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Deep Purple is apolitical, but…
The band has just released the following statement:
As a rule, Deep Purple is apolitical, but on this occasion…
Words of Roger Glover:
‘Like many performers, we have occasionally performed private concerts for fans in various countries. We are an apolitical band and in no way, was our intention ever political. It was music.These days are different. We condemn Putin’s military for the atrocities to innocent men, women and children in Ukraine. and we apologize to our Russian and Ukrainian fans that the shows have been cancelled. We live in hope that we can fulfill those dates in the future. ‘
RGWords of Don Airey:
Watching the news that Russian missiles have just destroyed the Opera House in Freedom Square Kharkiv, where DP played almost exactly 20 years ago, memorable for Ian Gillan donning a tutu he found in a dressing room cupboard and proclaiming himself “Deep Purple in Frock”, for the gear arriving at 7pm and somehow the show starting at 8pm, for an old apparatchik single-handedly trying to make the young audience sit back down during the set with such zeal that he had a seizure, and next day on the way back to the airport my asking about a statue ”Is that Lenin?”, Roger Glover replying, “Well it’s definitely not McCartney”.A different day today
I have just written to Dmitri Medvedev, former President and now head of the Russian Security Council, returning the autograph he gave me at the dinner for Deep Purple at the Gorky Palace in March 2011, in protest at his various statements post invasion.
DAWords of Ian Gillan:
If speaking out means we shall never see our Russian friends again, then that is a big sacrifice, but nothing compared with never again seeing our Ukrainian friends who are being killed to satisfy the psychopathic ambitions of the Russian leader.I would like to see Russians on the streets in their millions, to show their disgust at the Ukrainian invasion, and I’d like to dream that very quickly, Russia can find some modern leadership that will bring them back into the world as friends. We have so much in common.
IGWords of Ian Paice:
What’s happening is beyond distressing. It’s criminal and should be treated as such.
The invasion of Putin’s army into Ukraine, (because that’s what it is), I hope will turn out to bring his ultimate downfall.And that someone who is “functioning mentally in the 21st century”, can lead the Russian people back into the fold.
IPWords of Steve Morse:
I’ve always thought music should be non-political, and cross every border as the universal language. As a citizen of a deeply divided country, one thing here that everybody agrees on is: Stop this attack on a Country who voluntarily disarmed their nukes to satisfy all the big players. Stop, lower your guns, turn back, help others on the way back!
SM
The message is accompanied by Child in Time lyrics that we written in 1969, at the height of the cold war.
Upcoming shows in Ukraine and Russia have disappeared from the band’s website a couple of days ago and now are for sure cancelled.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Well said all, Putin is a horror.
March 5th, 2022 at 18:11Maybe Yngwie thinks differently?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c_WaNJ3e4M&ab_channel=DanBatac
March 5th, 2022 at 19:32The Russian people can’t even stand this megalomanic, who likely will resort to using nuclear weapons if he can’t get his way. Putin wants to reform the Soviet Union. England, USA, et al., would probably like to take him on, but don’t want to kill the good, innocent citizens in Russia and Ukraine.
March 5th, 2022 at 20:00Well done friends!
War is BIG madness, I feel sorry for the Ukrainians as well as the Russian people. That KGB school (Putin) is a great evil for everyone, the war should end as soon as possible, I have experience from the war in ex Yugoslavia (Croatia). My country has suffered terribly (1990-1995) ..there were no big rock concerts-guest appearances for 7-8 years (one of the last was Deep Purple “Slaves and Masters” tour , Zagreb 1990) the first (“big) return -“1league-RnR Premier League” were guest appearances Page-Plant Feb 21st 1998.
Incredible experience, euphoria (12 000 t) that only rock n roll can provide That his performance in Zagreb remained in his special memory, Jimmy Page showed in 2019 when he remembered that concert with a message on his Facebook page #OnThisDay in 1998, Page and Plant began The Mystic East ’98 tour in Zagreb, Croatia
I’d never visited Eastern Europe before and this first time in Croatia gave me a fascinating opportunity to meet the recently-liberated people and feel their openness and enthusiasm, which really manifested at the show.
We came back to play this same venue on November 12th that year, when a lady that I had met at this first show queried “Why did you come back? Nobody comes back to play a second time!”, but I could have replied “there had been an extended intermission!” @ Zagreb, Croatia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGRBQ9fVDa8
STOP WAR !!!
March 6th, 2022 at 08:14Music is non-political … o.m.g.
And now ?
LLRnR
March 6th, 2022 at 08:31kraatzy
Well Said!!
March 6th, 2022 at 10:24Well done, Deep Purple!
March 6th, 2022 at 14:19Your clear, strong stance on this bloody conflict should be music to the ears of all objective fans, whether Russian or Ukrainian.
You know this is a REALLY big issue when Deep Purple get political. They’re almost always mum about divisive issues over which other musicians and entertainers in general can’t keep their yaps shut.
They don’t opine about Trump, Covid, Brexit, abortion, gun control, immigration, etc.
Besides being the greatest rock band of all time, Deep Purple is also composed of eminently genuine individuals. Their silence most of the time speaks volumes, as their entertainment peers often make asses of themselves by reflexively taking sides without knowing all of the facts.
As Steve said, even in the highly divided United States, everyone agrees that this invasion of Ukraine is just plain wrong.
That Deep Purple spoke out about it is evidence of its magnitude and of the world’s rare instance of likemindedness.
March 6th, 2022 at 17:11I remember vividly what Ian Gillan said in an interview around the time the band had their special meeting with the Russian PM when he played back a bit of ‘Blood suckers’ to them for a laugh’ Ian said ‘the difference between Russia and America that Russia plays chess and America plays Cowboy when it comes to politics’
March 6th, 2022 at 19:05But the German band Rammstien summed it up well politically in their song Amerika when they sang we all living in America coka cola Wonderbra we all living in America some times war and music to the White House 🏠.
Of course no one like war and killing people but history will always repeat itself and someone’s hero is another person war criminal.
Peace sells but who is buying
Well said Guys but will you stop drinking Russia vodka
Peace and love always wins
Fully agree with DP. Playing for any country’s leadership is okay but killing civilians is not. Wait for the ricochet.
March 6th, 2022 at 21:19Better late than never – what took you so long??
March 6th, 2022 at 21:28A reaction showing cojones and integrity in the face of a bad situation.
March 6th, 2022 at 21:35@Adel: Sounds like you’re an apologist for Putin. And your comment about vodka is a disgrace.
March 7th, 2022 at 06:17Ukraine 🇺🇦 🙏!
March 7th, 2022 at 06:58Posts like this are always difficult. Please try to think twice before you post your comments. If something you post gets deleted, it’s not because of some Russian censorship conspiracy, it’s because someone of us running the site tried to keep the page clean from fights, threats or insults.
March 7th, 2022 at 07:26@Adel – think Rammstein have condemned Russian invasion too – https://loudwire.com/rammstein-statement-support-ukraine/
March 7th, 2022 at 12:48Proud of this response by DP it was the correct one.
Hm, it’s OK not to play in Russia, but no matter how hard I try, I just cannot remember the band refusing to play for example in the USA. Given the fact how many times the USA planes were flying around and dropping bombs on a number of countries.
March 7th, 2022 at 14:00It’s always amazed me how one guy can control an army and invade and kill so many innocent people and not think twice about it. I could never live with the guilt of doing something like this. Let’s hope this stops so the healing can begin. I respect all the statements from the members of Deep Purple and thank them for putting them out there.
March 7th, 2022 at 14:40James@13
March 7th, 2022 at 15:04Putin and people like him will never live forever. But Vodka and Coka Cola will be enjoyed forever.
Russian, American, Ukrainian, British and every national on Earth wants peace.
But as Queen once sang ‘The show must go on.’ neither you or me are running the show.
Peace on Earth 🙂
@Dino: If you missed the Brexit campaign IG did, you didn’t pay much attention.
At least their comment made it into Germanys biggest paper (the one ‘with the big letters’) including the pic they did with Medwedew.
For those non-Germans here: it’s BILD and don’t get confused that the article starts with Elton John.
March 7th, 2022 at 17:17Paul@16
March 8th, 2022 at 07:29Thanks for the update.
I think no one on earth will defend Putin action but sadly words are not enough.
Putin is on a mission to drag this into a world war if you touch him. And every is scared of that as that’s the price you pay if you deal with a nuclear power house. But I could be wrong as I am just on the outside.
Peace 👍
@ 19, The nation is in World War Three right now, but many a people don’t see that yet.
March 8th, 2022 at 13:13Sarabande@13
That seems to be a little “Whataboutery” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism) – you don’t have to agree with all past US military interventions (and I don’t) to realise they are not the moral equivalent to an invasion of democratic state that doesn’t want you there under a pretext that seems to vary from one-day to the next – NATO expansionism, de-nazification, not a legitimate state etc
March 8th, 2022 at 13:53Remember when JLT praised Putin a few years ago? Wonder if he’s changed his tune these days?
March 8th, 2022 at 14:01I think its weird to ask to refrain from political comments this way.
Its a complex situation and a lot is going on underneath the different narratives.
Hopefully we get out without going full WW 3 mode.
March 8th, 2022 at 15:45One thing is for sure: this site is not a war zone. Comments closed.
March 10th, 2022 at 09:50