He accepts there's unfinished business between the pair, but even if they settle their differenced he wouldn't want Blackmore to return to the band. He insists that would be the case if the band were ever inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And he's slammed the organization's bosses for labeling Purple a one hit wonder, demanding to know which of several hit singles they're talking about.

Gillan tells Rolling Stone: "I'm saying what I'm about to say not to wind Ritchie up, if he's reading this. He knows we've got to talk about these things. So I say this with no rancour.