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Taking off the mask with Roger Glover
The promo video for Roger Glover’s single The Mask from 1984 has surfaced on Youtube.
Peter Lippman directed the video for Roger Glover and PolyGram Records. He writes:
‘Gotta say, this was a unique video to work on! Roger’s song is very interesting and he has excellent showmanship!’
The album showed yet another fascinating side to the varied musical skills within the Purple family, mixing slight hints of The Police and featuring (among others) David Rosenthal on keys and Chuck Bürgi on drums (who went on to join Rainbow).
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
A very underrated album.
January 16th, 2009 at 19:55I listen to it often!
great.
To me this album is horrible, 80 synth pop at his worst…while ‘the butterfly ball’ is one of the best album ever and it’s on my personal top 5…
January 16th, 2009 at 20:14Glover can do masterpieces or unlistnebale albums…
but this video is good to see…
Bought it on amazon the other day…Waiting for my copy.
January 16th, 2009 at 20:18i knew rodger filled in for ian one time .. BUT I AINT NEVER HEARD THIS !
January 16th, 2009 at 20:46yes… in the 80 it could have been a huge hit on MTV (a-la Peter Gabriel).The video is very good…but not for my taste…
January 16th, 2009 at 20:57Great, think I’ll capture that, haven’t watched it yet, but it’s got to be better quality than mine.
January 16th, 2009 at 22:08Like it or not, it’s an elusive one to collectors, and Roger says it was done in New York over three days and he has no idea where the rest of the video footage is, but there is more he said.
Nice, it’s uncut!
January 16th, 2009 at 22:17Maybe Peter knows where the rest of the footage is, or possibly has it.
Slight correction to the editor, if I remember correctly, this album was recorded while Rosenthal and Burgi were already in Rainbow, Rosenthal for a while by then, but Burgi was the last to join, but had already done “Bent Out Of Shape.”
January 16th, 2009 at 23:03It was shot east of Los Angeles at the office and ground of an animal trainer. All the animals shown lived there.(we felt the location looked a bit like Africa) In addition, on the second day, we shot as well in a upscale home with a pool overlooking the city. As to the rest of the footage, the out takes are probably at the record company as they were required to be returned after the the approved edit was presented. Peter Lippman, Director/editor
January 16th, 2009 at 23:10Crimson – according to the album liner notes, Bürgi got the Rainbow job on the strength of the sessions he did for The Mask – even if the latter was released after Bent Out of Shape.
January 16th, 2009 at 23:20Ah, if only you’d mentioned him as “the latter” it confused me a bit there, because if I also remember, “BOOS” came out in August of 1983, and “The Mask” in June of 1984, 10 months later. I didn’t know the sessions took place before he even joined Rainbow, or it slipped my mind after all these years… thanks.
January 17th, 2009 at 00:59This video managed fairly heavy airplay on MTV when it first appeared as a “World Premiere Video” back in the day. Rainbow was in relatively heavy rotation at the time, with “Stone Cold,” “Street of Dreams,” and “Death Alley Driver” still enjoying popularity. I still have my LP copy of Mask in its original plastic shrink wrap.
This album is well recorded and produced and fit in with the music of the time. I listened to it quite a bit back in the day but haven’t gotten it out since I burnt my LPs to CD some years ago. Seeing this track, “The Mask,” is a treat (The album, however, is entitled just “Mask”).
This album also featured Dave Gellis and Joe Jammer–among others–and even Nick Blagona is credited for some percussion.
The release was indeed 1984; however, the songs were registered by Thames Talent a year earlier.
For those who think this is a weak opus, it’s best to go to the opening track “Divided World” to the lines, “It’s a divided world / and that’s no shame / It’s all a compromise / You can’t explain.” Roger often speaks of compromises in music–the balance between the artistic aspect in competition with the business end.
January 17th, 2009 at 05:49…agreed, reflected quite a bit as well in the track “Fake It.”
The years between “Mask” and “Snapshot” make up it’s many differences, Roger had matured but not forgotten his trademark quirks. I remember liking “Mask” for a time, they even played in in clubs using the 33rpm 12 inch long version single. My clip of this was taped off MTV, but worse for ware after 24 years, not to mention again, this is not the MTV version, it’s nearly a minute longer.
January 17th, 2009 at 06:30would have possibly worked well on the gillan/glover album.
January 17th, 2009 at 10:13when I think about that period and all the rubbish we use to see on tv (as now anyway) and when I see this video Iam thinking what a waste. but roger is not a trend and he is not for sale like others. anyway that’s life and lucky we have you tube now! we don’t have to watch all the crap on tv… anymore of that…… good to see roger. long live DP.cheers.
January 17th, 2009 at 11:08heavy airplay on MTV of this video???
T
are you sure??
if this is true, why it has been not a huge hit?
January 17th, 2009 at 12:18T.,
You are right on the money. I had picked up the album with no thought of a video on that outta control MTV. When one of the knucklehead (May have been Nina Blackwood, dizzy but kinda hot?) VJ’s announced that it was going to be a World Premiere, my only thought was whether or not most of the viewers would even know who this Roger Glover was…
But let’s not talk about MTV, I don’t even wanna start…..
It’s been tumeni years since I last listened to it. Off to my vinyl library to pull it out….
Peace,
Ted
January 17th, 2009 at 12:53Almost forgot about this one, now I think I’ll go find “Accidently On Purpose!” and give that a listen.
January 17th, 2009 at 15:18All videos on MTV received a heavy six week airing campaign, then the clip either survived and received more ongoing rotation but lighter, or fell into obscurity… so hit or not, the program was a mega platform for whatever hit potential there was. So much more exposure than the radio was offering in the 80’s. If it really proved to be a hit, at least on that network, it received ongoing rotation in their playlist off and on for many months, some over a year even.
January 17th, 2009 at 16:28The Mask was one of the oh so many that fell into obscurity, but the album and single did sell a few copies.
I remember this one very well. I recorded it on VHS back then. I burnt up many a VCR taping ALL THINGS PURPLE, or even remotely Purple Related back then. Got the vinyl version of the Album along with a 12″ single of this song. Don’t remember the B-side, and it’s packed away. I seem to remember ‘Don’t Look Down’ or something. I enjoyed this much more than his first solo effort…”Elements” which was too orchestral for my taste…
Cheers
January 17th, 2009 at 19:09Gosh… did that really happen! Truely awful…
But VERY catchy! 😛
MATT
January 17th, 2009 at 19:37@ 19
Tracy, the 12″ single was b/w the radio edit.
January 18th, 2009 at 01:05The 7″ 45rpm picture sleeve single was b/w “Fake It” the song with the reggae beat. When Roger signed mine in 85, he “said ‘Fake It’ yeah, that’s what I was doing.”
Great album and very underrated. I have the vinyl, the CD and the cassette. The cassette has a bonus track (Unnatural)not available elsewhere. I hope that someday it gets a proper CD re-issue with that song and the 12″ remix of the title track.
January 18th, 2009 at 02:27This is why the eighties music scene was sooooo bad.
January 18th, 2009 at 03:08Well… it’s not as if anybody was calling Roger the next Duran Duran, but he winged it pretty good, in fact better than the real thing if you ask me. But also notice how this does follow the whole sort of “Hungry Like The Wolf” concept of safari like images, but then the whole album does… oh it was oh so 80’s indeed.
January 18th, 2009 at 03:42Don´t know why he did this solo album in the first place! Maybe boredom or just takin´ the piss. let´s be honest here….it´s crap,pure and simple! I´m sure he can do better if he just puts his mind to it…..In the meantime,don´t quit your day job,Roger!ROCK ON!
January 18th, 2009 at 03:44I don’t know, according to folks like “T” it seems to be something of a higher rating than “crap.” But to each their own…
January 18th, 2009 at 04:56(I’ve heard records that had brilliant production, yet terrible material, which leaves a job well done in at least one department, lol! nothing blaming it on my taste can’t cure)
Way back I perceived this as awful and dissappointing
At the same time it seemed to prove that it was really Roger who was to blame for the commercial direction Rainbow went after he joined
But that was what RB wanted, I guess
I loved and still do love lots of those RG in Rainbow era tracks but at the same time I had, like most of us, a preference for the Dio era
Things like Mask and several tracks on AOP seemed to suggest that we really needed RB for the spice in DP
Without that the MAGIC is gone
Not that Gillan and Glover write bad stuff but they need a good side kick to make it better
In Gillan that was Colin Towns, I think
I like ELEMENTS by RG though
Well, what the hell…..
January 18th, 2009 at 12:59AOP to me is wonderful, pure genius…
January 18th, 2009 at 16:23the problem is not the kind of music you play or the production but the compositions…If a song is good is good anywhere and viceversa…
Mask has bad songs and I don’t like for this reason (I don’t like 80 production and 80 synth pop but the point is not this…)
I’ve never seen this before so was intrigued when I clicked on play. I now wish I hadn’t, in my opinion it’s terrible! Good find though.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:46The overall point is, too each their own taste buds, because what you’re tasting is real, not a dream, so all there is left to do is like it or not. I don’t listen to “Mask” and only did a handful of times… what does that tell you about my taste in it? “Snapshot” on the other hand is a milestone, quite an improvement after all those years, I’d say. It’s nearly a perfect sentiment of his, in my book. Your taste may vary, but there is a varied amount of taste on it to either enjoy or not, that’s for sure. “Mask” had nothing in the way of that, although it seemed a varied thing at the time concerning Rogers work up till then, but it really was a one dimensional project that at the time I referred to as “techno pop” by someone most people weren’t used to hearing such things from.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:54It might not be everyone’s cup of tea (and judging by the comments it’s obviously not), but the fact remains that for what it is, it’s pretty good. It’s a mid-80’s pop/rock album, not a Rainbow or Purple album. Roger is a song writer and a damn good one at that. This is just another facet of his talents and for that alone I was impressed. I usually don’t listen to this kind of music, but given the sheer quality of the songs and performances, it won me over.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:40Amen.
January 19th, 2009 at 01:34Correction btw, Peter tells me it was L.A. not NY, as reported to me from Bjorn Sund of Norway, respectively. He was funny about it, saying ask him if it looks like the Hudson River Roger is swimming in, lol!
January 19th, 2009 at 01:39It was actually base shot in my former residing area of Riverside, CA.
Thought it was a trailer for a ‘Rambo’ film….
“They drew first blood , not me…..”
January 19th, 2009 at 09:14lol!
January 19th, 2009 at 10:42For me, Elements is still the finest piece of work Roger did outside of Purple. That album, and Jon Lord’s Pictured Within are still my two favorite offshoot albums.
January 19th, 2009 at 15:50I agree Ed, that Elements is a fine piece of work. The thing with Roger’s solo albums is that they’re all so different. No one else in the DP family tree has taken such a varied musical journey on each of their consecutive projects. Butterfly Ball is a classy example of pop music, with every track being top notch. Elements is an atmospheric, progressive rock masterpiece, Mask is a collection of 80’s pop/rock and Snapshot is a laid back slice of lime and tequila on a sunny afternoon kind of vibe. Can’t wait for the follow-up to come out, the songs are superb.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:31Interesting how most of the criticism is based on one video from an album most don’t own made over twenty years ago, or from people who admittedly only listened to the album a couple of times.
The album fit into the style of the time and proved, once again, that Purple members can do anything–including 80’s pop style–and equal if not beat others at their own game. It would make no sense to do a solo album that sounds like Rainbow or Deep Purple.
The entire album is worth a close listen, including attention to the lyrics, the Police-style percussion in some songs, the background singing, the arrangements and the sound of the production overall.
It’s easy to diss off this album by claiming that it’s preclusive to one’s taste. Actually, the opposite is true.
January 20th, 2009 at 04:04Did someone who appears to have actually absorbed the album objectively, claim any such thing about it?
January 20th, 2009 at 05:26More importantly where is Colonel Troutman?…..
“If you send that many men after Rambo, just , remember one thing……a good supply of body bags”
January 20th, 2009 at 09:00I never liked ‘the mask’ for its production and in my opinions for its bad songs…
January 20th, 2009 at 12:17I don’t even like ‘snapshot’ ,except for the track ‘queen of england’ which is great, for Sting’s influence and for its bad songs…
I like ‘elements’ for for his adventure in the orchestral proto prog and it contains some very good music even if it’s a little bit too repetitive…
I love ‘butterfly ball’ and I consider him as one of the best album of the story and it’s on my top 5 list…
this is my rating after many listening to each album…
I remember seeing this video on MTV. Duran-Duran would approved of this piece. Like it or not, Duran-Duran lead the 80’s in pop music. Said that, this project demands a little respect.
January 20th, 2009 at 16:54As I say, to each their own, but this is one huge fan of ‘Snapshot’ and would be even if it were a Tiny Tim album, it’s only a plus that it happens to be the work of Glover. It’s an easy listening masterpiece, but if that’s too out of the Purple realm for some, fine, but I think it’s not being very objective and expecting too much.
Where is the “Sting” influence on it? Because I don’t hear an once worth.
But I have to say that the album didn’t exactly click with me till I re-arranged the tracks and burned it onto disc, but it’s the same album, I just find it a lot more enjoyable with my track order.
‘Elements’ sure it’s good, ‘Snapshot’ sure it’s good, I prefer the latter any day though, but it takes nothing away from how I feel about “Elements.”
January 20th, 2009 at 16:58I prefer it when solo albums are being from a different mould, style etc
But Mask is just mot my cup of tea cause it seemed to try to be 80 disco shit and I was already so depressed by 80 s music
That ruined lots of good stuff as well because otherwise great bands and albums were negatively influenced by it.
MOVE WITH THE TIMES, Gillan sang but Kierkegaard said …..Who connects himself too much with the fashions of the day might find themselves a widow soon…..
Staying true to oneself is more important then adapting to fashion
HOBL could have been much better if they just had ignored the idea that they should develop from their own great blue print into something 80 s
And the synths on PS always should have been a HAMMOND solo instead of that horrible synth!!!
I thought, hey Roger, there are lots of people who are doing this already and….dare I say it…..BETTER!
January 20th, 2009 at 22:02Ofcourse almost the same applies to when he does heavy rock, ELEMENTS or Snapshot but there the results I found enjoyable.
i agree priest 100%
January 21st, 2009 at 01:14Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
January 21st, 2009 at 13:41Good stuff
“Language Is The Autobiography Of The Human Mind.”
Max Muller
January 21st, 2009 at 16:20Thats the 2nd time today I try to memorize Rascals suggestion
CG
January 21st, 2009 at 16:50Thanx for educating me
Or better…..reminding me….
Crimson,
what are saying?
“that’s too out of the Purple realm for some”
it’s not a metter of kind of music, every kinf of music is good if well done…
Sting influence is evident:listen Roger voice, is way of singing and his reggea influence…
I like Tiny Tim, a funny man…
purplepriest:
“I prefer it when solo albums are being from a different mould, style etc
But Mask is just mot my cup of tea cause it seemed to try to be 80 disco shit and I was already so depressed by 80 s music”
I totally agree…
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards
January 21st, 2009 at 22:18Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
this is really true for everyone and every axpect of my life…
It can be very moving to be touched by subjects like this and very uncomfortable as well.
I suppose thats life…..If you want to live you ll get hurt
Without hurt no life
Life hurts
I drank only 1 wine!!!
January 21st, 2009 at 22:54Roberto, you mentioned the Sting influence concerning “Snapshot” if you read your post again…. I can swallow it concerning “Mask” but you didn’t word it that way.
January 22nd, 2009 at 14:29Swallow…..
DC talking to audience in Zwolle years ago…..Swallow? Hehehe
January 22nd, 2009 at 17:11“Dream as though you will live forever, live as though you will die tomorrow”…..the motto I live by.
The only reason for Solo albums is for the artist to escape from the ‘Band’ they have devoted their life to, without being able to do exactly what THEY would like to do. It’s like a night out with the boyz. Yeah, I totally love my wife and the cohesiveness we share…..BUT, every once in a while you want to do YOUR OWN thing. if your own thing is exactly like that ‘In the Band’, then there would be no reason for the solo act. It’s just ones individual need to express themselves, on their own without having to answer to anybody else. I have tried to purchase every side project from Purple that I can. A lot of it I can’t listen to. It just doesn’t do anything for me. Such as the JON LORD Orchestral stuff and even Roger Glover’s Butterfly Ball. If it wasn’t Purple Related, I would never have given it a chance, and after I did, it went in the storage bin…..
But, that doesn’t take away from what it is. It is that artist, expressing himself as himself at that moment in time and who likes it isn’t even remotely their concern. It’s about their own satisfaction as a creative artist and expressing himself for his own enjoyment mostly. Some of it I like, some not…….As even with Deep Purple. I Love the Band. I don’t love every friggin’ tune. “Farmers Daughter” is the first to come to mind……hated it on ‘Fireball’ and hated sitting through it Live at the concerts even more. A total waste of time I will never get back as far as I’m concerned…..
Cheers
January 22nd, 2009 at 19:26Oddly enough that’s a favorite of mine, but I have my reasons, and they have to do with my dad playing so much, in fact I snatched his old lp some years ago for the sheer novelty factor concerning that track… when you take the album out of the sleeve and look at it, it’s in pristine mint condition, except for ‘Anyone’s Daughter’ which is so worn out it’s grey in color, and serves as a nice conversation piece when showing various records to captive house guests. lol!
January 22nd, 2009 at 20:05Isn’t it amazing how music can be such a huge part of life? How certain melodies strike certain cords that stir the inner soul. Sometimes it’s the event or the relativity that attracts, not the actual song. I have 3 such songs that come to mind:
“HUSH” by Deep Purple…This song was playing in the background, the first time I touched a girl’s breast back in 1968. She was much older than me and I did it without her consent in an elevator. I had a crush on her and she knew my parents. After the shock on her face and then realizing that I was soon to be in big trouble, I begged her not to tell my parents. Kind of ironic don’t you think? She chose to ‘hush up’ about the incident and that song stuck in my mind and to this day when I hear it, I reflect back to that event. I became an instant Purple fan at the young tender age of 12, and have been one ever since.
“The Loner” by Gary Moore….As an adult, I had gone through many personal trials and tribulations and a terrible marriage and bitter divorce. When I started listening to Gary Moore in the 80’s, I was totally absorbed in music at the time and when I heard his version of the ‘Cozy Powell’ tune, I identified to it so strongly. When I met my future and present wife, and she heard the tune she immediately saw the connection and stated that she never heard a song that made her think of someone as much as ‘The Loner’ and myself did. Hence her nickname for me ‘The Loner’…
“Nothings the Same” by Gary Moore….When my father passed on in 1991, I was devastated. He was and still is, my best friend and a total Hero of mine. Gary Moore had soon after released his second blues album “After Hours”. Upon sitting in my music room and unwrapping it and putting it on the turntable (Yes Turntable), suddenly my eyes welled up and I was balling like a little girl whose favorite doll had been eaten by the family dog. The lyrics and melody to that song spelled out my loss and the sheer deficit that I felt without the company of the greatest human being in my life. For those who are the least bit sentimental and miss a loved one, you can not listen to this song all the way through without your eyes filling up….I guarantee it.
Sorry for long reply to your shared moment, but it is amazing how just a couple sentences read can conjure up the emotional connection the music……..
I think I will now play each of these back to back, in this order and watch the sunset with a tall glass of ‘Canadian Mist’ (mine and my dads’ favorite whiskey) on the front porch as tribute to the Music that has been such a huge part of my life and in many ways, represents many chapters throughout..
Cheers
January 23rd, 2009 at 18:10Wow!
January 23rd, 2009 at 22:46Yeah Priest, I know, plus I forgot ‘One Moore’ landmark song pertaining to my ‘Life List’….(trust me, there are many ‘moore’). Oddly enough;
“Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica….
It was the song that totally engulfed my present relationship with life and my present and future soul mate. My wife and I endured all that was mine and her past. When this song came out….WOW!! What a revelation. We eventually did this song while I was in the band ‘LOzT CAUz’, and it became a BAR FAVORITE. Doing this song as the drummer/singer, and receiving the ovations afterwards is what gave me the gumption to continue as the lead singer after our frontman left the band. (He hated the attention I got when I sang this and other songs. It’s the ‘Frontman Syndrome’)….(LARS…..Eat your heart out).
‘You never know, until you go’……(another motto of mine). Hopefully someday I will put one of those performances on YOUTUBE also….I have many audio and video recordings in my archives. It just takes time to convert the files and upload it. I’m ‘Lazy’ that way….
Cheers
January 24th, 2009 at 01:21Roger has a pretty good voice.
I loved his earlier voice work as Chewbacca.
January 24th, 2009 at 06:25Cheers Tracy, @ Canadian Mist, another favorite of mine, that stuff is killer!
@ 59, I hear they’re hiring at the Laugh Factory comedy club, too bad you can’t pass auditions, you’ll have to come up with better material than that.
January 25th, 2009 at 15:45Who or what s Chewbacca?
January 26th, 2009 at 16:16STAR WARS!!!!!! HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO?????????
Though I don’t get the reference……
January 26th, 2009 at 23:08Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending…..
January 27th, 2009 at 09:56Never liked STARWARS , I m a Trekkie.
I m still lost, hehehe
January 28th, 2009 at 21:35“They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate countless worlds, and we fall back. Not again. Not this time. The line must be drawn here! This far, no farther! And I will make them pay for what they have done!”
January 29th, 2009 at 11:13Chewbacca didn’t say that……
January 29th, 2009 at 20:12Are we now spacetrucking?
January 29th, 2009 at 23:38Resistance is futile………………..
January 30th, 2009 at 09:08I havent seen that video of The Mask in decades and it’s still that good. Tell me, what can the diretor tell us about the dancers in that video.
July 30th, 2011 at 04:45