Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan was caught completely off-guard when he learned that one of the band’s most iconic songs had been placed in the promotional material for Stranger Things — and it wasn’t because he wasn’t proud of the moment, but simply because he didn’t know it was happening.
“Child in Time,” the sprawling, psychedelic epic from Deep Purple’s 1970 album In Rock, appeared in the trailer for the fifth and final season of the hit Netflix series earlier in 2025, introducing the classic track to a new generation of viewers and reminding longtime fans of its enduring power.
But when Gillan was asked about the inclusion during a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine, his response was tellingly simple: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
What made the lack of awareness more surprising was his reasoning. When the interviewer explained that Stranger Things was a Netflix show, Gillan — who doesn’t own Netflix or even a television — admitted the idea caught him completely by surprise. “I don’t have Netflix. I don’t have a television,” he said with characteristic blunt honesty. “So yes, in that respect it’s a surprise!”
The rock legend’s reaction underscores just how removed he has become from many modern pop culture touchpoints, even as his own music continues to find new life in unexpected places. Stranger Things has become known for surfacing classic rock tracks in key moments — from Kate Bush to Metallica — so Deep Purple’s inclusion wasn’t shocking to fans, even if it was to Gillan himself.
Gillan Reflects on Time, Art and Aging
At 80 years old, Gillan remains musically active — with a scheduled tour spanning much of the next year — and he used the conversation to reflect on how much he’s changed over time as an artist and a person. The years, he noted, bring with them a shift in perspective that’s impossible to ignore.
“Throughout your entire life, you’ve had to deal with this thing — you get older every day,” Gillan said candidly during the interview. “It’s a slow process, but it happens.”
He recalled how his early songwriting was driven by the raw, youthful energy of the era: “When you’re a kid, you write about fast cars and loose women… it’s very rock ’n’ roll,” he said. But as he matured, his creative focus shifted toward topics that felt more unusual or “off-the-wall,” a reflection of how artists evolve with age and experience.
Candid About Aging and Life on the Road
Gillan didn’t shy away from the realities of aging, either — including the physical limitations that come with time. He revealed that he has lost a significant portion of his vision — about 70 percent — and admitted he can no longer perform feats of youth like pole vaulting, joking that “nothing’s changed really, apart from I can’t pole vault any more!”
Still, he emphasized the importance of humor and perspective. “If you’ve got a sense of humor, you can get by with most things,” he said. And when asked what would make him stop performing, his answer was simple and self-aware: “I think if I lose my energy I’m going to stop. I don’t want to be an embarrassment to anyone.”
Even now, Gillan’s focus remains on creativity and collaboration. He praised the younger musicians he works with, noting that they seem to keep improving while his own role is less about pushing himself physically and more about contributing something meaningful with experience behind him.
A Legacy Still Echoing Through Pop Culture
Though he was unaware of the Stranger Things placement, the choice of “Child in Time” for such a high-profile show is yet another example of how Deep Purple’s legacy continues to resonate decades after the song was first released. As audiences stream the final season of the acclaimed series, a new wave of listeners is being introduced to one of rock’s true classics — sometimes before even the song’s creators know about it.
