And a cardboard box for the tips
With the new album now announced, let the publicity blitz marathon begin. Ian Gillan has already made a couple of UK radio appearances.
Thanks to BraveWords for the heads-up.
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/glover2.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/mcbride5.jpg)
With the new album now announced, let the publicity blitz marathon begin. Ian Gillan has already made a couple of UK radio appearances.
Thanks to BraveWords for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Nice and eloquent interviews! Mentioning that every show is different — and that a great deal of improvisation takes place — is by now largely limited to Ian Gillan. Simone himself told me that he takes the stage well-prepared and with fully worked-out solos — if only because of all the people filming in the audience. I personally find this regrettable, as it was precisely this element of the unexpected that used to constitute such a major part of the appeal of Deep Purple shows.
May 7th, 2026 at 08:25I agree Steve (@1) 😊
Ian is an amazing man!
Could listen to him for hours and hours ☺️
I love how he acknowledges Simon McB, without diminishing Steve Morse.
May 7th, 2026 at 10:04What a gentleman he is 🙏🏼
@1, Steve –
– truly with you on the judgement of the matter. I listened to the interviews, and to me, it sounds like Deep Purple stopped to understand, WHAT REALLY the improvisation is like and about. Such a shame to lose it so bad after 50 years of stage craft. If there’s a regret about Simon’s presence and approach in the band – that’s it: be the force that would remind them veterans that at least in few places on the night you take a certain passage and go wherever the soloing fancy takes you. Play something off-the-cliff, unstudied. Not a studied out, calculated routine every night, fixed what to play. That’s not what purple rock and roll is about, especially on stage. If I want to hear record-like arrangement – I have them at home, I don’t have to go to a calculated “quasi-live” show to hear it again. I want a bit of jazz in this musicianship, because no one does it better than you guys did it, before 2000.
Jon, Ritchie and Steve knew it so well – and were able to use it to the advantage of the Purple tradition (at least up to the March 2000 shows – with “’69”, “Fools”, “Pictures of Home’ and “Speed King” jammed to some extent). Then it slowly perished and dried out – and that’s why now every show seems to be cut from the same cloth ad nauseam. By-the-precise-number-of-bars, more less the same length, every night, not to mention the fixed setlist.
That in mind, it’s hard not to have a nostalgia towards, say, 1993 – given that every run of “Anya” or “Speed King” on the night was a clear indicator of what the spirit on stage was. Sometimes a quick, strained run through, but sometimes epic performances taking to the stratosphere with improvisations (like in Essen, Stuttgart, Bruxelles, London #2 or Stockholm shows of that year). Now it seems sooo even every next time, and more of the same. That’s why I stopped enjoying the live shows of DP, which is unthinkable for that band of this live prowess and legacy. The only lasting ambers of excitement fire are the new albums now, I go to their show once a year only because of undying hope that they finally wake up. To no avail.
May 7th, 2026 at 10:07Heard nothing at all on radio yesterday. It sounded terrific. I don’t feel a really heavy album back to seventies roots is answer for them now. I miss Morse’s innovation. On the other hand live back to the seventies spirit of improvisation rather than going down the tribute band route would be welcome if rather unrealistic.
May 7th, 2026 at 10:46Improvisation right… Awesome how Gillan always improvises a funny story when asked about the improvisation element of the DP-shows. I hope though he’s gonna open up some day about what Pavarotti once told him…
Also I wonder if IG ever was a boy soprano in the church-choir. Well, we might never gonna find out…
May 7th, 2026 at 11:51I wish Ian would stop saying that Steve took them in a direction that got them off track with the music – if you knew his southern rock style wasn’t a good fit, why hire and keep him on for 28:years if you don’t like American southern hard rock for Purple, Ian?
Just admit you made a mistake – all Steve did was be himself!
May 7th, 2026 at 12:26Hi Steve,
May 7th, 2026 at 13:44You are right,improvised solos and guitar/keyboard duels are a thing of the past.The concerts have become quite safe and predictable.Big Ian just has stock phrases and stories that he likes to use in interviews.
I agree Steve. The days of much improvisation seems long gone. It seemed to start to happen after Jon left. Of course, if it was up to me, we would still some songs extended to 25 minutes like Wring That Neck and Mandrake Root used to be LOL. I suspect most people nowadays would be bored.
May 7th, 2026 at 13:53Simon is part of a wholly different generation, one where the ability to repeat a performance flawlessly is held in much higher regard than taking risks and “let’s see where this might take us …”.
I’m with you in regretting this, Steve, but …
https://youtu.be/YAUAXhy4oxo
May 7th, 2026 at 14:32For a sight-impaired senior citizen with no feel left in his feet and the habit of taking small naps behind stage when there is nothing else for him to do, Karin’s honeybunch is in alert form during those promo interviews. All that reading and the crossword-puzzles have done some good.
May 7th, 2026 at 15:31I think there is a hidden ecological message in that – clever – title …
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sdkl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F90951a39-2b80-428a-b6eb-cfeaec7cf132_754x960.jpeg
https://jeffreyrubel.substack.com/p/bugs-on-a-windshield
May 7th, 2026 at 17:11Boy the man looks fantastic ! And a mind still sharp as a knife !
May 7th, 2026 at 22:02@1 …now if that is true I agree 100% Steve. Improvisation always seemed to be the core of that Deep Purple thing…
May 7th, 2026 at 22:29Blackmore and Lord improvised about 70 percent of their material live – or more. I’m sure that Airey is ad-libbing, but I can’t tell how much McBride is.
May 8th, 2026 at 01:54IG’s been working on his responses to likely questions judging by the answers in two different sessions! Still good fun to listen to though.
May 8th, 2026 at 12:09@5 He might have told it to all those 18 years old folks that attended their shows mind you!
May 8th, 2026 at 16:04We all have our thoughts on this improvisation business, I’m kind of torn between being very loose, or very accurate.
They were certainly more “loose” with Blackmore/Lord, and it was wonderful. I’ve been a huge Blackmore fan, and always a defender of his playing from around 1970-1977, so incredibly good. (I was very aware of Steve Morse way before Purple and enjoyed his playing a lot)
In the last stages of Rainbow, something happened to his sound that I think was for the worse, that hard hitting, but still bluesy sound disappeared, and was replaced by something thin and scratchy. And also in my opinion his playing suffered because of that (or other reasons unknown to me, but a good sound inspires no doubt) I have a hard time listening to live recordings from that period around late Rainbow, Perfect Strangers era, plus Ritchie was so “loose” he hardly bothered to play significant riffs, leaving out important parts altogether, as a big fan I was very disappointed by this. He had a period around The Battle Rages on where his sound approved, but still kind of missing something playing wise. I saw 2 of the new “Rainbow” shows, and unfortunately that kind of playing was/is still how he’s approaching things. It’s unlikely that there will ever be any more shows with Ritchie in a rock setting, and I’m perfectly fine with that. Let him enjoy family life. 🙂
Steve was more “in line” and more “true” to the originals, although putting his own stamp on it no doubt. Very enjoyable to begin with.
With Simon – he plays everything very correctly, and with finesse and a very good sound that really fits Purple. He’s a monster player. And I think that a big chunk of fans wants to hear the songs played more like they were on the records, and it seems to me like fans go away more pleased from shows now. Please, these are only my own reflections and I respect anyone else’s point of view.
Looking forward to the new album, hoping for a better sound that =1 though.
May 8th, 2026 at 17:30#1. Someone may want to point out to Simon that fully worked out solos is not the best approach in a band like Purple.
#3 Insightful and well written. Age increasingly becomes a factor though. Let’s just hope for a good drum sound on the new album and a mix free from compression.
May 8th, 2026 at 17:43All the songs on Stormbringer and CTTB are short(ish), that never bothered me at all. Sometimes a song can be succinct, why should Lady Doubledealer or Lady Luck have been a second longer than they were?
When Ritchie left in 1993, improvisational danger left the ship and in came performance consistency. Steve would have rather worn a long-sleeved buttoned-down shirt than ever risk anything improvisationally, he’s a Yank after all, those people believe in meticulous training regimes and getting everything right each and every time.
When Jon decided to devote his remaining time on Earth to music with less improvisation (his classical love), Purple lost a pair of jammy ears and a certain joyous and competitive abandon in the improvisational department because Don, while technically the more accomplished keyboarder, isn’t as improvisation-happy as Jon was (and is generally better rehearsed, Jon relied more on his great ears and was perhaps also a bit lazier than Don, that was part of his undeniable artistic charm).
Jon is always credited with the quote: “If you play a wrong note, play it again wrongly when it comes around the second time so that people think you played it on purpose like that initially.” It is unfathomable for me that either Steve or Don or Simon would ever repeat a mistake on purpose, they would correct it and then rehearse their fingers bloody after the gig to make sure they never repeat the mistake again. That is two different worlds.
So the gradual decrease in improvisation with DP has been a long time coming. Mind you, for the more casual DP fans (I’m not one of them!), people who just like the songs, Purple’s tendency to extend songs endlessly has never been their favorite trait of the band. I know people who like Purple, but could do without 20 minutes and more of Wring That Neck, Mandrake Root, Space Trucking and You Fool No One.
May 8th, 2026 at 18:09@2 Karin, have some mercy! It’s clear that there is no bigger IG fangirl on this site, but you sound like you see the moon, the stars and the sun instead of a man, truly. He’s not gentlemenly towards Steve Morse, he’s consequently quasi-diplomatically berating him. All these cheap shots of sort “now we’re back in business, once Simon’s in”… Bitch, please. “How many more times… Treat him the way you wanna do”
I totally agree with Mike Nagoda (@6) – if you feel so bad with the American references he brought up, have balls to say that part, or most, or whatever of his past 28 years in DP were a mistake. A beautiful mistake, for many us. Some of us grew long and tough to come to like and love it in the end (like yours truly). Stop BS-ing the guy, to whom once you said “Be yourself, don’t copy anyone”. He duly and humbly obliged, and now he’s getting continuous stick for it. In IG’s own words: “Wild, it’s driving me wild”. I am a big Blackmore phase afficonado and always will be, but the more Steve is being treated like this, time and time again, the more I think of him as the stalwart on the same level. Sticking to his guns, instead of sticking like brownie to Gillan’s shoe and saying “walk me on, Master”. Ian, cut that crap for once. Either have balls to say straight what you feel – or if not – have some dignity to keep quiet. That man saved this band for you and gave it all for nearly three decades. It’s time to respect that. Steve Morse is humble and genuine human, learn from him just a bit of that at last. Giddy up.
May 8th, 2026 at 20:14Since when is Blitz a four-letter-word? Ich verstehe das nicht.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/39b178525c93c79d857df29a5aec28f7/tumblr_nt854kO6Fe1rflnceo3_r1_250.gifv
Lemmy wouldn’t approve. ☝️😎
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gHQiYoJrpzEb8u9fnYpqSk.jpg
The term is actually an Allied invention (just like “Königstiger” for the Tiger II tank), the German term was Bewegungskrieg, war of movement.
May 8th, 2026 at 22:20On the lack of improvising:
This was the most disappointing thing to me when I saw them in 2024 – if I want to hear the solo Simon played on the record, I’ll listen to Equals One.
Don still improvised a good bit, and Simon has been improvising more in recent shows, so there’s hope.
The improv, the danger, the let’s see what happens next?
That is the spiritual heart of DP to me. If that is fading and it is now a safe band, as opposed to an adventurous one, is it really DP anymore?
I’d say no – Don’s improv is keeping the spirit of the band barely alive, and Gillan is still improvising, so if Simon improves and gets more adventurous over time, perhaps the band can come alive again.
This safe version of DP is honestly my least favorite version – something needs to change.
May 8th, 2026 at 23:01#8 Leslie:
I don’t see all this scandal about improvisation:
Basically, since the 1984 reunion, Purple no longer improvised like in the 70s, everything was more standardised, then from 1993 onwards the improvisation continued to decrease, remaining almost non-existent after Abandon, that is, after Jon’s departure.
It shouldn’t be news, we now know what we’ll hear live.
May 8th, 2026 at 23:12It looks like IG is in good form in the interviews, I remember him banging his head on a table when he was asked a banal question a few years back.
May 8th, 2026 at 23:43Like someone else said it is great to hear the Pavarotti story once again, it is now 6 times he had heard “smoke”. Would you keep mentioning Pavarotti when people can look up the performances on youtube and see you sounded like you were busting a gut.
As always good luck to them and I hope the album is better than=1 which I rate below Now what and most of Infinite.
@20
“Karin, have some mercy! It’s clear that there is no bigger IG fangirl on this site, but you sound like you see the moon, the stars and the sun instead of a man, truly.”
– oh Thorsun, if I could invite you inside my head, when the great man is singing, you would indeed see moons, stars and suns!
Well, I agree with IG, SMcB is better suited for Purple than SM was, and don’t get me wrong, I really like SM!
May 9th, 2026 at 12:50But RB and SMcB have a lot in common, they strike me as proper rock guitarists, whereas RB was much more poetic than I’ve ever heard before.
SMcB is much more a brat – in the cool way – than SM was/is.
SM is too much gentleman-like for Purple.
@19
Uwe, I’m not craving for 20 minuters to come back, worry not. It’s clear they are by now out of place, out of time. But I’d love some 2-3 seven-eighters, where they just the cut routine cord for the moment of enjoyable unknown, just for a while, since that is what used to make them stand out as a live band and provided loads of excitement towards 2000. Later on – not so much, sadly.
@23 Flavio,
May 9th, 2026 at 13:08There was enough of nose sticking out of the made up script between 1984 and 2000 to enjoy it immensely and miss it these days. Really retaining at least small bit of that wouldn’t hurt anybody, and there is a legacy of an unique style to be kept up. Being proficient band just because of the late age – isn’t everything. This is not another just solid rock band, this is Deep Purple. I’m not expecting them to go beyond their realistic physical capabilities, it’s more about bringing back the mindset that used to make them such an exciting live band. “A perfect balance of discipline and improvisation”, as Jon Lord described it in 1994, referring to TBRO Tour.
Hey, leave my Baby Sis alone, Thorsun! 😂 While I might be constantly jerking at her pigtails or leading her astray by dangling an Ian Paice drum stick before her nose,
https://youtube.com/shorts/iCrktNmuTng?is=RtPT9uSl3fmfImAe
I find Karin’s unadulterated adulation of IG refreshing; compared to her I always feel like the worn-out cynic I am. I’d like to “see the moon, the stars and the sun instead of … (the) man” (you forgot, Thorsun: and all in different colors!) too. (The only visions Big Ian gives me are those of scented ping-pong balls, but I digress here on a slippery curve …)
Ian has a habit of always defending “the living, breathing DP”, I guess he sees that as his frontman/spokesman job. Yet he also waved the Steve Morse flag for a very long time. That his enchantment with and relief about having Steve in the band paled over a period of almost 30 years, is only too human. Most of us have been there.
I don’t share the view of Ian treating Steve in hindsight nastily. A certain dry matter-of-fact view has always been part of his perception of the world. He is diplomatic, but he doesn’t mince words about liking the current line-up better. That is his prerogative.
Steve’s contribution to DP is best valued as an arc. He was amazing and a hurricane of fresh air early on and well into his middle period, towards the end his excitement too for playing in DP had visibly waned – anybody who saw him with Flying Colors in contrast will attest to that. That wasn’t his nor the band’s fault, people can drift apart over decades. Even Jon was by the end of his tenure with Purple no longer 100% there, he had left piece by piece.
Deep Purple is a double-decker bus – people hop on and off, I try to enjoy the ride with all of them.
PS: Where are those missing two songs from your “atonement IGB playlist”, Karin, are we finally getting on with it?!
https://share.google/U5Xl0kIvoVANWUmL5
May 9th, 2026 at 14:14#26 Thorsun:
exactly as you mention, the year 2000 (or a little more)… since Lord left there was no longer improvisation and excitement worthy of Purple, but a high and safe standard with the Steve-Don duo, so now I am not scandalized in the least if there is no improvisation with Simon, because the other 4 decide what and how to play, and if they wanted to improvise they did it with Steve too, on the other hand I have never heard the “famous” improvisation of Purple with Morse, never.
#27 Uwe:
I agree with what you say, from an 80-year-old British man like BigIan (or like Roger or LittleIan) who now looks at life as you would look at a flowing river, you cannot expect him to come and sing Steve’s praises in every interview, or to come and tell us clearly how things are, because for them the dirty laundry has always been washed at home and outside the minimum indispensable had to be said even in the worst situations.
Basically when someone no longer loves each other, it’s best to break up.
Add to that BigIan’s somewhat cynical, somewhat humorous, somewhat fatalistic outlook on life, and you can accept what he says/doesn’t say about Steve.
May 9th, 2026 at 15:39not to mention that before they only asked him about Blackmore, now they ask him about Blackmore & Morse in every interview he does!
I think we’re all here to give our personal opinions about what we think of this band, and what we like/dislike. It’s all fair.
May 9th, 2026 at 17:07But comments like”Bitch Please” belongs somewhere else, sorry! Can we keep it civil here?
@27 Uwe,
I can agree with your thesis of Steve’s period as an arc that evolved with time. Fine. There is something with the view of gradual “waning off” – first of Jon’s (after the Concerto Tour), then Steve’s (approximately after “Now What!” release, although as the one last convincing sling shot – “WHOOSH!” was very very good). Still, as far as we agree on that and on the fact that people drift apart, if Gillan indeed has a sort of agenda to be as a spokesman, maybe it’s time to employ some dignity to it and keep out trashing of the past. Advocate the present, keep up landing graceful about the past.
There’s a wonderful quote in Ovais’ new book on Jon Lord that I’d wish to put here to illustrate the context. Sir Paul Mann writes of Jon, as reads: “People talk about the gentlemanly qualities of Jon. To me, above all, Jon was kind. He was someone who thought about how to respond to things. If he had a choice, he would do the kind thing. I think that’s why he’s remembered so warmly by so mamy people.”
I wish Gillan had any capacity to do just that. Choose the kind thing. He barely ever does. Just says whatever he thinks, whatever the effect – good or bad. He had decades to learn to improve on that – both from Jon as well as from Steve. How much he did? Well, as for a man who lived it all for 8 decades – strangely little.
And Karin, if there was something like “being too gentlemenly for Deep Purple”, Jon Lord would never fit there in 1st place, mind you. So giving this label to Steve as of “not fitting” is a missed clue.
May 9th, 2026 at 17:16I think Steve indicated himself in an interview (several weeks after his exit) about frequently touring, just go out there and have fun, is not really attached 100% to himself as a musician. He said about there’s no challenge anymore (with Purple) due to playing too many concerts. That man is a musician’s musician, can’t blame him for wearing out
As for improvisational, wasn’t “Hush” and “Black Night” Mark 8’s resort for that? Esp. in Hush, the short-song preceded it (crashed by Paice to start Hush) and the mid-section where Steve and Don really enjoyed each other’s company by trading licks. Haven’t seen much of it from Simon and Don on Hush, which is strange since they were longtime partner
Don’t forget the amazing “Lazy” guitar-violin improvisational duel in the orchestra tour 2011-2012 before Now What. That’s one memorable highlight of Mark 8
Birds of Prey live was also different, maybe not so much an improvisation but still sounded better. That live version in Hellfest 2017 (impressive 768.000 views!), different tempo, likely more aggressive drum playing by Paice, and Steve played the solo different than the studio version.
Also the bass solo & intro to Black Night is an improvisational too by Roger, and of course that guitar-singalong-outro by Morse with audience. But because they played them in every concert, we thought it’s becoming a pattern/concert-staples rather than an improvisation.
Lazy Sod could have been a party in the middle of the concert. That loose, upbeat, groovy song are calling for some guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard fun exchanges in the middle or as outro. A missed opportunity IMO
But if there’s a Purple song that is a must for some improvisational pieces, it’s Speed King. I miss that song being played live
May 9th, 2026 at 18:07@27
Ohhh my 🤣😆
So nice with an older bro to defend my weirdness, thank you very much Sir!
And yes you are absolutely right Uwe, not only the complete universe with stars, suns, moons, red dwarfs, white dwarfs etc, but also in colours.
Only sad thing about it is that I have no sense of direction whatsoever.
Nowadays I have GPS in my car, but before those wonderful inventions I had serious troubles, episodes I can almost laugh at now….
Uwe and Thorsun, I simply cannot help myself, that voice he has is so unbelievable nice in my ears. And I’m honest, I never ever look twice at him when he is singing (when I watch videos at YT) because the voice and the musicians backing him up – oh rejoice 😍🤩
Re the coveted drumstick, Uwe, I don’t know what to do!
You see, I have not two but three songs more I like. And I am only to pick out two more…. Arrrh it’s hard to be me at the moment… 😁
Re Steve Morse:
“I don’t share the view of Ian treating Steve in hindsight nastily” – me neither Uwe! On the contrary I have to say.
I have seen several concerts, concerts at YT, and actually I have seen Ian acknowledging SM a lot!
And think about it: RB had left them hanging in midair, JS filled in, but couldn’t go on, Steve Morse was selected to be the new Deep Purple guitarist, why in all that is warm and lovely should Ian be belittling SM?
It must have been so wonderful finally to have peace to grow musically without all the fights and bickering.
I don’t know the great man, but I guess he must have been thrilled with a friendly chap instead of all the nonsense there was between RB and the rest of Purple.
But to a completely different subject:
Take a listen at this wonderful tune!
https://youtu.be/s_q0IA7CKhY?is=wK_RgFE0CxX0Gf6j
Jon Lord is phenomenal here, and so are the rest of Whitesnake.
And David’s voice is so beautiful! As far as I can figure out he is 32 yo here?
So it was when it all became hair-metal he ruined his lovely soul-voice. Such a pity.
And then you say Uwe:
“Deep Purple is a double-decker bus – people hop on and off, I try to enjoy the ride with all of them.”
– I have to point out here that not only do I enjoy all the rides, I actually take it a bit further:
I don’t just buy day tickets, I buy annual tickets 😃💜
Finally – I am very much impressed with Ritchie Blackmore. And I found these two videos:
Deep Purple – Burn:
https://youtu.be/ydlrfKbExcs?is=qfJEPNJbEBD3tfDl
Whitesnake – Burn:
https://youtu.be/REMeBo7n40A?is=_0knOwwz2us1ewDC
Well, David is singing the lead vocal in both, but what is interesting is that RB takes care of the guitar business all by himself, but Whitesnake has not only one guitarist.
May 9th, 2026 at 20:12And Whitesnake is fantastic! Great really!
But Purple – even without Ian singing ☺️😁 – are so much better, on fire so to speak.
– thanks to RB!
@30
Dear Thorsun,
I think you’re missing my point:
“And Karin, if there was something like “being too gentlemenly for Deep Purple”, Jon Lord would never fit there in 1st place, mind you. So giving this label to Steve as of “not fitting” is a missed clue.”
– I was comparing Steve Morse to Simon McBride!
And I honestly believe that Steve Morse was too nice, mind you not as a person but in the way he played!, compared to Simon McBride and by that of course also Ritchie Blackmore.
I find SMcB so refreshingly provocative and ‘in-your-face’ compared to SM.
And I liked SM very much, I found him very capable, really didn’t mean to belittle him.
But SMcB has this certain quality that suits Purple so very well – or at least, that’s how I see it.
Jon Lord? Oh yes, he was really something special 😍 but I was actually just comparing the banjo players 😊
May 9th, 2026 at 20:50@27
Ok Uwe, found the last two songs I really like and enjoy listening to, brace yourself:
This:
https://youtu.be/Bwz23bTJzgw?is=3rhMnnoYPzlF5Y-T
And ghm this:
https://youtu.be/nlqsYuJtS-w?is=Nyy5pa7NhrBYHmP3
So in all:
Five moons
You make me feel so good
My baby loves me
Slags to Bitches
Mad Elaine
But because I got listening, this is really good too:
https://youtu.be/Nw_qPd_5Nr4?is=H6yrm-NaSIlQ0I4L
Mercury High has some elements that I also find in his solo work.
And to be honest, his voice is very very nice.
Do I still prefer Deep Purple?
Well, yes. But on the other hand, I prefer Deep Purple all the time.
There are many other bands I really like, but the musical love of my life has always been, is and will always be Deep Purple!
– BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE 😃🤩
P.s. and I won’t even demand the drumstick that has been in the hands of Sanae Takaichi’s god!
May 9th, 2026 at 21:44I understand completely that your two kids first and foremost need to inherit this, and I have a solution:
You can break it in two and give your son the one half and your daughter the other half!
See – Solomonic solutions from the North!
But if your two children are well taken care of, I will not forbid you to keep your promise 😁
@27
“Deep Purple is a double-decker bus – people hop on and off, I try to enjoy the ride with all of them”
Incredibly, Chris Curtis’ original concept for Roundabout, wasn’t it?!
May 9th, 2026 at 22:34#30 Thorsun:
I’m not BigIan’s lawyer, but you can’t judge his “degree” of kindness outside the band, you can’t think that he was the only one who decided to separate from Steve Morse, you can’t think that in the world of rock music as in everyday life, everyone is kind or an asshole, everyone has their own character, their own attitude and their own truth.
Bands are families, with people who love each other, who argue, who break up, who sometimes make up, who sometimes meet again, who meet again because they rediscover the magic or who meet again to make money, exactly like a marriage.
who are we to judge?
May 9th, 2026 at 22:39There was no band member more disappointed when Jon Lord announced his retirement than Steve Morse. Lord was one of the reasons Steve joined the band as he stated all those years ago, Jon was his favourite ‘rock’ keyboardist. I agree with Thorsun and a few others regarding the odd lengthier arrangements. That is or was Deep Purple in so many ways. It takes a little more nous to create a lengthier piece of work, more thinking outside the box, if you know what I mean. They are in pensioner mode now of course and McBride in’t that sort of guitarist anyway is he and is he suited to the traditional Deep Purple way? So I guess it appears he may just fit this bill for what it is worth. It is the way of things. He doesn’t excite me at all like the three previous guitarists did, how many modern day guitarists do? That’s isn’t his fault at all, it is the era he was brought up in. So Ian Gillan most probably feels that it is easier to write and be involved in the shorter songs these days. This is not a slant on short songs, how many great shorter arrangements and melodies from so many artists are wonderful in that ‘pop’ format. A pity they don’t mix it up a little more. Bleeding Obvious was a nice surprise, that showed that it can be done. Although I don’t really expect anything ‘magical’ to occur with any ensemble from the glory days in this day and age. That age has passed so long ago. Time waits for no-one. Cheers.
May 9th, 2026 at 23:37IG’s known to push the present line-up of the band. In a way, that’s to be expected. McBride is now getting the same push that Morse did during his tenure with the band. He does say Morse is a genius guitar player, so I don’t see how he is “trashing” him. Labelling him “southern rock” is clearly an afterthought though – never a problem while he was in the band. That they’re now “back on track” – what does that mean? Less improvisation?
May 10th, 2026 at 07:03@30 @33
I got that in the first place, Karin, and I know what you mean. SM is a great player, no doubt about that, maybe one of the best ever technically -as a lot of people say – but he is not exactly in your face rock’n’roll. It was a bit like Mark Knopfler joining the Stones… Simon has more of a rock’n’roll attitude.
May 10th, 2026 at 11:14Steve was never an assertive person – that is not a criticism as Ritchie’s brand of assertiveness often brought whole line-ups and even the band to the brink of destruction. The line-up stability of SMB also shows that even where Steve is the indisputable musical leader, he goes about it nicely, treating people fair and in appreciation. Just look at the line-up roundabouts with Rainbow in comparison (and don’t tell me that Dave LaRue and Van Romaine are not up to the standards Ritchie set for Rainbow musicians, Steve apparently just has better people-motivating skills).
Steve’s behavior within Purple was exemplary at all times. That he did not offer British Isles school grit and had the personal preference not to die on a tour bus cannot be held against him. But vice versa neither can Purple’s enthusiasm for Simon, who apparently offers these things in abundance, be held against them. Touring is Purple’s raison d’etre. If you don’t subscribe to that fully (and for life), you will have to at one point leave the band, at least that is what Ritchie, Jon and Steve all eventually did.
May 10th, 2026 at 15:14To me, Simon has more grit in his tone, and his playing is more informed by a blues background than Steve’s was. Both of these make his style a better fit for the band’s classic material. Steve could put a different spin on those tracks (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse), but it was the new material where he really shone and put forth a lot of unusual sounding guitars that would often compliment the keyboard work very well.
As for improvisation, I definitely think it should be part of the concerts. What these discussions remind me of is of an anecdote from Don’s time in Rainbow – he would always play the same solo in his solo spot, and Ritchie was frustrated by that. Then Don would sit at the hotel bar piano and play off the cuff, and apparently Ritchie told him that he should play *that* at the next gig. Don’s reaction was to play his prepared solo once again. xD
May 10th, 2026 at 22:00That Randers Chick @34:
https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTZjMDliOTUybHUzeHlmaWtrajRnaXo3eTlwZWhubzZ4bDU5M2FlYWtsaDRic2YxMiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/cnbYsaUxqhbEI/giphy.gif
Send me your postal address (Dune #111, just after the fish factory?), Sister Karin, I have a solitary drumstick to get rid off.
You better get that twirl right though, I will check intermittently …
https://media1.tenor.com/m/HzeBtOZXbfEAAAAC/hairspray-velma-von-tussle.gif
Ooops, wrong twirl …
https://media1.tenor.com/m/7737wZ7wL5sAAAAd/mick-tucker-the-sweet.gif
PS: My kids giving a rat’s ass about an Ian Paice drumstick? 😂🤣
May 10th, 2026 at 22:22@39
Thank you Max 😊
Nice to know I’m making some sense 🙏🏼
Mark Knopfler joining the Stones – 🤣 that was a lovely way to start my day 😃
May 11th, 2026 at 04:02@42
No fish factory in any neighbourhood around here 😄
I had a feeling your kids would be completely indifferent towards the drumstick, but my strict upbringing forced me to mention them 😇
You will actually check upon me if I become the new Mick Tucker?
Alright then! I promise with all the coffee that is of great importance to me, that when I can twirl properly, I will upload a little video on YouTube 🫣😆
Let’s celebrate with this wonderful song:
https://youtu.be/IbW5K2F1N28?is=xkRJTrSopXmkccEH
Btw: Purple have just send out a teaser….
May 11th, 2026 at 17:30https://youtube.com/shorts/qg_5eYNXaYk?is=bonGQmJiVpzuq9hh
I’m right back at my youth when I first listened to I’m Rock…. 🤩 oh man it’s great to be alive 💜💜💜
“Nice to know I’m making some sense 🙏🏼”
A statistical aberration, nothing more. ☝️😎
May 11th, 2026 at 18:52#44 Karin:
wow, thanks for the link!
May 11th, 2026 at 21:52I’m curious to hear what Don will do next on a guitar carpet like this!!
Thanks for digging out that snippet/teaser of the new song, Karin, the guitar in ultrafast sixteenths is almost Judas Priestish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2IKnAKwqsw
but Purple don’t go into a headbang craze with the other instruments which stay halftime, it will be interesting to hear it in full.
May 11th, 2026 at 23:11@46
You’re very welcome 😊
May 12th, 2026 at 07:17Actually, I’m right back in my early youth when I listened to In Rock the very first time 🤩💜
@47
Uwe that’s the least I can do for my drumstick provider 😁
I love the sound of this new song!
What I am very impressed with is the joie de vivre, the energy, the humour they have, it was shown in =1, but I guess my longing for some more hard rock will be fulfilled the nicest way with Splat!
Oh I get what you mean re JP, however the voice of the vocalist lack a great deal of power compared to you-know-who 😃
I guess we will be much more wiser tonight at 8, or when it suits them to release the new tune 😊
May 12th, 2026 at 07:22I have asked yt to notify me….
@39, 46 & 47
And if I may say so: Simon McBride sounds PERFECT for this tune.
Not talking Steve Morse down, but whoa! SMcB has so much moxie 😃
May 12th, 2026 at 07:27@44
Thanks for the teaser… Sounds promising.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdTHq4jPHkM
May 12th, 2026 at 08:18Karin doing her best in the promotion of DP in Denmark and beyond. How much are you getting paid Karin, come on, don’t be shy about it. Not that DP should need any promoting up that way, but then again…………………
May 12th, 2026 at 09:01@47
Well spotted Uwe.
It is actually the “early-Ozzy” formula of double time guitar against half time band, as in “I Don’t Know” and “Bark at the Moon”, on which of course Don played 🙂
Best regards, J.-
May 12th, 2026 at 12:29@52
MacGregor not a cent/krone/dollar etc!
I just happen to be thrilled out of my freaking mind 😄
The upcoming album will be GOOD! – can feel it in my bones 😃
May 12th, 2026 at 14:38@ 51- thanks Russ, indeed the same old song and this was 1977 from Townshend. Thanks for that, a gem it is and so true…….
You need a new song
I’ll set the words up so they tear right at your soul
Don’t take me too long
But there’s a danger that I’ll plagiarize something old
My fingers kill me as I play my guitar
‘Cause I’ve been chewing down at my nails
My hairline ain’t exactly superstar
But there’s one thing that never fails
This never fails
I write the same old song with a few new lines
And everybody wants to cheer it
I write the same old song you heard a good few times
Admit you really want to hear it
Whenever I see you
You always treat me like I’m some kind of perfect man
Just ’cause I please you
You explain, but you don’t think I can understand
My head is spinning as I scrawl with my pen
‘Cause I’ve been pouring vodka in my soul
Nothing really ever changes my friend
New lamps for old
New lamps for old
We sing the same old song, just like a vintage car
May 12th, 2026 at 19:04You can look but you won’t ever drive it
We drink the same old wine from a brand new jar
We get hung over, but we always survive it
At55. You may be right.. Can he sing? Well, 81 years. Can he write?
May 14th, 2026 at 13:10