Ian Gillan , lead singer of Deep Purple , has stated that retirement from music may be closer than the public imagines. At 80 years old, the musician revealed in an interview with Uncut that he is facing significant vision loss, a condition that has been impacting his routine and his work.
Gillan, who recently wrapped up an arena tour with Deep Purple, including a show in Brazil in June , said he has only about 30% of his vision. According to him, the limitation makes everyday tasks difficult, such as working on a computer, and requires constant adaptation. The vocalist said [via Music-News ]: “It’s not going to get better. It makes life mysterious. The hardest thing is working on my laptop. I can’t see anything on the screen unless I use my peripheral vision – I catch a line looking sideways. But you manage. You adapt.”
The singer commented that, despite the changes brought on by age, he tries to maintain his professional routine. He described the process as gradual and inevitable, acknowledging that he may leave the stage. “If I lose the energy, I’ll stop. I don’t want to embarrass anyone. We’re not far from that. It happens little by little – you don’t even notice,” he stated. “But this isn’t like a normal job. It’s all in your mind. The writing certainly is, as is the skill. And these guys I work with always seem to be improving. The hard part is stopping them from growing.”
Even with the prospect of ending their career, Deep Purple continues to perform. In November, the group will perform in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. For 2026, shows in Japan and a schedule of festivals and concerts across Europe are planned. Furthermore, Gillan also stated that a new tour of South America is in the works.
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