Following promotional work for DEEP PURPLE's poorly received 'House Of Blue Light' album singer IAN GILLAN returned to the UK to form an interim live band, at first with the intention of keeping his hand in. GARTH ROCKETT AND THE MOONSHINERS, formulated in February 1989 and named in honour of one of Gillan's earliest 1962 formative acts, featured three members of EXPORT, guitarists Steve Morris and Harry Shaw plus drummer Lou Rosenthal, alongside the NUTZ, RAGE and DEMON credited Keith Mulholland on bass and ex-QUEST keyboard player Mark Buckle.

This unit debuted with a low key concert held on 18th February 1989 at Southport Floral Hall. Further concerts followed before Gillan was unceremoniously dismissed from the ranks of DEEP PURPLE that May. GARTH ROCKETT AND THE MOONSHINERS briefly became a priority for the frontman and a 16th May 1989 concert at The Ritz in Manchester was filmed for issue as a live VHS video.The set included GILLAN / GLOVER material and GILLAN songs.

The final appearance of the band came in July with a Liverpool concert in July staged to raise funds for the Hillsborough football disaster.

The group disbanded shortly afterwards and Gillan forged a fresh solo band in May 1990, taking Steve Morris, and briefly Mark Buckle, into this new formation. Various incarnations followed before Gillan rejoined DEEP PURPLE in August 1992.

Purple Records issued the GARTH ROCKETT AND THE MOONSHINERS 1989 Manchester concert on CD in 2000.