Rarities 1975-1977

Best-known as the vocalist of British heavy metal rockers Deep Purple, Ian Gillan was also a bandleader for groups bearing his own name. This rarities collection concentrates on his post-Purple period with the Ian Gillan Band, which featured guitarist Ray Fenwick, bassist John Gustafson, Mike Moran on keyboards, and Mark Nauseef on drums. While IGB recorded three albums, Rarities only includes tracks from 1976's Child in Time and the following year's Scarabus release (it excludes anything from early 1977's more experimental, less hard-rocking Clear Air Turbulence). Of the material here, most interesting to Gillan aficionados will be alternative tracks of both "Country Lights" and the title track from Scarabus. Rounding out Rarities are six previously unreleased songs, all culled from Gillan's personal archive. Additionally, Gillan oversaw the mastering of this recording and provided rare band photographs from his own collection for the cover art and liner notes.