Ian Gillan and disliked live albums in general. He tended to go into the studio after the rest of the band had recorded and finished the backing tracks, particularly for "Who Do We Think We Are", to lay down his vocals separately. He had been continually at loggerheads with Blackmore, disagreeing about music regularly, which culminated in Gillan writing "Smooth Dancer" about him. While on tour in Dayton, Ohio, he sat down and wrote a resignation letter to the band's managers, stating he intended to leave the band, effective from 30 June 1973. After his departure from Deep Purple, Gillan retired from
David Coverdale Your Loving", which reached No. 13 on the British charts and No. 53 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100. "Ready an' Willing" was followed up by the even more successful "Come an' Get It" in 1981. During 1982 Coverdale took some time off to look after his sick daughter and decided to put Whitesnake on hold. When David Coverdale returned to music he reformed the band, which thereafter recorded the album "Saints & Sinners". In 1982, according to British heavy metal magazine "Kerrang!", Coverdale was considered for the vocalist position with Black Sabbath following the departure of Ronnie James Dio.