Rock Royalty Turns 80: Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan—The Reason I Once Stopped Singing Mid-Show

Young Ian Gillan

Who was your hero when you were just starting out? Take a moment today to thank the one who lit that fire inside.

Everyone needs a hero. You, me, all of us. But mine didn’t show up until I was about 12.

And he didn’t come from a movie or a comic book. He came from a TV commercial.

A Philips ad on Doordarshan.

Soundtracked by Highway Star.

With a scream that changed everything.

The Old Philips Ad feat. Highway Star

You must’ve had a moment like that too—the kind that rewires your soul.

So this story isn’t just mine. It’s yours too.

An Autographed Drum Stick

What you see above is an autographed drumstick I received on April 1, 2001 at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. It was special enough to make the wait worth everything.

The fight with the boss.

The 24-hour second-class train ride.

The cheap non-AC hotel.

Everything.

Because I watched Deep Purple live.

Because I watched Ian Gillan sing.

At the show, I fought my way to the front just so I could hold my 'Deep Purple' t-shirt up for Ian Gillan to see. And when he did, I wept like a baby. Then out of the 30,000+ people present, drummer Ian Paice threw that autographed drumstick into my hand.

Maybe it was a sign. Maybe that drumstick is what has led me to you. But I didn't know it then. I just knew my boss was waiting to see me on Monday. And when he did, I realized he had already complained to HR about me.

My boss never spoke to me after that. I never let him. But Ian Gillan did. And he still does.

The Night I Stopped Singing Mid-Show

20+ years later, I still can’t step on stage without carrying what that man has given me. He is the reason I once stopped singing mid-show. Why? Because the sponsors plastered their logo across his face. I didn't care about my fee. All I cared about was my hero.

50+ years. 18+ albums. Stadiums roaring from Tokyo to Kentucky, Moscow to Mumbai. That's Ian Gillan's legacy. In an era that gave us giants like Ronnie James Dio, Robert Plant, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, and Ozzy Osbourne, he carved out a voice of his own. Without him, there would be no Bruce Dickinson, no Iron Maiden, and no Metallica. Man... without him, there would be nothing.

If you ever raised your fist to a song, cried during the chorus, and cranked up the volume like I did during that old Philips ad on Doordarshan, you and I carry the same flame.

So on his 80th birthday, I ask you:

Who is your Ian Gillan?

Who was your hero when you were just starting out? Take a moment today to thank the one who lit that fire inside. I bet you have a story that still makes your heart race.