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Not like lumpy elephants in the sky
Back in 2008, Ultimate Guitar has published a 1975 vintage interview with Ian Gillan, conducted just before the release of Ian Gillan Band first album Child in Time. It is preceded by a long-winded explanation from the interviewer on how stupid he was in his younger years.
On with the main course:
Could someone find a similarity to Deep Purple in the new songs?
Well, to be quite fair, I think you could. Yes. I think you could probably say that certainly; Deep Purple as it was when I was with them, it’s the same voice and it’s the same singer. My attitude to writing has probably matured a bit, but then again I’ve benefited from a 2-year layoff. It’s got a freshness to it that has occurred to me, anyway. There must be a link obviously because I write the words and the tunes to the stuff I sang with Purple. And I’m writing the words and the tunes to what we’re doing now. We’re writing very much in the same sort of way. Everyone is writing what they’re playing, if you know what I mean. We just tie it all together and fortunately it’s working very nicely. It’s a similar writing formula to the one with Purple. I think probably when we go on the road, we won’t be such a loud band this time. Not that I don’t like the volume, I do like the volume very much. But the players are different kinds of players.
Continue reading in Ultimate Guitar.
From the depths of Geir Myklebust’s archives emerges another vintage feature from the same time, based upon an interview with Roger Glover and Ian Gillan, conducted by Pete Makowski in a certain Swiss town. It was originally published in the issue of Sounds dated March 13, 1976.
Montreux is essentially a retiring home for rich persons. Like Brighton only a bit classier. It’s a place where a millionaire can spend his last years in the healthiest of surroundings before pushing off to that great Swiss deposit account in the sky.
It’s also the home of the Montreux jazz festival which, so the city’s tourist officer informs me, is overtaking the legendary Newport jazz festival in popularity and repute.
Montreux is also now the location for a new venture. The Mountain recording studios which have been installed into the brand spanking new casino building and is run by Jack Grod and his attractive American singer wife Anita Kerr.
Although it started business last July in time for the aforementioned Jazz festival it celebrated its official press opening only a couple of weeks ago which is how I got there.
As it happened Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were present there at the same time on business. Gillan was completing work on his new album with Glover acting as producer.
Almost three years after the Casino incident the ex Purple vocalist and equally ex Purple bassist find themselves at the same location that acted as a catalyst for the album that broke Deep Purple worldwide. Could this be more than fate?
On with the story…
Continue reading in My Things — Music history for those who are able to read.
Thanks to IGB aficionado Uwe Hornung on both counts.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Thanks for the Gillan 1976 interview. Interesting comments regarding going ‘back’ to a formula again. As in Machine Head back to In Rock. Also he mentioned the progressive style. Well hindsight again, but the IGB were definitely progressive but then he went ‘back’ to Gillan the band, a formula there indeed for much more straight ahead rock songs. At least he mixes it up over time. Also nice to hear he didn’t blame Blackmore for his leaving DP in 1973. I have heard that before. Gillan was ground into the dirt so to speak with DP then. Too much of everything & being a lead vocalist, he payed the price. He was always going to recover though & get back into music. A good interview. Talking about the primal animal in music, that is definitely what Sabbath’s Born Again was, classic. Cheers.
April 5th, 2024 at 21:44“IGB aficionado”
Alas!, how you mock me! 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlqsYuJtS-w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yts0PBQaki8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpoLMua_aLo
Gustafson was such an effing hot bass player and had a great voice to boot.
April 6th, 2024 at 00:24The Ian Gillan Band was an unlucky group – its main listeners were fans of harder music and were unable to appreciate the more sophisticated style, and those who could accept all this did not even know about the existence of such a group. And even today few people talk about them except Deep Purple fans, which I consider extremely unfair. And although I had read these interviews before, I re-read them with pleasure. This was a time when Gillan always spoke kindly and warmly about Blackmore, unlike his opponent, who did not miss a chance to beat Ian.
April 6th, 2024 at 16:25I was surprised to see him talk, same year I think, telling us DP stagnated while Jon Lords opinion was that “It was the biggest shame in rock and roll. We were writing so well!”.
Later on he suggested a reunion would be without integrity because it would go against evolutionary principles.
Then he rejoined Deep Purple telling is old fans that the format of long extended songs live was an anachronism.
I think they lenghtened Space Trucking the first tours.
After Blackmore left he took control and live it became adventurous, well at least for a while.
Though I m not fond of Morse s sound I admit it had a certain freshness and they made enjoyable(Which to me is not exiting, dramatic, adventurous)stuff.
Live more and more they relied on the old songs which implies SOMEBODY is a liar.
If that line up was fucking awesome they should have played many more Morse songs live and ongoing, not skipping them soon.
The only explanation is Gillan wanted to sell tickets and noticed it happened less when Morsesongs dominated.
It wasnt all bad but I really think it often was a waste of anyones time.
I d be very surprised, Almost dead, they re going to change the setlist very much.
Gillan in the studio is doable but live it became cringy a long time ago.
Maybe I ll give it a go , not having seen them live after 2006,if the album excites me.
Still then…..it would probably be the the same approach live again.
Sorry Ian, my respect you soldiered on after your first decline, sometimes came back with a vengeance, and so on….
But really, man, you were my God.
Wasnt there anybody to give you a minder like they did with other members later on due to drugshabits?
Did you really not know that so much smoking and alcohol ruined your unique voice?
April 7th, 2024 at 23:31