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Let’s see the accounts
Here’s a “preview” of the second part of John McCoy’s interview with Rock Daydream Nation. Mind you, the complete first part, of which we also featured just a preview, clocked at an hour and 14 minutes. Here John continues lamenting the many wrongs that happened during the run of the Gillan band.
Thanks to Steve for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
OMFG 🙄 – John McCoy was in his late 20s and not a child when he met Ian Gillan and got the offer from him to become a co-shareholder in GILLAN as an enterprise with uncertain prospects – that is essentially what he was. You don’t need a master 🧑🎓 in business studies to realize that profit is what is left over from the turnover/revenue after costs/expenses, debts, interest & taxes have been deducted.
Most businesses work that way, even the convenience store around the corner. Yet John McCoy is telling us he did not think of asking the question(s):
“How will the start-up costs be financed? I don’t have the money to contribute anything. If you pitch in for all of us, Ian, then thank you, but how long will take for us to repay those loans and eventually generate profits for us to share?”
There are limits to how naïve you can allow yourself to be – even as a rock musician. And if John didn’t understand what he was doing, then perhaps he should have lost some weight, grown his hair back and knock at Ritchie’s or DC’s door to ask whether he could work for them on a steady wage. Because that is what you do when you don’t want to participate in losses and wait for a venture to turn profitable.
I’m pretty darn sure that IG never saw even a fraction of the money he spent to keep GILLAN running as a return on his investment. And John McCoy’s post-GILLAN career indicates to me that he never got any better in basic math either.
I also wonder how “coincidentally” all these lamentations by him are raised anew in lengthy interviews just at the time a comprehensive GILLAN release has seen the light of day. No doubt, John fears missing out yet again on a stream of hundreds of thousands of GBP if not more. The proceeds from Denmark alone where – as we have learned here – GILLAN was incredibly popular should see him become a wealthy man.
Hopefully, his wife doesn’t let him take decisions regarding her antiques business. 😑
Even big men can whine.
July 9th, 2025 at 04:57@1
I see it a bit different Uwe!
John is hurt very very much. As far as I can tell he thought Ian to be numero uno, in all aspects.
And when Ian turned away, John felt betrayed.
Often when people feel betrayed they find minor complaints and blow them out of proportion to justify the sad feelings.
John seems to be a stand up guy, and the only logical explanation is that he misses Ian so much.
And to add spite to the situation, Ian rejoined Purple and got old friends back there.
Not to diminish John in any way, I am really really not!, but you see the same with kids that are feeling left out and still haven’t found a way to tackle those hostile feelings.
I don’t know Ian personally but I guess he is a lot of fun to be around, and people like him shines and brings happiness to the people around them, which makes it even harder to miss.
Well, a little outlook on life from Denmark and a very nice cup of coffee 😃
July 9th, 2025 at 09:11John is allowed to have his say, just like anyone else. He obviously wasn’t into all that business shite back then, he was into having a good time rocking and rolling. He was a dedicated musician and human being. John is not the only one this has happened to. However, he is the only one bringing it to light though, in regard to that band, so be it. He has been burnt, that hurts. Some people can deal with it better than others. As that cursed saying goes, ‘winners are grinners’ etc etc. The losers, well many just say ‘tough shit, deal with it’. It ain’t that simple for the many who have been on the wrong end of negative shite. Better to get it off your chest than to take it with you. Cheers.
July 9th, 2025 at 10:12I think Uwe and Karin are both right. As an adult, John had a responsibility to consider the potential risks and rewards of becoming a partner in the business. Equally, he was clearly heartbroken at the sudden demise of Gillan, followed by Ian’s equally swift departure to Sabbath and Purple. One suspects that there has been little or no contact between Ian and John since then, with no opportunity for a reconciliation that may have allowed the latter to move on.
July 9th, 2025 at 11:51