10 Rock Bands That Survived Major Line-Up Changes

When Deep Purple started to make their signature hard rock sound, they had some of the most accomplished musicians among their ranks. The infectious riffs from Ritchie Blackmore were only matched by the furious organ runs from Jon Lord. At the center of it all was vocalist Ian Gillan, whose stratospheric voice marked the beginning of the heavy metal screamer.

From the very beginning, the music was a group effort, with the musicianship of Blackmore and Lord being made into maniacal rock tracks by the partnership of Gillan and bassist Roger Glover. While the band's epic run included albums like In Rock and Machine Head, Gillan had had enough and quit in 1973, with Glover following suit.

With their core songwriting force gone, the band were at a crossroads in their career where they could continue on as rockers or call it a day. Finding their muse once again, the band hired bassist Glenn Hughes and vocalist David Coverdale, whose range not only paid tribute to the band's classics but also gave a bluesy spin on the band's newer material.

Since Hughes was also a powerhouse vocalist, much of the band's output during this time featured songs that were vocal team-ups between Hughes and Coverdale. The Gillan-Glover lineup of Purple may have produced the band's classic tracks, but the band's future with Coverdale and Hughes showed that they had a few more surprises up their sleeve.