![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/mcbride4.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/morse3.jpg)
Splat!
Simon was slightly off with the timeframe of the new album release — the date is set for July 3, and the album is called Splat!. It will arrive in several formats, and the tour starting with North America in August will re-dress itself as the Splat! World Tour.
Track listings
CD/2LP/Digital:
- Arrogant Boy 03:19
- Diablo 03:17
- The Rider 03:57
- The Lunatic 03:48
- The Only Horse in Town 04:42
- Sacred Land 03:33
- The Beating of Wings 04:01
- Guilt Trippin’ 04:52
- Scriblin’ Gib’rish 03:35
- Jessica’s Bra 03:46
- Third Call 04:19
- My New Movie 03:45
- Splat! 03:39
10″EP #1:
A. 1. A Bit on the Side (Live in Dresden 2024)
A. 2. Hard Lovin’ Man (Live in Dresden 2024)
B. 3. Into the Fire (Live in Dresden 2024)
B. 4. Uncommon Man (Live in Dresden 2024)
10″EP #2:
C. 5. Lazy Sod (Live in Dresden 2024)
C. 6. Lazy (Live in Dresden 2024)
D. 7. Don’s Solo (Live in Dresden 2024)
D. 8. Bleeding Obvious (Live in Dresden 2024)
10″EP #3:
E. 9. Space Truckin’ (Live in Dresden 2024)
E. 10. Smoke on the Water (Live in Dresden 2024)
F. 11. Hush (Live in Dresden 2024)
F. 12. Black Night (Live in Dresden 2024)
7″ single:
A. Guinnesis
B. No Need to Shout (Live in Berlin 2022)
Physical formats rundown:
- Limited Box Set:
- 2LP Gatefold (180g)
- 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
- CD Digisleeve
- 3 exclusive 10-inch vinyl EPs with live recordings as listed above
- Exclusive 7-inch single with album bonus track Guinnesis (this will be available only in the box set)
- CD (Digisleeve with 20-page booklet)
- 2LP Gatefold (black vinyl)
- Limited Purple 2LP Gatefold
- Limited Transparent Yellow 2LP
- Limited 2LP Picture Disc
- Limited Cassette
All LP editions include a 12-page LP-sized booklet with illustrations and all song lyrics, which is said to be exclusive to the first pressing. The picture discs and cassette tape will be available only through the official store run by the record company. The store(s) also have associated merchandise, including album branded turntables and reel-to-reel decks from Revox.
The promo blurb reads:
Deep Purple return with their new studio album SPLAT!
Rather than simply preserving their legacy, Deep Purple continue to extend it, driven by the same spirit that defined their earliest work.
With SPLAT!, the band deliver their heaviest album in many years, recorded together in the studio the way Deep Purple have always recorded.
Once again produced by Bob Ezrin, the album draws on the sound and attitude that have always set Deep Purple apart.
At the heart of SPLAT! is an idea conceived by Ian Gillan: The album explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
Frontman Ian Gillan says: “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies.”
The album is available in multiple formats including CD, black 2LP, limited purple 2LP, limited transparent yellow 2LP, MC, and limited box set.
Preorder here or through your favourite retailer.
Thanks to Mystic Production and Jan for additional track info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
First thoughts; I was ok with Bananas and Whoosh as album titles but Splat? Mmm
I don’t have a record player so this is the second album in a row where I can’t get all the tracks unless I buy vinyl 😡
Longest track is under 5 minutes 🤔 was rather hoping they’d go out in a 7 minute blaze of glory.
May 6th, 2026 at 16:11Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, the freaks said
May 6th, 2026 at 16:45Just ordered the box set this morning. Question, if the Splat world tour starts in August, does that mean all of the people going to see them in June or July will not get much new material? If so I’m glad I’m seeing them in August.
May 6th, 2026 at 16:53Splat!, sounds like a follow-up to Whoosh!
Nice titles, “The Beating of Wings” echoes a bit of “Haunted”
Can’t wait!
And I am happy that “Guinnesis” is a bonus track, it is more than fine for this stratus
May 6th, 2026 at 17:03Interesting Titel. The artwork is kinda 80’s disigned by Hypgonis with typ of the jazzy albums. Not my cup of tea after wonderful stuff since Ifinite. Looks like Ian Gillan leaves the building here …
May 6th, 2026 at 17:17This is great News. I would rather skip any singles as I want to listen to the whole album
May 6th, 2026 at 17:25After “Now What?”, “Infinite”, “Whoosh!” and “=1” another succinct album title!
I’m sure it will be somewhere between TBRO and MH in quality. Hopefully closer to the latter.
May 6th, 2026 at 17:36So there we are. Title, really? We thought that last one was weird. Friends say “it’s supposed to sound onomatopoeic, just as it was with WHOOSH”. But “hey, now what’s that sound?” Throwing a medusa against the wooden door?
I like the artwork. At last something climatic, that could illustrate some sci-fi novel.
Running times of songs though……… ;-( everything shorter than five minutes. Almost feels (turned to) criminal. I’m not saying that everything has to be like “Fools”, 8 minutes long, but… Come on! This ain’t new Ramones album, for cunning linguist sake!
Not that I don’t anticipate it much, though! Contrary. Especially after the announcement blurb bragging bit. Bring it on!
May 6th, 2026 at 17:53I’m really looking forward to this, especially with the promise of the return of the 70’s heaviness and invention. Slightly disappointed in the running times again, but it didn’t detract from the greatness of =1.Just a shame there aren’t a couple of long running classics,but I’m convinced it will be a great album.
May 6th, 2026 at 17:57Here’s the tracklist of the boxsets four additional LPs:
10″EP no1:
A. 1. A Bit on the Side (Live in Dresden 2024)
A. 2. Hard Lovin’ Man (Live in Dresden 2024)
B. 3. Into the Fire (Live in Dresden 2024)
B. 4. Uncommon Man (Live in Dresden 2024)
10″EP no2:
C. 5. Lazy Sod (Live in Dresden 2024)
C. 6. Lazy (Live in Dresden 2024)
D. 7. Don’s Solo (Live in Dresden 2024)
D. 8. Bleeding Obvious (Live in Dresden 2024)
10″EP no3:
E. 9. Space Truckin’ (Live in Dresden 2024)
E. 10. Smoke on the Water (Live in Dresden 2024)
F. 11. Hush (Live in Dresden 2024)
F. 12. Black Night (Live in Dresden 2024)
7″EP:
A. GUINNESIS
B. No Need to Shout (Live in Berlin 2022)
Source: https://mystic.pl/product-pol-85149-Deep-Purple-SPLAT-FANBOX.html
The Berlin show 2022 was filmed and recorded as we learned on the =1 bonus DVD. So here comes at least one track of it to the surface.
May 6th, 2026 at 18:34I posted earlier that I just bought the limited box set and I just went back to take a look at something and the limited box set is now sold out. I wonder how many of them there were?
May 6th, 2026 at 18:52Good News, happy to know. Long live Deep purple
May 6th, 2026 at 19:02Woah! 🤩
They are indeed extending their legacy – and ohhh man they are so alive!
Way more than many bands much younger 💜
Looking so much forward to July 3rd
Meanwhile, here is a song to describe my mood:
https://youtu.be/D5Y11hwjMNs?is=wH4ZLpKLPNxkrhSQ
Thanks from the bottom of my heart to the amazing Deep Purple guys 💜🤗😘
May 6th, 2026 at 19:19We know marketing. Stating that this product is as good as a product from 50 years ago is not something they put on a top shell. I hope marketing sucks and music tells otherwise.
May 6th, 2026 at 19:35Excited for another excellent Deep Purple album. Not so excited for the title.
May 6th, 2026 at 19:48Great news! But no song longer than 4´52 ? Hmmm….
May 6th, 2026 at 20:44“…the band deliver their heaviest album in many years”
I am quite gruntled to hear this. I certainly hope that this is so. The last 3 albums have left me a bit underwhelmed. They don’t get played nearly as much the albums that preceded them.
May 6th, 2026 at 20:51I would have preferred 8 or 9 pieces without filler, let’s see what comes out…
Love 💜
May 6th, 2026 at 21:01Beyond ridiculous. There should have been someone around to stop Gillan from constantly displaying his total lack of taste. It’s been going on for years, from extremely bad clothing, to just about everything about the music as well. He singlehandedly, it seems, destroyed a rather nice legendary status of a great band.
At least Blackmore kept some quality control, wig and all. We all saw where the Gillan band went. Some good songs and great vocal ability but rubbish production. A guy with no sense of production whatever. I guess he just thinks he’s too cool for school. Excuse my English, it might be the only thing worse than Gillan’s overall artistic ability these days.
Mind you. I haven’t even heard anything from the bloody thing yet. The title and the cover said it all.
May 6th, 2026 at 21:02wowowow!!
I open THS and I find this wonderful news and this wonderful cover!
I saw on the official store, there are still no SPLAT items available for pre-order.
Martin Popoff has already posted a video about the news
May 6th, 2026 at 22:33Three-minute songs? I have a bad feeling about this…
May 6th, 2026 at 22:50This is the link that works for me:
https://www.deeppurplesplat.com/collections/splat
May 6th, 2026 at 23:01Woah, at last!
May 6th, 2026 at 23:13This one’s going to be something else.
It seems like Roger Dean’s artwork. Much better than =1. The best one of the Ezrin’s albums, along with whoosh!’s.
Great day today!
Cheers, purple people!
big Ian still nostalgic for the glorious 1970’s. Time does that. Cheers.
May 6th, 2026 at 23:49Wow!! Looks like the boys are in full throttle. But a song called Jessica’s bra. Hope it didn’t go Splat! in their faces 😝.
May 7th, 2026 at 00:44What , no concerts in down under? It’s being more than 12 years since the last one in Sydney.
Dear Purple Enthusiasts,
It’s been a while but thought I’d jump back on board. Rather crawl. Hip replacement less than a week ago makes jumping a bit dicey at best nearing 65 years on this here large marble. Whoosh….
Are my eyes deceiving me, or does that cover art look rather Roger Deanesque?
Peace,
May 7th, 2026 at 02:50Ted
I’m looking for a new-and-fresh, wild, breathtaking guitar playing from Simon which I didn’t find many in their latest album (the album which was boring to my liking except Lazy Sod and Bleeding Obvious, still not deciding to purchase the CD yet).
Pretty sure as a guitarist, he got many things up off his sleeves. Surprise the fans, just like Tommy and Steve show with their Purple albums. And if it is heavy like they said, then I will hold my breath for the first singles.
The notion of the 69-73’s sound spoke by Gillan clearly confirmed Morse’s opinion that the band wanted to return to their British-rock sounds. And Gillan is obviously one of the two person Morse indicated they were happy to see him left
Btw, seeing the song title Scriblin’ Gib’rish quickly reminds me of the song title Razzle Dazzle from Bananas
May 7th, 2026 at 07:29Wow! Looking forward to it. If this is the final message, our boys are doing it in style. Also, a smart choice of the date. That blues cover band, the Stoned, or something, release their new stuff a week after. So Purple will enjoy some time in the spotlight before the clueless public and even more clueless journos start covering the Stoned stuff.
The cover art sure looks like something by Roger Dean. I wonder if it’s him.
May 7th, 2026 at 08:48@19 Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning?
As for Ritchie’s quality control I assume you haven’t listened to the Rainbow live sets with Ronnie or most of later day BN?
May 7th, 2026 at 09:30Oh my lovely Purple-People 😃🤩
Big hugs to you all! 🤗
Ohh man Purple chose the right title for the new album! I don’t think I could imagine a more fun word for an album than Splat! 😄
In some interviews Ian G is explaining the word came to him when a bug was killed against the windshield!
Charming 😁
Yes, they do print LP, and also cassettes, but David (@1) a decent record player isn’t that expensive. I wanna have a new one myself, but not a cassette player 😝
Really looking forward to July 3rd, and to October where they will be playing here in Denmark 😍
Honestly guys, not even in my wildest dreams, I’ve imagined me being almost 60 and still looking forward to a new album with Purple – with the original drummer and Ian and Roger as almost founding members (yeah I know! But they came right after Ian P, and only Don and Simon are new members)
What a glorious time to be alive 🤩💜🙏🏼
May 7th, 2026 at 09:44Marathon runners run the last lap
May 7th, 2026 at 09:48New Deep Purple albums will be released on July 3rd, the new Rolling Stones on July 10th.
@All
I don’t think this cover is great. It reminds me of tacky things from the ’80s.
@Andre Sihotang
The problem is that, compared to Tommy and Steve, Simon — my namesake — is an average player; he’s two leagues below them.
So there’s no way he can surprise us. Luckily, there are still four great musicians in the band, so hopefully we’ll get a few good songs.
“=1” – I’ve listened to it a lot on streaming services, but I haven’t bought it yet either. And I’m close to having all of Deep Purple’s albums on vinyl…
They’re doing the same thing to me again here… 😉
May 7th, 2026 at 09:53@19 The words “judge”, “book” and “cover” spring to mind.
May 7th, 2026 at 09:56What can I say… it excites me. Another part of the legacy unfolds…
May 7th, 2026 at 10:06@28
Brilliant comment Georgivs 😄:
“That blues cover band, the Stoned, or something, release their new stuff a week after.”
May 7th, 2026 at 10:08👍🏼
Good to see other fans also disappointed with too many short songs. Bleeding Obvious was a breath of fresh air on the last album. At nearly six minutes that makes it seem like an epic of all proportions when looking at so many 3 to 4 minute songs. It was even better live in concert. It makes Gillan’s comment here about the early 70’s albums appear a tad out of touch. Cheers.
May 7th, 2026 at 10:15@19
Karl! Are you for real 🤣
This:
“There should have been someone around to stop Gillan from constantly displaying his total lack of taste. It’s been going on for years, from extremely bad clothing, to just about everything about the music as well.”
– I’m all for free speech and owning one’s opinions et all, so I acknowledge you big time, but hey come on! 😁
And then this:
“At least Blackmore kept some quality control, wig and all.”
– dear Karl, you are joking here, aren’t you?
Well if you’re not (😆 sorry still laughing so hard because I sincerely think you must be some kind of stand-upper comedian 😄) then I have to tell you that “wig and all” does not scream quality control, at least not in my life.
The way Ian Gillan is behaving is so wonderful and gentlemanlike.
I know some of you fine people in here have been bitching a bit about his clothes, but to me he is genuine! What you see is what you get – or I guess that, because sadly I don’t know him. Bit he strikes me as an honest person.
But still Karl, thank you for the laughs 🤣
May 7th, 2026 at 10:22Really appreciate it 😃
The artwork kinda reminds me of Uriah heep’s the magician’s birthday. Also the songs seem to be getting shorter.
May 7th, 2026 at 11:02Can someone lend me seventeen grand for the Revox bundle?
May 7th, 2026 at 11:13I’m so glad to hear this! I wonder if the album will go splat to nr 1 or whoosh down the drain… Just joking, of course it will top the charts I’m sure.
As for the title, they might have thought about “Where do we think we’re going” considering the overall theme as IAN described it. And it could have been worse, see for example “Grrrr…” by the aforementioned cover band 😄.
The songs are surprisingly short, but Deep Purple can (and should) do as they please in order not to please too many of their longstanding critics. Speaking of which, so far I’ve missed comment along the lines of “Ive stopped listening to Deep Purple in 1993, but hey, I dont wanna miss the opportunity to tell everyone that listening to anything “Purple” recorded without Blackmore is a waste of time”.
Long live DP! 😃
May 7th, 2026 at 11:24Never give a second thought about those “we’re at the same place now as when we did our hit record”-marketing bs. Mentioning HS, Lazy and SotW in hat context sounds extra cheap.
I like what Ezrin does sound-wise, but I’m not happy about cutting the songs so short. The average DP audience might have a bigger attention span than generation TikTok.
Anyways, I’m looking very forward! I’m still having much fun with =1, so this surely will be great!
May 7th, 2026 at 12:05Non-vinylists do not despair, those EP songs will crop up soon enough on some touring deluxe CD edition, they always do.
May 7th, 2026 at 12:53I’m already feeling nauseous reading the criticisms about the length of songs here…
but if the songs are good, who cares if the songs last 4 minutes or 6 minutes, if they last 3 or 7 minutes, if they last 5 or 9 minutes??
@19 Karl:
Sorry to disappoint you, but the band’s reputation without Blackmore and with Big Ian is the best it’s been since 1993, still growing to the status of living legends.
it’s a fact.
#28 Georgivs:
Old Purple Heart Phil Aston compares the merchandising of the new Purple & Stones records in this video
https://youtu.be/y_iYX_F4zcQ?is=SSUCXyUeMIGSFlOp
There’s so much choice, it seems to me that Purple also has even more expensive items.
The very clever Rolling Stones will have guests on the album Robert Smith, Chad Smith and above all Paul McCartney: super sales guaranteed.
May 7th, 2026 at 13:18I heard two new singles, with Steve Jordan and Chad Smith on drums the band has been reborn compared to when there was the old and didactic Charlie Watts
The album art seems to me to resemble Ian back walking off into the sunset. Maybe it is, indeed, the bands final farewell. Ian has lost his voice, so maybe a hardened vocal track fits well at this point in time for the band. Yet another album, I will rip off YouTube in full but listen to it rarely like the last few albums that stunk something horrible. The title Splat may be called Spit after we all listen to it and compare it to Whoosh or =1
May 7th, 2026 at 13:29Looking forward to more from Deep Purple!!
May 7th, 2026 at 14:03I am getting annoyed by this Bob Ezrin “keep it short and concise” songs selection. What is wrong with jams and long ones? isn’t that Deep Purple AMO?
May 7th, 2026 at 14:11I’ll be gladly surprised if SPLAT! secures #1 position in any of the charts worldwide, as that’s the same Friday when Madonna releases her highly anticipated Confessions II album. (and I’m a fan of both, lol)
May 7th, 2026 at 14:49P.S. Remember the time, namely 2024 upon the release of Whoosh!, when Deep Purple was battling with Taylor Swift for the UK #1 album? Strange times, lol.
May 7th, 2026 at 14:50Splat. Interesting title. I am looking forward to this release! I hope Simon shines on this one and that it’s much better than =1.
May 7th, 2026 at 16:05Even if they called it “F**k!” or “xxx” and even if it was another “Turning to crime” I’m sure I would still love it. Just looking forward to the new album.
May 7th, 2026 at 17:30This is turning out to be a great year for us Purple fans. Not only do we get a new Purple studio album, but the first ever solo album from Paicey! Can’t wait!
May 7th, 2026 at 18:06At last a decent tile and a decent cover. They guys are turning professionals at last 😂
May 7th, 2026 at 18:39I can’t wait for the first single.
God bless DP
Peace ✌️
Oh boy, I was so looking forward to this album and seeing my favourite band for the past 43 years and then…..Splat. It had better be good because the title is a total piss take….even the Bananas, Whoosh and =1 titles now suddenly become more intelligent than this.
May 7th, 2026 at 19:01Great news, indeed. Funny song titles. 80 years old Mr Gillan is singing about Jessica’s bra. I reckon Jessica is one of Ian’s long time female friends, most likely about 80 years old too. I think her bra sure deserves a closer scrutiny, so we are happy to hear more about it. First time in rock music we are offered a view to a bra of a woman of age. Bra probably well filled. Thanks for that guys.
May 7th, 2026 at 19:02No way is Roger Dean. Not with those fonts
May 7th, 2026 at 19:30Will it be available on splattered vinyl?
May 7th, 2026 at 19:37(Sorry, couldn’t resist)
Some of you here are not thrilled with the title of the album… Didn’t we go through this before with Bananas and to a lesser extant\extent Whoosh? Does it really matter that much? As long as the music is good they could name the album A Pile of Shit and I would still buy it. Even their weakest albums are better than most band’s best efforts. Deep Purple is a big part of the “soundtrack” to the “movie” that is my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr4KyDJgE5I
May 7th, 2026 at 21:58I am excited and am very amused by the title – if this is to be their last record, I hope it’s a burner.
A song called Jessica’s Bra though… I suppose Gillan may still be young and horny at heart.
Claiming this stuff is on par with their glory days material is a bold claim – we’ll see if it’s hype or truth in a couple of months.
Gillan continuing to complain about Steve’s playing and that the band is “back on track” is disappointing for me. If you didn’t want southern rock, don’t hire him!
I wish he’d admit that the band made a mistake in hiring Steve (although it was a beautiful mistake for many of us) instead of saying “Steve’s a great guitarist BUT…” so many different ways in interviews.
All Steve did was be himself, that’s not his fault. In my view, if Steve was not the right fit, then the band should have let him go. Keeping him around for 28 years was unfair to all parties involved.
May 7th, 2026 at 22:29Lieber Karl, mentioning Ritchie and “quality control” in one sentence takes some fervent adulation for him and the ability to block a lot things out, I must say:
– Blackmore’s Night albums are filled with cheesy cheapskate instrumentation such as drum machines, sequencers and fake strings. let’s not even talk about the covers of these albums.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Fp25rYtML._SL1500_.jpg
– Around the time of Reunionbow, Ritchie’s dictionary must have obviously gone missing so he couldn’t look up what “quality control” meant when he chose his motley crew of backing talents. And the live albums that were released by that outfit in the aftermath aren’t exactly mentioned in one breath with Made in Japan, Made in Europe and On Stage either last I heard.
– Ritchie’s passion for quality control is thus he could not even be arsed into seeing to it that the recent Rainbow box set (endorsed by him!) contained the crucial LA Mix of Rising (not that too many people here even took notice, much less cared).
Big Ian has committed some crimes (synth bass all the way through on Naked Thunder, yuck, drum machines on Dream Catcher) and is no David Coverdale as regards curation of his past work (still very much the gold standard in the Purple Family, whether you like his music or not), but Ritchie has been utmost lackadaisical in terms of quality control in the last decades.
May 7th, 2026 at 23:58@19 not sure why you are still reading THS Karl.
May 8th, 2026 at 02:27Hilarious
Dont like it coz its called ‘Splat’
Dont like it coz the songs arent long enough
May 8th, 2026 at 06:15Looking forward to July 3rd! I will try to avoid listening to the singles before the release. As for the short songs, well Space Truckin’ was 4:40 on MH…
May 8th, 2026 at 08:29JPC in Germany have an exclusive cover variant.
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/poprock/detail/-/art/deep-purple-splat/hnum/12707512
May 8th, 2026 at 08:42At this point I have reached a Zen state of mind in the Church of Purple. I’m not expecting another Machine Head. Or daring extended improvisations. Little Ian exploding behind the drums like he did on Burn. Some guitarist sounding like Blackmore … hell, even Blackmore doesn’t sound like he used to anymore. Nor does Big Ian btw. Their collective songwriting craft on the new album will likely not have morphed to Lennon-McCartney magnitude either.
But if you had asked me as a 14-year-old fledgling Purple fan whether a 65-year-old version of me would still be buying and even able to buy (new!) Purple product more than half a century later, I would have looked at you incredulously. So I’m just grateful for the opportunity. And I will give Splat! a fair, even benevolent listen, concentrating on what strong points there are. I’m sure I’ll find something.
After the lengthy studio recording hiatus (almost a decade!) they took after ROTD (not one of their strongest albums in my ears, even after the remix), I had begun to accept that they might end their career as simply a touring act, lots of bands from the 60s and 70s do. Then Now What?! came out and since then five more new studio albums (counting Splat! in), you show me another band where four members are either approaching or even over 80 (and the youngest member is basically half their age). (And with all the Bob Ezrin-bashing that sometimes goes on here, I credit him with making Purple happy to record again and do so regularly.)
So at this point I feel very tranquil about Purple’s recording legacy. Bring it on.
May 8th, 2026 at 13:50@64 ….. You’re right
May 8th, 2026 at 14:47I’m looking forward to new Purple,but I’ll temper any excitement and expectations. 13 songs,around 50 mins,and a silly title. I hope it doesn’t add up to = 1,part 2.
May 8th, 2026 at 14:56Not really a world tour if it’s just 3 continents……
Looking forward to the new album though !
May 8th, 2026 at 15:53Me …I am just grateful they still come up.with new music.
May 8th, 2026 at 17:27@64 If you had asked me as a 14-year-old fledgling Purple fan whether a 52-year-old version of me would still be buying and even able to buy (new!) Purple product more than a third of a century later, I would have looked at you incredulously.
Especially, as I didn’t like “Nobody’s Perfect” and seriously thought back then that DP really needed to wrap it up retire.
Otherwise, my thoughts exactly voiced by Uwe. Great minds think alike.
May 8th, 2026 at 19:12Uwe @64
May 8th, 2026 at 19:28My thoughts/attitude exactly! Thank you for writing what I was thinking 😆
BTW, I took my 13 year old (his first show ever) to see The Foo Fighters in Bridgeport, CT, on April 28, 2026. I won’t get into the show, etc., but just wanted to share with my friends at THS that after one of the songs Dave Grohl did Gillan’s famous call and return at the end of SKOW. Obviously, not all the way to the very high falsettos. And the new drummer did a solo during Monkey Wrench that sounded like an (abbreviated) replica of Paice’s solo on The Mule in MiJ.
I highly doubt many in the audience put two and two together, but Grohl is clearly a fan. 😆
I’m very sorry for my slight exaggerations and general negativity. I was in a bad mood. But now it’s Friday evening, at least where I am, and I’m in a much more mellow and cheerful mood.
Dear Karin #37 and Uwe #59. I apologise, I totally forgot the quality surrounding BN:s whole concept. In fact you normally cannot put BN and the word quality on the same planet. Gillan wasn’t and still isn’t anywhere near that situation. Thank God!
Speaking of RB:s wigs I actually think they were looking good up until maybe 1990. After that age just starts to interfere too much.
I probably won’t buy the album, I haven’t bought any of the later releases, but I will give it a listen. I like the band live though of course. I saw them live at Tivoli Gardens, Cph, 2023. It was a great evening. Gillan was reasonably well dressed and performed with the usual great stage presence. I think McBride suits them very well.
May 8th, 2026 at 19:36Finaly a good album cover like classic good ones Deep Purple, In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head, Who Do We Think We Are, Burn, Stormbringer and Whoosh. It looks fascinating.
It is true that a beautiful cover does not make a bad album a good one but it is assimilated to it. A fine image for a fine album speaks words.
I also think that epic numbers need longer running times.
It is said the new album would be the heaviest in many years. We will see.
I am 70 and addicted to Purple since 1970. Child In Time was and still is magnificent.
May 8th, 2026 at 20:22@42. I hope so but the =1 vinyl live tracks haven’t appeared yet.
May 8th, 2026 at 20:36@ 64 – “And with all the Bob Ezrin-bashing that sometimes goes on here,” Then you will be ready for more Uwe. We hope not of course, wouldn’t it be nice to have some nice clarity with the production again. Cheers.
May 8th, 2026 at 22:12Considering their ages I’m ecstatic we get another listen to the Worlds greatest band!
May 8th, 2026 at 23:33I would like to point out that Simon Robinson has announced that the first single will appear on Wednesday 13th May and will be available to listen to (whether in full or in part is not known)
https://darkerthanblue.wordpress.com/2026/05/09/teaser-one/
In a previous post on DTB he said that the cassettes will only be printed in 50 copies, and he trashed the album cover as if it were a Yes album.
Simon also said that there was a top secret pre-listen of the album in London last week, but he didn’t get an invitation…
and in fact I still haven’t understood if I find it beautiful or horrible, but I certainly prefer the minimalism of the graphic style of =1
May 9th, 2026 at 11:01@71
You’re totally forgiven Karl! 😃
As I said: I respect everybody’s opinion, well, unless they badmouth Ian Gillan! Then I have to say a couple of words!
It’s so unbelievable great to be witnessing the greatest band still producing new material and giving concerts!
Re RB’s wigs, I have to admit that I had no idea he was wearing wigs until I read about in here 😆
I honestly never look twice at the people singing and playing instruments. Too busy listening…
Karl, you were in Tivoli in ‘23?
May 9th, 2026 at 12:39Så du er her fra DK? Jamen skal du så ikke til concert med dem til oktober?
Isn’t the fact that DP have done six studio albums with Bob in 13 years a testament to the fact that something between them clicks? Bob doesn’t need another Purple album to add to his pedigree nor do DP need a name producer to bolster sales. They actually work together (on a by now regular basis) because they like to. So where is the credit for that from all you Ezrin cannibals under the tribal leadership of Herr MacGregor?!
May 9th, 2026 at 12:40@75
To quote Meatloaf:
https://youtu.be/_wO8toxinoc?is=PnYttEoSsMaYgWkc
Well, not all the lyrics, but only the title 😄
May 9th, 2026 at 12:42@48
An unique moment in 2020’s UK Chart’s, where Taylor Swift’s at #1 was challenged by Glass Animals’ Dreamland at #2 and Deep Purple’s Whoosh! at #3
I’m pretty sure, if it just count the physical sales, Deep Purple would have been top the chart. Whoosh did really well in many territories without a tour.
It was real shame Covid came knockin’ on world’s door and we never have a proper tour to promote Whoosh!, which chart impressive performances at that time could be extended more. Nothing at All to me still the best-written song the band have ever created
May 9th, 2026 at 13:02@32
I know he’s not a guitar maestro like Blackmore and Morse. But still, this is an opportunity to show something brilliant and I’m sure he could do it. He will not get better place to show it than in Deep Purple
Before the release of =1, I had a wish of bluesy album since Simon is Gary Moore’s disciple (also Joe Satriani and Steve Lukather). Plus Gillan’s aging voice will suit that bluesy music style better (I really dig his voice on Haunted, Nothing at All, and Wasted Sunset, is he realizing he got such fantastic talent in singing ballads? ).
Unfortunately I got that boring =1, which people reaction to me sounds like “Hip hooray, we’ll see Morse no more, back to Blackmore”, while I didn’t see much Blackmore influences in the songs
So I hold my breath for this new album, hope it will surprise..
May 9th, 2026 at 13:31@77
Well Karin I’m only almost Danish, that’s skåning, living in what used to be your old town of Lund. Although Köbenhavn is only 1 hr by train I’ll probably stay home in October.
Jag såg förresten Rainbow i KB-hallen i oktober 1995. Husker att det var extremt högt ljud (höj lyd) på gitarren.
Hav en god afton!
May 9th, 2026 at 16:06@82
Living in Skåne – you’re practically next door neighbour to the venue!
Well, yes I clearly remember when we the Danes ruled over not only some parts of Sweden but also Norway 😄 at least I remember have read about it.
Hav selv en god aften 😊
May 9th, 2026 at 21:01Look at these Scandinavians ganging up again – just like in the Thirty Years’ War! 😱
Karl, all is good. No Purple member is sacrosanct from criticism. Ian (the big one) can be blunt. On the other hand Jon’s trademark diplomacy wasn’t always 100% forthright either. Jon had a habit of leaving painful decisions to other people, let someone else do the dirty work. And Ritchie has never handled criticism (or even good advice) well unless it is from himself. He also had an unpleasant top-down approach to people and could be short term very vindictive (though he tends to forget and forgive over time, unlike Big Ian who has a long memory).
May 10th, 2026 at 00:41@ 78 – convenience Uwe, that’s all it is. As Ian Paice lamented a number of years ago, “it isn’t necessarily what I like, but it is the way it is and we move on and hit the road”, words to that effect regarding his drum sound no doubt. The DP members in having Ezrin aboard takes away all the hassle of getting someone else and for good or bad he also gets involved in the songwriting, something they never would have done back in the day. So there you have the truth of the matter. You are correct in that Ezrin doesn’t need it, nor would he with other artists too. He obviously enjoys doing it though. Cheers.
May 10th, 2026 at 02:16@ 77- “As I said: I respect everybody’s opinion, well, unless they badmouth Ian Gillan! Then I have to say a couple of words!” A ‘couple’ of words?????????? If what we have witnessed here before is a ‘couple’ of words then God help us all if things hot up a little in regard to Saint Ian. We can certainly be glad that Karin NEVER pursued the legal profession and became a Lawyer. Can we imagine that???? A quick observation: Karin as a lawyer in court “your honour, I would like to say a ‘couple’ of words in my clients defence” An audible sigh is immediately heard followed by constant eye rolling from all in the court room. 14 hours pass by and when signing off Karin says ‘so your Honour, that is my complete take on current proceedings’. Karin looks around and the court room is totally empty, dark and even the cleaners have long gone. Keep it in a nutshell Karin, he he he. You will end up worse than ‘you know who’ if you are not careful. That other lawyer guy constantly pervading these hallowed halls. Cheers.
May 10th, 2026 at 03:05I’m hoping Simon is now comfortable in the band and can let his guitar lead the way on this album. I think IG was missing the riff oriented music of the mkII era.
May 10th, 2026 at 10:03Hello.
You really are eager and active there!
I was listening to Slaves and Masters (Revox, Tascam? No. AIWA : )
I must admit I like that record a lot. Wigs or not. A couple of killer songs: King of Dreams, The Cut Runs Deep (that sound of the Strat), Fortuneteller… And one rare approach to a song. Too Much Is Not Enough, which comes through fade in. It´s interesting that they recorded it. Best Foreigner song that Foreigner never recorded, said someone : ). A couple of really nice and a bit different fills by Mr Paice.
I´m sorry, but I´m not holding my breath while waiting the new one, but You´ll never know. In couple of weeks we know. I lost my interest in DP´s studioalbums already somewhere in times of Abandon and Bananas. Rapture of the Deep. Yawn. But there´s one song that gives me a lot of joy there: Wrong Man. Speaking of producing. That is a riff, isin´t it ! Whatever happened to Mike Bradford by the way? …and there´s now a remix of the album..? The songs are what they are?
Georgivs @69. It´s interesting that You mentioned Nobody´s Perfect. It really was a disappointing “live”-album by our heroes! What on earth were their thoughts of the results? Only track reasonable and joy to listen to was Hush, which was, if I remember right, a live soundcheck jam or something like that?
Uwe @59. I think if you don´t like RB´s and/or BN`s later adventures, what´s the point to put him/them down? Picture yourself 15 years plus older… But after all, you´re having a point or two there. Unfortunately. I saw Rainbow 2016 in Birmingham and 2018 in Helsinki. I did enjoy the gigs a lot. Man, the sound of Ritchie´s Strat was awesome at times!
Uwe @42. I´m afraid you´re right there again, but one thing I just don´t get… Vinyls !?! Why on earth? I have all the classic era DP records on vinyl, of course, and the remastered cd versions, too. But if I buy a new record, that´ll be cd. The amount of the versions they are releasing… Yak.
Janbl @50. Ha ha. You´re thinking just the same I was. Talking about the titles! Ha ha !
John @51. Paicey´s solo record? Is that finally coming out? We talked about his DVDs here a while ago, but… Now that is something to really wait for!
And speaking of drummers…Fla @76. Maybe we just must respect late people a bit more here? The late Mr. Watts was the only member of the band that was something a little bit sane. And what a legacy and unique drummer. Hats off.
Now I really deserve something to eat…not forgetting my coffee! : )
Kippis.
May 10th, 2026 at 11:53What a long strange Trip this is, bought i In Rock back in 81, 12 years of age, saw them on stage first in 85 and well oder 10 times up to 2024….bought all official releases and Booklets too…still love all Inkarnation trat ever were with the exception of the Jlt phase…for the banjo players i do appreciate Mr Morse a lot, such a lovely guy, can’t say anything negative about Mcbride, he Player finde but maybe he lacks a bit charisma…but for the singer it is definitely Big Ian, always was and always will be…and yes, he is 80 and he is still around, that is all that counts….so i am happy with Splat and one more Chance to See my first band on stage once again in October…
May 10th, 2026 at 14:58In my ‘DP life’, I always sided with IG in the conflict with Ritchie. However, when I read that: Gillan continuing to complain about Steve’s playing and saying that the band is “back on track”, I started to understand… RB. Sorry, Ian, but Steve is now part of big DP history, as are Ritchie, Glenn, David and Tommy. You can’t change that!
May 10th, 2026 at 16:55As far as the album cover goes, I can’t make sense of it but, it’s better than the Stones new cover!
May 10th, 2026 at 20:44Everybody is always complaining about Nobody’s Perfect, but when I saw DP in the 80s, that is exactly how they sounded live – the album is a perfectly honest depiction of how they were live in the reunion phase.
Hiza, I wasn’t advocating vinyl at all, I find it a chore and the belief in its aural superiority is superstition. I would have preferred a boxed set of CDs only.
May 10th, 2026 at 22:31@91 – “it’s better than the Stones new cover!”
What isn’t?
May 11th, 2026 at 01:09It’s not real bad nonsense like – shudder the thought – a horse with wings …
May 11th, 2026 at 04:52@86
😁 well MacGregor, as the old saying goes:
What the heart is full of runs over the mouth.
Do you know, I actually wanted to study the law when I was young. But homeopathy caught my attention, and here we are: the only place I can talk (almost) freely is here, among my Purple-people 😃
And please notice how calm and collected I will answer Simon (@90) 😊
May 11th, 2026 at 04:58@90
Well Simon, I hear you, but I don’t read anywhere that Ian doesn’t acknowledge SM, or any of the other former members of Purple.
What I do read though is that Ian is reassuring SMcB – ‘hey Simon you’re just a kid but you are sufficient and you are a good match’
May 11th, 2026 at 05:01😊
@90
Not known to be very positive about Steve s era in the band it , if its all true, indeed is very remarkable to me.
Jon Lord : ” Appearantly hereally doesnt like the band with Gillan in it, why then done it for so long?”
Its been decades and now almost my whole life that I get confused about their statements on several things but espescially
the comments on each other.
Ian of whom I thought was a real fan of Steve now expressing this.
Roger once said to have been more hurt when being ditched in 73 by Lord and Paicey than by Blackmore : Strraaanggggggggeeeeeeeee
May 11th, 2026 at 13:35Hiza, you’re not alone, I thought Slaves & Masters an interesting detour for DP. It wasn’t Purple as we knew it, but it showed that Blackmore, Glover, Lord, Paice & Turner can record a good album together that is somewhere between Classic Rock and AOR. I value it on its own terms.
I’d give my left nut for a CD of the five or six songs Turner had already sung that ended up on TBRO after IG had been supplied with the instrumental tracks with Joe’s vocals wiped. I can’t believe they do not still exist somewhere.
May 11th, 2026 at 13:47I checked the lyrics of Splat. Oh, man…
May 11th, 2026 at 20:30Gillan completely unhinged. Not your average Hard rock lyrics.
@99: Please elaborate. I just read through some of the songs and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Gillan never wrote “your average Hard Rock lyrics”. For good or bad. 🙂
https://genius.com/albums/Deep-purple/Splat
May 12th, 2026 at 06:16I don’t mind some of the lyrics towards the end, the last four songs or so. Subject matter we can relate to that Gillan himself has been talking about in recent years. Scriblin’ Gib’rish indeed. He is tired the old horse, will take that into consideration and the mind also plays tricks the older we get. Cheers.
May 12th, 2026 at 09:28You’re right, Arrogant boy has akind of a Ted the mechanic lyrics, but the rest I think is a new level even for Gillan. I think he really wanted to show his writing skills as a testament.
May 12th, 2026 at 10:16And will see, Svante. I think, he wants to carve in stone
May 12th, 2026 at 13:57(I wasn’t particularly talking about Arrogant Boy, I just couldn’t find the link to the entire album…)
May 12th, 2026 at 14:08IG’s prowess as a lyricist stands head, shoulders & dandruff above what other singers of the genre write. It’s what makes DP a thinking (wo)man’s band when he’s in the line-up. For all their undeniable qualities, Mk III, IV and V were never cerebral, just good-time stadium rock.
May 12th, 2026 at 14:33Gillan is an old man. Right or wrong
May 12th, 2026 at 14:40He still has words
At101. I do not normally react to fellow DP friends, but as a linguist of some sort, I must say, this album’s text is remarkable.
May 12th, 2026 at 15:58I always thought that Ian Gillan’s lyrics (not all of them) could easily make a book in their own right. He got better and better as a poet with the years.
May 12th, 2026 at 20:56I do enjoy Mark III and IV …a lot of it gets more spins here than Mark II early albums … but the lyrics never come even close to what IG delivers.
@90: Well said, Simon. Gillan keeps shooting himself in the foot every time he opens his mouth, to mix a metaphor. Here’s what Gillan should say whenever he’s asked about Steve Morse or feels that he has to say anything at all about Morse: “Steve revivified this band when he joined and was, from the post-Blackmore era until the Ezrin era, arguably its most important member. Some of our strongest material and was written and recorded when he was in the band.’’
Ian, as the millennials say, “fixed it for you.”
May 12th, 2026 at 21:45I’ve given the new single two listens and it’s… fine? First listen, I thought it sounded a bit thin, but as usual with that sort of thing, turning the volume up helps.
Re: the album cover art: it’s really the wrong period in art history to be making covers like this. People are going to look at it and ask “is it… or isn’t it?” I don’t think this one is, but give me scrawly minimalism over polished surrealism. Just to be sure.
And with Deep Purple: I just happen to like the albums with scrawly covers better. I don’t know how that works but Purpendicular, Now What!? and =1 have established a kind of pattern where a cover that looks like that feels like it’s announcing a new era, and the polished covers announce more of the same.
May 13th, 2026 at 05:35@108
Max – you are indeed right 😃🤩
“but the lyrics never come even close to what IG delivers.”
– in my humble opinion, no one comes close to what Ian can do!
His words paints as beautiful pictures in my head as his voice does.
(And no MacGregor, I haven’t paid anything for Max to write as he does 😁)
May 13th, 2026 at 08:45GUINNESS played live appears to be a instrumental used as an intro for the usuall ending of the show.
Lifted it from PERFECT PURPLE
chrome-extension://bigefpfhnfcobdlfbedofhhaibnlghod/mega/secure.html#file/KoRmlSaY#e4-N32OxJInMfB093MEY3Jt0P5cvwaeDqcANvX09gR0
May 13th, 2026 at 20:08