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Band:Gillan DVD:The Glory Years Released by:Eagle Rock Entertainment Writer: Mark Carras Media: MySpace Click Album Cover To Buy Now

So I never knew that Ian Gillan had a band named after him. How did this info escape me for all these years? This dvd is from the third line up of Ian, John McCoy, Colin Towns, Bernie Tome, Mick Underwood. This is mostly a recording of a show at the Oxford Polytechnic on February 18th 1981. This seems like yet another example of how a band of amazingly talented musicians can be as good as the sum of it's parts. When the dvd first started playing for the first time, I must admit I wasn't too impressed. In fact I had the beginnings of a pretty negative review going. I had to re-write the thing about half way through as several of the songs started to dig into my brain like a possessed worm seeking my soul. My favorite songs are "Vengeance", "Trouble", and "No Laughing In Heaven". All three have some pretty good lyrical hooks, but "No Laughing In Heaven" almost comes off like a pop tune that has been dirtied up for some rock and roll grit. What shocks me is that the song I hear most people call their biggest hit is a song that does nothing for me. "Mutually Assured Destruction" seems about as average as it gets.

The sound quality here is pretty good as well as the camera work. With it being recorded in the early 80's, one would expect some of the worst wipes, fades, and visual effects this side of a public access tv show. Instead everything is done in a 'less is more' approach that ages really well. Bassist John McCoy at times seems about as excited about being in the band as I am about getting up in the morning to be a janitor at the local elementary school. This is especially true on the bonus tracks version of "Vengeance". Take a look at this screenshot! Does he look like a kid who was just forced to dress up like Little Lord Fauntleroy or what? On all other performances he is full of energy that matches his bandmates, so I would be interested to find out what the hell happened that day to give him a case of leaky diaper.

So did this dvd Rock My Monkey? Yes. Not enough for me to want to watch this thing over and over again, but it did make me very curious to hear the studio releases of this band. So who should buy it? Anyone who has never heard of the band, but is a fan of old school metal and hard rock. This is true old school metal from the early 80's and it is done well. This DVD makes for a great introduction of a band that seems to have been very overlooked.

Band:Gillan DVD:The Glory Years Released by:Eagle Rock Entertainment Writer: Mark Carras Media: MySpace Click Album Cover To Buy Now

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