40 Years of Deep Purple

mike65

Already?!

Okay slightly a lie what with the lay off between 1976 and 1984 and a few other interludes as various arguments were resolved between Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan. 13 members have come and gone and come again with only Ian Paice surviving every coup, reformation, retirement and death.

The role of honour in order of apperance, current line up in bold

Vocal - Roy Evans, Ian Gillan, David Coverdale, Joe Lynn Turner
Guitar - Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Steve Morse
Keyboards - Jon Lord, Don Airey
Drums - Ian Paice
Bass - Nick Simper, Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes

While Joe Satriani helped out by filling in for Blackmore on tour after the latter quit in 1993.

Whats remarkable for me is that dispite everything they just keep going, obviously fings ain't quite what they used to be at thier absolute peak in the early 70s, the arrival of Steve Morse in 1994 gave the old dogs new life as his shredding/fusion style was integrated into the house style. Don Airey has taken over the keys from the semi-retired Jon Lord as smoothly one would expect while the Paice/Glover axis remains tight and vital. The only weak link is my favouite part of the package - Ian Gillan.

40 years of high octane screams and gigging have taken thier toll. In studio its not a problem as the current material is written within his current register (indeed he should stick to the blues) but live the old numbers are now a strain for the most part (wisely Child In Time is no longer played!). Still, his good humour and the fact Purple still solo a lot means his cracked sound is not the deal-breaker it could have been.

They'll never have another platinum seller its fair to say but they don't need to and with tours still doing good business at "Arena" level it looks like they could yet rival the Stones for not quitting

An now some music through the ages

Mark 1 1968 Playboy Club (groovy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCIa7lxq2cE

Mark 11 1972 Copenhagen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6x8GGXrCFQ

Mark 111 1974 California Jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLSEQUhn8eU

Mark IV 1975 Budokan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksLN0aJ3wVE

Mark 11 reform 1984

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x--tQWktEhQ

Mark V 1991 Oh dear Rainbow lite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Zi8GLfWTU

Mark VI 1996 Revival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Dr9ZCBclk

Mark VII 2006 current line up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f50TSSFu5_Q

Mike.

rednik

Another huge purple fan here Mike. Made in Japan is still one of my favourite live albums. Gillan for his age is not that bad.Not many singers could handle Child in time to be fair. I recently bought the 4 DVD collection and it is really good. Didn't really know much about Steve Morse but watching the live footage he is a very good player and the performances are very good.

Jon Lord's last gig is a bit of a tearjerker as Don Airey is playing for a lot of the show and on comes Jon for his final show. If you don't have this collection I highly recommend it as a purple fan. To be honest Blackmore is not missed and the real surprise is he lasted six more years with Gillan in the band. I bought the DVD from play.com for 20.99 money well spent.

big b

I saw DP a couple of times waaaay back. Not in my top 5 bands, not even my top 20, but I admire their longevity & they do have some ripping rock tracks in the catalogue.
Amongst my crowd at the time, Purple were always respected but didn't seem to be anyone's favourite band.
Last time I saw any of them live was Gillan solo round about 1980, he was in great voice but either didn't have a great band, or they maybe just had a bad day.

blastman

They probably won't have another number two single again, that's for sure!

Saw the (reformed) band live a couple of times (AFAIK, on their only two Irish appearances so far). First time round was excellent, with Lord and Child In Time intact. Second time around wasn't bad by any means, but there was no Child In Time by then and to be honest, Lynyrd Skynyrd were just too damn hard to follow.

Anyone into rock and metal has plenty of reasons to be grateful to them.

dr.bollocko

Any particular favourite album I could get on? Much like the above, always a fan of the Purp, but never their biggest fan if you know what i mean.
Thanks Mike, looks like I missed a trick!

mike65

Prolly best to start with a live album (its thier natural environment), so I'll suggest either Made in Japan (25th anniversary reissue 2-CD) or 1980s In Concert (BBC/EMI).

The Anthology (EMI) from 1985 (1991 extended version) is a good compilation of 1968-1975 era material you will need to hunt for a used copy I suspect.

Mike

Ostrom

I am purples biggest Irish fan

I remember the 2003 gig, Gillen did an interview with that guy dadrock from today FM where he asked them to do child in time (against his wishes). I remember it didnt turn out too good....

I'm a big fan of the current lineup, perihelion and live in montreux have some of my favourite versions of lazy, woman from tokyo and speed king.


On the new material, I remember seeing an interview with Lord just after Bananas making some hesitant comments on the tracks, rapture wasnt much better and its a shame the most they can manage are 3 or 4 decent tracks per record, but I reckon as a live act they are on top form.

I'm no fan of Morse's industrial sound, but Blackmore on come hell or high water was'nt easy to listen too, and I doubt it would have gotten any better had he stuck it out with the shortened and way-too-fast pacings he set.

And they are long overdue for another Irish date, its been 5 years since skynyrd?

damonjewel

I always really liked them, Blackmore is a Guitar God (Steve Morse is quite exceptional too). However Ian Paice is the best Rock drummer around.

I think In Rock is their best, so I have voted for them for album of the week

Karl Hungus

damonjewel wrote: »

(Steve Morse is quite exceptional too).

I love Morse. I'll take him over Blackmore any day, tbh. That's probably more to do with his solo stuff and Dixie Dregs than Deep Purple, mind you.

adox

Made In Japan is a fantastic album. Highway Star has to be the best opening track for a gig ever.

Machine Head and In Rock are also essential.

eric the head

gutted i missed their show with Skynyrd. heard it was great.

blastman

It was

Ostrom

Best ever. Got to meet Roger.


Anyone remember when they carried the guy into the crowd for the second part of freebird? I was a bit back fron the front, and these guys pushed everyone aside to bring this guy in a wheelchair (dressed in full rocker leather gear) closer to the stage. Most got out of the way despite all the madness, it was a really nice moment. Then later Steve messed up the intro to lazy and had to start again.

I got your number got its first airing there too I think, one of my Mk7/8 favourites

BostonB

I only really know the Deep Purple stuff with Blackmore. The other stuff doesn't grab me at all.

The Volt

Purpendicular ftw

DublinWriter

Only yesterday I watched an old VHS copy of the episode of BBC's Rock Family Trees featuring Deep Purple (dating from 1993). Fascinating stuff.

They managed to interview all the surviving members at the time, only one ex-member refused to take part...guess who?!?

blastman

He did appear in the Classic Albums programme that focussed on Machine Head, though. Must have changed his tune.

grames_bond

i love purple, saw them a few years back and i still consider it one of if not THE best gig i have ever seen! just blown away! they toured last year but no irish date which surprised and dissapointed me because it was a live nation promoted tour and live nation own the point! if they came back i would be there in a second!

Roanmore

I've just been watching some Tommy Bolin clips on youtube, what a waste of a young life. Maybe not suited to Purple but I think CTTB is a very under-rated album.

mike65

The Ultimate Tommy Bolin triple LP is well worth tracking down, it follows his short but rather brilliant career from 1969 on.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Redux-Tommy-Bolin/dp/B000YWIG1Y/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_3/105-5488148-6897223

Mike

DublinWriter

mike65 wrote: »

The Ultimate Tommy Bolin triple LP is well worth tracking down, it follows his short but rather brilliant career from 1969 on.
Mike

Also check out his playing on Billy Cobham's 1973 solo album Spectrum.

mike65

Have that too!

Mike

maidenireland

Got a dvd a while ago about Ian Gillans life in the rock industry where he started out in a choir and was soon realised as a true star with the range he had. He joined his first band in the sixties called Episode One with Roger Glover and had pretty good success with them until they left to join Purple.
It's all about longevity people - who out there now will be doing there stuff in 20 years time never mind 40???? What's in the charts now is dirt, but if you have a top ten hit now you're made for life, The Purples, Stones, Bowies of this life worked damned hard and lived out of the back of vans for a lot of their early touring days, so I think the tough times are gone, I mean when you have Pete Doherty being classed as a musical genius and lyracist you know its gone down the kazzy.

Rock on:cool:

BostonB

Theres always music you like, and music you don't like.

starflake

BostonB wrote: »

Theres always music you like, and music you don't like.

+1 Each to their own and all that jazz.. But yeah i mean the Purple boys are around forever. Ian Paice is still as amazing as ever. He's like a tank with never ending reserve. He still goes around teaching kids drumming techniques too. Thats something we dont really have anymore... Bands that have a lifetime career with serious hard work. Alot of the music today is manufactured to the last a lot of the hard work isn't done by the 'musicians' themselves.

Anyways.... here's to Deep Purple! Im personally looking forward to another few years from them yet!

BostonB

starflake wrote: »

...Thats something we dont really have anymore... Bands that have a lifetime career with serious hard work. ...

Of course there is. You just have to go looking for it.

starflake

Go on then..... Give me the list!

Ostrom

I get what you mean... Few career bands left because the old reliables like purple are reaching their limit. Honestly I cant think of many bands with the same longevity (debatable if you talk about line-ups), same commitment to non-stop touring, self written/produced (until 2001) with such a legacy of side projects and branch careers.

AlanOB

I would mention Yes, but they're a bit like Trigger's broom from Only Fools And Horses (he's had it 20 years - four new heads and three new handles).

Rush, for me are a band that will go on to match Deep Purple for 40 years. They've passed 30 already and they have a much stronger back catalogue.

BostonB

starflake wrote: »

Go on then..... Give me the list!

A list, jeez. Off the top of my head, theres obviously younger bands like Muse, who are going 14yrs, Queens of the Stone Age, 12yrs, Foo Fighters 13yrs, Theres guys like Joe Bonamassa. Theres loads of old 80's Metal/Rock bands, ACDC, Bon Jovi, Metallica, U2. Theres Depeche Mode, where do you stop?

Found these on the web last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-HP4b4os8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5dXvcrksDc

My old Favorites Loudness, 27yrs on the go...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-2VYybG5J0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXqBOok0eE0

starflake

Ok you have me. I still reckon Rush are one of the best bands ever. Some of them listed... not too keen on , but yeah, you win! hands down!