[hand] [face]
The Original Deep Purple Web Pages
The Highway Star

Writing in Portugal

Deep Purple in 2013; photo: Jim Rakette

It’s been a slow news week, but finally here’s a good one.

Swiss newspaper Basellandschaftliche Zeitung published an interview with Ian Gillan, in which he said (in reverse translation):

Good morning, Mr. Gillan, they told us you were in Portugal. May we ask what are you doing?

Ian Gillan: The whole band is there. We have a studio in the Algarve and working on new songs. In the evening we take a sip of good red wine and enjoy the tranquility.

The interview is not dated, but the Basel gig on July 11 was mentioned, so it must be at least this year vintage. It looks like the band is making good on the promise to get back into the studio soon for a follow up to Now what?!

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov for the info.



35 Comments to “Writing in Portugal”:

  1. 1
    Mateja Soretic says:

    If the new stuff is as good as Now What!? I will be so pleased, but I don’t think they will do any more big tours, they said it themselves

  2. 2
    Rajaseudun Rampe says:

    This is something I would not have imagined two or three years ago. What a great news! Miracles happen.

  3. 3
    Greg Furlong says:

    Sounds very promising
    Lets call this album

    “Everything louder than anything else”

    Time for the boys to come back Downunder as well!

  4. 4
    LRT says:

    This is an absolute no-brainer. With a US tour coming up, why make a return trip some year later to record another one? I say there won’t be time for it. This is too inevitable not to be the predictable case. I called this around the time the US tour news broke.

  5. 5
    Peter Iwan says:

    Mal überraschen lassen…

  6. 6
    Brett Carroll says:

    A new album already

  7. 7
    Stefano Santi says:

    Great!

  8. 8
    Stefano Santi says:

    Yes!!!

  9. 9
    Bo says:

    After the succes with the last album, they have to do it now.
    A shorter tour will be fine, then they can play 2½ hour each time 🙂

  10. 10
    kraatzy says:

    Yeah

    Lets rock … again and again and…

    Can´t get enough to hear DeepPurple music and like that and especially new stuff …

    LLRnR

    LLDnP

    kraatzy

  11. 11
    Tommy H. says:

    It’s really good to hear that they’re alright and continue riding the wave “Now What?!” started. Roger already said it in an interview, that he doesn’t intend to wait another eight years because they aren’t getting any younger.

    But regarding “Now What?!”, I have to make a point on the occasion:

    After many listenings I came to the conclusion that the singer had to suit the music. But the music should suit the singer. I think that the natural progression for Ian would be to move on and leave the rock singer behind. It has nothing to do with his vocal range, sound or anything like that. What I’m really missing is the attitude he had when he was younger which made him the rock singer. It shines through from time to time but there is now so much more he could do which would be different but of bigger quality all together than keeping on the rock shoes.

  12. 12
    al says:

    sorry kids but where do i read the whole interview in English?! Am I missing something ?

  13. 13
    oleg says:

    Great news!
    Hope to see DP in Tel Aviv as a part of word tour!
    Keep rocking!

  14. 14
    Wally Roundhead says:

    Great news!!!

    Thumbs up! I like!!

    Now what was a superb album and it really shows that the band is still cooking,

    Together With an exellent producer as Ezrin the bands vitality, the muscicians experience just hit exploriuos paths into the landscapes of music that we all know and love Deep Purple for.
    They are Unique!
    This was their best album in many years.

    They are professionals and with the lust and the great reception Now What got this may be a new labour of joy.

    Im really glad to hear theese news, i wish them good luck with the new one!

    I thank Deep Purple for the past and the future! It gives so much to life besides the usual personal yada yada that sourrounds us.

  15. 15
    LRT says:

    @Tommy H, it seems you never change, can’t compliment the band without ranking on Gillan somehow. 😀 Oh dear, no attitude in Apres Vouz, no attitude in Out Of Hand?! Well then, Weirdistan will have to do for you. Perhaps checking into it a year ago might’ve render a different attitude yourself by now. lol

  16. 16
    LRT says:

    His performance on the album leaves the last three in the dust! Now What?! 😀

  17. 17
    Yvonne says:

    @ 12 Now why would a Swiss newspaper print an interview in English? You can however find a summary of the interview on Classic Rock

    http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-06-06/deep-purple-writing-next-record

    Gillan also mentioned that they look forward to the Football World Cup. All of them except Steve Morse who hasn’t a clue about football.

  18. 18
    stoffer says:

    Tommy H @11, if and when Ian leaves the group, DP will most likely be no more….be careful what you wish for?!

  19. 19
    Peter Howdon-Brown says:

    can’t get anything from you tube, something about copyright infringement. I hope it is not going to cost.

  20. 20
    Peter Howdon-Brown says:

    Tony Iommi and our own Ian Gillan. will not disappoint. Just think of Gillan’s Inn. It will be a racker.

  21. 21
    Tommy H. says:

    @ 15-17:

    Please listen to Ian’s singing on “Hell To Pay” and imagine him doing that song 30 years ago. People change – not only physically. He said it himself that he wouldn’t write a song like “Highway Star” now because it doesn’t bother him anymore to write about fast cars and easy women. That attitude left the building long ago. It is easy to hear that Ian sounded more like himself on the quieter parts of the album then he did on songs like “Hell To Pay”. Not only that he clearly struggles on latter, he sounds out of place. After quite a few listenings I had the feeling that he aleady made a big step away from the past. I don’t wish for Ian to leave the band. By moving on I meant that the next album shouldn’t sound too similar to “Now What?!”. The band should just focus more on what singer they have considering his value of recognition. In other words: Acoustic and electric guitars not only don’t sound the same but also require a different style of playing even though they’re both guitars.

  22. 22
    Roberto says:

    I hope they will write some country music…some pop and folk too.

  23. 23
    al says:

    @ 22 I heard they have some hip hop as well Roberto ! lol

    @21 Tommy I think we have already moved on from that attitude,long time ago man,GILLAN is 69 yo soon t be ,you cannot have that attitude and range like some 20-30-40 years ago! do you like the album ? that is what’s important! I kind of agree in one thing: this Deep Purple band is more like Gillan/Glover band,in terms of decisions and touring and studio plans .I know is a 5 piece band and Paicey,Morse,Airey are excellent musicians,but we know Gillan/Glover have “control” over this band. I hope they keep up the momentum with another good follow up,and I hope is a different one from NW and Ezrin pushes them even more in the studio!

  24. 24
    Tommy H. says:

    @ 22, 23:

    You completey misunderstood my comments. Not to be offensive, but just to make it easier for you, I’ll quote myself:

    “After many listenings I came to the conclusion that the singer had to suit the music. But the music should suit the singer. […] People change – not only physically. […] By moving on I meant that the next album shouldn’t sound too similar to “Now What?!”. The band should just focus more on what singer they have considering his value of recognition.”

    If Roger really believes what he says (“The music of Deep Purple is whatever we play!”), it shouldn’t be too hard to leave the past behind and focus on music which makes their singer shine again. Playing the same old stuff again and again and trying to reinvent the wheel won’t do it.

  25. 25
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    This is the most exiting news since…… !Now What?. I truly am amazed. Just a short couple of years ago, we were all sucked into believing that not only would there never be another album, but also that by now Purple would be done. Here we are with an incredible album last year and now news of yet another to follow. If that doesn’t produce extreme happiness and excitement from every Purple fan here, then it may be time to move on….. Purple’s last album !Now What? is a true masterpiece and I still am spinning the disk in my player. As different and dimensional as it is, I am thoroughly ‘purplexed’ as to what they will come up with to follow it. Hopefully Bob Ezrin is still on board. I would like to see a strong instrumental jam track this go-round. It’s time they offer something new to replace ‘Well Dressed Guitar’. The way Steve and Don evolved do dynamically with Now What, I believe they could come up with a real barn stormer. A track that lets each member let loose and shine individually. Either way, this is incredible news and beyond anything imagined a few years ago.

    God Bless Deep Purple!!!!

    Ch-BeerZ

  26. 26
    Roberto says:

    @23 Bad news, I hate hip hop!

  27. 27
    al says:

    @ 24

    I got your point man,not misunderstanding,was just trying to talk and discuss more around your point,instead of arguing…maybe I wasn’t very clear.I like Gillan singing on the last one, and I feel he knows what to sing, and what not live at this point of his career. I am already drooling with the news of the new album!

    @ 26 Roberto man,the closest they got to a hip hop attitude is” Doing Tonight” which was very pleasant “surprise” for me at the time,but it kind of run its course now of course.The album(Bananas) had some good ideas and songs,but still the lack of good producer and unfinished ideas,was a let down for me personally.

  28. 28
    purplepriest1965 says:

    I like songs here and there since Morse joined DP, but, espescially after Lord’s departure, I dont experience it as Deep Purple anymore.

    The appeal to a wide audience only comes with the brandname Deep Purple not if they would have called it the Gillan,Glover and Paice project.Or something like that.

    Blackmore, when reforming RAINBOW in the 90’s showed up overhere in the AHOY and it was SOLD OUT.
    AHOY, is a quite large venue over here, not part of the clubcircuit.
    Just like the end of the 70’s Gillan was having trouble drwaing audiences during his GIllanband stint in the early 90’s.

    If they had discarded the bulk of the MK 2 songs, I d have given my blessings, but this is just about the money.

    A pity, despite my clearly not loving him that much I d have loved to see an emphasis on the Morse/Airey material.

    They came close that during the Now What tour but……………….will those numbers survive in the end?

    I like a few pieces of that album and sometimes give them a spin.

    To call it a masterpiece while IN ROCK is being called the same………….weird.

  29. 29
    stoffer says:

    Great to hear the ‘priest’ hasn’t changed…………@28 I hope DP continues writing despite not getting your “blessings”…. I really do wish Blackmore would reform Rainbow, that would be something – ROCK from Blackers and Now What II…..or they could call it What Now?!

  30. 30
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    PP, again with the draw being your point as to Purple’s music and albums. You can’t use today’s stats and other stats from prior times to make your case against Purple or any other band. We all know that timing is everything along with promotion. You either dig the music or not. If you stand by the popularity issue, it might be time to check out Bruno Mars. Surely you don’t waste time with Glenn Hughes. He hasn’t charted in years.

    Ch-BeerZ

  31. 31
    purplepriest1965 says:

    I just like GOOD music, thats all.

  32. 32
    Drdp says:

    So will the newie be called…………………. WHAT NOW!?

  33. 33
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    31,

    Good music? They play Good Music. Present stuff and MIB stuff. Stop whining. You really make no sense with this. Only you would go to the limit you do to state the same old dribble when we are blessed with the announcement that they are actually writing and working on a new album. Only you would suck the wind out of the Purple sail when it is sailing better than it has in a long time. To still be belittling them after Now What and then their jumping right back in the studio for a follow-up to it, I’d say you have finally ceased to matter….. RIP.

    ChBeerZ

  34. 34
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Bruno who? 🙁

  35. 35
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    Exactly……..

Add a comment:

Preview no longer available -- once you press Post, that's it. All comments are subject to moderation policy.

||||Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
© 1993-2024 The Highway Star and contributors
Posts, Calendar and Comments RSS feeds for The Highway Star