GILLAN ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’ Angel Air SJPCD184 (2005)
Recorded on the band’s 1982 tour with the Gillan-Gers-McCoy-Towns-Underwood line-up. The only drawback I’d say with
this album is the sound quality as the bass is way too high (could be, as
bassist John McCoy did the mastering!) and Gillan’s vocals are hard to pick
out on a couple of songs. That said if you’re a fan of Gillan this is a fine
snapshot of the band in what would be their last tour as Gillan went onto
the reformed Deep Purple.
All the tracks are here you’d expect including ‘Trouble’, ‘M.A.D.’,
‘Smoke On The Water’ and one of my personal fave Gillan songs ‘No Laughing
In Heaven’. Two bonus tracks as well - ‘No Easy Way’ and ‘If You Believe
Me’. As with any Angel Air release you get very informative sleeve notes
(why can’t all re-issues/rarities releases be this good?) from Jerry Bloom,
editor of ‘More Black Than Purple’.
***** Out of this world | **** Pretty
damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly
