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| Ian Gillan - "One Eye To Morocco"  Edel entertainment's international label earMUSIC is pleased to announce the March 23rd release of Ian Gillan's exciting new solo album "One Eye To Morocco". Gillan's first collection of original new recordings since 1997, the album will be released across four editions including CD, Ltd Edition CD, Vinyl Gatefold, 7" vinyl and CD. Ian Gillan, one of the greatest rock singers of all times renowned as a member of Deep Purple, though he also led bands named after himself.Gillan was the driving force of classic Deep Purple MkII that in the 70s changed rock fashions through a series of successful records - "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" (1970), "Deep Purple in Rock" (1970), "Fireball" (1971; number one U.K.), "Machine Head" (1972; number one UK; Top Ten, multi-platinum USA), "Made in Japan" (1973; Top Ten, platinum U.S.), and "Who Do We Think We Are" (1973; Top Five U.K.; Top 20, gold U.S.). He was also featured on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's concept album Jesus Christ Superstar singing the title role; the gold-selling double LP topped the U.S. charts in 1971. As a solo artist, Ian Gillan enjoyed a lot of success too, in 1980, seven years after leaving Deep Purple (the band split in 1975, two years after Gillan's departure), Gillan signed to Virgin Records and scored a British singles chart entry with "Sleeping on the Job" in June 1980, followed by "Glory Road", which peaked in the Top Five and charted briefly in America. Thus established, Gillan scored a series of Top 40 singles and Top 20 albums in the U.K. over the next two years: "Trouble" (1980); "Mutually Assured Destruction" (1981); "New Orleans" (1981); "Future Shock" (1981), "No Laughing in Heaven" (1981); "Nightmare" (1981); "Double Trouble" (1981) and "Magic" (1982). In May 1983, he surprised fans by joining Black Sabbath with the recording of their album "Born Again" and subsequently toured with the band from August to March 1984. In March 1984, the 1969-1973 line-up of Deep Purple, including Gillan reunited and soon after they cut the million-selling "Perfect Strangers" and "The House of Blue Light" (1987). Since then, Ian Gillan divided his energy between Deep Purple (who have been signed to edel records since the release of their "Rapture of the Deep" album) and his solo production. His most recent official release was the critically acclaimed "Live in Anaheim", released on CD and DVD. "It all started in Cracow, Poland, late December 2005. In a café in where Oscar Schindler had been active during dark times in the mid-20th century, I sat across the table from my friend Tommy Djiubinski who was telling me all about it. He was deep into this amazing story when a woman caught my eye as she walked behind Tommy. Quite naturally I followed her graceful movement; I was drawn by her magnetism. 'Sorry, what were you saying?' 'Ah, Ian you have one eye to Morocco.' This meant I was not concentrating on the matter in hand; I apologised and we carried on. Later I was curious about the expression so Tommy gave me the full version...You have one eye to Morocco and the other to The Caucasus. We could only guess the origins but agreed the epigram meant being distracted from the party line by the lure of something exotic. So I filed it away in Incomplete Proverbs, Vague Maxims or more likely Interesting Phrases. Three years later, due to a family illness, there was an unexpected break in the Deep Purple tour schedule. I made some calls and we discussed making a new album. When we finished counting there were 38 songs in various stages of completion. Roughly half of these were discounted because they need too much work in the allotted time span, and the rest were put on the 'Short List'. There was one particular song, untitled and without lyrics, that I felt should be the nucleus of the project. The song was the criterion by which all the rest would be judged and so the process was made easier by having a yardstick or even an interesting phrase - Aha! 'One Eye to Morocco' became the title of that song, and the song became the title track of the album." Ian Gillan: Biography His unique voice is instantly recognisable. Ian Gillan was heavily influenced by the young Elvis Presley, as well as Little Richard, Buddy Holly and others of that dynamic era. During his formative years he absorbed the wide range of musical genres that were flooding Britain in The Sixties. Ian Gillan met Roger Glover when he joined the harmony group Episode Six in 1965. They toured with Dusty Springfield and performed five shows a night (eight on weekends) at joints like The Storyville Clubs in Cologne and Frankfurt, plus a long stint at the Casino du Liban near Beirut. In 1969, both went on to become forty per cent of Deep Purple when they were enlisted as singer, bass player and nascent song writing team. Gillan emerged at the beginning of the next decade as 'the voice' of Deep Purple; his approach to singing on 'Deep Purple in Rock' set new standards. Ian played the interpretive role of Jesus Christ in JC Superstar, the original London studio recording on MCA Records, 1970. In a recent questionnaire Gillan chose new Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe and pop icon Britney Spears to be guests for a desert island weekend; figuring on '...a decent conversation with Putin whilst Mugabe explained himself to Spears.' Ian Gillan broke new ground in the '80s with his famous tours in previously unexplored territories (see his website gigography). After going solo, Sting requested a tour schedule 'just like Gillan'. He played Charles Darwin in the Bolland and Bolland recording, Darwin - The Evolution, 1991. Ian Gillan has twice duetted the aria Nessun Dorma with Luciano Pavarotti, 2001 and 2003. His interests outside music are: his family, walking, drinking in good company, scribbling his thoughts, current affairs and following the fortunes and misfortunes of QPR, the West London football club he has supported all his life. And...like all fans, he is a philosopher. Gillan is still performing to sold-out audiences in major arenas all over the world - 48 countries last year - with Deep Purple and is still on tour supporting the most recent Purple album 'Rapture of the Deep'. In addition to all of these activities Ian finally found the time to record his long awaited new solo album "One Eye to Morocco". Additional information about Ian Gillan's career Periods of professional interest 1962 - 1964 The Javelins 1964 - 1965 Wainwright's Gentlemen 1965 - 1969 Episode Six 1969 - 1973 Deep Purple 1976 - 1982 Various Gillan bands 1983 - 1984 Black Sabbath 1984 - 1989 Deep Purple 1989 - 1992 Solo work 1992 - Deep Purple Significant Recordings Deep Purple Concerto for Group and Orchestra / Deep Purple in Rock Fireball / Machine Head / Made In Japan / Who Do We Think We Are The Battle Rages On / Purpendicular / Abandon / Bananas / Rapture of the Deep Black Sabbath Born Again Various Gillan Bands Clear Air Turbulence / Scarabus / Live at the Budokan (1&2) Mr. Univer write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |