Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillian has shared his memories of the ‘free love’ era of the late ’60s and early ’70s, which he looks back upon as an idyllic time.
In an interview with The Telegraph to promote his band’s new album, Splat!, Gillan is reminded of a section from his autobiography where he celebrates fellatio as “the ultimate sign of affection in rock ’n’ roll.”
In that same chapter of his book, chapter 4, Gillan wrote, “There was always the the nonchalant blowjob (BJ) happening while you were waiting for another pint, but of course it didn’t interfere with the conversation, and we always used to say that the ideal groupie stood four feet tall, with a flat head, so you had somewhere to rest your beer!.. Sadly for all concerned, the situation was stamped on by the women’s movement, whose cheerleaders chose to represent the whole of their sex (including the groupies) on such matters.”
“Did I say that?” Gillan asks interviewer Chris Harvey. “Oh, well, we were young then, and it was free love. Walking down Carnaby Street, you could end up with a girl – they’d pull you, you know. There was no exploitative element to it. Everything was mutual. Nobody was dragging people along by their hair into a bedroom. It was lovely.”
In the same interview, Gillan claims to have led “a very sheltered life”, claiming that he never tried cocaine until he joined Black Sabbath. “I didn’t try my first joint until I was 38,” he protests. “We used to drink and smoke cigarettes.”
If you want to hear more of Gillian’s anecdotes, you might consider purchasing a ticket for his first-ever spoken word tour
The Talking Gib’rish UK tour will commence on April 28 next year at the Bournemouth Pavilion, and come to an end on May 29 at London’s Cadogan Hall.
“I am quivering with anticipation at the prospect of embarking on my first-ever public speaking engagements, The Talking Gib’rish Tour, in April/May 2027,” says Gillan. “I’ll be covering a lot of ground, from my early days in Hounslow to whatever might have happened on the latest world tour with my beloved Deep Purple, and maybe something funky in between.
“After 65 years on the road, there will be stories about some of the fascinating and sometimes magical events and people that I’ve encountered along the trail. It’s going to be a blast!”
Ian Gillan: Taking Gib’rish UK Tour 2027
Apr 28: Bournemouth Pavilion
Apr 29: Ipswich Corn Exchange
Apr 30: London Union Chapel
May 01: Cardiff New Theatre
May 02: Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall Theatre
May 05: Glasgow Pavilion
May 06: York Barbican
May 07: Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House
May 08: Edinburgh Queens Hall
May 09: Manchester RNCM Theatre
May 12: Leicester De Montfort Hall
May 13: Coventry Warwick Arts Centre Theatre
May 14: Birmingham Town Hall
May 15: Nottingham Albert Hall
May 16: Hayes Beck Theatre
May 19: Basingstoke The Anvil
May 20: Bath The Forum
May 21: Guildford G Live
May 22: Folkestone Leas Cliff Halls
May 23: Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
May 24: Bristol St George’s
May 27: Sheffield City Hall, Memorial Hall
May 28: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
May 29: London Cadogan Hall
And you can read more from Gillian and his bandmates on the new Deep Purple album in the new issue of Classic Rock magazine.
Order your copy here.
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