<\/p>\n The bunch of guys in question are Italian rockers Urock, led by singer Umberto Urock. Gillan appears on the title track of the Rome-based band\u2019s second album, The Line, trading lines and harmonies with Urock. He\u2019s not the only recognisable name to have been enlisted for the album \u2013 prog wizard Alan Parsons and, more bizarrely, former Nirvana<\/a> producer Jack Endino are both involved in a production capacity, though Gillan didn\u2019t cross paths with either.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n It comes during a period of downtime for Deep Purple before they hit the road once more next April.<\/p>\n \u201cI just thought doing would be a bit of fun,\u201d the singer says of The Line. \u201cAnd it was.\u201d<\/p>\n \n How did the collaboration with Urock come about?<\/p>\n Umberto lives just down the road from me in Portugal. He did a couple of interviews with me for various magazines, and Urock did the Portuguese show on Deep Purple\u2019s tour [in 2022]. But the main thing I remember is when I went to Rome, I went to the radio station [Rome Rock, which Urock is involved in]. It was just like going to someone\u2019s house, just a bunch of fantastic people. They sent me some music they\u2019d written. I thought: \u201cThat\u2019s pretty good.\u201d One thing led to another, so I went in the studio down the road and sang on the track.<\/p>\n Did you have any input into the music or lyrics?<\/p>\n Not in the slightest. It was all finished when I came along to do my bit. I just rocked up and sang a couple of lines. Even so, there\u2019s a line in the song that feels pertinent: \u2018I don\u2019t want no regrets, I don\u2019t want to feel old.\u2019<\/p>\n You turned eighty in August, and you recently did an interview for the University Of The Third Age magazine. Most musicians are in denial about getting old, but it seems like you\u2019re accepting of it.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t doing any interviews at all this year, but I\u2019ve ended up doing half a dozen or so. The U3A thing caught my eye \u2013 I know the PR person involved, and it appealed to me. It\u2019s talking about reality. It\u2019s hilarious this growing old thing. It\u2019s a laugh a minute.<\/p>\n Is it really? Or are you being ironic?<\/p>\n Well, sometimes yes and sometimes no. I walk down the road and hear something drop off – clang, there\u2019s something else gone.<\/p>\n What are the benefits of being the age you are?<\/p>\n Well, nothing\u2019s changed really apart from I can\u2019t pole vault any more. Other than that, things move a little more slowly. But nothing\u2019s changed. If you\u2019ve got a sense of humour you can get by with most things.<\/p>\n In a recent online Q&A, you talked about losing your vision.<\/p>\n Yes, it\u2019s one of those things. I\u2019ve only got thirty per cent vision. That won\u2019t get better.<\/p>\n THE LINE – Featuring IAN GILLAN – Official music video – 4K – YouTube![\"Lightning](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk.png\")
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