Ian Gillan Purple. By 1969, after having released nine singles, none of which charted in the UK, and finding their style of music too restrictive for him, he decided to leave Episode Six. By spring 1969, Deep Purple had had a top 5 US hit with "Hush", but the band, particularly Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice, decided their future lay in hard rock, rather than the psychedelic pop sound of the early band. In June 1969, Blackmore, Lord and Paice went to see Episode Six perform at a pub gig and subsequently offered Gillan the job as new lead singer,
Ian Paice 2014 2015 2016 Today Ian uses Pearl drumkits as his main performing drums, incorporating Paiste cymbals, Remo drumheads and Pro-Mark drumsticks. He used Ludwig kits during the seventies and early eighties in remarkable large sizes: 26" Bass drum, 16" Tom, an 18 & 20" floor tom and 14 x 6.5" Supraphonic snare which was a blueprint for his signature snare from Pearl. In 1982 he switched companies, because Ludwig's development stalled and he got a better deal from Pearl. He also prefers a single bass drum set-up, both live and in the studio. Pearl Drums produce his signature snare drum.