Ian Gillan's most successful years may have been the heady days of the 1970s
when he fronted the hugely successful British hard rock band Deep Purple, but
his career has encompassed many other bands and styles, including a brief spell
with Black Sabbath and two powerful groups of his own, Gillan and Ian Gillan
Band. Initially inspired to sing by Elvis Presley, he fronted various bands in
the '60s, most notably Episode Six, but it was with Deep Purple - with whom he
spent three spells - that he made his name.
Gillan started off singing in various covers bands but Episode Six la...