Ian Gillan

So, for those few who don't know who Ian Gillan is, he's part of metal gods Deep Purple. He's also done loads of other stuff too, but this is how we perhaps know him best. So that's all very well, but the question is, has he actually got anything to offer us in 2006?

It would seem he does. Taking time out from Deep Purple to release this funky little dual disc, which is in essence an album of remakes that spans his frankly, colossal career plus a new song chucked in for good measure, Ian Gillan is still on top form. It could have turned out as one of those half arsed money making remake albums but, thankfully it hasn't. Reading like a roll call of who's who in rock it just confirms the belief that Gillan is still one of the best vocalists rock has seen. With contributions from Tony Iommi, Joe Satriani, Jeff Healey, Cliff Bennett and erm Joe Elliott from Def Leppard among others Ian Gillan has managed to preserve the energy and power of tracks like Bluesy Blue Sea and of course Smoke On The Water, and they still don't sound dated. It's a riff-heavy masterpiece designed to be played at ear bleeding volume and if you are the least bit interested in rock and guitar driven music, then this is an essential purchase to hear one of the all time masters of the genre at work.