Bogus Deep Purple Purple put an ad in a newspaper underneath an ad for a Bogus Deep Purple concert that was to take place at Long Beach Arena in California, stating: <poem> The following STARS WILL NOT PERFORM at the Deep Purple Concert at Long Beach Arena Tomorrow, Aug. 19, 1980. RITCHIE BLACKMORE DAVID COVERDALE IAN GILLAN ROGER GLOVER GLEN HUGHES (sic) JON LORD IAN PAICE </poem> The real Deep Purple were contacted about the bogus Deep Purple, and their management sued Evans, given that he was the only member of the band who received booking royalties and who had any rights to
David Coverdale to over 200,000 fans on his first trip to the United States at California Jam. In December 1974 "Burn" was followed-up by "Stormbringer", which also ranked at Gold album status in the US and the UK. The funk and soul influences of the previous record were even more prominent here, and this was one of the reasons why guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left the band in June 1975. Rather than disbanding, Coverdale was instrumental in persuading the band to continue with American guitarist Tommy Bolin (of Billy Cobham and The James Gang fame). As Jon Lord put it, "David Coverdale came