“If you think of a solo artist, you normally know them by their name; you don't normally describe their kind of music. You just say, 'It's so and so, or it's so and so.' But with bands, everyone feels an obligation to categorize them.”

English singer and lyricist

Ian Gillan is an English singer and lyricist, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Deep Purple. He has been closely associated with hard rock for much of his career. Gillan is noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and for the songs he wrote and performed with Deep Purple. His work is tied to the sound and legacy of the band, and he is widely recognized for his role at the microphone as well as his writing.