The choice of “Smoke on the Water” was used because of its simplicity and the probability the song choice would attract more guitarists. It did, in fact, get people to learn the song who otherwise did not play guitar!

As far as a Purple fan is concerned, it was great to see the band get some much needed recognition, not to mention the opportunity to hang out with like-minded people. I even met a former student from years back that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Take a pint any day

Jon Lord mentioned in a recent interview that within the next couple of years, with the 40th anniversary of DP and by ‘09, the anniversary of the formation with Gillan and Glover, that “something” will be done–he just doesn’t know what or when, exactly.

So they’re thinking about it, the idea is being tossed around, and we’ll just have to wait and see about the details.

We left a reply for you in blog ‘a light in the sky’.

LET THE BOYS SURPRISE US.

With some fresh, new and exciting work.

No stupid creations like the Aviator and so on, please………

I rather prefer a great INSTRUMENTAL like “difficult To Cure”. Don already showed he can play the ORGAN.
After 14 bloody years in Purple YOU should be able to make a great classical music based song like that. Or not?

No more FIDDLING please….?
It’s get’s on my nerves………

Some more “Smooth Dancer II songs” like “I m NOT your lover”….
We LOVE to hear that you are still not over the divorce, Ian…..
Some fast rock songs like Cascades, Bananas, Kiss tomorrow Goodbye….. and great ORGAN songs like Hush II : “Rosa’s Cantina”.

Is the bar still open, Ian?

Ian : Burp???

What about Blackers bar???? Does it still serve???

As long as the REAL THING does not come to it’s senses we might as well subdue ourselves some time further to MASOCHISM…….

So bring it on : 2008 Purple………..

But without to much social correct blabbering a la ROTH and NO TRASH like Abandon mainly was.
Rather make us “7th Heaven II” instead………

REFRAIN FROM RAP, Ian!!!!!! I hate talk radio………

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh

“I f I said I d still believe in it. I d lie…”

RIverside: “Behind the eyelids”(Rapid Eye Movement)

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

These events bring good publicity to our favorite band, despite the fact that they practically ignored them, especially the one here in America. Purple could have capitalized on the event and brought much needed attention to themselves in the States. The recent comment by Glover was almost condescending.

I participated in the Kansas City, Kansas event. DP is NOT very well known in America outside of classic rock radio and almost unheard of in Kansas City. Don’t worry…I am constantly explaining to people who they are, and as a teacher, I am indoctrinating–er, I mean informing young people about them.

The last concert here took place at Verizon Wireless Sandstone in a 6,700 seat venue. It did not appear to be sold out, but there were people in the grass in the back. The Scorpions were the co-headliners with Joe Satriani as the opener (in the rain), and the Scorpions t-shirt wearing fans were very large in number. It was obvious many came only to see Satriani.

The same could be said for the concert previous to that one, which also featured Dio and Thin Lizzy. Based on the t-shirts, most people were there to see the other acts. Deep Purple shirts were few and far between. Purple would NEVER be able to sell out the large indoor venues in the city.

The point is: The fact that the record-breaking took place in Kansas City and attracted 1,721 guitarists and budding guitarists in this Purple-unfriendly country (we are not, after all, Germany or France) is nothing short of a small miracle. Outside of town, there is NOTHING…for miles and miles and miles. Flat, treeless farmland. Country music is the genre of choice here.

I am proud of the fact that we broke the record, even if for a short time. I used my Gillan-signed Stratocaster, which held obvious meaning to me. Germany (and the nearby countries) only produced a mere 81 more official guitarists! That is also nothing short of a small miracle (for us). I’m so relieved it wasn’t a blowout!

I know the Stuttgart area from when I grew up in the 70’s (my family lives in Holzgerlingen) and even then the metro area was large and growing quickly. In those days, the Autobahn stopped suddenly at Sindelfingen.

Anyway, this coupled with the fact that the European event was much more heavily publicized and organized and is much more into Purple than here makes the short-lived American record sweet indeed.

I think that these events were more about the record for the most people playing “Smoke on the Water” than it was about breaking the record for the biggest guitar ensemble!

Once again, congratulations to Germany for the new record. I never had any doubt it would be broken. The moment I heard that Stuttgart would be going for it, I knew it was all over! The European plans came over the radio soon before the American event, and I remember thinking, “Aw, son of a–…”