Janick Gers Survivor: Death dances to victory

Are satisfied with the results?

  • Yes

    Votes: 5 62.5%

  • No

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Total voters
    8
mckindog

mckindog

Living for Sanctuary from the law
Staff member
Welcome to the survivor for the Rodney Dangerfield of Iron Maiden, Mr. Janick Gers.

This was a little hard to set up in terms of albums, so I broke it into six groups:
pre-Maiden, Tattooed Millionaire, Fear of the Dark/Bruce B sides, X Factor, More Blaze, Reunion

This first group will be the least known, so here are a few links to help:

Fish

Gillan




White Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XigU8W6BHs

I haven't listened to the White Spirit album yet, but the last three songs in the poll don't appear on the track listing and I couldn't find them on their own. I went off the list @Flash put together on the Adrian Smith Survivor thread, with some help from Foro. Any additions/corrections please let me know.

I'm off to listen to White Spirit.
 
First time for all these songs for me, by the way.
Breaking Chains and What's The Matter sound like generic Purple so I will be voting against them.
I liked the other two Gillan songs on first blush, and quite liked the merge of Marillion and Son of a Gun that was View from a Hill.
 
You're gonna love Fool for the Gods. Everybody: check out this brilliant epic.
I'd say it's the best thing he ever played on. Sensitive, passionate, melodic and emotional guitar work!

Turn on 720p or 1080p HD. And play on 11!

 
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Looking forward to listening to all this stuff! Marillion meets Son of a Gun sounds awesome, I'm excited for that.
 
White Spirit was interesting and not what I expected.
I always hear them talked about as a NWBHM band, and I guess that's when they came out, but musically I hear 2112, Sad Wings of Destiny and (especially) Rainbow Rising.
Taken as a whole, it was decent, inoffensive stuff, if somewhat lacking in that special something. But there are a few tracks that definitely warrant further listening in future rounds (especially Fool for the Gods).
 
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Round closed too fast, I was planning on listening to this tonight :(

EDIT: I'll be done listening in 2h, I'll post the votes here!
 
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Breaking Chains, Bluesy Blue Sea, last 6

Heard all songs btw, even the ones mckindog couldn't find on YouTube. It's all on the 2CD reissue of their s/t album.
 
Eliminated:
Breaking Chains, Cheetah, Watch Out, Nowhere to Run, Can't Take It

Hopefully a few more people jump on board when the songs get more familiar.
I'll also leave the poll open for an extra days to give anyone who wants it a little longer to listen to these old tracks. Here are a few links to help:

Fish

Gillan



White Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iiKt2PYAr8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx8mJMwmWKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVEx8Y_Hkjo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi9guq21464
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILoOQZhE81o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XigU8W6BHs
 
Where did you hear those that are not on YouTube, NP? I'd like to vote too, but it wouldn't be objective without those three.
 
@Ariana - the bottom White Spirit link mckindog posted brings up the whole album

Does anyone else hear something very similar to part of the Montsegur instrumental section in Red Skies? (Not to mention Midnight Chaser's main riff bearing a passing resemblance to two Minutes to Midnight, but that can't be Gers-related).
 
Brigantium said:
@Ariana - the bottom White Spirit link mckindog posted brings up the whole album

Does anyone else hear something very similar to part of the Montsegur instrumental section in Red Skies? (Not to mention Midnight Chaser's main riff bearing a passing resemblance to two Minutes to Midnight, but that can't be Gers-related).
Click to expand...
Thanks. Already voted, though. :oops:

Yes, I heard the Montsegur-like part. There's also a part from Bruce's Born in '58 which resembles it.
 
Brigantium said:
(Not to mention Midnight Chaser's main riff bearing a passing resemblance to two Minutes to Midnight, but that can't be Gers-related).
Click to expand...
That would be the other way around. 2 Minutes to Midnight (released in 1984) bears a resemblance to Midnight Chaser (released in 1980).

By the way: There are White Spirit studio demos from 1981, and one of them is called "Till the Kill", and its main riff was clearly used for his own co-written song The Mercenary. 100% identical. The demos were clearly meant for their next album, but that never happened, I guess because Janick went to Gillan. I still wish they'd release this stuff one day, officially, because it's quite good stuff. Or they could make the album anyway. :)
 
Hey, I found out that one link is not very representative. @mckindog

High Upon High is a different version from the album, with (imo) worse, or at least different production, music and different sounding vocals. Would you remove that? I searched for an album version but couldn't find it (there's another but it's the same as you selected: not from album).

So I think it would be better if you would put the whole album as first (or more visible) link. I realize their are no time cues, but at least the songs can be found and in High Upon High's case: a correct version. ;)

And if you'd like to use it, this is a better sounding HD version of
Fool for the Gods:
Thanks in advance.
 
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Forostar said:
That would be the other way around. 2 Minutes to Midnight (released in 1984) bears a resemblance to Midnight Chaser (released in 1980).
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I meant, without wishing to start speculation ;)

I'd only heard one or two White Spirit tracks before, I could happily listen to a lot of this stuff more often.
 
Eliminated: Bluesy Blue Sea, What's The Matter, Suffragettes, Backs to the Grind
I thought the last two were better than a couple that survived, but not in a big way.

Enter Tattooed Millionaire. Let's see if the addition of some more familiar tunes brings a few more Maidenfans into the game.

The remaining early songs are below for anyone interested in hearing them (@Mosh)


Midnight Chaser (0:00), Red Skies (5:23), High Upon High (10:20), Way of the Kings (14:48), No Reprieve (20:30), Don't Be Fooled(25:09), Fool For the Gods (30:39)


 
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