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Vintage Gillan interviews
A couple of vintage interviews with Ian Gillan.
Mike Eriksson has posted in his blog an interview he did with Big Ian during the Born Again tour in August 1983. They talked about dissolution of Gillan band, how he ended up in Black Sabbath, and the then circulating rumours of a Deep Purple reunion:
There were rumours of a Deep Purple reunion this spring…
– Well, I actually went over to America this January to meet with Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover for talks about Deep Purple. Jon Lord and Ian Paice were ready to do it. But somebody changed their mind so it fell through. I thought it could happen for a little while. As the situation is today it really can´t happen for the obvious reasons, but you never know.
Read more in the Trinkelbonker.
Official DP Youtube channel posted an interview for German TV done some time during the Naked Thunder tour (sadly, his answers are obscured by German voiceover):
Thanks to Yvonne Osthausen for the info.
P.S. We are being told that for one bizzare reason or another, the latter video is being blocked in Germany. Learn how to deal with such nonsense here.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Did you feel that you had to adapt your way of writing to suit Black Sabbath?
– No, I write in my own style and I didn´t want to sing a lot of drivel just because others have done it before me in the band.
OUCH!
September 5th, 2013 at 10:57purplepriest1965 @ 1- Yes, I remember that comment also, Gillan was very dismissive of the earlier Sabbath, the Ozzy & Dio era’s from my memory. As I have stated before, it was a mismatch of a lineup & I still stand by my comment that Iommi & Butler were clutching at straws big time! Trying to get another big name lead vocalist to continue on after the Dio disappointment. Especially when it was all ‘arranged’ at a piss up, so to speak. According to some anyway. Not to worry, there are some good moments on Born Again. But it was NEVER going to last! In hindsight, which can be a wonderful thing as they say, one of a few low points in Sabbath’s history.
September 6th, 2013 at 11:37I didn’t realise Gillan was a smoker, not good for the throat & vocal chords. Surely he has given that habit away these days. Cheers.
@2,
Contrary to your comments…. Low point? Only due to the fact that he replaced DIO whom replaced OZZY and had a rough go at first also. Even though DIO was accepted overall, the Sabbath Purists still cried for OZZY. It got better and reality was setting ing after the second album ‘Mob Rules’, but as with the MK2 freaks of Purpleland, the OZZY freaks still wanted him back. Then DIO is gone and Gillan steps in. Gillan had it even worse than DIO. He had to go up against the OZZY freaks and the converted DIO freaks (whom also would under their breath cry OZZY). Had the Purple reunion not happened, Gillan would have more than likely stayed with Sabbath and with a follow up to Born Again and another tour, would more than likely warmed the hearts of the hard core Nay Sayers whom by now actually adore that album and tour. The traction never took place because it was over before it really began. Starting when Bill Ward jumped ship being replaced by Bev Bevin for the tours. Had he stayed on and a second album been offered, all would be different. Either way, no matter what Gillan stated regarding the older material (that he sang masterfully Live), Born Again is by far one of the top Sabbath albums if not one of the top Metal/Rock albums period.
!Ch-BeerZ?
September 7th, 2013 at 03:322
I m not sure he did gave that up.
Maybe he drinks or smokes less? I dont know but it is too late and too little.
Maybe the Born Again period has it s moments to cherish(I do sometimes)but thinking that had he skipped that period and RESTED his voice would not have been destroyed as it was……..
September 8th, 2013 at 09:30Tracy @ 3 – It isn’t my opinion that Born Again was a low point, it is deemed to be that from many people over the decades looking back at it. It doesn’t mean it isn’t any good, it was just a one off thing that didn’t work out in many ways. Well at least Spinal Tap were influenced by it, as Gillan still chuckles at the ‘absurdity’ of the tour stage setup no doubt. I loved it back then when Gillan joined & the album was released, but looking back as we do at times, it sort of didn’t work out that well. You were lucky that you witnessed the band live, that puts a different spin on it no doubt. At least they gave it a go, kudos to them for doing that I say. I have no doubt as to Gillan ‘getting it’ from certain rabid Ozzy & Dio fans at the gigs though.
September 10th, 2013 at 08:20Bill Ward left because of ‘personal’ issues apparently, drugs & alcohol & I think both his parents passed away around that time, so Iommi has said over the years, & he (Ward) was messed up a little & not into it.
I noticed Geezer jumped ship after the tour as well, I don’t think any of them were going to push it any further & yes, the Purple reunion was where the action was happening.
The Tony Martin era didn’t work out either in many ways. Not under the Sabbath banner anyway. Hindsight as they say, maybe Iommi should have called the Martin era something else, but record company pressure says a lot of what eventually did occur?
I still like it all though, well maybe not Forbidden so much, there are one or two tracks that are ok, but Iommi definitely should have killed off ‘Sabbath’ after Cross Purposes when Geezer jumped ship again. Cheers.