Gillan / The Vinyl Collection 1979-1982

Gear up for a vintage Gillan vinyl fest with this new release from Demon Records, featuring the band’s five Top 20 albums from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era.

The Vinyl Collection 1979-1982 is a 7LP set that includes all the UK studio albums by singer Ian Gillan’s second post-Deep Purple band: Mr Universe (1979), Glory Road (1980, two LPs, with bonus disc For Gillan Fans Only), Future Shock (1981), Double Trouble (2 LPs, 1981) and Magic (1982).

After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, and an abbreviated ‘retirement’ to pursue other interests such as owning a country hotel with a guitar-shaped swimming pool, Gillan’s return to music in 1975 with the Ian Gillan Band was less than a roaring success. Their jazz-fusion stylings went down okay in Japan and in pockets of Europe, but did nothing for North American fans, and with the rise of punk rock, and the flop of their third album Scarabus, Island Records dropped the band.

In 1978, Gillan started afresh with a new group, stripping the name back to Gillan, and deciding to go with a progressive rock sound. It was a measure of how far Gillan’s stock had fallen that their debut long-player, Gillan (often referred to as The Japanese Album) was only distributed in Japan, Australia and New Zealand via the East World label. A slight quibble Gillan disciples may have with this box is that, as with the CD version issued last year, it doesn’t include this album which did well enough to earn them a European record deal with a label called Acrobat for the follow-up Mr Universe. However, it should be pointed out that Mr Universe contains a good chunk of songs from Gillan, reworked with a more heavy metal sound, so not too much is being missed. 

Mr Universe powered to number 11 in the UK charts, only for Acrobat to collapse into bankruptcy. Virgin Records stepped in to sign up Gillan and co. up to a multi-album deal, which yielded peak UK chart placings of number three (Glory Road) and number two (Future Shock), and such memorable songs as Sleeping On The Job, No Laughing In Heaven (and early example of rock-rap), New Orleans and Mutually Assured Destruction.

Much to the band members’ frustration, they were never able to build up a following Stateside despite extensive touring there, and rising tensions over money (plus Ian Gillan’s vocal cords needing an op) contributed to the group’s dissolution in 1982 after the Magic tour.

The records in this set are pressed on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl and housed in a rigid slipcase. The aforementioned For Gillan Fans Only, originally issued as a limited edition bonus disc to Glory Road, features B-sides, studio out-takes, specially recorded material, The Split Knee Loons side project and random dialogue between band members. It also appears that great care has been taken to capture the look and feel of the original albums, with replica covers and artwork – including the same 16-page booklet that came with Future Shock first time around. Amazon buyers also get an exclusive extra seven-inch single, Spanish Guitar.

Ian Gillan himself seems delighted with the resissue. “It’s a wonderful thing, vinyl,” he says. “Best held in two hands and treated with respect, as you place it carefully upon the turntable. You just bought something significant, not easily disposable. And look at the sleeves – aren’t they cool. Read the lyrics and enjoy the artwork, while you are in the groove. No computers involved in the making of this music… Enjoy”.

The Vinyl Collection 1979-1982 is released on 23 September

Double Trouble – DEMREC172

Side A:

1. I’ll Rip Your Spine Out
2. Restless
3. Men Of War
4. Sunbeam

Side B:

1. Nightmare
2. Hadely Bop Bop
3. Life Goes On
4. Born To Kill

Side C:

1. No Laughing In Heaven
2. No Easy Way
3. Trouble

Side D:

1. Mutually Assured Destruction
2. If You Believe Me
3. New Orleans

Future Shock – DEMREC173

Side A:

1. Future Shock
2. Night Ride Out Of Phoenix
3. The Ballad Of The Lucitania Express
4. No Laughing In Heaven
5. Sacre Bleu

Side B:

1. New Orleans
2. Bite The Bullet
3. If I Sing Softly
4. Don’t Want The Truth
5. For Your Dreams

Glory Road – DEMREC172

Side A:

1. Unchain Your Brain
2. Are You Sure
3. Time And Time Again
4. No Easy Way
5. Sleeping On The Job

Side B:

1. On The Rocks
2. If You Believe Me
3. Running White Face City Boy
4. Nervous

Side C:

1. Higher And Higher
2. Your Mother Was Right
3. Redwatch
4. Abbey Of Thelema
5. Trying To Get To You

Side D:

1. Come Tomorrow
2. Dragon’s Tongue
3. Post Fade Brain Damage
4. Egg Timer
5. Harry Lime Theme

Magic – DEMREC175

Side A:

1. What’s The Matter
2. Bluesy Blue Sea
3. Caught In The Trap
4. Long Gone
5. Driving Me Wild

Side B:

1. Demon Driver
2. Living A Lie
3. You’re So Right
4. Living For The City
5. Demon Drive Reprise

Mr Universe – DEMREC171

Side A:

1. Second Sight
2. Secret Of The Dance
3. She Tears Me Down
4. Roller
5. Mr. Universe

Side B:

1. Vengeance
2. Puget Sound
3. Dead Of Night
4. Message In A Bottle
5. Fighting Man

Amazon Exclusive bonus 7-inch single

1. Spanish Guitar