DEEP PURPLE’S IAN GILLIAN ON BAND’S USING BACKING TRACKS DURING LIVE SHOWS, “I THINK THAT’S CHEATING, I DON’T LIKE IT”
Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan recently spoke with Spain’s RockFM about some band’s reliance, on pre-recorded tracks, during live performances.
Ian said (as per blabbermouth.net), “”Well, personally, I think that’s cheating. I don’t like it. What are you gonna do?
I first noticed this… I’m not naming any names, but I know a lot of people who do it. And I first noticed this 20 years ago with a big American band who came over to play with us in England. And I heard the soundcheck. And I [thought], ‘Jesus, they sound good. They sound fantastic.’ And our monitor engineer went, ‘Look…’ And in those days, before radio connections and everything else… ‘See that caravan there.’ [Laughs] From the stage, cables along the ground going to this ‘keep out’ sign and everything else. [They had] monitors in there and a mixing desk and tapes and coordination and playbacks and in-ear monitors. They were miming, basically. Well, I wouldn’t say they were miming — they were singing along, but the voice wasn’t being used in the microphone. But the lip sync was so clever that they didn’t get noticed.
I know lots of people — people I’ve met in the last three months — that absolutely shocked me, saying, ‘Yeah, we’re relying on something else now.’ It used be drugs — now it’s tape. [Laughs]”
Deep Purple announced Simon McBride as their new guitarist after Steve Morse stated he will be stepping back due to his wife’s ongoing health struggles.
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Here lies the million dollar question, how come nobody has challenged Gene Simmons on his 2015 (I think) comment about putting a disclaimer on tickets that say some portions of the show may not be 100% live? I know Eddie would ask but the Kiss guys avoid him like the plague. It’s pretty obvious the once great vocals of Paul Stanley have significantly declined over the years due to surgery, age, etc. It’s also pretty obvious that Paul has been caught lip syncing numerous times on video. So how come this has never been publicly discussed in any interview with members of Kiss? I have to wonder if before every interview if Kiss makes the interviewer sign a disclaimer saying they won’t ask certain questions. I also have to wonder if behind the scenes if guys like Singer, Thayer, Doc McGee and anyone else in the Kiss Kamp have signed papers swearing silence over this topic or risk losing their jobs and/or being sued for everything they own. Just have to wonder.
I think you’re pretty much on the money with press being told what you can and can’t ask , might be the same on the kruise’s fan questions portion too,, what music has turned into in 2022 , these aging guys hanging on for dear life faking it … why can’t they see how damaging this is to the industry its helping kill the integrity of rock music .. just retire with your dignity and a great history or legacy whatever you want to call it – it’s just so sad what kiss has done to themselves , with the technology available eddie should get a few friends together lip sync a kiss show and prove a point to the industry if a non musician can do this why should a real one be allowed to lip sync and further cheapen songwriting and performing music ~
The genre should be renamed Heavy Milli Vanilli.
To think they were ostracized, blackballed and canceled at that time, and now what they did, has become common place (and maybe always was?). It’s so sad, because one of them died from drug and alcohol abuse, trying to deal with the shame of being caught lip synching, and having his whole career ruined.
Crazy isn’t it ~
Heavy vanilli….has a ring to it
Gene Milli, and paul vanilli ……
LOL!!