Who Cares - new Iommi/Gillan project

I never thought that Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi would ever work again after the Born Again album. But they do. In May 6th a 2 track single will come out, with two tracks Out Of My Mind/Holy Water. The project is called Who Cares.

The rest of the band consists of Jon Lord, Jason Newsted, Nicko McBrain and Mikko Lindstrom (HIM).

Last Friday I had the privilige to interview both Ian and Tony in London for an upcoming article in the Dutch rock/metal magazine Aardschok.

Of course I had to opportunity to listen to the new tracks, and all I can say is: wow! Two heavy, yet melodic tracks that do justice to all the talent involved.

And it's all for a good cause. Profits of the single will be used to build a music school in Armenia. A cause chosen by both Ian and Tony.

I don't care for autographs too much, but this occasion was too special to let pass. So at the end of the interview I pulled Born Again out of my bag, which both Ian and Tony were more than happy to sign. Note Ian's little remark - he obviously still hates the artwork, but he responded rather amused by the little surprise.

I have met both artists before and all I can say is both are gentlemen!

 

So why did they choose the band name Who Cares?

 

You are one luck SOB to interview Ian and Tony. I saw those two together on the Born Again tour. It was a fun, goofy and Spinal Tappish show. I am guessing that these new songs will most likely not be a continuation of Disturbing the Priest and Zero the Hero.

 

Who cares It's one Pete Townshend didn't use.

As it's for charity, it's the "cares" bit which is important, so it's play on that.

 

Don't forget they also worked together on Gillan's Inn.

 

Sweet

 

Hell yeah! Can't Wait!

 

Plus Nicko McBrain! Lots of talent here.

 

Any news on a remastered/remixed Born Again coming?




Great news !!

 

I don't like BORN AGAIN at all but I definitely am interested in hearing this single thing!

 

"my baby" ....

this is heartwarming news... good for them...i'm sure it sounds incredible...

 

Sounds promising. At least now they are collaborating without having to worry about living up to the Sabbath legacy.

 

You mean Deep Purple legacy.

 

This friggin' made my day! Will the single be released on CD or just a download?

 

I can't wait to hear this one! With a lineup like that, I'd love to hear a full length album!

 

from DTB


Finally the Gillan / Iommi ‘supergroup’ Who Cares (what a strange name!) have a couple of tracks due out in March, though the formats and other info still hasn’t reached us. “On the flight home from Armenia we decided to write a song or two and form an ad hoc band – specifically for use on fund raising occasions – called ‘Who Cares’. Any live performances would be with a nebulous line-up and those plans are still on the drawing board, but we have made a move in the right direction by getting started with the writing. I visited Tony recently and we came up with a couple of songs that aren’t too horrible. Hopefully we can knock them into shape in the near future”, Ian Gillan told an Aremnian news agency. This will further the Rock Aid Armenia fund-raising project they both began over a decade ago with the Smoke On The Water remix* (which has just been reissued in a new package with an extra remix). The two new tracks were cut in early October 2010, with a certain Jon Lord helping out plus Iron Maiden’s drummer Nicko McBrain.

 

I care!
Great news, indeed. A full-length album would be nice, too.

 

By association, there's also a Metallica legacy on this album.

 

Don't mean to argue but I hardly put Newsted, who is viewed by many as Cliff Burton's replacement or the fourth guy in Metallica during his tenure with the band, as high up the food chain as Iommi or Gillan. Those two are the face of their respective bands and icons. Newsted is a nice guy who played bass for Metallica.

 

Same here.

 

Pretty crazy. At least they like each other.

 

I would LOVE the entire Iommi/Gillan album! Born Again was weird and magical and Gillan was the only post-Ozzy Sabbath singer who nailed the song Black Sabbath.

 

I should have explained myself more carefully. When they worked together 28 years ago, they had fun working together but many fans and media types had a difficult time wrapping their heads around the idea of Ian Gillian fronting Black Sabbath. This a new project altogether that gives Tony and Ian the chance to build something from the ground up even if it's only for a few songs.

 

They don't have to call themselves Sabbath. Glenn Hughes was a far more weird choice for Sabbath but Iommi made 2 records with him later on without a Sabbath moniker.

 

I'm just glad they didn't call it "WGAF"

and yeah, Tony really likes Ritchie's old vocalists huh? Even Coverdale was in the frame at one time.