came across an article last night about deep purple
apparently after blackmore left...
"coverdale drew up a short-list of possible replacement guitarists. His no. 1 choice was Jeff Beck; no. 2 was Rory Gallagher. "Without even pursuing Jeff everyone said that after Ritchie it would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire, personality-wise. Who knows?"
As far as Gallagher was concerned, Coverdale was "in a local band, way back when, and i'd opened for Rory when he fronted Taste at a blues club called the Argus Butterfly in Peterlee in the north of England. I thought ihim an exceptional musician, great white blues interpreter and a very decent bloke. However, for whatever reason, Rory wasn't discussed any further. I still think it could have been interesting."
In fairness he always had nice boots