![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse3.jpg)
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If you look closely
RAMzine has a preview of the updated edition of Illustrated Biography, listed by the publisher as slated for shipping in September/October 2023. The book is now called Deep Purple – The Visual History 1968-76.
Unlike many other similar books about bands of this stature, this isn’t just a collection of pictures. The contents are divided up under a series of headings from Deep Purple’s inception in 1968, examining every ‘mark’ stage up to 1976, including albums and personnel, and incorporating comments from and details of everyone who played in Purple in this period, including how they joined the band, plus details of short-lived members like Nick Simper and Rod Evans. Ritchie Blackmore gets a 30-page spread and, if you look closely, you’ll even see him smiling in one of the pictures. The book’s mostly factual, with Charlesworth rarely incorporating his own views about whether a line-up change had improved or detracted from the band. Nonetheless, this is still an interesting read with a few surprising little nuggets of information … Rod Stewart, when with the Jeff Beck Group, being looked at as a possible frontman when the band’s being put together in ‘68? Glenn Hughes approached to join the embryonic ELO before joining Purple?… and for Purple fans young and old, there’s something here for you all to enjoy, not because the book is amazingly brilliant or rammed with controversial comments, but because it’s an enjoyable trawl through the first eight years of a remarkable band. It’s a safe bet their story from 1984 onwards will be nothing like as exciting a ride as their ’68-76 period.
Read more in RAMzine.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
The book was supposed to be released in June-July, but was postponed until September-October, explaining that unique photographs were found at the last minute, they promised to send a booklet as compensation. I am waiting 😄.
July 16th, 2023 at 21:50I have the original edition from the eighties and loved it.
July 17th, 2023 at 07:36Can’t wait to hold this one in my hands, waiting, too 😆
All good things come to those to wait. I waited eleven years for an Mk II reunion. And, ironically, for the same amount of time until Halford returned to the only band he makes sense with to make Judas Priest whole again.
July 17th, 2023 at 14:22I grew up with the MK II so thats the photoes i wanna look at. When I heard the news in july 1973 that Gillan had left the band me and my mates world fell apart.. who could replace Ian Gillan..well apparently not DC!!!
July 17th, 2023 at 21:30and listening to GH… he had no place in DP!!
I know a lot of you will jump on me… go ahead.. I dont mind.. Remember… I was there when it happend..
Burn was a good song..although the lyrics are ridiculous… who can understand them..
at that time I rather listen to WDWTWA!!!
I also remember when Glover and Gillan left. Sad time!! I loved the Burn album but Stormbringer sucked and, to this day, is still my least favorite DP Album.
July 18th, 2023 at 08:02The site’s ablaze, the thread’s on fire …
Wiktor’s flames are reaching higher!!!
We didn’t believe he was devil’s sperm
He said, “Curse you all, you’ll never learn
When Gillan left, there was no return!”
The people laughed – till he said: “Burn!!!”
Danke for this incendiary post, Wiktor, and btw Glenn says hi! But it’s all good, controversy is the spice of life and I think even people who ALSO like Mk III, IV, VII, VIII or IX will agree with you that Mk II was the mother ship of all incarnations which established the “Brit-bluesy hard & heavy rock with prominent joint guitar/organ leads and a soaring high voice”-blueprint and led it to enduring success. I just view DP more as a Netflix series with changing (and sometimes reappearing) protagonists than as a single full length feature film. But Ian Gillan as a singer and lyricist is one of a kind, no argument.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:52I like the lyrics Uwe… Well done!! Your good!
July 18th, 2023 at 13:02You know we had no time…
We could not even try…
You know we had no time…
Insert Glenn screaming…
I too have ordered the book and I am patiently waiting.
While MK II is MK II (hats down), I am a massive fan of Burn and Stormbringer albums, and I would go as far as to say that You Keep on Moving and Love Child from Come Taste the Band are absolute gems!
Hughes is coming to Clearwater FL later this year to sing some Deep Purple classics. I plan on going. The Coverdale concert I attended a few years back singing Burn/Stormbringer stuff was fantastic.
July 18th, 2023 at 14:02Would love to add it to my archive but right now the price is telling me NO.
” Nonetheless, this is still an interesting read with a few surprising little nuggets of information … Rod Stewart, when with the Jeff Beck Group, being looked at as a possible frontman when the band’s being put together in ‘68? ”
Quote lifted from RAMZINes review
This is not news. It might as well be in the original edition as well.
Couldnt find STUTTGART 2023, enjoying myself now with this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lJ8G6miLaY&list=PL4cFJtUcmjZngXCYT4d9BbXemyRgXUhM2&index=3&ab_channel=LoneStar
July 20th, 2023 at 17:21@4
July 20th, 2023 at 20:56Wiktor, I totally agree with you. It made me so sad and angry when Gillan and Glover were gone. After WDWTWA the band should have broke up, done what ever they wanted to and got back together in the future. Just listen to Coverdale sing Highway Star, Space Truckin or Smoke on the Water. Horrible! Don’t get me wrong I liked him in Whitesnake but not in Purple. Just my opinion to me Burn was a good album, Stormbringer average at best and Come Taste the Band was a desperate last ditch effort to save the band and a major disappointment. To think there’s only 4 years between Machine Head and Come Taste the Band is mind blowing. How to me the greatest band ever destroyed itself. Like you said, you were there and so was I and to see this band fall apart the way it did was sad. Again, just my opinion.
That Purple had a look at Rod the Mod (back then) is an old hat and indeed already mentioned in the original edition. Ian Paice is quoted as quipping “We didn’t think him good enough back then!”. I’m not sure though whether this was really at the conception of the band; more likely after they had realized that Rod Evans wasn’t working out and looking for a potential replacement.
There is a good chance that maybe Ronnie Wood who played bass with the Jeff Beck Group at that stage might have made a comment to Jon Lord about Rod Stewart’s qualities as a singer and front man. Ronnie was the baby brother of Art Wood, lead singer of The Artwoods where Jon had learned his Hammond chops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCL3rVoHqhg
Jon also played with Ronnie in the short-lived Santa Barbara Machine Head
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irtq2BW_lvo
prior to Deep Purple.
For Purple’s future career though, it was probably just as well that Rod and Ronnie stayed together to resurrect the flailing Small Faces after Steve Marriott ran off with Peter Frampton to form Humble Pie. After all, that endless US tour opening for The Faces was instrumental for breaking Mk II there – and Rod & the boys always treated their opening act well.
July 21st, 2023 at 00:25The latest issue of Classic Rock has reviewed the new version of the book giving it 9 stars and calling it “simply, the best ever book on the band”.
July 22nd, 2023 at 13:41I also got the original version in ’82, bought it at a book store in Los Angeles. Just wondering if this will be shipped to the US, or do I have to order it from the UK? Thanks to Chris Charlesworth again, you rock!!
July 22nd, 2023 at 23:17hello to all I will not buy this book given its price …despite the fact that it must be nice! but I have the clear impression that this outing is only to bring in money.. too bad!
July 23rd, 2023 at 07:35My story is a bit different. I became a Deep Purple fan in the early 80s when the band didn’t exist. That led me to Gillan (band), Rainbow, & Whitesnake.
July 25th, 2023 at 01:48I was excited when Gillan joined Sabbath and when DP reformed. But crushed when Gillan was replaced by JLT. I’ve seen them live in a Morse era many times. But Mark II is my alltime favorite music.
My freebie sampler has just been delivered! It’s a bit ho hum but at least is a nice gesture given the delay.
I bought the original in 1983 (can it really be 40 years!) and I’m looking forward to the re-vamp.
Albert (14) All Rufus Stone books are money making but I doubt much if any goes to the band. I just hope this is better than the Blackmore photo book which wasn’t great given it’s absence of text.
July 31st, 2023 at 11:47