Ian Gillan: Purple prose at York Barbican next May
DEEP Purple frontman Ian Gillan will play York Barbican on May 6 2027 on his Talking Gib’rish Tour. Tickets go on sale on Friday (26/6/2026) at 10am at https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/ian-gillan/.
Next spring’s series of live speaking events will allow audiences to hear personal stories from Gillan’s remarkable life and career in rock music.
From his childhood in Hounslow to the global rise of Deep Purple, Gillan will reflect on his experiences, music and outlook on life.
Now 80, Gillan’s career spans more than six decades. He joined his first band, The Javelins, in 1962, then teamed up with Roger Glover in Episode Six in 1965. Touring with Dusty Springfield and performing across Europe and the Middle East helped shape his musicianship and distinctive vocal style.
In 1969, Gillan joined Deep Purple in what became one of the pivotal moments in rock history. Formed in 1968, Deep Purple are pioneers of hard rock, best known for their 1972 album Machine Head, featuring Smoke On The Water.
In 1970, Gillan took on the role of Jesus Christ in the original London studio recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar for MCA Records, earning acclaim for his powerful and emotive interpretation.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, he broke new ground leading the bands Gillan, Garth Rockett & The Moonshiners and Repo Depo.
The Talking Gib’rish Tour will be a rare opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes stories from Gillan in his own words: candid, humorous and unfiltered.
“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. 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!”
The cover artwork for Deep Purple’s new studio album, Splat!, out on July 3
Ian Gillan: back story
BORN on August 19 1945 in Hounslow. Built career as singer and songwriter, recording 79 studio albums, along with countless live recordings, including Deep Purple’s legendary double album Made in Japan, released in December 1972.
Deep Purple’s latest album, the 13-track recording Splat!, will be released on July 3 on earMUSIC. Produced by Bob Ezrin, it will be available on vinyl and CD formats and can be pre-ordered directly from https://deeppurple.lnk.to/SPLAT.
Gillan says: “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the Seventies. I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with Highway Star, Smoke On The Water, Lazy – the dynamics, the balance and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73.”
At the heart of Splat! is an idea conceived by Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation: Splat! explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
To celebrate the release, Deep Purple will continue their extensive 2026 touring schedule with no fewer than 86 shows across 28 countries on three continents.
Gillan’s honours include induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy Hall of Fame award and the Ivor Novello International Award. His global record sales have exceeded 200 million.
His website can be found at https://gillan.com.