Ian Gillan Band

Last updated

Ian Gillan Band
Ian Gillan Band.jpg
L-R: Towns, Nauseef, Gillan, Gustafson, Fenwick
Background information
Also known asShand Grenade
OriginEngland
Genres
Years active1975–1978
Labels Island
Spinoffs Gillan
Spinoff of Deep Purple
Past members Ian Gillan
Ray Fenwick
John Gustafson
Mark Nauseef
Mike Moran
Mickey Lee Soule
Colin Towns

The Ian Gillan Band were an English progressive jazz-rock band formed by singer Ian Gillan of Deep Purple in 1975. Their sound is a departure from the heavy metal of Deep Purple by featuring a progressive jazz fusion sound, more similar to bands such as Brand X.

Contents

History

After leaving Deep Purple in June 1973, Ian Gillan had retired from the music business to pursue other business ventures, including motorcycle engines, a country hotel / restaurant (with a guitar shaped swimming pool), and ownership of the Kingsway Recorders studio, where from April 1974 he began to work on his first post-Deep Purple solo tracks. [1] These ventures, apart from the recording studio, all ended in failure. [2] This fact, combined with a warm reception to his guest appearance at Roger Glover's Butterfly Ball [3] live show at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 16 October 1975 (he sang "Sitting in a Dream" as a substitute for Ronnie James Dio, who was banned by Ritchie Blackmore to take part in it) prompted him to resume a singing career and form a new band. [4]

Initially called Shand Grenade, [5] a combination of Shangri-la and Grenade, Gillan was persuaded by the management to change the band's name to the Ian Gillan Band. He recruited guitarist Ray Fenwick, bass player John Gustafson, keyboard player Mike Moran and Elf percussionist Mark Nauseef on drums. Using Roger Glover as producer and session musician, this line-up recorded their first album Child In Time in December 1975 / January 1976. In February 1976 Moran was replaced by Mickey Lee Soule (ex-Elf and Rainbow), but for the recording of follow-up album Clear Air Turbulence he was dropped in May 1976 in favour of Colin Towns.

The band had some success in Japan but none at all in North America and only cult status in Europe, their jazz fusion direction unappealing to pop and rock fans alike. [6] Their first album, Child In Time, reached 55 on the UK charts [7] and 36 in Sweden. [8] Their third album, Scarabus (1977), had more of a rock sound but retained the jazz fusion direction. Released at the height of punk rock, [6] there was no success beyond Japan and their label Island Records dropped them.

The following year Gillan dissolved the band but retained Colin Towns and formed a new band called simply Gillan. A live album was released after the breakup. John Gustafson said: "Gillan decided he didn’t like the band’s direction and wanted to do more rock stuff. In reality, he should have put his foot down a lot earlier. I personally was expecting Deep Purple stuff, but he let us do whatever we wanted." [9]

Members

Ian Gillan Band

Timeline

Ian Gillan Band

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

[11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Purple</span> English rock band

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". Listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, they have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elf (band)</span> American rock band

Elf was an American rock band founded in 1967 by singer and bassist Ronnie James Dio, keyboardist Doug Thaler, drummer Gary Driscoll, and guitarists Nick Pantas and David Feinstein. The band was originally called the Electric Elves, but was shortened to the Elves in 1968 and finally Elf in 1972. Elf disbanded in 1975 after recording three albums and after most of the lineup had been absorbed into the newly formed Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.

Episode Six were an English rock band formed in Harrow, London in 1965. The band did not have commercial success in the UK, releasing nine singles that all failed to chart, but they did find minor success in Beirut at the time. Group members Ian Gillan and Roger Glover left in 1969 to join Deep Purple, while drummer Mick Underwood founded Quatermass and later collaborated with Gillan.

Mickey Lee Soule is an American musician. He was the keyboard player for New York hard rock band Elf and a founding member of Rainbow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillan (band)</span> English rock band fronted by Ian Gillan

Gillan was an English rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. Gillan was one of the hard rock bands to make a significant impact and commercial success in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s, with five silver albums. They sold over 10 million LPs worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child in Time</span> 1970 song by Deep Purple

"Child in Time" is a song by English rock band Deep Purple, released on their fourth studio album, Deep Purple in Rock in 1970. It is the longest track on the album, running over ten minutes. The song's lyrics are loosely inspired by the Cold War. The song is notable for showcasing singer Ian Gillan's full vocal range and the instrumental jam section between guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Fenwick</span> English guitarist (1946–2022)

Raymond John Fenwick was an English guitarist and session musician, best known for his work in The Syndicats and in The Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s, and as the lead guitarist of Ian Gillan's post-Deep Purple solo project, the Ian Gillan Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Gillan</span> English singer (born 1945)

Ian Gillan is an English singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice.

Colin William Towns is an English composer and keyboardist. He was noted for playing in bands formed by ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan, and later worked extensively in composing 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. He went on to play in numerous dance bands, jazz ensembles and also became a session musician. His main musical passion is jazz and he has made several well-received albums together with his big band, the Mask Orchestra. He has also founded an independent record label, Provocateur.

<i>Clear Air Turbulence</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Ian Gillan Band

Clear Air Turbulence is the second studio album by British jazz rock band Ian Gillan Band, released in 1977 with cover by Chris Foss. The album was initially worked on during the period July 1976 to September 1976. A UK tour was promoted, though all of the dates were postponed until April 1977 in order that the new album could be rerecorded and remixed at Kingsway Recorders, London.

<i>Scarabus</i> 1977 studio album by Ian Gillan Band

Scarabus is the third and the last studio album by British jazz rock band Ian Gillan Band, released in October 1977.

<i>Child in Time</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Ian Gillan Band

Child in Time is the debut album by British jazz rock band Ian Gillan Band, released in 1976. The album took its title from the Deep Purple song "Child in Time", a version of which appears on the LP. The album reached No. 36 on Swedish charts and No. 55 in UK.

Mark Nauseef is an American drummer and percussionist who has enjoyed a varied career, ranging from rock music during the 1970s with his time as a member of the Ian Gillan Band and, temporarily with Thin Lizzy when Brian Downey left for a short time, to a wide range of musical styles in more recent times, playing with notable musicians from around the world.

John Frederick "Johnny" Gustafson was an English bass guitar player and singer, who had a lengthy recording and live performance career. During his career, he was a member of the bands The Big Three, The Merseybeats, Quatermass, Roxy Music, The Pirates and Ian Gillan Band.

<i>Deep Purple in Rock</i> 1970 studio album by Deep Purple

Deep Purple in Rock is the fourth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released on 5 June 1970. It was the first studio album recorded by the Mark II line-up of Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.

The Deep Purple European Tour was a year-long successful concert tour by English hard rock band Deep Purple, lasting from July 1969 until June 1970. The band played mostly United Kingdom shows, also covering West Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. It was the first tour to feature the classic Deep Purple line-up: Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. It is considered to be the pre-tour for the In Rock album, as the band mostly played songs from the upcoming album.

<i>What I Did On My Vacation</i> 1986 compilation album by Ian Gillan

What I Did on My Vacation is an official compilation album from Ian Gillan, released in 1986 in UK by 10 Records. The album covers Gillan's recordings between 1977 and 1982 and was released in three formats. All songs from the album had been previously released. Although not credited on the cover, "Scarabus" is preceded by an instrumental piece by Colin Towns, which was used as the intro to "On The Rocks". The LP version set boasts four more tracks than the CD version.

<i>Live at the Budokan</i> (Ian Gillan Band album) 1978 live album by Ian Gillan Band

Live at the Budokan is a live album by the Ian Gillan Band, recorded live on 22 September 1977 in Tokyo, Japan. Originally it was released only in Japan, in March 1978 by EastWorld Records, being Live at the Budokan (EWS-81112) and Live at the Budokan Vol. 2 (EWS81113). Each was a single LP in a gatefold sleeve. Several songs from the set did not make it to the albums, as evidenced by audience tapes.

<i>Phoenix Rising</i> (Deep Purple album) 2011 live album by Deep Purple

Phoenix Rising is a combo CD/DVD live album by the Mark IV line-up of Deep Purple, released in May 2011. It includes rare live tracks from Mk IV history, Rises Over Japan, a concert film directed by Tony Klinger, Gettin' Tighter, an 80-minute new music documentary about the band's 1975/1976 tour, and some extras.

Strapps was a British hard rock group formed in 1975. The band was popular for the straightforward rock songs and for the raunchy visual image created by photographer Mick Rock. Strapps toured with Deep Purple and Ian Gillan Band, and have recorded four albums.

References

Sources

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Ian Gillan Band History". deep-purple.net. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Gillan & Cohen 1993, pp. 111–112, 121.
  3. ↑ Gillan & Cohen 1993, p. 117.
  4. ↑ Thompson 2004, p. 207.
  5. ↑ Thompson 2004, p. 209.
  6. 1 2 Thompson 2004, p. 210.
  7. ↑ "Ian Gillan". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ian Gillan". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  9. 1 2 Deriso, Nick (14 September 2014). "Ian Gillan, Roxy Music Bassist John Gustafson Dies". UltimateClassicRock.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Burrows, Georgia (24 February 2019). "Ray Fenwick and The Rest at Boston Theatre". Boston Standard . Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  11. ↑ Ian Gillan Band discography at Discogs
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.