Deep Purple ( B12 )

Band split and solo projects (1976–1984)

The end came on tour in England on 15 March 1976 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. In the words of Jon Lord:

"At one point during the show, Glenn said to the audience, 'I'm sorry we're not playing very well, but we're very tired and jet-lagged.' And I remember spluttering to myself, 'Speak for yourself.' I was working like a Trojan to try and make this work ... Paicey was playing like a madman just to keep it all together ... Coverdale was singing his socks off. So to hear this guy who was extremely high on various substances telling the audience, 'I'm sorry, We aren't playing well' kind of rankled me a bit. I came off stage and went straight to my dressing room, which I was sharing with Ian Paice, and I said, 'Ian ... that's it, isn't it? That's absolutely the end of this band as far as I'm concerned. Why are we doing this to ourselves?' So he and I shook hands and said, 'It's over. Thank God.' About ten minutes later, Coverdale came in, big blustery guy that he is, and he said, 'I'm leaving the band!' And we said, 'David, there's no band to leave.'"

The break-up was finally made public in July 1976, with then-manager Rob Cooksey issuing the simple statement: "the band will not record or perform together as Deep Purple again". Later in the year, Bolin had just finished recording his second solo album, Private Eyes, when, on 4 December 1976, tragedy struck. In a Miami hotel room, during a tour supporting Jeff Beck, Bolin was found unconscious by his girlfriend and bandmates. Unable to wake him, she hurriedly called paramedics, but it was too late. The official cause of death was multiple-drug intoxication. Bolin was 25 years old.

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