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No hurry
Karolina Karbownik and Jakub Michalski did an interview with Ian Gillan for the Polish magazine Rock Axxess:
Your last album, Now What?!, is really great, I love it. However, it seems like you were not in a hurry to record new songs.
It’s true. We weren’t in a hurry at all. In fact, we would meet in a bar from time to time and somebody would say, “what about the new album?” And somebody else would say, “well, yeah, maybe next year”. That was the way we looked at it because we were having such a great time on the road and the main thing for us is the live performance. And then we had a meeting with Bob Ezrin, our producer. It was quite fascinating what came out of that. I think we remembered a lot of things we might have forgotten, particularly that Deep Purple is primarily an instrumental band. We make music and put the songs on top. I know that sounds strange but I’ve never done that with anyone before – other writers or other bands. And another thing is, he said: “Don’t worry about the length of the stuff, don’t think about it. Let the ideas develop naturally and do what you do on stage every night.” So that really got us interested and of course we went into the studio with an added bonus of Bob being not only a great music producer, but also a guy that’s been around for a long time, so we respect his wisdom and judgment, and he became almost a sixth member of the band. So yeah, it was a long time but it was worth waiting and we enjoyed it.
The interview appears in Rock Axxess issue 15-16, which you can read online here and here (try the other link if one does not work for you) or download a PDF file (67.3 MB). The Polish version of the interview appears starting on page 6 with English one on page 15.
Thanks to Jakub Michalski for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
thanks for sharing it on your wall 🙂
August 23rd, 2013 at 21:07Ian Gillan talking through his arse really…………………… 🙂
August 24th, 2013 at 10:16And,i quote Ritchie Blackmore on that one……….Though,that time he spoke about Roger……………..
Ian Gillan – old, old man…
August 24th, 2013 at 12:49The main thing I get from this is how impressed Gillan was with the outcome of the album and the magic of Bob Ezrin. Yes, he also had similar adulation for Michael Bradford (what were they thinking?). But I do believe that on this go-round a light truly came on when they first heard Now What?! It had to be highly inspirational and revealing in the sense of how dynamic and powerful it sounded in comparison to the prior 2 albums. I can’t imagine this collaboration between Purple and Ezrin being a ‘one off’ thing. The band and Ezrin both are quite impressed with the results and there was such a positive experience in Nashville, I am confident they won’t wait too long before going into the studio again. Now that Airey and Morse have totally come to terms as to their dominating force in the band, they should do as Gillan described about the old days of those longer instrumental based tracks and put out a full bore jam album with Gillan at the helm injecting some of his regained prowess. 8-10 wham bammers. One thing I have also found is the compatibility of the 2 albums, Now What and Flying Colors. If you want to have a cool listening experience, put both CDs in your changer and set it up for ‘random play’. It was with Flying Colors that Steve Morse re-tooled his playing approach that then graces the presence onto Now What. The 2 albums meld into a great package of listening together. In other words they compliment each other very well.
Ch-BeerZ?!
August 24th, 2013 at 14:41I LOVE the Whole New Album.
( I wrote something else/much grander, and it got deleted, by myself: I couldn’t find post, and lost all my work.)
DP Rocks, What else is There, and Yes, Ritchie was Great, but WHEN was the Last Time, U heard something of him, from him, to him, or even about him?? LMK.
Peace!!
(now, Where IS Post??)
August 25th, 2013 at 17:03Must you show up everywhere? 😀
Tracy speaking my language, you’re right about FC and NW’s combined re-toolage. I’m just wondering where all the negators went…. off to eat Crow, obviously!
August 25th, 2013 at 22:24I agree with Andrea Perrault!:)
I also LOVE the whole album!!!:) A LOT!!!:)
I cannot understand why some folks comment about Ritchie Blackmore in connection with an interview with Ian Gillan?!?!?
August 26th, 2013 at 05:25Blackmore is ancient history what Deep Purple concerns, FGS Steve Morse had been in the band for about 20 years now.
Dont get me wrong, I loved Deep Purple way back when, and love them today!!!:)<3
Tracy
I d add Don Airey s las t 2 solo albums into the mix 🙂
August 26th, 2013 at 10:04All I know is that *my* day at the office is six a.m. to three…and beyond!
At any rate, the album is still holding its own in my rotation. “The best since Perfect Strangers” is a little far-fetched, but certainly the best album this century! There is a lot to like.
In the interview, Gillan made mention of those in the band who really were not into making a new album. It appears that each member says the same thing; therefore, it is not clear who the naysayers were–but this album has given the band a big boost of publicity and an opportunity to revamp the aging set list.
Who was it that said they needed a product to promote in order to remain relevant and current?
Oh yeah…that was me… 😉
August 27th, 2013 at 03:22In Now What!? Gillan’s voice sounds decades younger and much more in tune with the band. Superb job, bringing back the essence of Deep Purple and the music we all missed to hear for so long!
August 27th, 2013 at 06:14purplepriest1965 @6,
Don’s last 2 CD’s no doubt intense music. As most are noting on the new album posts, his playing is brilliant. Bless Bob Ezrin on all accounts. Sir Jon smiling down from above and beyond….
Peace,
August 27th, 2013 at 13:31Ted
NW, Fantastic cd!
August 30th, 2013 at 14:17