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Trapped in undesirable circumstance
Louder Sound reprints online a feature on Gillan’s Magic, arguing it is a conceptual album of sorts in nature.
Of the three major offshoots that emerged after the break-up of Deep Purple in 1976, Gillan (the band, not the man) was certainly the most musically daring. And Gillan’s most daring album just might be their last: 1982’s Magic.
Yes, the keyboard-heavy record carries a glossy, polished sheen; yes, it contains a pair of obvious stabs into ‘hit single’ territory; and yes, the off-the-rails kinetic chemistry of the Bernie Torme years is largely absent. But it’s not the music that makes makes Magic Gillan’s most fascinating record; it’s the words.
Truth be told, Magic could and should be looked at in hindsight as a concept album, as the lyrics throughout revolve around a common theme: Gillan (the man, not the band) was laying out his future plans right before our very eyes, misdirecting our attention with another album’s worth of musical hocus pocus while planning the greatest magic trick of all: making himself disappear.
Continue reading in Louder Sound.
Thanks to Uwe for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Sheesh, all this Gillan & Ian Gillan everywhere and anywhere lately. Surely a coincidence and not some sort of ‘hacking’ of the site from Karin. Elvis, who is Elvis. Ever since that played out it has been all (Ian) Gillan. Hmmmmmmm, , interesting indeed. Cheers.
February 4th, 2025 at 02:11It has been a very long time since I have listened to any of the Magic album songs, thanks for the article. Demon Driver, what a dramatic song that is and dare I say a little progressive in it’s arrangement. That very commercial Long Gone song is a bit too twee, I had forgotten about that one.
February 4th, 2025 at 02:58Colin Towns gave the song How Does the Cold Wind Cry to Roger Daltrey and what a nice song that is. Good ole Daltrey eh, one of rocks great lead vocalists who recorded many good cover songs himself, not being a songwriter as such. Colin Town’s was always the key to so many of the Gillan band songs and arrangements, a gifted musician indeed. Ian Gillan knew very well to keep hold of him back in 1978. A good article overall & Karin should really enjoy that, in more ways than one me thinks. What did the writer call Ian Gillan at the end of it, ‘Gillan the Magnificent’. Well, I don’t know about that. I bet some of his band mates didn’t call him that after all the dramas. Not to worry. Cheers.
@1
“all this Gillan & Ian Gillan everywhere and anywhere lately.”
Well not my doings dear MacGregor! 😊
“Surely a coincidence and not some sort of ‘hacking’ of the site from Karin.” <- 😄 I’m not at all neither an intellectual nor a hacking-wiz!
The only thing I actually can do is using my coffeemaker and the toaster. With everything else I’m completely in the dark… 😑
But I for sure do not complain about admin’s choices in topics!
Ian Gillan is a very interesting person, and I think we all in here can learn a great deal of the charming troubadour ☺️😉
@2
“A good article overall & Karin should really enjoy that”. <- I guess I’m not the only one MacGregor! I am pretty sure Uwe has let all his other chores wait until he has read it over and over again ☺️
“in more ways than one me thinks.” <- please elaborate here 🧐😉
“Gillan the Magnificent’. Well, I don’t know about that.” 😄 well I do!
February 4th, 2025 at 08:45Yes, it does seem a little weird , all this Gillan stuff being around …but, I must say , all the Gillan albums were overall really great and it brings back some great memories.
Personally, I’d rather have most of them then the latest Purple album .
I do feel though , that obviously Purple is coming to an end now and all this Gillan stuff is nice ….as that was what preceeded the reunion …way back when
February 4th, 2025 at 10:19Hey, though I am not quite as narrowly focused on Ian Gillan as, uhum, some other people here, it was me who dug that article up! I told you I was catholic in my DP interests and not favoring one member over the other.
When I first began reading Bob Mayo’s piece I was wary of it being speculative click bait, but as I progressed … he was actually on to something. I find his lyrical analysis pretty compelling.
When it came out, I was disappointed of Magic. It didn’t have the immediacy of the studio album of Double Trouble (my favorite GILLAN album), I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I felt there was something wrong with the band. Magic sounds tortured and labored – as if it took utmost will power to get it done. The apparent lightness of a song like Long Gone seemed superficial to me, it didn’t really feel joyous try as it might. Demon Driver sounded plain neurotic (though interesting), Ian seems to be raging all through the album, but in a destructive/unhappy way. Living For The City was an ill choice of a cover for me, but we’ve discussed that already.
When I heard that the band was disbanding that same year, I wasn’t all that surprised. I don’t even think they did a German tour anymore to promote it, at least I don’t remember one taking place.
To me GILLAN’s output had ups and downs, regularly the very good albums like Glory Road and Double Trouble Studio were followed by not so good ones like Future Shock and Magic, my personal rating is as follows:
1. Double Trouble Studio (best production and all songwriter teams in full flight)
2. Glory Road (good songs and the band has gelled)
3. Mr Universe/Japanese Album (interesting, a good start)
4. Magic (didn’t feel right)
5. Future Shock (weak songs and terrible production)
The Double Trouble Live album was to me a wasted opportunity, it is too short and song choices are a little disappointing, they should have gone for a double album giving a comprehensive depiction of a GILLAN gig. And For GILLAN Fans Only is what it says on the tin, a curio/novelty odds & sods collection, an EP with the best tracks would have been sufficient for me. Some of the other stuff is worth listening to it once, but that is pretty much it.
February 4th, 2025 at 14:18