IAN GILLAN, TONY IOMMI To Form Fund-Raising Band WHO CARES

April 16, 2010

According to Panorama.am, DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan has stated that he would set up an ad-hoc rock band with legendary BLACK SABBATH/HEAVEN & HELL guitarist legend Tony Iommi named WHO CARES for raising funds for reestablishment of music school in Armenia.

Mediamax reports that Gillan said this while answering the question of his web site's visitors on the possibility to record the remix of "Smoke On The Water" song to help Haiti, which has suffered from the earthquake.

Gillan noted that the new remixed version of "Smoke On The Water", recorded in 1989 with the participation of world rock stars in order to help Armenia, will be re-released soon.

"On the flight home from Armenia, Tony and I decided to write a song or two and form an ad hoc band — specifically for use on fund raising occasions — called WHO CARES," he said. "Any live performances would be with a nebulous lineup and those plans are still on the drawing board, but we have made a move in the right direction by getting started with the writing.

"I visited Tony recently and we came up with a couple of songs that aren't too horrible. Hopefully we can knock them into shape in the near future and raise even more money to help the program.

"I think your idea to help Haitians is admirable and of course we are all shocked by the tragic aftermath of their cataclysm. However, I think it's best to direct all my efforts where they are most effective. I see plenty of fantastic energy and awareness being put into Haiti, but after twenty years there is still work to be done in Armenia."

In October 2009, Gillan and Iommi were awarded the Orders Of Honor — which were delivered to them by Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan — for the Armenia Grateful To Rock program (see video below). The objective of the program, was to express gratitude to those musicians who 20 years ago participated in the Rock Aid Armenia.

In 1989, within the framework of Rock Aid Armenia, the British rock stars recorded DEEP PURPLE's classic "Smoke On The Water" and also released a disc called "Rock Aid Armenia".

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