Bernie Tormé: Lightning Strikes – Volume One (1982-1983), 4CD
• Two solo studio albums from legendary guitarist Bernie Tormé.
• Plus two live albums. And 16 bonus tracks.
• FOR FANS OF: Gillan, Jimi Hendrix.
“A gentle soul with a heart of gold,” is how Ozzy Osbourne described the Irish born Bernie Tormé on his untimely passing in 2019.
Inspired by his guitar heroes Jimi Hendrix and Rory Gallagher, the young Bernie Tormé pitched up in London in 1977, then in the grip of punk rock. He embraced punk, playing the Roxy and the Vortex. But he had his reservations: “Guitar solos not allowed”. So he was perfectly placed to hitch his wagon and trusty Stratocaster to Ian Gillan’s new venture, Gillan, in 1978. Bernie’s guitar histrionics were the perfect foil. Gillan’s new solo band saw the singer enjoy his biggest solo successes, across four hit albums, numerous singles and appearing before millions of viewers on Top Of The Pops.
After eventually jumping ship in 1981, Bernie released his debut solo album, ‘Turn Out The Lights’ (CD1) to chart success the following year. Bernie was joined by Phil Spalding on bass and vocals, Saxon’s Nigel Glockler and Mark Harrison on drums and Gillan’s Colin Towns on keyboards and flute.
Following extensive touring of the UK with the Electric Gypsies, Bernie released his second solo album with the power trio featuring Everton Williams on bass and vocals and Frank Noon on drums. ‘Electric Gypsies’ (CD2) was produced by Bernie Tormé and Stephen Stewart.
Ever the showman, it made sense for Bernie to record a live album, and in 1984 he released the self-explanatory [LIVE] (CD3), recorded in London the previous year. Putting together a new three-piece band, Bernie was backed by Colin “James” Bond on bass and Ron Rebel on drums.
The fourth and final CD in this set is ‘Live In Sheffield 1983’ (CD4). Recorded live at the Octagon, Sheffield on the same tour and with the same line-up as the [LIVE] album, the show on CD4 mines a similar vein as the first live album on this collection, drawing heavily on his first two solo albums, and including a cover of Gillan’s ‘No Easy Way’.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
Turn Out The Lights (1982)
1 Turn Out The Lights
2 Painter Man
3 Lies
4 America
5 Getting There
6 Possession
7 No Reply
8 Chelsea Girls
9 India
10 Oh No
BONUS TRACKS
11 Try And Stop Me (from Back With The Boys)
12 What’s Next (from Back With The Boys)
13 Back With The Boys (from Back With The Boys)
14 Chelsea Girls (Live Rehearsal 1982, previously unreleased)
15 Boney Maroney (Kingsway November 1979, previously unreleased)
DISC TWO
Electric Gypsies (1983)
1 Wild West
2 20th Century
3 Lightning Strikes
4 Too Young
5 Call Of The Wild
6 D.I.S.E.
7 Presences
8 I Can’t Control Myself
9 Go Go
BONUS TRACKS
10 Shoorah Shoorah
11 Star
12 Search And Destroy
13 Possession
14 New World
15 Search And Destroy (Live in Paris 6.11.1982, previously unreleased)
16 Star (Live in Paris 6.11.1982, previously unreleased)
DISC THREE
[Live] (1983)
1 Intro/Presences
2 Wild West
3 Turn Out The Lights
4 Lightning Strikes
5 Getting There
6 Too Young
7 No Easy Way
BONUS TRACKS
Live at the Red Lion, Gravesend 1983
8 Wild West
9 Lightning Strikes
10 Presences
11 The Beat (Live at Leeds Cosmo Club 3.11.1983, previously unreleased)
DISC FOUR
Live In Sheffield (1983)
1 Wild West
2 20th Century
3 No Easy Way
4 Turn Out The Light
5 Presences
6 Lightning Strike
7 Getting There
8 I Can’t Control Myself
9 Too Young
10 Bernie’s Guitar Extravaganza
11 Possession
12 The Beat
13 No Easy Way (Repeat)
