Gillan
Encyclopedia
Gillan was a rock
band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple
singer Ian Gillan
.
style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band
and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns
, and formed a new band entitled Gillan. He added Steve Byrd on guitar, Liam Genockey
on drums and John McCoy
on bass, and initially pursued a progressive rock
direction, releasing their eponymous debut in 1978, although they could only get a record deal in Japan
, Australia
and New Zealand
. This recording has subsequently become more widely available as The Japanese Album
as a CD re-issue by RPM Records in 1994. Genocky was unable to commit to the band beyond the recording of the album and the band's live debut at the Reading Festival in 1978. He was replaced for the subsequent tour by Pete Barnacle
.
The album was sufficiently successful to attract more attention and in 1979 the band secured a European deal with Acrobat Records
. Before a new album was recorded, Byrd was replaced by Bernie Torme
and Barnacle by drummer Mick Underwood
, Ian Gillan's former colleague in Episode Six
. Torme's "screaming guitar" sound fundamentally altered the dynamics and Gillan took a more heavy metal
and punk
direction. This lineup's first album was released as Mr. Universe
and contained many re-worked songs from The Japanese Album. The album went straight into the UK album charts but stalled as Acrobat Records went bankrupt. This led to a multi-album deal with Virgin Records
.
Meanwhile in Japan
, Australia
and New Zealand
an alternate version of Mr. Universe was released with a different track selection to avoid repeats of Gillan the album material used on the Mr. Universe album elsewhere. Several of the alternate tracks are included on the The Japanese Album
release.
The band caught the rise of the NWOBHM
at just the right time and the group gained popularity in Europe
. An important aspect of this rise in popularity was Gillan's recognition of what his audience (mainly teenage males) wanted to hear; an example of how this affected the band was in the lyrics. "Bright casino lights flicker as you dance. Warm Arabian nights, atmospheres of chance" from the Ian Gillan Band days became "Keep your hand on my lever. Watch it whilst I stab your beaver." on the Mr Universe album.
At Christmas 1979 Ian Gillan turned down an offer from Ritchie Blackmore
to join Rainbow
, but Blackmore did make a guest appearance for Gillan at their Christmas show. It was the first time Ian Gillan and Blackmore had performed together since 1973.
In 1980 Gillan reached the peak of their success, releasing the successful Glory Road album, the initial copies also containing the free album "For Gillan Fans Only". However the band remained unknown in North America
and were unable to raise any interest there despite several tours.
By 1981 the band members were becoming disgruntled that their European and Japanese success was not translating into increased financial rewards, and after the Future Shock
album, whilst on tour in Germany, Torme walked out just before the band were due to fly back to the UK to appear on Top of the Pops
. He was replaced by White Spirit
guitarist Janick Gers
(who would later go on to join Iron Maiden
) and this line up released the live/studio double album Double Trouble
at the end of the year. In 1982 the final album Magic
followed. By this time, tension over money had reached fever pitch and Ian Gillan needed time to have nodes removed from his vocal cords. After the Magic tour Ian Gillan dissolved the band while he underwent surgery. He then accepted an offer to front Black Sabbath
to the incredulity of the Gillan band members, particularly McCoy, and the acrimony remains to the present day.
McCoy subsequently released compilations of studio out-takes to which he had the rights, known as The Gillan Tapes, and ensured that revenues were distributed fairly amongst the band. Bernie Torme and John McCoy recently joined forces on the GMT band project, releasing two albums, one in 2006 and one in 2009.
According to at least one interview, Gillan did not have nodes removed as British doctors recommended, as he was afraid that would adversely affect his voice. A German doctor diagnosed infected, enlarged tonsils with nodes on them, and Gillan had a history of that. He had a complete tonsillectomy instead, which also removed the nodes on the tonsils. Prior to surgery, he asked the German doctor if the surgery would affect his voice. The doctor said "Yes it will make it better, since the sound was having to come around the tonsils before then."
Other members
Singles
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
singer Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
.
History
In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusionJazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band
Ian Gillan Band
The Ian Gillan Band was a jazz-rock fusion band formed by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan in 1975.-History:After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, Ian Gillan had retired from the music business to pursue other business ventures, including a motorbike manufacturing company and a hotel. These ventures all...
and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns
Colin Towns
Colin Towns is an English composer, born 13 May 1948 in London, specialising in soundtracks for film, television and commercials. Learning piano as a child, by the age of 13 he was earning money playing at weddings and birthdays in his neighbourhood of the East End of London...
, and formed a new band entitled Gillan. He added Steve Byrd on guitar, Liam Genockey
Liam Genockey
Liam Genockey is an Irish drummer.Liam Genockey was born in Dublin, Ireland. During the 1960s he lived in Plymouth, Devon, U.K, playing in local semi-pro groups, then in the early 70's playing with Torbay based rock band Adolphus Rebirth...
on drums and John McCoy
John McCoy (musician)
John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. He currently plays in British rock trio Guy McCoy Torme with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Torme and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick...
on bass, and initially pursued a progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
direction, releasing their eponymous debut in 1978, although they could only get a record deal in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. This recording has subsequently become more widely available as The Japanese Album
Gillan (album)
Gillan is the first album by British rock band Gillan, released in September 1978. It was only released in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, but the album sold well in the UK as an import, aided by positive press reviews...
as a CD re-issue by RPM Records in 1994. Genocky was unable to commit to the band beyond the recording of the album and the band's live debut at the Reading Festival in 1978. He was replaced for the subsequent tour by Pete Barnacle
Pete Barnacle
Pete Barnacle is a drummer who has played for various bands including Gillan, Girl, Broken Home, Spear of Destiny, Yngwie Malmsteen , Sheer Greed, and Soldiers of Fortune.-With Gillan:...
.
The album was sufficiently successful to attract more attention and in 1979 the band secured a European deal with Acrobat Records
Acrobat Records
Acrobat Records is the independent record label of American songwriter Matt Nathanson formed in 1993....
. Before a new album was recorded, Byrd was replaced by Bernie Torme
Bernie Tormé
Bernie Tormé is a rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, record label and recording studio owner.-Early career:...
and Barnacle by drummer Mick Underwood
Mick Underwood
Mick Underwood is a British drummer best known for his work with Episode Six, Quatermass and Gillan. First playing drums at the age of 14, he was a professional musician by the time he left school...
, Ian Gillan's former colleague in Episode Six
Episode Six
Episode Six was a British vocal pop-rock group during the mid 1960s. The band was not well known, but foreshadowed the arrival of Deep Purple in late 1960s...
. Torme's "screaming guitar" sound fundamentally altered the dynamics and Gillan took a more heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
direction. This lineup's first album was released as Mr. Universe
Mr. Universe (album)
Mr. Universe is the second album by the British rock band Gillan, and the first with the classic line-up with Gillan, Towns, McCoy, Tormé and Underwood.Released in October 1979...
and contained many re-worked songs from The Japanese Album. The album went straight into the UK album charts but stalled as Acrobat Records went bankrupt. This led to a multi-album deal with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
Meanwhile in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
an alternate version of Mr. Universe was released with a different track selection to avoid repeats of Gillan the album material used on the Mr. Universe album elsewhere. Several of the alternate tracks are included on the The Japanese Album
Gillan (album)
Gillan is the first album by British rock band Gillan, released in September 1978. It was only released in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, but the album sold well in the UK as an import, aided by positive press reviews...
release.
The band caught the rise of the NWOBHM
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
at just the right time and the group gained popularity in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. An important aspect of this rise in popularity was Gillan's recognition of what his audience (mainly teenage males) wanted to hear; an example of how this affected the band was in the lyrics. "Bright casino lights flicker as you dance. Warm Arabian nights, atmospheres of chance" from the Ian Gillan Band days became "Keep your hand on my lever. Watch it whilst I stab your beaver." on the Mr Universe album.
At Christmas 1979 Ian Gillan turned down an offer from Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
to join Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, but Blackmore did make a guest appearance for Gillan at their Christmas show. It was the first time Ian Gillan and Blackmore had performed together since 1973.
In 1980 Gillan reached the peak of their success, releasing the successful Glory Road album, the initial copies also containing the free album "For Gillan Fans Only". However the band remained unknown in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and were unable to raise any interest there despite several tours.
By 1981 the band members were becoming disgruntled that their European and Japanese success was not translating into increased financial rewards, and after the Future Shock
Future Shock (Gillan album)
Future Shock is the fourth album by the British rock band Gillan. Released by Virgin in 1981, it reached number 2 in the UK album chart; this would remain the band's highest placing.The title is taken from Alvin Toffler's book Future Shock....
album, whilst on tour in Germany, Torme walked out just before the band were due to fly back to the UK to appear on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. He was replaced by White Spirit
White spirit
White spirit [CAS 64475-85-0], also known as Stoddard solvent [CAS 8052-41-3] or mineral spirits, is a paraffin-derived clear, transparent liquid which is a common organic solvent used in painting and decorating. In 1924, an Atlanta dry cleaner named W. J. Stoddard worked with Lloyd E...
guitarist Janick Gers
Janick Gers
Janick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
(who would later go on to join Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
) and this line up released the live/studio double album Double Trouble
Double Trouble (Gillan album)
Double Trouble is an album by the British rock band Gillan, released in 1981. It was released as a double album, the first disc containing studio material, and the second containing live recordings. It reached #12 in the UK charts. In 1989, Virgin re-released the album, with the same track listing,...
at the end of the year. In 1982 the final album Magic
Magic (Gillan album)
Magic is an album by British rock band Gillan, their final collaboration, released in 1982. It was reissued in 1989 with seven "bonus" tracks, including cover versions and B-sides. "South Africa" /"John" was a single Ian had written and recorded with guitarist Bernie Marsden.Although the album was...
followed. By this time, tension over money had reached fever pitch and Ian Gillan needed time to have nodes removed from his vocal cords. After the Magic tour Ian Gillan dissolved the band while he underwent surgery. He then accepted an offer to front Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
to the incredulity of the Gillan band members, particularly McCoy, and the acrimony remains to the present day.
McCoy subsequently released compilations of studio out-takes to which he had the rights, known as The Gillan Tapes, and ensured that revenues were distributed fairly amongst the band. Bernie Torme and John McCoy recently joined forces on the GMT band project, releasing two albums, one in 2006 and one in 2009.
According to at least one interview, Gillan did not have nodes removed as British doctors recommended, as he was afraid that would adversely affect his voice. A German doctor diagnosed infected, enlarged tonsils with nodes on them, and Gillan had a history of that. He had a complete tonsillectomy instead, which also removed the nodes on the tonsils. Prior to surgery, he asked the German doctor if the surgery would affect his voice. The doctor said "Yes it will make it better, since the sound was having to come around the tonsils before then."
Band members
Core members- Ian GillanIan GillanIan Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(1978–1980, 1981–1983) - John McCoyJohn McCoy (musician)John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. He currently plays in British rock trio Guy McCoy Torme with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Torme and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1978–1980, 1981–1983) - Colin TownsColin TownsColin Towns is an English composer, born 13 May 1948 in London, specialising in soundtracks for film, television and commercials. Learning piano as a child, by the age of 13 he was earning money playing at weddings and birthdays in his neighbourhood of the East End of London...
– keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s (1978–1980, 1981–1983)
Other members
- Steve ByrdSteve ByrdStephen John Byrd is a British guitarist and session musician who has worked with artists including Kim Wilde, Ian Gillan, ZZebra and many others....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1978–1979) - Liam GenockeyLiam GenockeyLiam Genockey is an Irish drummer.Liam Genockey was born in Dublin, Ireland. During the 1960s he lived in Plymouth, Devon, U.K, playing in local semi-pro groups, then in the early 70's playing with Torbay based rock band Adolphus Rebirth...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1978) - Pete BarnaclePete BarnaclePete Barnacle is a drummer who has played for various bands including Gillan, Girl, Broken Home, Spear of Destiny, Yngwie Malmsteen , Sheer Greed, and Soldiers of Fortune.-With Gillan:...
– drums (1978–1979) - Mick UnderwoodMick UnderwoodMick Underwood is a British drummer best known for his work with Episode Six, Quatermass and Gillan. First playing drums at the age of 14, he was a professional musician by the time he left school...
– drums (1979–1980, 1981–1983) - Bernie TorméBernie TorméBernie Tormé is a rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, record label and recording studio owner.-Early career:...
– guitar (1979–1980) - Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
– guitar (1981–1983)
Discography
Albums- GillanGillan (album)Gillan is the first album by British rock band Gillan, released in September 1978. It was only released in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, but the album sold well in the UK as an import, aided by positive press reviews...
(aka The Japanese Album) (1978) - Mr. UniverseMr. Universe (album)Mr. Universe is the second album by the British rock band Gillan, and the first with the classic line-up with Gillan, Towns, McCoy, Tormé and Underwood.Released in October 1979...
#11 (UK) (1979) - Glory Road #3 (UK) (1980) UK: Silver
- Future ShockFuture Shock (Gillan album)Future Shock is the fourth album by the British rock band Gillan. Released by Virgin in 1981, it reached number 2 in the UK album chart; this would remain the band's highest placing.The title is taken from Alvin Toffler's book Future Shock....
#2 (UK) (1981) UK: Silver - Double TroubleDouble Trouble (Gillan album)Double Trouble is an album by the British rock band Gillan, released in 1981. It was released as a double album, the first disc containing studio material, and the second containing live recordings. It reached #12 in the UK charts. In 1989, Virgin re-released the album, with the same track listing,...
#12 (UK) (1981) - MagicMagic (Gillan album)Magic is an album by British rock band Gillan, their final collaboration, released in 1982. It was reissued in 1989 with seven "bonus" tracks, including cover versions and B-sides. "South Africa" /"John" was a single Ian had written and recorded with guitarist Bernie Marsden.Although the album was...
#17 (UK) (1982) - Live at Reading '80 (1990)
- The BBC Tapes Vol 1: Dead Of Night 1979 (1998)
- The BBC Tapes Vol 2: Unchain Your Brain 1980 (1998)
- Mutually Assured Destruction - Live At The Apollo '82 (2006)
- The Gillan Singles Box Set (2007)
- The Glory YearsGillan (film)The Glory Years is a DVD from a rock group Gillan released in 2008 by Eagle Rock Entertainment. It consists of live concert recorded at Oxford Polytechnic, England on February 18, 1981 and the band's guest performances on German TV and BBC's TV chart show Top of the Pops.-Track listing:1. "Unchain...
(2008, DVD) (Recorded live 1981) - Triple Trouble (2009) (Recorded live 1981/1982)
- On the Rocks (2010 (compilation)
- All Gillan albums recorded between 1979 and 1982 (excluding The Japanese Album) have been re-released as remastered editions with bonus tracks in 2007
Singles
- "Vengeance" / "Smoke on the WaterSmoke on the Water"Smoke on the Water" is a song by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It was first released on their 1972 album Machine Head. In 2004, the song was ranked number 426 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and in March 2005, Q magazine placed "Smoke on the Water"...
" (1979) - "No Easy Way" / "Handles on Her Hips" / "I Might As Well Go Home (Mystic)" (1979)
- "Sleeping on the Job" / "Higher and Higher" (1980)
- "Trouble"Trouble (Elvis Presley song)Amanda Lear's debut single was a recording of "Trouble", released in the UK by Creole Records. A French language translation by Vline Buggy, titled "La Bagarre", was released in France by Polydor. Lear performed the song on an episode of Musikladen aired 29 May 1976 in West Germany. Clad in black...
/ "Your Sister's On My List" / "Mr. Universe" (live) / "Vengeance" (live) / "Smoke on the Water" (live) (1980) - "Mutually Assured Destruction" / "The Maelström" (1981)
- "Restless" / "On the Rocks" (1981)
- "Nightmare" / "Bite the Bullet" (1981)
- "No Laughing in Heaven" / "One for the Road" / "LucilleLucille (Little Richard song)"Lucille" is a 1957 rock and roll song which was one of Little Richard's international hits.Released on Specialty Records in February 1957, Little Richard's single made number 21 on the US pop chart, and number 10 on the UK chart...
" / "Bad News" (1981) - "New Orleans" / "Take a Hold of Yourself" (1981)
- "Living for the City" / "Breaking Chains" (1982)
- "Long Gone" / "Fiji" (1982)