Ian Gillan

Ian Gillan was born on August 19, 1945, in Chiswick, Middlesex, England. His early musical influences included Elvis Presley. He started his career fronting local bands in the mid-1960s, including Garth Rockett and the Moonshiners, and later the Javelins, performing covers of artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Chuck Berry. He then joined Wainwright’s Gentlemen before becoming a member of Episode Six in April 1965. During his time with Episode Six, Gillan began songwriting with Roger Glover, establishing a long-term professional relationship. The band toured internationally and made regular appearances on the BBC Light Programme.

Gillan achieved widespread commercial success when he joined Deep Purple in 1969. With this lineup, known as Mk.II, the band recorded several influential albums including “Deep Purple in Rock”, “Fireball”, and “Machine Head.” His distinctive vocal style, characterized by a high-pitched scream, became a trademark. In 1970, he performed the role of Jesus on the original album recording of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” After leaving Deep Purple in 1973 due to touring exhaustion and creative differences, he pursued various business ventures before returning to music with the Ian Gillan Band in 1975, which explored a jazz-rock sound.

He later formed the band Gillan, adopting a more hard rock style, and achieved chart success with albums like “Mr. Universe” (1979) and “Glory Road” (1980). In 1983, Gillan briefly joined Black Sabbath, recording the album “Born Again” (1983) and touring with them. The following year, he rejoined Deep Purple for a reunion, releasing “Perfect Strangers” (1984) and “The House of Blue Light” (1987). Despite a second departure from Deep Purple, he rejoined again in 1993 and has remained their lead singer since, contributing to albums such as “Purpendicular” (1996) and “Abandon” (1998). Beyond Deep Purple, Gillan has released solo albums and participated in charity supergroups like Rock Aid Armenia, maintaining a strong connection with Armenia, which he refers to as his spiritual motherland. He continues to tour and engage in various musical projects, including WhoCares.