Unchain Your Brain! The Gillan Story

Between 1978 and 1982 Ian Gillan didn’t so much reinvent himself; in fact he returned to his rock ‘n’ roll roots with his revitalised band, simply called Gillan. Aided by Colin Towns from the previous outfit, the Ian Gillan Band, and the rock solid John McCoy, Gillan started off running where Deep Purple had left off. With a settled lineup that included Mick Underwood and Bernie Tormé, Gillan had numerous hit albums and even singles, with regular appearances on the UK’s leading TV music show Top of the Pops. But the usual frictions that dog most bands from time to time led to the departure of the wild and flamboyant Tormé and the introduction of Janick Gers for the final chapter that culminated with the band’s last show at London’s Wembley Arena. Having interviewed most of the band members, Martin Popoff takes us on a detailed ride, documenting the band’s remarkable but frantic five-year-journey.