David Coverdale started a band of his own called Whitesnake, and Ian Paice and Jon Lord were members for a period of time. Ian Gillan had been performing in a solo band since he left in 1973. Ritchie Blackmore had started a band called Rainbow after leaving in 1975, releasing some successful albums with Ronnie James Dio as lead singer, who would carry on his fame in Black Sabbath and Dio (his own solo band). However, Tommy Bolin would only release one more solo album before he died in 1976, due to drug use.