My grandad was an opera singer, my uncle a jazz musician; I was a boy soprano in the church choir. But the first performance with Deep Purple was something I'll never forget. All elements were working brilliantly. — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
I've played football with George Best, the greatest footballer that ever lived. That doesn't make me a footballer. And I've sung a duet with Pavarotti. That doesn't make me an opera singer. I can write and I have a story… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
I love Buffalo. The people here are wonderful, genuine; they look you straight in the eye. — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
If you think of a solo artist, you normally know them by their name; you don't normally describe their kind of music. You just… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
No matter what I do, I've always recognized that Deep Purple is primarily an instrumental band. That's where all the music comes from in… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
We soaked up everything from Beethoven to Chopin to Jimi Hendrix to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
When I picked up my guitar, I spent the first day learning the chord E, the second day A, then B7, and all of… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
Deep Purple was sinking with Ritchie. We were playing to quarter houses in Europe, which is one of our strongest territories - in Germany.… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
My first contract was in 1965. There were six of us in this band - my band before Deep Purple - six in the… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
In the early Seventies, I bought a dilapidated hotel in north Stoke for about £100,000 and spent the same amount again renovating it, putting… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
I was an avid collector of Elvis' early stuff; for a young singer, he was an absolute inspiration. I soaked up what he did… — Ian Gillan Copy Share Image
