Ain’t no easy way
Another Friday, another classic Gillan video — No Easy Way off the Rock Goes To College show from February 23, 1981.
Thanks to steve4422 for keeping us posted.
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse3.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/morse3.jpg)
Another Friday, another classic Gillan video — No Easy Way off the Rock Goes To College show from February 23, 1981.
Thanks to steve4422 for keeping us posted.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
A good ‘bouncy’ track and something we all can get into while doing the housework etc. Yes, some males do that at times. Forgot about this song. Not one of their best but still good fun. The music that is, not the housework, but someone has to do it. Seriously though Colin Towns is one keyboard player who I often forget about when mentioning great keyboard players, that I have witnessed in action. Nice to see John McCoy the bass player doesn’t leave the stage when Mick does his solo. Colin Towns is still there too, only just though and Gillan would be in the pub no doubt. Unfortunately Bernie was half way out the door by then, literally, bummer. Thanks for the clip. Cheers.
May 24th, 2025 at 03:01Lot of truth in those lyrics.. life isnt always easy..maybe never easy.. at least for those of us who wasnt born with a silver spoon in our hand…
May 24th, 2025 at 10:26Cheers!
I loved the punk-metal excitement of Gillan. They remain my favourite post-Purple band to this day.
May 24th, 2025 at 12:06Ok, the first piano-notes remind me so much of Bartok đ
But then: some lovely rock is happening đ€©
Uhhh and the cute punk-guitarist is singing, so itâs actually is audible đAwww a heartfelt message đ„°
John McC is brilliant đ€©
This number is why I always have adored Gillan (the band!)
They are playing with conscience, I mean: they have a tune they are burning for it, and you can feel their passion.
And I have to say this: Ian is certainly no diva! He doesnât mind share the vocals with Bernie and the stage show is divided between them all.
May 24th, 2025 at 12:48Ian is a great singer, sorry, no he is the greatest, and he could easily push the other guys aside and claim the band to be a backing band! But he is sharing with the others âŁïž
Gotta love that đ
Very unlike the Moonshiners musos. Fortunately so. This is a rock band. In-ten-si-ty, you either have it or you donât.
May 24th, 2025 at 13:49One thing I will always give IG that he never sells the crowd short. He always gives 100%
May 24th, 2025 at 15:01Peace âïž
@5
In Danish we have this saying: âhvorfor har du et horn i siden pĂ„ the Moonshinersâ – please ask Edith how to translate (Iâm tired and have no time to do it!)
They are two completely different bands!
Gillan are wonderful, in-your-face with most of their songs!
May 24th, 2025 at 16:51But the other band also have a reason to be mentioned as a quality band!
I really donât think Ian would have hooked up with them hadnât he found they were a nice band.
@2
âat least for those of us who wasnt born with a silver spoon in our handâŠâ
– neither am I Wiktor, but then think about this:
You save A LOT of time not to polish all those silver spoons đ
âAlways look at the bright side of lifeâ:
May 24th, 2025 at 16:59https://youtu.be/62o8VkNGq2Y?si=dkyKEg-Bcdu6SpuP
Karin ….this should keep you happy …and all the other Gillan fans !
https://youtu.be/JjLYiyIp6Y0?si=jeas9kmjlYfn3Rau
Wiktor…hope you’re OK? That sounded a bit deep and profound …us Purple fans must stick together and help each other ..
May 24th, 2025 at 19:35Will we ever see the day Uwe puts that Moonshiners case to rest?
What’s not to like about having a good time with fab songs in the company of buddies? Most folks wish they could play like that.
Good point about polishing, Karin. And even scientists found that having lot of silver spoons (or silver dollars) does not mean you’re happy. (I dealt with the subject on my job lately.) Sure – being poor makes you unhappy. But being rich doesn’t make you happy. On the.other hand someone said (DLR?): Money won’t buy you happiness – but a yacht close by.
May 24th, 2025 at 20:27what a fantastic band!
and in this show BigIan was in amazing vocal form, his voice sounded almost like he was 10 years younger!
May 24th, 2025 at 21:33so many beautiful high frequencies from the cheekbones and the nose
@10
I read once:
Money doesnât make you happy, but it sure is more fun sobbing in a Jag than on a bus đ
I do not agree though!
And here comes the profound element of the day:
It’s not about having good cards in your hand, but about playing the cards you have well! đ
You can thank me later đ
May 25th, 2025 at 09:39@9
âKarin âŠ.this should keep you happyâ
Steve! Thank you đđđŒđđŒ
May 25th, 2025 at 09:41@3: I agree. Not because of the punk excitement, but experiencing new grounds such as jazz rock. WS were safe on blues basics, Rainbow on hardrock standards (not to berate Blackmore, but listen to the chord progression of some of his greatest hits, Burn, Man onthe silver, KatYBD). Ăt 4 (BartĂłk): probably not just because of the harmonies, but also the cimbalom-like sound of the piano.
May 25th, 2025 at 10:41“No Easy Way” ..one of the highlight concerts from the Bernie Torme era
May 25th, 2025 at 14:27It has all the DP dimensions,classic British rock band and sound .wonderful intro,,guitar melodic phrase (slide phrase)good singing,guitarist-keyboard warduel competition-,mixture of Purple tradition with NWOBHM speed and energy.Interesting.Jazzy intro (unlike the studio version of the song)Colin Towns fantastic musician and visually interesting.This intro reminds me of John Ewan in Locomotive Breath from the live a Jethro Tull album “Bursting Out “.and Colin visually, unlike his colleagues in the band, different (Graham Bonnet from Gillan) Rock icon in the central part of the stage corpulent figure close to 1.90 centimeters, over 100 kilos, ones the longest hair rn r.. to the right of him John My Coy also corpulent more kilos only without hair but extremely mobile on stage for his size, and in the corner Colin surrounded keyboards, short hair, similar in face to a young Roman Polanski
to the left of big Ian ….Bernie Torme punk- Jimi Hendrix, Mick could not be seen from the drums but could be heard well.
Again, Bernie Torme speaks for himself, a great talent who didn’t achieve what he should have, and his good backing vocals. It’s a shame that this line-up didn’t stay together longer… until 1984. “No Easy Way” is much better sound in Oxford than in Reading 1981 (Double Trouble), a real Gillan classic
@10
Max, in my experience you can either choose to look at your life with gloomy eyes or you can focus on the few positive aspects there are, and slowly you will see more and more positive things đ
I do need to point out that money doesnât really have a whole lot to do with being happy. Not genuinely happy!
Of course poverty where everyday is a hard struggle is not what Iâm talking about, you need to have a place to sleep, some food and preferably feel loved, but are these few things in your life, you can really decide the most to become a happy place đ
(I do think someone named Uwe will have a tons of arguments against me, but never mind, Iâm used to that!)(and Iâm happy anyway đ)
Another experience I have is that the worst thing you can do is becoming envious on other people.
Instead of being jealous or envious, itâs a really good idea to be happy with other people: their success, their achievements and accomplishments and genuinely feel joy in your heart that other people thrives đ„°
My darling mum taught me these things, and she was right.
And for the record: I do also find that good rock music is another sparkle of joy đđ
May 25th, 2025 at 16:03Ivica, I donât get it who else in GILLAN was supposedly corpulent other than John McCoy?
Philosophical excursion: âHappinessâ is to me an overrated, inherently self-centered and superficial concept. Some parts of your life may be happy and others may not, itâs like sun and rain, one follows the other. When you kick the bucket one day, the question you should ask yourself is: Did my life mean something to someone other than myself and did I do some good while here? That is whatâs relevant, not that fleeting feeling of happiness. Evil people and morons can all be happy, it has baffled me since I was an adolescent or even a child that everybody aspires to be happy and chases after it, sometimes to the exclusion of whatâs more important. Iâve always been more melancholic than happy – most interesting people are – and fail to see what should be wrong with that. I am wary of a world where happiness is declared the norm we should all strive for. It has become a trend. I hate trends.
Back to the Moonshiners, Max. I know it was Bronâs idea to get Ian off the couch bemoaning his fate post-DP-dismissal. As a therapeutic measure it may have served its purpose, but on Ianâs career trajectory it was hardly a highlight. The guy went from Deep Purple to IGB (all unbelievable ace musicians, Mark Nauseef ranks head and shoulders over any other drummer in the Purple universe) to GILLAN (all real RockânâRoll characters) to Sabbath (Heavy Metal icons) back to DP and then? A pub band with musicians from the B and C league, every one of them interchangeable. And itâs been that way ever since, IG never again assembled a real band around himself, but always only assorted musos of varying qualities. The Naked Thunder, Toolbox and Gillanâs Inn touring bands, is there anybody here who can actually name these people by heart or describe their playing characteristics? There were a few members with musical character in them like Chris Glen and Leonard Haze, but for the most part? Not any better than what Ritchie chose for Reunionbow.
I just think Ian deserved better. And heâs not always his own best advisor either.
And with that I will never say anything nasty about the Moonshiners again. May they lead happy lives or in my terms: meaningful ones that do some good. đ
May 25th, 2025 at 23:11Some harsh words there for Ian Gillan’s later ‘solo’ career. I like it when a big name, meaning a well known and rather popular musician links up with musicians who have never ‘been there and done that’. It is a good spirited thing to do. No pressure at all, no record company bullshit, no manager trying to push them around etc etc. I am not familiar with that Ian Gillan music at all and I do think it doesn’t really matter if he did that. He has the juggernaut that he wanted in DP back as his mothership. Why not leave it at that? It is something we often hear about, a big name musician linking with a pub band or whatever we want to call it. It is all good. Cheers.
May 26th, 2025 at 07:00@17
âI know it was Bronâs ideaâ
– yes! A mighty fine woman she was!
âI just think Ian deserved better. And heâs not always his own best advisor either.â
– Uwe, I know perfectly well you donât mean it, but you are sometime rather arrogant regarding Ian! âșïž
Please understand that Ian is, and always has been, perfectly capable to decide for himself!
I know your brilliant lawyer brain is wired in a way so most in life is about making as much money as possible! (And that is fine by me, as long as you accept that a lot of us arenât like that đ)
Uwe, a lot of people (including yours truly) do not see life this way!!
If I ever get to have a chat with Ian, I would sooooo much like to hear his opinion regarding his solo-career!
But no matter what, he is – always has been, entitled to choose for himself!
I donât know if you ever work pro bono? ( I certainly hope you do or have done)
May 26th, 2025 at 09:29I work a lot for free, and I can tell you: itâs very rewarding!
đ
@18
EXACTLY!
May 26th, 2025 at 09:30Is there anybody here who thinks that Ianâs solo work post-Accidentally On Purpose has included musicians of the caliber found in Robert Plantâs, Peter Gabrielâs, Stingâs, David Bowieâs or Bob Dylanâs solo bands? Seriously?
Heâs taken a scattershot, lackadaisical & unambitious approach in choosing people. A solo career isnât an extended jam session. We should apply equal standards: We canât clobber Ritchie for what he did (or failed to do) with the Reunionbow line-up and shrug our shoulders at Ian.
Itâs not ânamesâ Iâm looking for, outside musiciansâ quarters neither Tommy Bolin nor Simon McBride were âknownâ, much less famous when they joined DP. But they brought identity with them. IGB and GILLAN, both in their own way, had loads of identity. I fail to hear that in his later solo work, qualifying my statement somewhat for the Toolbox touring line-up (they did have an individual sound) and for the Contractual Obligation stuff, but that was merely Ian Gillan singing for the Don Airey Band (which generally has very good, if not famous musicians in it).
Heâs punching below his weight outside of Purple. That can be still be entertaining sometimes, but has it created great, meaningful music in its own right?
May 26th, 2025 at 12:38Nonsense, Karin, it has nothing to do with making money, IGB was commercially unsuccessful as hell, yet I revere their music. It has to do with artistic credibility.
If Ianâs solo work was as off-the-wall and heavily digestible as what Scott Walker (of the Walker Brothers/The Sun Ainât Gonna Shine Anymore) did in his later career
https://youtu.be/AB8kyv0GWg8
or Tom Waits
https://youtu.be/Oq-84Y1EviE
youâd never hear a word of criticism from me, that is artistically valid. But a lot of songs Ian puts out on his solo albums are just ⊠random ⊠interspersed with a few nuggets. I find quality control lacking – not sales.
Things might be different if he did an album under the supervision of and co-written by Bob Ezrin.
A lot of the later IG solo albums sound like outtakes compilations to me, not coherent artistic works.
Since you asked, Iâve worked pro bono and it was rewarding to win compensation for the descendants of a Jewish family that had suffered the loss of their business in Nazi Germany (after I had found them via voter registers in the US because no one knew their scattered whereabouts), but there is nothing pro bono about IGâs solo exploits (except for the Armenia thing and I was very careful not to judge his charity work under musical aspects, that is commendable and above any criticism for me), his repeated participation in a dubious venture like Rock Meets Classic is certainly not fueled by anything else other than making a quick buck. Donât turn him into a deity just yet, heâs still very much alive.
Iâm as much a fan as you (actually more so, I like IGB as well which speaks for appreciating Ian even in an unusual musical setting), but I like to see him live up to his potential too. Whether that is profitable or not for him, is irrelevant for me, I trust that the Mk II back catalog and the proceeds from DPâs never-ending tours wonât ever let him go hungry again.
May 26th, 2025 at 15:18@22
I am glad to hear you have worked pro bono!
Somehow I couldnât imagine you never had.
Regarding the discussion regarding Ian and his life-choices, I put it to rest now!
Of course youâre welcome to keep the discussion going all by yourself (đ) but I will let everything be up to the big man himself đ
I do believe he is more than capable of deciding for himself đ
May 26th, 2025 at 18:30What is all this ‘bono’ talk, he is a fine singer and all, but to compare him to Ian Gillan, he he he. “Itâs not ânamesâ Iâm looking for, outside musiciansâ quarters neither Tommy Bolin nor Simon McBride were âknownâ, much less famous when they joined DP.”
May 26th, 2025 at 23:59You are missing the point Uwe. Those two were experienced in their own right, not less experienced as some musicians from down at the pub may be. Having said that, there are plenty of very gifted musicians out there that don’t care at all about being in an established band or playing gigs on the road all the time, so even ‘pub’ musicians could very well be up to the task. Anyway if Ian didn’t wan’t to be bothered doing what you think he should do, that is his call. It doesn’t matter at all, Ian Gillan had done enough in musical circles by that time in his life to do what ever he wanted to do. And also he does appear to have that rebel streak in him just like Ritchie, that ‘who gives a f..k’ attitude and why not? It is who he is. Too many high expectations are never a good thing, it will usually lead to disappointment and frustration. Cheers.
@17
May 27th, 2025 at 05:25Herr Uwe..you know better but purely historical facts…. haha
Big Ian is 1.88,..let’s say 2 centimeters taller than Robert Plant, 10 centimeters taller than Ozzy, Jagger. With an above average rock height he wore white boots with 5 centimeters heels in those years, that was well over 1.90 + huge hair + a lot more weight than in the mid-eighties..he looked corpulent in the eighties in my teenage years on the middle of the stage. In 1984 after the reunion…for the PS tour he lost weight, didn’t wear boots with heels and got a haircut, without boots he was almost the same height as his dear colleague RB (1.79) who continued to wear boots with heels…
@ 21- “We canât clobber Ritchie for what he did (or failed to do) with the Reunionbow line-up and shrug our shoulders at Ian.” I cannot believe I am seeing this comment, am I hallucinating, someone tell I am not! My lawyer, yes I do need one occasionally, has advised me to frame this comment and lock it away for future reference. And for once I will agree with a lawyer, (it isn’t very often I will admit they are right). Seriously Uwe, who are ‘we’. Ritchie can’t do any wrong here , you know that. He can do whatever he likes, just the same as Ian Gillan can, funny that. Two very similar peas in the exact same pod. As good ole Keef (aka Keith Richards) has often said, ‘it’s all rock ‘n roll’. Or ‘pop’ music as in popular, although it doesn’t sound like some of Big Ian’s music is very popular at the moment. Karin help, we have to strike while the iron is hot. We have got him down, now let’s finish the deed. Cheers.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wimmelbilder/comments/etm2n4/tied_down_by_mattias_adolfsson/
May 27th, 2025 at 06:38@ 17 -“The guy went from Deep Purple to IGB (all unbelievable ace musicians, Mark Nauseef ranks head and shoulders over any other drummer in the Purple universe).” Even Ian Paice Uwe? Just curious that’s all. I can dig that no problem. Regarding your historical interest, I agree and I was heading that way myself in my earlier days of buying records and seeking out certain musicians. With the internet hat has been rekindled of course, but it hasn’t lead to an uptake of purchasing music as such. I have never really got into buying that many solo records from key band members. So I am coming from the opposite end to you in regards to Ian Gillan’s musical history. I have never owned any of big Ian’s solo or collaboration albums. However I still like the idea of him or anyone else for that matter getting out there with friends and lower profile musicians. It is a bit rawer too, not as polished or as slick, in some ways that is better. Of course it comes down to the quality of original composition in most aspects, unless it is a covers band as such. From my observations from afar, I do think that Percy appears to look for and find lower profile musicians a lot of the time. Trying to keep it all ‘down to earth’ would be one way to look at that scenario. It also gets that diversity thing going a little too. Horses for courses again. Cheers.
May 27th, 2025 at 12:29âitâs all/only rock ân rollâ
Sigh, I wish it were. Unfortunately, I have a hard time identifying Blackmore’s Night with that phrase. Now if Blackmore guested with the Rolling Stones once like this fellow here did @02:27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx2WRQLSIew
(While you don’t see him, you hear him, that is Jimmy Page, himself longstanding guitarist with some other group, I think it was Uriah Heep …).
that would really be something.
Yes, of course, both Blackmore and Gillan can do what they like and record with the people they want, but forgive me that their choices don’t have me automatically falling to my knees and proclaiming it great art. Most of Ian’s solo albums seem to me little more than mere whimsical diversions from his day job. They are hardly “serious” solo works like Sarabande, Pictured Within or Beyond The Notes. Gillan’s approach can be entertaining at times, but are they vital keys to his art and do they reveal something about the man artistically that you didn’t know before?
Speaking of whimsical, don’t you think that Ritchie could have contributed some nice fills here?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4SO1bRi9Xo
May 27th, 2025 at 13:43Ivica, there were always times when the good touring life had Ian put on a little weight (these days heâs mostly âaltersdĂŒrrâ) – nothing that Karin in her benevolent gaze on him would not be able to dismiss as âslightly, yet pleasantly plumpâ or âan unflattering camera angleâ -, but cor-pu-lent? đ±
[I remember an NME review of IGB live 1977!which went âIan Gillan, looking very much like he did with Poiple (sic!), except for some physical stoutnessâ.]
Yes, heâs tall for a singer, but corpulent? Thatâs a stretch. Karin, DONâT JUST SIT THERE. SAY SOMETHING FOR ODINâS SAKE!, Ivica just called your Ian fat!
Not as tall as Joey (1,98 m) though (but then he suffered from Marfan syndrome which besides promoting bone growth also makes it difficult for you to gain weight):
https://youtu.be/HJWFsZ_YUc4
Quite a bit of a butter tenor influence there too, have you noticed, Karin? đ
May 27th, 2025 at 19:50You would be very familiar Uwe with the saying ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. And while I am at it, comparing Jon Lord to Ian Gillan in the musical composition realm and the ‘artistic’ world is totally missing the point. Ian Gillan as you know is a rock ‘n roll rebel, there have been a few of those over time. He needs DP, that is obvious and has been for decades. The other guys do not. Also, what is great art? We are all familiar with the many varied versions of what is labelled as ‘art’. Where do we begin and where do we end. One person will tell you about it being the best thing ever created and the next person will call it absolute rubbish. Those old horses again, trundling around that rather worn out old course. Cheers.
May 27th, 2025 at 22:23“Even Ian Paice, Uwe?”
(choosing his words carefully) I fear so, even though I did not dare be outspoken about it. đ Now you forced me. Mark Nauseef was incredible,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kK0sDjjXJU
(Really guys, whenever I listen to this, I fail to grasp how you cannot all simply love that music. It’s eclectic, elegant, evokes exotic feelings, what’s not to like?)
but of course and inevitably he had outgrown popular music and especially rock drumming by the mid 80s and devoted himself to ethno jazz/world music for the rest of his career (h elieves in Germany). But yes, I thought his drumming mind-blowing. Let’s settle for: Little Ian is still my favorite rock drummer, ok? Mark is something else and I believe his Lebanese roots come into play here, he’s a polyrhythmic mind, but you’re the drummer and can judge that better.
For Ian Gillan outside of DP, I think you are sufficiently served with CAT & Scarabus, Glory Road & Double Trouble (studio side), Sabbath’s Born Again, Accidentally On Purpose and – if you are pushing it – maybe Toolbox. All that stuff was recorded 35 to almost 50 years ago. Since then his solo output has been inconsistent to put it diplomatically. Of course, the reason behind this might lie not so much in the drying up of creativity but in the mere fact that after Ritchie’s departure, Big Ian can spread his wings within DP more and there is less of a necessity for creative release elsewhere for him.
May 27th, 2025 at 22:26Uwe, that Rolling Stones track, which I have never heard before is a rather ‘historical’ piece in regards to the original Brian Jones journey to that part of the world. I hear Page/Plant in this big time and also later Percy solo material. Those British hippie musicians travelling the globe back in the day. Thanks ever so much, a ‘new’ song and a good one too and not what I was ‘expecting’. Brian Jones was the true hippie in the Stones. You see, there is art in this world if we look for it, he he he, thanks again. Cheers.
https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/essentialelsewhere/3621/the-master-musicians-of-jajouka-brian-jones-presents-the-pipes-of-pan-at-jajouka-1971/
May 27th, 2025 at 23:02Which albums are you referrring to, Uwe? Dreamcatcher and One Eye to Morocco?
May 28th, 2025 at 02:41Wel well well …things are getting a bit out of hand here. I am really busy at work (but yes, Karin, you are right, making more and more money is not the key to a happy life and I always lived by that wisdom and rather spent time with my kids – but some things have to be done to ensure that cosy home and I like my meat on the table too) but some things need a little Einordnung, as german jounos would put it.
Let’s put the Moonshiners aside, Uwe. But Toolbox to me is one balls-to-the-wall rock’n’roll album second to none. It should have been huge! It is just frecking brillant in my book. A testament to silver throated screaming Ian Gillan and one of the best solo albums to emerge form the camp! And if One Eye To Morocco does not show you sides you hadn’t known before …well I don’t know what does. A totally differnt approach, nice little songs, interesting lyrics.
As Mr. MacGregor thankfully remarked there is no comparison to Jon Lord’s work. Different approaches by far. But Toolbox is for R’n’R what Sarabande is for …what the hell the drawer is one can put in in … neo-classical-crossover-dingsbums. I love them both.
Ok, Dreamcatcher was underproduced and sounds like a demo, still there’s some great songs on that one too that totally differ from the body of work IG did with DP or Gillan or IGB.
And Slide It In … the last great WS album IMHO. Ace songs, tight sound. I wouldn’t have need Sykes doodling over it at all (though you have a point with Colin – great work with back door but not the right choice for WS).
Mark Nauseef can hardly be compared to IP stylewise et al but I recommend his solo work if you’re into drumming and a bit of world music and stuff. True, he was incredible in IGB. As the wohle band was ace – da “bin ich ja ganz bei Dir”, Uwe.
May 28th, 2025 at 07:09Yes, those two, Daniel, plus Naked Thunder (an album of utmost banality, also lyrically + Ian Gillan not being able to afford a real bassist after having shared the stage with Roger Glover, John Gustafson and John McCoy is indefensible to me)), the Garth Rockett stuff, the mediocre re-renditions on Gillanâs Inn, the Anaheim live album, the Javelins curios (which are essentially Steve Morris sessioneering his way through the Javelins setlist of yore with the veterans then following his guide tracks), all that scattershot stuff. There are a few gem songs here and there, but nowhere enough for a singer/artist of Ianâs caliber. None of these albums could be called iconic in a way Johnny Cashâs last works with Rick Rubin were. Ian neeeds quality control and someone with a vision of him.
And youâre right, Herr MacGregor, defining âgreat artâ is not easy, itâs a bit like porn though, âyou know it when you see it!â
May 28th, 2025 at 13:42@29
âthere were always times when the good touring life had Ian put on a little weight (these days heâs mostly âaltersdĂŒrrâ) â nothing that Karin in her benevolent gaze on him would not be able to dismiss as âslightly, yet pleasantly plumpâ or âan unflattering camera angleââ
– ok Uwe, to be honest here, and now donât faint when I say this:
I really donât think too much about peopleâs forms! I mean: is it good, nice or alluring to be with a person that may be really hot, but is an awful persona? Then itâs like: âplease be quiet honey while I kiss you, because youâre awful and spitefulâ!
Iâm at this age where I honestly can say it truly is the inside of the person that is the attractive part!
Of course it is ok if the outside is pleasant to look at, but man I dig the beautiful personality đ
Iâm grateful that my sweetheart has the stunning personality and a very pleasant exterior đ but did he lose his ravishing good looks I will love him for that wonderful, caring, intelligent and charming person he is!
âYes, heâs tall for a singer, but corpulent? Thatâs a stretch. Karin, DONâT JUST SIT THERE. SAY SOMETHING FOR ODINâS SAKE!, Ivica just called your Ian fat!â
– đđ
Ivaca can call Ian whatever he wants!
I am always giggling when I read in here, because so many of you charming gentlemen really values skinny men! (And women I guess???)
All my life I thought it was the women who were concentrating on being Twiggy-ish, but woah you do too!đ
Does it really matter?
Of course if a person is morbidly obese I really am sorry for the person, but again, if the personality is lovely⊠đ
I remember Uwe you linked a photo of DC, before he was put on diet pills, had his eyes fixed (were there more âfaultsâ the industry needed to fix?) and you asked me if I would have had a poster of him at the walls on my âsupposedly innocent girl-roomâ (or something like that đ I noticed the âsupposedly innocentâ- remark đ) and I said no I wouldnât. But not because he wasnât fixed by the industry! But because I didnât know him.
Had he sung like he did later on, for example âSummerrainâ (sigh..âșïž) I would have cared lesser than the now famous tiny rodentâs behind if he didnât fit some evil personâs idea of the right look!
And as goes for Ian, ohh boy he has a mind I really would love to investigate!
Just like my very own sweetheart has! And BTW: interesting talks of everyday life and more deeper things are so much rewarding!
Especially if I, as a woman, get the feeling that Iâm listened to!
Another very important thing is good humour! If a person can make me laugh, you know genuine laughter, then Iâm deeply moved.
To be able to look at the more trying episodes in life through the glasses of pure joyful happiness, ohh man, that is something I will not be without!
Coffee for everybody on the house! đ€©
May 28th, 2025 at 15:32@30
â beauty is in the eye of the beholderââ
– EXACTLY MacGregor!
May 28th, 2025 at 15:34Thank you very much đ
@34
âbut yes, Karin, you are right, making more and more money is not the key to a happy lifeâ
Max, it certainly isnât! (Whereas being able to buy decent coffee is among the key subjects for a happy life đ€©)
âIt is just frecking brillant in my book. A testament to silver throated screaming Ian Gillan and one of the best solo albums to emerge form the camp!â – woah! I couldnât agree more! âSilver throated screamingâ – gotta love that đ
âDreamcatcher was underproduced and sounds like a demo,â – Max, I do have to tell you that from a womanâs point of view (after all, this woman) it is a BEAUTIFUL record đ
May 28th, 2025 at 15:46âSleepywarmâ is to die for! Itâs romantic, Ianâs voice is pleasantly warm, and the lyrics is so romantic â€ïžâđ„
If my man would write something similar to me, I would die as a very happy person âșïž
Naked Thunder is an early 90s classic, a summer time soundtrack if there ever was one. Dreamcatcher was subpar, Gillan’s Inn generic and pointless and One Eye to Morocco rather bland, but other than that, there are not many releases I would label as poor. The Javelins stuff is that what the Honeydrippers were to Plant, a bit of fun. Even though the latter was made with a big budget. That’s where the similarities between the two stop though. IG can still do WABMC with conviction but can no longer pull of HS etc. Plant knows his limitations better and has found other avenues of expression. But that journey started for him in 1982, so he’s had more time to build a new platform. IG has been tied up with DP singing the old Mk 2 songs. Lucractive financially but not very artistically rewarding in the long run.
May 28th, 2025 at 16:45âneo-classical-crossover-dingsbumsâ
Max, you wordsmith, that just about sums it up! đ€Ł
For the record: Colin Hodgkinson is a fine and idiosyncratic bass player on his own turf, but he was so out of touch with WSâ music it was painful to watch and listen to. I guess he is not really made for arena or stadium rock. Interestingly enough, he lost his job as Peter Maffayâs bassist (and we all know that Maffayâs bands – like him or not – consist of crĂšme de la crĂšme musicians) on the basis of drummer Bertram Engel jamming once with Ken Taylor and then finding âColin just didnât groove like Ken didâ. And Peter Maffay agreed.
To DCâs defense, getting Colin into WS wasnât his, but Jon Lordâs idea, but he went along with it on the basis of Colinâs reputation as the âlead bassistâ of jazzy trio Back Door (with a strange line-up featuring neither a guitarist nor a real keyboarder, but besides Colin just a drummer and a – mostly – woodwind player).
https://youtu.be/iEkzweEhKQc
Not very Slide It In. đ
May 28th, 2025 at 20:12@ 31- yes indeed Uwe and as I said, ‘I can dig that’ in regards to your comment. World music has a lot more interesting things going on when compared to contemporary ‘rock’ music. I suppose Santana way back in the day was my first introduction to different rhythms etc in a sort of rock music setting. Then we get the progressive and fusion bands and other artists incorporating elements of jazz and orchestral etc and here we are today. I can understand musicians like Mark Nauseef pushing their boundaries and pursuing different world music, it is wonderful. Ian Paice has his influences too and that is great. The world is a big place. I might see if the local record store can get me one IGB album, probably Clear Air Turbulence. Put a little bit of pressure on them as to ordering ‘different’ rock music. The young chap who owns that business is well aware of that era of rock music, so hopefully they can get that disc. Paice, Ashton and Lord is the other one that I previously mentioned. All that ‘weird’ rock music from the 1970’s from our esteemed favourite musicians. Funny how it sounds better today than it did back then, well for some of us it does. Cheers.
May 28th, 2025 at 23:56@35 You know it when you see it…đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
@38 Karin, sadly I cannot claim copyright for the silver throared screaming IG …it’s a quote from the liner notes of MIE.
And Dreamcatcher like AOP seem to go down very well with the ladies – as does One Eye to Morocco. Sleepy warm has its charm obviously…
@39 Daniel, funny enough Naked Thunder is filed under summer time soundtrack here too! I used to listen to it lxing by the pool via Walkman and it brings that feeling back until today. (Not the looks, sadly)
May 29th, 2025 at 13:24It sounds better today than it did do us as teenagers because it is less âpedal to the metal, hammer on the headâ, itâs more nuanced and intricate, less larger than life, and we learn to appreciate that as we mature.
A song like Burn – and I love that track, it ranks among my favorite DP numbers even though it is not Mk II – is musically a bit like a Marvel or DC graphic novel, everything is stark: Dominating riff (to which the rest of the music submits), exploding drums, majestic dual-lead vocal chorus and, last but not least, solos by Ritchie and Jon both designed to impress and overwhelm. Plus they sing about witches and fire. If that doesnât stir something with a 15-year-old, then what does (and that 15-year old is still somewhere in me)?!
May 29th, 2025 at 16:49@42
âsadly I cannot claim copyright for the silver throared screaming IG âŠitâs a quote from the liner notes of MIE.â
– I keep stum!
âSleepy warm has its charm obviouslyâŠâ
May 29th, 2025 at 22:07– if my memory serves me right, Sleepy Warm was a lovesong from Ian to his wife Bron.
Reading the lyrics in that context, makes it even more romantic.
Whereas the lovesong to Bron, he made with BS, âKeep it warm ratâ, was otherwise more hardcore, and lesser romantic (yes Iâm such a girl đ)
For what it’s worth, even I agree that Naked Thunder had a summer breezy quality, just not very substantial.
I prefer him with deeper material like this here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB5Wv0bNu5g
May 30th, 2025 at 22:52Reaching Out is a true gem, Uwe. It’s beyond me how on earth this didn’t end up on an album.
Bit like Following the River, one of my desert island choices by the Rolling Stones.
May 31st, 2025 at 20:07You know what, Karin, I am beginning to doubt that this even is Big Ian singing on Reaching Out, listen again. It is obviously someone who tries to sing like Ian and the Spanish guitar and keyboards are clearly Ray Fenwick and Colin Towns, but I am at the point of wondering whether that might not be John Gustafson or Colin Towns singing and that this was maybe a demo by them presented to Ian which was never recorded with him.
What do others think? Yes, a Gillan singing style is emulated, but something with that voice is off (or did Ian just sing it very hesitantly?). Itâs originally an outtake from IGB sessions that was released decades later on the Rarities 1975-77 compilation by Angel Air.
May 31st, 2025 at 21:13@47
âbeginning to doubt that this even is Big Ian singing on Reaching Out, listen again.â
– I know exactly what you mean!
What do you think Max?
I have listened to it several times, but at YouTube, so maybe the quality there has something to do with it?
His vocal is too weak in places. But I have heard it like that beforeâŠ
Iâm torn!
But itâs truly a beauty âŁïž
June 1st, 2025 at 09:50Love the lyrics very much.
I do think it is big Ian singing in a rather fragile tone. It is probably the way the voice is recorded too. One thing I did notice at that YouTube site, there were two imposters commenting there as if they knew what they were talking about. There is no escape from them it seems. Cheers.
June 1st, 2025 at 10:15I know I am not the Max who’s opinion was asked for here and I didn’t even know that song before… But besides that I’d claim to have done my Gillan-homework.
June 1st, 2025 at 13:23I think that this could be some Frankenstein’s monster song here (as btw The Stones’ Following the River is too). To my ears it sounds a little like the verses are sung by someone else, whereas the chorus is done by Ian. Maybe they had a demo with only the refrain having vocals at that point and then someone finished it later for the release. My own little band has quite a few unfinished demos of that typ, because usually the chorus is the first thing where some words get written to, the verses are written later. The mix of the pre-chours here (‘I’m leaving in the morning but I’ve got to find the road’) also sounds a little flat and quiet vocal-wise, which could be a hint or might give an idea on how the original vocal recording of the chorus (‘I’m reaching out…) might have sounded as well. Maybe later the vocal track for the chorus was mixed louder and got duplicated or something so it sounds more powerful.
I wouldn’t put all my money on it but I believe it’s Ian singing, yes. And there’s this one tone I can’t describe that I don’t believe anyone else could do..
June 1st, 2025 at 13:45@46
âmy desert island choicesâ
This is interesting, because I remember MacGregor had that point of view that only 1 song pr band/solist for the desert island collection.
Whereas I think itâs a very good idea to get all the Purple albums!
So Max, which team are you at?
MacGregorâs âonly one song pr bandâ
OR
Mine âgo with whatever you likeâ
(Ok I know already! Cosâ you guys always stick together like glue with more glue đŻ)
June 1st, 2025 at 15:45I get that, Max, it does sound like him in places. And then not really like him in others. Too bad they never released the song properly with a more definite vocal.
June 1st, 2025 at 16:38I’d opt for freedom of choice normally…so you could pick 5 different mixes of Machine Head if you please… but this isn’t normal life, it’s the HS forum…so I’d rather go with the only one per artist-solution. It seems to make things more interesting. Obviously everyone here loves DP – but do they know any other artists at all? Did they find their way to DP via 60’s psychedelia stuff, Bach or 80’s metal, progrock or Elvi…no…heaven forbid… but maybe Little Richard?
June 1st, 2025 at 18:22@53
âI get that, Max, it does sound like him in places. And then not really like him in others.â
– a question: could his vocal have been suffering a bit from the period where he got his tonsils removed?
June 2nd, 2025 at 12:22I gather it was around that time?
Ian Gillan sang the verses on Place In Line differently and I thought that could have been someone else. Just a different take here on the lyrics and the melody. I have never heard this ‘new’ song, not a bad one at all. Cheers.
June 2nd, 2025 at 12:25@54
âso Iâd rather go with the only one per artist-solutionâ
Just what I predicted! You guys stick together like glue upon glue upon glue!
While this Danish Viking dare to stand alone! đ€
On my desert island: EVERY SINGLE SONG WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY IAN GILLAN! (Ahem, except maybe IGBâŠ!)
And who can I possible irritate, when Iâm alone on a desert island!?
June 2nd, 2025 at 12:25@ 57 – “And who can I possible irritate, when Iâm alone on a desert island!?” All those poor coconuts on that one lonely tree Karin. The poor things, you don’t want them all falling before they ripen do you? Cheers.
June 2nd, 2025 at 22:01One day you will burn for your heathenish IGB denial, you Jylland heks! Or perhaps the hungry cannibals on that island will take care of you âŠ
June 2nd, 2025 at 22:28@58
âAll those poor coconutsâ
đ well MacGregor, in my mind coconuts are horses!
Watch these geniuses at work:
https://youtu.be/L9nXfffeAIU?feature=shared
So from my point of view, and I guess all owners of horses (or coconuts) can confirm, they do enjoy especially Ian Gillan đ
June 3rd, 2025 at 09:08@59
Hold your horses Uwe! đ
I find my taste and point of view to be rather healthy!
Had I been some brain dead devotee of Ian, I would praise him no matter what he have done! (Well, Uwe, if the shoe fits đ) but instead I seek out quality, and Ian is all about quality, except for IGB, which I gather he himself agree on, why else should he have left his own band, that was called his own name!, and start up a new band!
So Uwe, again and again I wash my hands in this, I donât think youâre a lost cause, but maybe you should be a little more gentle before you wish me being eaten by cannibals!
June 3rd, 2025 at 09:25Dearest Karin, Ian did say more than one time that IGB was brillant and a lot of fun to play and tour with. John Gustafson was a hero of his. But they didn’t make a dollar. Due to people who like their Ian to stick with his guns. No messing around with new ideas or different sounds please! True, it’s hard to believe – but they’re out there! Go figure.
June 3rd, 2025 at 21:29While the music was most excellent the sales were not and it dawned on our hero that he should make some changes. When Colin Towns presented Fighting Man to the band as an attempt to get a bit more Gillan into the Ian Gillan Band the other members laughed at the song. Ian liked it , kept Towns and got rid of the others. Or so the story goes. But still…CAT is a brillant piece of art. Well, for me and two or three others anyway.
(helpfully) They could always eat you raw, so a cooking process doesnât scald you! Is that more gentle?
https://media3.giphy.com/media/VkPqT0OEN6jKM/giphy.gif
IGB saw Ian create vocal lines to a complex music that had never been heard in combination with such music before – or after. That is what makes IGB so daring and one-of-a-kind. No other Fusion or Jazz Rock band sounds like them.
He was similarly vocally creative on Born Again, that is why I like that âexperimentalâ album defying convention too.
Ian can do great things when heâs really tested and out of his comfort zone.
And at least the three IGB studio albums had a proper production, they are audiophile-worthy and sound great on a good stereo.
June 3rd, 2025 at 23:26@62
Ok! Because you start the post with âDearest Karinâ I forgive you all the rest you write đ
Max, please listen to me!
(Whispering:) this is not about what is good or bad, or actually not even a matter of taste!
All this is to make Uwe sit in his chair at the law firm (or in his sofa in front of the tank where he keeps his mice-eating creatures, og at a kitchen chair where he helps his darling wife peel potatoes..) twirl his head again and again and think: âwhat the §*@&%âŹ|> (you know a la Captain Haddock in Tintin) just happened here!?â
Itâs not yet a life purpose of mine (but if you and MacGregor donât get your acts together, it might well be!) but one of my life goals, a point on my Bucket List, to confuse the poor lawyer so much, that he eventually will cry out: âI am beaten, by no one than the Danish witch who eat dragons for breakfast and political clones for dinner! What am a poor brilliant-minded lawyer to doâ!
You see, Uwe needs to know his place in this hierarchy đ
(BTW: please donât mention this to him, I know you origin from the same country, so you might feel some sort of compassion with him, but donât let him fool you! Or you might well be the next in line to be ridiculed mercilessly, and if you donât stand up for me, who in here will come to your rescue? )
June 4th, 2025 at 07:16@63
At least Hannibal gives a little wink! Thatâs soothing!
âthat had never been heard in combination with such music before â or after.â
– a fact Iâm eternally grateful for!
âIan can do great things when heâs really tested and out of his comfort zone.â
– he is also doing VERY great things within his comfort zone!
And why is it always mentioned as something bad to be in oneâs âcomfort zoneâ?
It is specified in the name âcomfortâ to be a place where a person thrives and enjoy life to the Max!
Iâm giggling a bit here, mr Lawyer, because I know, and you know, and you know I know, and I know that you know that I know (etc) that had I started praising IGB, you would have been all over me to explain why IGB was nothing special. And you would ridicule me endlessly for having such a bad bad BAD taste!
This is not about music, all this is about you needing a scapegoat to let all your inner demons taunt and pursue and âŠ.. (sorry my last words are used for today! đ )
June 4th, 2025 at 07:25Generally, I find it very interesting why people have their favorite DP split-off band. GILLAN was no question the nerdiest and most off-the-wall of them all, Whitesnake had the warmest sound and deepest emotions (if DCâs larger than life posturing is your thing) and Rainbow captured a certain grandeur (which to me sometimes bordered on being full of it). All three bands had strengths and weaknesses. None was as complete a package as Purple.
IGB was certainly the musically most ambitious band post-Deep Purple. But I will grant it to anyone that there was a certain âmusicianâs musiciansâ content to them. And it was a very radical departure. I remember putting the needle on the CAT vinyl and initially thinking the record had been mispackaged đ€Ł until Ian let his trademark throaty voice âGet up, geeeeet riiiight up, get a leg up, up in the skies!ââ ring out @00:49 on CAT (the song) after that atmospheric Colin Towns intro and the frantic jazz funk riffs that followed:
https://youtu.be/fQR9BY2nVyY
The other albums that floored me from the former Purple crew at the time were the PAL debut,
https://youtu.be/vhBU2KdHfEY
Hughesâ Play Me Out, the way that album started with âI Got It Coveredâ was similarly surprising to CAT, those jubilant horns at 00:33
https://youtu.be/XqIoQl_-mE4 ,
and later on Hughes Thrallâs skilled marriage of hard rock, AOR, funk and new wave influences.
https://youtu.be/-z_OkiSPzPI
That doesnât mean I disliked the Rainbow, Whitesnake and GILLAN releases, I really dug LLRnR (more so than Rising), Trouble (more so than Lovehunter) and Glory Road (more so than Mr Universe), but they were all more or less still in the realm of what could be reasonably expected from ex-Purple musicians. They werenât DARING, but – understandably so – latched on to tried and trusted Purple traditions in various ways. They pushed the right buttons with me, but could never eclipse the original.
June 4th, 2025 at 14:34I agree with your opinions regarding the post DP offerings, Uwe. Only Hughes/Thrall never gave me a thrill.
But may I add that Trouble had some jazzy moments too that couldn’t have been expected? The Time is Right for Love , Vampire Blues, Belgian Tom and Free Flight were a bit off common ground.
June 4th, 2025 at 17:31Yes, “Trouble” had some other influences too, but it wasn’t as radical as IGB. Coverdale, Marsden & Moody all liked the Allman Brothers (who always had a jazzy influence) and it showed.
I liked Trouble’s organic rawness, after two Roger Glover productions of David’s solo albums, Martin Birch was back at the helm and the album had a lot more clout because of it.
“The Time Is Right For Love” was a magic number to me, I could never listen enough to it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHZ55vMvfg8
This to me is real DC singing in his magnificent baritone/low tenor, not those ‘decapitated chicken yelps’ attempting to be Robert Plant in “Still Of The Night”. đ
And Neil Murray’s lightning fast, yet groovy triplets on bass are nothing short of orgiastic. No other bassist in the Purple Universe could have played it this way, that includes really excellent players such as Glover, Hughes, Martinez, Gruber, Daisley, Gustafson and McCoy. Murray as a bassist was to Whitesnake what Gary Thain was to Uriah Heep.
June 4th, 2025 at 18:27Neil cannot be praised enough. An another often overlooked gem is Love to Keep you Warm. Great bass here too.
June 5th, 2025 at 05:30…and just because it has to be said SOMEWHERE… those demos of a 16 year old DC that he put in the Solo-box of lately as bonus tracks at the end of his White Snake remix CD are moving, aren’t they. I find no better word for rĂŒhrend.
June 5th, 2025 at 08:22Einverstanden. And musically very mature already.
June 6th, 2025 at 00:58@50 This, I have to say, is a most interesting theory. Given my hearing issues I cannot confirm it but it sounds very plausible.
June 8th, 2025 at 17:49And of course I was very well aware of the monster nature of Following the River, ha!