
Cheers,
Tracy Heyder
August 10th, 2008 at 19:01“Glory Road” is the best of all the Gillan albums, and probably sounded closest to Purple. “If You Believe Me” and “Unchain Your Brain” are stand-outs. Tormé was a brilliant guitarist despite his kind of punk image!
This is the sort of thing that is of museum quality and is historically important. What you will have to determine (if you can) is why this cover was pulled. Perhaps it was too close to the color and layout of “Mr. Universe” and they thought there might be some confusion between the two. Who knows.
Nice artifact!
August 11th, 2008 at 18:56No
August 11th, 2008 at 19:13the best Gillan albums are:
mr.universe and double trouble
NO!
August 11th, 2008 at 20:46very nice! get it in a frame! the gillan albums are all awesome and ians voice was amazing during this period. they are all out on re master so get em now!!
August 11th, 2008 at 21:17the best Gillan performance is from Bucharest 1992 dvd and cd.
the best Gillan’s songs:
secret of the dance
she tears me down
fighting man
man of wars
m.a.d.
born to kill
(from Mr.Universe and Double Trouble…)
and than there is J.C.Superstar,Ian Gillan,Cherkazoo,Gillan/Glover,Ian Gillan Band,Michael Rakintzis,Bollan Project, etc…but these are others stories…
August 12th, 2008 at 10:53Really?
I can think of better available Gillan audio performances, but Bucharest is a good video, and I do recommend it, but there is a lot of stuff that comes awful close.
For audio check out the 1980 BBC show that Gillan did, and there are a few boots from 83-84-85 that come to mind as well, speaking of “other stories.” As for best songs, two or three of those would rate up there, the rest nowhere near his best.(you’re selling the catalog quite short)
=========
It’s nice to see the GR cover, Tracy, but I have seen part of it before, and the pictures in the trees have been used in at least one other situation, I can’t remember, but perhaps it will all completely come back to me, but I think it was in a magazine spread.
August 12th, 2008 at 22:56But the rest of it is unseen to these eyes before now… I’d file it under “priceless” as soon as you get it signed.
(there *might* be some photos from that session used in the liner notes sleeve of the UK import, but they’re blue’d come to think of it… I always liked the use of blued photos)
Nope, I have to agree that Glory Road is the overall best Gillan album. All great songs
Side 1
“Unchain Your Brain” – (3.11) (Gillan/McCoy/Tormé)
“Are You Sure?” – (4.05) (Gillan/McCoy/Tormé)
“Time And Again” – (5.05) (Gillan/McCoy/Tormé)
“No Easy Way” – (6.34) (Gillan/McCoy/Tormé)
“Sleeping On The Job” – (3.11) (Gillan/Towns)
Side 2
“On The Rocks” – (6.39) (Gillan/Towns)
August 13th, 2008 at 14:22“If You Believe Me” – (7.33) (Gillan/McCoy/Tormé/Underwood)
“Running, White Face, City Boy” – (3.11) (Towns)
“Nervous” – (3.44) (Gillan/Towns)
Good for you, if you’re talking to me, I never said it wasn’t, I was clearly talking about the live factors presented by ‘Roberto’ so glad you like it, certainly by no means his worst, but saying it’s his best is merely your respected blanket opinion.
August 14th, 2008 at 00:03Crimson Ghost, is that you?
August 14th, 2008 at 15:45Yes, for a minute it was anyway… I did some reformatting so I was unrecognized and had to enter a name, I thought for sure they would pick it up, but they did hold the post for moderation and likely do know it’s me, to which I hold no secret. tee hee
Now that things are back in order, I can reply to the emails, talk to you then…
August 14th, 2008 at 23:13Hey Larry…Ghost….Sybil? LOL…
The beauty of this is…I actually have the ‘negatives’ of the photos included with the glossies. The whole package in it’s entirety. I am so looking forward to getting this thing signed by Mr. Gillan.
Glad you are back…..
Cheers
August 15th, 2008 at 00:37I have many fond memories to “Glory Road”, and have to agree with those who ranks the album as No.1 in the Gillan cataloge!The standout track for me is “On the rock”….majestic intro & powerful….nostalgia,here I come….damn, got to hear it right now!!!!
August 15th, 2008 at 00:45Cheers Tracy, wow, the negatives too… thats mega priceless!
Stefan and others who swear GR is his no.1 work, well what does that make the ltd. edition free album that came with it? I’d say combined they can compete with his best, but wait, yet another solo title will be out in January, so we’ll have to see… for my money, the guys he works with now compliment him better than any former line ups… those who caught the Gillan’s Inn tour would likely whole heartedly agree. One things for sure, they blow away the crap Naked Blunder line up at the very least imo.
Cheers
August 15th, 2008 at 04:11To me the n.1 solo work from Ian Gillan is surely ‘clear air turbulence’: a mesterpice of originality.Jazz funk rock at his best.
Drums and bass palyer are amongst the best I ever heard.
-One of my favourite gig is Bucharest 1992 and Munich 1991.
-The best ‘collaboration’ is jesus Christ superstar and the live soundboard bootleg ‘Gillan tapes’ from Black Sabbath
-the best Gillan song is ‘fighting man’
August 15th, 2008 at 12:11(but even ‘born to kill’ which is better than ‘on the rocks’ and ‘ no more cane on the brazos’)
My curiosity has been TWEEKED!!!!! Looking forward to the Gillan project you speak of here Ghost.
Again, which is better? That is for the taste buds of each individual for sure, but the energy and creative blend behind the “Torm’e, McCoy, Townes, Underwood line-up” was by far the most memorable.
Cheers
September 10th, 2008 at 18:49Great piece. I am frustrated by the lack of attention to Ian Gillan’s catalog. “Glory Road” is a killer album. Imagine how great it could sound if remixed to today’s state of the art? Years ago I got a tiny taste of what could be when Repertoire remastered the “Future Shock” album as all of a sudden there were mid frequencies that really added to the punch. Glory was supposed to be done too but the project just stopped after Future and a couple live remasters. Sad. Why doesn’t a guy like Gillan do his catalog some real justice? Cost verses sales, I know. A full remix would be staggering.
October 3rd, 2018 at 00:08