Month: May 2024

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Episode #265 – Ian Gillan -Naked Thunder (Part 2)

Link to video episode on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTFkZMWp7Vc

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Album Tracks:

All songs written by Ian Gillan and Steve Morris except where noted

  1. Nothing to Lose
  2. Moonshine (Gillan, Morris, Mark Buckle)
  3. Long and Lonely Ride
  4. Love Gun
  5. No More Cane on the Brazos (Traditional)
    • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain%27t_No_More_Cane

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Bustin’ Out The Spreadsheet

Reception and Charts:

  • Released on July 28, 1990.
  • Peaked at #63, was in charts for 1 week in the UK.
  • Peaked at #27 in Sweden.
  • Gillan describes the process of finding a new record company as knocking on doors and playing tapes to a new generation of record people.
  • When asked about the album by Metal Hammer Ian Gillan said, “Better than I expected in most countries. In the U.K. well, it’s been years since I did anything myself and the last Purple album didn’t sell shit there, so I guess I’ve got to start all over again. Internationally speaking the response has been better than expected, but England’s a funny old country.”
  • Gillan says in “Child in Time” of the album: “And so Steve would come down and work with me, or we’d send stuff by post, building up a project I’d decided to finance myself. Looking back on that, it was a mistake, and, as far as the album’s concerned, there’s a lot of things we could have done better.
  • Gillan goes on to say “I should have come out on Naked Thunder with both fists fling, but I didn’t want to be undignified nor appear to be in a corner. Having said this, what I was dealing with was the equivalent to a traumatic divorce, in which the parties should have been able to tay together. The first divorce had been bad enough, but at least I’d walked out. This time I’d been thrown out, and my band was continuing without me, and it was hurting.
  • Gillan describes the album as trying to push Deep Purple from his mind and do different material which may have disappointed some people.
  • They arranged a band for the tour. Gustafson, unfortunately, had a falling out with Gillan when they met to discuss.  Phillips and Robinson as Gilland said “could have earned more in a few hours in the States than they’d take home in months on tour with us.”
  • The tour began right after the album was done. “We left for the vastness of Russia, where everybody seemed to be called Sasha.”

Reviews

  • Darker Than Blue Issue 40  November / December 1990
    • Production wise it’s very up to date but somewhat sparse, at times there is almost nothing happening. I think this has perhaps shown up weaknesses in some tracks. That’s the downside of it all for me. On the other hand some of the tracks are so catchy it’s practically a crime they aren’t hit singles. The two opening cuts, GUT REACTION and TALKING TO YOU really seem to hit the mark, as hard hitting as any stadium rockers, even if the latter does come over as Son of Living For The City on first hearing. The following two numbers fail to really capitalise on the opening salvo, NO GOOD LUCK has promise despite horrible keyboards. NOTHING BUT THE BEST has survived the journey from Garth Rockett but comes aver a little on the corny side lyric wise and soon runs out of steam. LIVING ON BORROWED TIME has some cracking vocals, which ought to have dominated the track. Instead the rather bombastic sections tend to overpower it.
    • LOLITA has a weary chorus line and comes from the Coverdale song book – pass! The second side also has its ups and downs. NOTHING TO LOSE just fails to make it, very empty sounding in places. LONG & LONELY RIDE is, despite some more annoying synth work, one of my favourites. Surely a likelier single choice than those used? The vocals are way ahead of the backing in places. LOVE GUN finally sees them letting rip a little, a real touch of Gillan magic. BRAZOS? Think I’ll stick with the Moonshiners video version. They’ve been unable to resist tinkering with it, losing the essence of the early version I heard in the studio. On the whole most people’s reactions have been very positive.
  • MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 323.
    • 1 out of 5
  • Naked Thunder Review by Gary Hill
    • The term “rock legend” certainly applies to Ian Gillan. Fronting such bands as Deep Purple and Black Sabbath over the years, he has proved that he has an incredible voice and has been a very influential force in the rock genre. This solo album features both his incredible vocal talents and some fine songwriting. The material varies from hard rock that feels a bit like Deep Purple to more balladic sort of works. In fact, one of the ballads on the disc is an incredibly emotional piece that is one of the best cuts on the CD.
    • 3 of 5
  • Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal vol 3 The Nineties
    • 4 out of 10
  • Select Magazine
    • 2 out of 5

Merch, Etc.

  • Selections from the collection of Jeff Breis

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Posted on

Episode #264 – Ian Gillan -Naked Thunder (Part 1)

Link to video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgnFNKTDRD4

Disclaimer: The video used on YouTube is a byproduct of producing our audio podcast. We post it merely as a convenience to those who prefer the YouTube format. Please subscribe using one of the links below if you’d prefer a superior audio experience.

Subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Anchor.fm, Breaker, PodBean, RadioPublic, Amazon Music, Pocket Casts, or search in your favorite podcatcher! 

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Postcards From The Edge . . . OF CONNECTICUT!

  • Another fine postcard WITH NO POSTMARK!!

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Lead up to the Album:

  • In 1989 Gillan had done a series of shows as Garth Rockett.  Gillan says the idea was to do a tour out of suitcases and never build it up into more than that.
  • Gillan writes in his 1993 autobiography Child in Time: “When I began to formulate plans to make the Naked Thunder album and rediscover my career as a major artist, there was disappointment and some harsh words were said when, in fact, all but Steve Morris would have no major place in this next stage.”
  • Gillan says he mentioned to Morris that he was going to do an album that Steve mentioned that he also wrote songs.
  • Gillan told him to send him some tapes.  He then describes the next morning having his cereal and doing the crossword while separating his mail into two piles, one for the bin and another to read.  He describes this one brown package with no return address that had way too much tape on it so he ended up getting frustrated and just threw it in the trash.  He says later that he was playing pool with Graham Underwood when he heard a backing track come on the speakers.  When Gillan asked where he’d gotten it he told him it was from Ian’s trash.
    • Earlier in the book Gillan describes Graham Underwood as: “  At around the same time, I’d also become friendly with Graham Underwood – drinking buddy, deadly pool opponent, car fixer, anything fixer, non-stop piss-taker and general partner in crime. Soon to be known as ‘Squiffy’, Graham easily slipped into the role of tour manager, general listener, troubleshooter and so on. Our first meeting was at some pub or other (where else?), when I discovered I had no money on me to stand my round. I asked Graham if he could lend me some, and he bought me two! I then asked again if he could help me out with a note, to which he said, ‘What do you want to drink?’ So I thought I’d better deal with this, and said, ‘Triple Scotch and Coke, please,’ which prompted him to lend me the money!”
  • Three of the four tracks on the tape would end up making the final album.
  • The album was made at Duncansby Cresecent Woodcray Studio, Amazon Studios, and Olympic Studios.
  • Gillan mentioned Bev Bevans playing on some tracks but he isn’t listed in the liner notes.
  • He also says John Gustafson – that man again.
  • Gillan said there’d been so many changes in the industry that he struggled to find a deal for the record.
  • They finally signed on to Teldec-East/West, releasing the album in July of 1990.

Core Band:

Technical:

  • Producer – Leif Mases
    • Swedish producer and engineer
  • Keith Andrews – engineer
  • Al Stone – mixing

Album Art & Booklet Review

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Album Tracks:

All songs written by Ian Gillan and Steve Morris except where noted

  1. Gut Reaction
  2. Talking to You
  3. No Good Luck
  4. Nothing but the Best
  5. Loving on Borrowed Time
    • Duet with Carol Kenyon
  6. Sweet Lolita

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    • Ruinous Inadequacies
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    • Rich “Yngwie” Shailor
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    • I see DC
    • Durple Purple
    • Purple Swede

For Further Information:

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  • Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover?  We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.