To me Ian Gillan is the best vocalist in the heavy metal British band Deep Purple. He started singing in bands as a teenager. He was in bands such as the Javelins(1962-64) and Episode Six(1965-69). Gillian first met Roger Glover in Episode Six and then they both joined Deep Purple in 1969. When he joined, Deep Purple went into their most popular era. Gillan took part in many recordings like Concerto for Group and Orchestra, Deep Purple in Rock, Fireball, Machine Head, Made in Japan, and Who Do We Think We Are? Gillan also appeared on Andrew Loyd Webber and Tim Rice's album Jesus Christ Superstar. He sang the lead song and it turned out to be a gold-selling double-LP which made it to the top of U.S. charts in 1971.

Gillan became very exhausted doing all those recordings and touring all over the world. He eventually went into the hospital for exhaustion in October 1971. His first thoughts on leaving the band was in August 1972 but he was convinced to stay. Another reason why he wanted to leave was due to personality problems between him and Ritchie. Gillan finally told Deep Purple around October of 1972 that he was leaving, but said that he would stay until the tour dates were finished. The day he left was on June 29, 1973 when the tour in Japan ended. After his departure the most popular song "Smoke on the Water" from the Machine Head album reached the U.S. charts where the song made it to the top five. The album went gold and made it the bands greatest career hit.

Gillan wanted to have a band named after him and wanted to record all of his songs, so he bought his own recording studio and signed a solo deal with Oyster Records. Soon after he formed the Ian Gillan Band in 1975. His guitarist was Ray Fenwick, bassist John Gustafson, drummer Mark Nuaseef and keyboardist Mike Moran. Their first album Child in Time did not sell many copies. The album made it into the British charts in July 1976 and a month later into the US charts. The band decided to change to Island Records. Ian and his band then made two new albums called Clean Air Turbulence in April of 1977 and Scarabus in November of 1977. Unfortunately both the albums didn't make it to the charts. When the summer of 1978 came along the group change its name to just Gillan. The new members of the band are Steve Byrd, guitarist, Colin Towns, keyboardist, John McCoy, bassist, and Pete Barnacle, drummer. In 1979, Steve and Pete left so two new guys joined in. There names are Bernie Torme and Mick Underwood. The new band made an album called Mr. Universe which made it to the British charts just barely outside of the top Ten area in 1979.

In June of 1980, one of Gillan's singles called "Sleeping on the Job" entered the British singles chart. Later an album called Glory Road was released and made it to the top five. During the next 2 years, Gillan made many top 40 singles and top 20 albums in the United Kingdom. Close to the end of 1982, Gillan quit the band because his doctor told him that he need to let his vocal cords take a break. Exciting fans all over in May of 1983, Gillan joined the band Black Sabbath. He took part in the recording of Born Again. From August to March 1984 he toured with the band being their lead singer. What is really exciting is on March 10, 1984 Gillan rejoined Deep Purple. They released Perfect Strangers and The House of Blue Light in 1987. What I Did on My Vacation was a solo album that Gillan put together in 1986. More recordings came along like Nobody's Perfect and a duo album that Gillan made with Glover called Accidentally on Purpose in 1988. Unfortunately Gillan left Deep Purple again in 1989.

Naked Thunder, Toolbox were the next solo albums that he made. He went back to Deep Purple in December of '92. They went to a German recording studio to produce the album The Battle Rages On that came out in July '93. After that, they did a world tour that lasted until December. But Gillan left Deep Purple again but came back to the band in 1996, just in time to take part in their next album Purpendicular. Gillan made another solo album in 1998 called Dreamcatcher but he stayed with Deep Purple while making it. Ian Gillian is still with Deep Purple today and that is a great thing.