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Get to where you’re going quicker
Don Airey chats with Phil Aston on the Now Spinning Magazine podcast.
In this exclusive interview, Don talks about working with Simon McBride, the band’s creative chemistry, recording together in the studio, Bob Ezrin’s influence on the songwriting process, the role of the Hammond organ, and why Deep Purple continue to sound inspired more than fifty years into their career.
Plus, Don shares stories about the making of Splat!, life on the road with Deep Purple, and how many of the album’s songs could take on a whole new life in concert.
We can’t show it here as for some reason playback on other sites has been disabled for this video. Head over to youtube to watch it.
Thanks to Mike Whiteley for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
What a nice, humorous person Don Airey is. Very laid back, very talented. I’m glad they get to still do what they love. The music is very creative. I don’t bother comparing it to the Deep Purple of yore.
June 30th, 2026 at 02:31Well I listened to it and the way Phil, was gushing about “Splat”I think he believes it better than = 1!! Well I would find that very hard to believe! The first two releases were underwhelming and Guilt Trippin for me gets a 6/10 Time will tell and looking forward to release on Friday in Australia!
June 30th, 2026 at 08:48What James says, it’s pointless to compare a bunch of (already or imminent) octogenarians +1 youngish man in the beginning second quarter of the 21st century with what a group of mid-20s did in 1969/70 when rock music was on the ascent to rule the world.
DP Mk IX isn’t DP Mk II. So three people have survived , but are more than a century older, the two lead instrumentalist are completely different individuals writing their own style of music and the music world has changed immensely.
Mk IX carries in this day and age thankfully the banner of dual lead guitar/organ music which, if we’re honest, went largely out of fashion already by the mid 70s and a large part of the set consists of a nod to the golden dust era of Mk II, but that is where most commonalities stop. It’s good that they are still here, but a reincarnation of Mk II they are not nor will that type of music ever ride the crescent of the Zeitgeist wave again.
June 30th, 2026 at 12:01Now that was a nice discussion/backslapping between Vicar Phil and parishioner Don!
June 30th, 2026 at 13:34I apologize …
So three people have survived , but are more than a century older …
for having posted my comment 50 years prematurely! I was edging to get it out!! 🤣 Der Wunsch war Vater des Gedankens …
June 30th, 2026 at 22:28I had a bit of problem with that interview. As much as I like Phil Aston’s work, and he’s obviously a super fan, he just failed to get more out of Mad Professor. Massaging and patting the back – “oh how excellent ‘Splat!’ is; smiles, pleasantries and generic short answers from Don. A bit like a lady that talked to DA over the same room zoom session a while ago. It seems like DA doesn’t like to talk about what has been, he seems to already focus on moving forward (can’t blame him over it). His perception of hard rock formula, so extremely basic, concise and to the point – bothers me a bit, I admit, at least in the context of Deep Purple. It might be just right for any top level hard rock band, but Purple are so much more than that. Their uniqueness is in mixing this formula with the ability to stretch out and take us listeners in the unexpected places. And they are cutting it completely off, both in studio and live. Audiences and journalists in general are excited about it, but… Is this all that is left? Is there really a need to hurry so much, because of the getting in their age of 80’s? Looks like an unwritten will to cram in as much just before their bodies force them to stop.
“I played something, I didn’t remember what / I felt it wasn’t that good – wanted to correct it, BE said – no we don’t do that, basically he’s always right.” That’s basically the essence of the interview.
Based on the reviews of the album, I’m agonizing – these last two days remaining to my copy arriving for listening are torture.
July 1st, 2026 at 09:16On the great “Equals One” there are seven outstanding tracks. It would be excellent “Splat!” will exceed that.
July 1st, 2026 at 09:29From the first three known tracks i only like “Arrogant Boy”.
On the other hand, for the first three tracks on “Equal One”, it was just one as well: “Lazy Sod”.
Vicar Phil in his Parish of Purple does get a little emotional/fanboyish at times – he simply ADORES Purple Family music! But it‘s kind of cute in its sincerity – cutting edge rock journalism it of course isn‘t.
I agree that there would be more to excavate from Don especially. He‘s a perceptive man and has given on of the best Blackmore characterizations in the past.
July 1st, 2026 at 14:41