Last year Deep Purple performed at Wacken and, as we all know, their performance was filmed and about an hour of it was shown on German TV. UDR Records has just released a lengthy 3DVD/3Bluray/2CD compilation of the festival performances, and this includes one track from the Purple set — Lazy.

Flying Colors — one of Steve Morse’s other bands — will release their sophomore studio album called Second Nature on September 29 in Europe and 30th in the rest of the world via Mascot Label Group / Music Theories Recordings.

Another teaspoonful of the Nick Simper interview in Classic Rock. He talks about his dismissal from Deep Purple and still sounds more than a bit bitter about the whole affair:

It was definitely a body blow.

Classic Rock has a promo piece for the Hard Road box set with several quotes from the rarely interviewed Nick Simper:

It was a very exciting time – the band was brand-new and we were thrust together to make the first album in 18 hours.

Back in 1975 DEEP PURPLE MK III were playing their final shows, with the majority of the band and the audience not even knowing. Ritchie Blackmore, unsatisfied with most tracks on the latest DEEP PURPLE album “Stormbringer” collaborated with singer Ronnie James Dio to record a solo single (which grew to an entire album) and finally took the decision to leave DEEP PURPLE and form a new band called RAINBOW.

Tommy Bolin’s early band Zephyr debut album was released as a deluxe 3CD box set on May 27 this year on Cleopatra Records. The album was remixed by the founding member and bassist of the band David Givens.

Deep Purple performed at the Hohentwiel Festival in Germany on July 21, and paid a tribute to the German soccer team, which was recently crowned as world champions. The festival was held in the city of Singen, which means singing in German, and under the pouring rain Singing in the Rain jokes were, quite naturally, abound.

Roger Glover spoke to Ultimate Classic Rock on the occasion of upcoming North American tour. As usual with Roger’s interviews, it’s rather off the cuff and thus very interesting. He also once again confirmed that the band is working on a follow up to Now what?!

California Breed has added a string of dates in the US starting October 7 in Bethlehem, PA, and finishing on the 26th in LA. This side of the pond they will be supporting Alter Bridge.

On July 20, after Deep Purple finish their set at the Guitare en Scene festival in France, Steve Morse will take part in a special all-star jam to pay tribute to the legendary Jimi Hendrix.