Ian Gillan

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

59

Gender

Male

Birthday

1945-08-19 (80 years old)

Place of Birth

Chiswick, London, England

Ian Gillan

Biography

Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is an English singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice. Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan started and fronted several local bands in the mid-1960s, and eventually joined Episode Six when their original singer left. He first found widespread commercial success after joining Deep Purple in 1969. He resigned from the band in June 1973, having given a lengthy notice period to their managers. After a short time away from the music business, he resumed his music career with solo bands the Ian Gillan Band and Gillan, before a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath in 1983. The following year, Deep Purple reformed and two more successful albums followed before he left in 1989. He returned to the group in 1992, and has remained its lead singer ever since. In addition to his main work—performing with Deep Purple and other bands during the 1970s and 1980s—he sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (1970), performed in the charity supergroup Rock Aid Armenia, and engaged in a number of business investments and ventures, including a hotel, a motorcycle manufacturer, and music recording facilities at Kingsway Studios. More recently, he has performed solo concerts concurrently with his latter career in Deep Purple, and his work and affinity with Armenia, combined with his continued friendship with Tony Iommi since his brief time in Black Sabbath, has led him to form the supergroup WhoCares with Iommi. His solo career outside of Deep Purple was given a comprehensive overview with the Gillan's Inn box set in 2006. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ian Gillan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

  • 4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet

    4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet

  • Morgenmagazin

    Morgenmagazin

  • Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II

    Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II

  • Classic Albums

    Classic Albums

  • Black Sabbath: The Black Sabbath Story, Volume Two

    Black Sabbath: The Black Sabbath Story, Volume Two

  • Seven Ages of Rock

    Seven Ages of Rock

  • Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall

    Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall

  • Deep Purple: Made In Japan

    Deep Purple: Made In Japan

  • Let it Rock: Volume 1

    Let it Rock: Volume 1

  • Deep Purple: From Here To Infinite

    Deep Purple: From Here To Infinite

  • Heavy Metal Britannia

    Heavy Metal Britannia

  • Deep Purple - History, Hits & Highlights '68-'76

    Deep Purple - History, Hits & Highlights '68-'76

  • Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising

    Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising

  • Deep Purple: Heavy Metal Pioneers

    Deep Purple: Heavy Metal Pioneers

  • Deep Purple: New, Live & Rare - The Video Collection 1984-2000

    Deep Purple: New, Live & Rare - The Video Collection 1984-2000

  • Deep Purple: Concerto for Group and Orchestra

    Deep Purple: Concerto for Group and Orchestra

  • Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers Live

    Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers Live

  • Celebrating Jon Lord

    Celebrating Jon Lord

  • The Butterfly Ball

    The Butterfly Ball

  • Deep Purple: In Concert with The London Symphony Orchestra

    Deep Purple: In Concert with The London Symphony Orchestra

  • Classic Albums: Deep Purple - Machine Head

    Classic Albums: Deep Purple - Machine Head

  • Deep Purple: Live in concert 72/73

    Deep Purple: Live in concert 72/73

  • Deep Purple – Doing Their Thing

    Deep Purple – Doing Their Thing

  • The Best of Musikladen: Vol. One

    The Best of Musikladen: Vol. One

  • Louder Than Hell: Wacken The Movie

    Louder Than Hell: Wacken The Movie

  • Deep Purple: Perihelion

    Deep Purple: Perihelion

  • Deep Purple: Bombay Calling

    Deep Purple: Bombay Calling

  • Deep Purple at Hellfest

    Deep Purple at Hellfest

  • Deep Purple with Orchestra - Live in Verona

    Deep Purple with Orchestra - Live in Verona

  • Deep Purple - They All Came Down To Montreux

    Deep Purple - They All Came Down To Montreux

  • Deep Purple: Live in China

    Deep Purple: Live in China

  • Deep Purple: ...To the Rising Sun in Tokyo

    Deep Purple: ...To the Rising Sun in Tokyo

  • Deep Purple & Orchestra - Live At Montreux 2011

    Deep Purple & Orchestra - Live At Montreux 2011

  • Deep Purple special

    Deep Purple special

  • Deep Purple: Come Hell or High Water

    Deep Purple: Come Hell or High Water

  • Deep Purple: Live at Hard Rock Café, London

    Deep Purple: Live at Hard Rock Café, London

  • Deep Purple with Orchestra: Live at Montreux 2011

    Deep Purple with Orchestra: Live at Montreux 2011

  • Deep Purple: Total Abandon

    Deep Purple: Total Abandon

  • Deep Purple: From The Setting Sun To The Rising Sun Limited Edition

    Deep Purple: From The Setting Sun To The Rising Sun Limited Edition

  • Deep Purple - From the Setting Sun... in Wacken

    Deep Purple - From the Setting Sun... in Wacken

  • Deep Purple: They All Came Down to Montreux – Live at Montreux 2006

    Deep Purple: They All Came Down to Montreux – Live at Montreux 2006

  • Deep Purple: Knocking In Saarbrücken

    Deep Purple: Knocking In Saarbrücken

  • Gillan: The Glory Years

    Gillan: The Glory Years

  • Gillan: Live Edinburgh 1980

    Gillan: Live Edinburgh 1980

  • Celebrating Jon Lord - Live at The Royal Albert Hall

    Celebrating Jon Lord - Live at The Royal Albert Hall

  • Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017

    Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017

  • Deep Purple - Jazzopen Stuttgart 2023

    Deep Purple - Jazzopen Stuttgart 2023

  • Deep Purple In Rock

    Deep Purple In Rock

  • Deep Purple in Montreux

    Deep Purple in Montreux

  • Deep Purple: Live at Montreux 1996

    Deep Purple: Live at Montreux 1996

  • Deep Purple: Live at the NEC

    Deep Purple: Live at the NEC

  • Ian Gillan: Live in Concert

    Ian Gillan: Live in Concert

  • Deep Purple - Deepest Purple

    Deep Purple - Deepest Purple

  • Blues Rock - The Ultimate Anthology

    Blues Rock - The Ultimate Anthology

  • Highway Star: Journey In Rock

    Highway Star: Journey In Rock

  • Ian Gillan - Classic Rock Legends

    Ian Gillan - Classic Rock Legends

  • Classic Rock: Anthology

    Classic Rock: Anthology

  • Ian Gillan - Contractual Obligation #1: Live In Moscow

    Ian Gillan - Contractual Obligation #1: Live In Moscow

  • Deep Purple: Rock Review 1969-1972

    Deep Purple: Rock Review 1969-1972