David Coverdale
Coverdale did not want Deep Purple to disband. He helped in persuading the band to continue with American guitarist Tommy Bolin (of Billy Cobham and The James Gang). So Jon Lord said, "David Coverdale came up to me and said, 'Please keep the band together.' David played me the album that Tommy did with Billy Cobham. We liked his playing on it and invited Tommy to audition.'" The band released one studio album with Bolin, Come Taste the Band in 1975. The album was less successful than previous records. At the end of the tour in March 1976, Coverdale walked off in tears. He handed in his resignation. But he was told Deep Purple was disbanding. So he had no band left to quit. The decision to disband Deep Purple had been made some time before the last show by Lord and Ian Paice (the last remaining original members). Lord and Paice had not told anyone else. The break-up was finally made public in July 1976. Said Coverdale in an interview: "I was frightened to leave the band. Purple was my life, Purple gave me my break, but all the same I wanted out."