Simper had known Blackmore since the early 1960s when his first band, the Renegades, debuted around the same time as one of Blackmore's early bands, the Dominators.
Simper hade känt Blackmore sedan början av 1960-talet då hans första band, The Renegades, debuterat ungefär samtidigt som ett av Blackmores tidiga band, The Dominators.