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
Ian Gillan with Mickey Lee Soule and then Colin Towns on keyboards, Mark Nauseef on drums and John Gustafson on bass. Their first album, "Child in Time", was released in July 1976, followed by "Clear Air Turbulence" in April 1977 and "Scarabus" in October. The sound of the band had a distinct jazz-rock aspect which, although interesting to Gillan, proved unpopular, particularly since punk rock was in vogue at that time. Gillan then formed a new band, simply called Gillan, retaining Towns (who would co-write most of the material), and adding guitarist Steve Byrd, bassist John McCoy and drummer Pete Barnacle. Byrd