Ian Gillan

Former vocalist for the Javelins and Episode Six, Ian Gillan joined Deep Purple in 1969. They recorded the legendary albums "Deep Purple In Rock", "Fireball", "Machine Head" and "Who Do We Think We Are", as well as a number of live albums.He left Deep Purple in 1973 due to differences with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, as well as exhaustion for excessive touring with Purple. He then formed The Ian Gillan Band around late 1975/early '76. They released two studio albums: "Child in Time" (1976), which included a "jazzy" version of the Purple classic, "Clear Air Turbulence" (1977), and a live album, recorded at the Budokan.He then disbanded "The Ian Gillan Band", and formed "Gillan". They released five albums: "Mr. Universe" (1979), "Future Shock" (1980), "Glory Road" (1980), "Double Trouble" (1981) and "Magic" (1982) before disbanding due to Ian's throat problems. Ian then met Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler and joined Black Sabbath in 1983. They did one album, "Born Again" that same year and toured in 1984. In that time, Ian got a call from Ritchie Blackmore, asking him to reform Purple MKII, along with band mates Jon Lord, Roger Glover and Ian Paice. Ian leaves Sabbath and rejoins Purple. They record "Perfect Strangers" (1984) and "The House of Blue Light" (1987), before his problems with Blackmore made him quit Purple yet again.In 1988 he and fellow Purple band mate Roger Glover made a record under the "Gillan/Glover" moniker, called "Accidentally on Purpose". Ian participated on various projects until 1992, when he formed a band and recorded "Cherkazoo and Other Stories".In 1993 he was asked to rejoin Deep Purple. He accepts, and records "The Battle Rages On". After the world tour, Blackmore quits Deep Purple for good. They then made a couple of dates with Joe Satriani before finding a permanent replacement in Kansas/Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse.The new Purple then recorded "Purpendicular" in 1996 and "Abandon" in 1998. In 1998, Ian released his solo album "Dreamcatcher".Organist Jon Lord is replaced for the 2003 record "Bananas" with former Rainbow keyboardist Don Airey. Deep Purple MK VIII does the world tour for "Bananas", and go to work on their 18th studio album "Rapture of the Deep", released in November 2005.Ian released "Gillan's Inn" in 2006, and is currently touring with Deep Purple.