Ian Gillan adding the then-seldom played "Maybe I'm a Leo" (named after Gillan's birth sign) and "When a Blind Man Cries" – the latter becoming a mainstay in the band's setlist ever since. He said that their first album with Morse, "Purpendicular", "was a such important record for Deep Purple that without that [other records] couldn't have been possible." He has remained Purple's lead singer, though the band has found more success touring than with producing records. Gillan pays particular interest to the lyrics in Deep Purple, and considers it his prime composing role within the band. Discussing the importance of lyrics,
Neo (British band) part of Ultravox. North sacked Paul Simon, and included session players in his project: ex-ZZebra members, Steve Byrd on guitar and John McCoy on bass, and Bryson Graham on drums. They recorded an album in Ian Gillan's studio, and after Gillan heard them, he hired Byrd and McCoy away from North. Gillan and the ex-Neo musicians formed Gillan. Only Graham stayed with North. North renewed Neo again with Steve Wilkin (ex-Wired and Masterwitch) on guitar, Nick South on bass and Graham on drums, but shortly afterwards South and Graham were replaced by Mik Sweeney and Derek Quinton, respectively. Dan Black