Posted on by Nathan Beaudry

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

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