“I went to the Gillan gig, I was a student at the polytechnic living in digs at Didsbury. Enough money for the ticket and two pints and facing a long walk home in the rain from Belle Vue, Ian came on stage saying he wasnt going to play, as his manager had done a runner with the cash and if we saw his manager to tell him to watch out for his kneecaps! Anyway he did play and the highlight was singing the chorus to child in time with Ian Gillan holding the mic singing with me. After the gig bass player, big John McCoy, must have felt sorry for me and my student flat mate and invited us to have some tins with him and the band including Ian. The whole night got better as we got a lift back to our digs in Didsbury, invited Ian in and cracked open a watneys party 7 to which he had a glug and said farewell. Ive often wanted to say thanks and 9yrs ago saw Purple in Kavarna, Bulgaria, but the security wouldnt let me anywhere near Ian Gillan :-(”