One Peter Carter, who was a professional musician since the 60s, tells the stories of how he crossed paths way back then with a virtuoso guitar player called Ritchie Blackmore. Continue Reading »

Glenn Hughes and Doug Aldrich were interviewed for eonmusic promoting the new Dead Daisies album. Of course, the conversation just couldn’t steer completely off the Purple connection.

Doug, you’ve previously worked with David Coverdale in Whitesnake; what’s it like come from one unrighteous brother to another?
DA: That’s a funny thing that these guys have had forever! They’re both great guys. It’s such a small world, and when you think about it, there’s so many bands under the umbrella of Richie Blackmore. And to work with two of Richie’s singers and band members – actually, three! There was also Ronnie [James Dio] – it’s crazy! But, I’ve learned a lot. I learned so much from David. We spent so many years together, writing and recording, and now the same with Glenn, and I love it! When we were working on the songs after the initial recording sessions that we had at Sunset Sound [studios], Glenn said; “I’ve got these other songs that I want to present to the band”, and I said; “cool, well, I could come down and help out, make some proper demos”, and I just came down and Glenn had these things, so I just recorded him, and really just tried to get his vision down, and it was amazing because his playing is undefinable; it’s just something from where he grew up, I guess. We’d refer back to it, and figure out the nuance that made it special, and that’s part of the reason that this record is so special.

On another subject, I wanted to ask you Glenn about your own experience of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because on speaking to David Coverdale, he eluded to some tension with the current band.
GH: Well, you’ve seen it. It was a little difficult because of; let’s call it ‘personality problems’. It was David and I holding hands, and the other guys, unfortunately! We just don’t get along with the other guys, at all. So, we kept ourselves to ourselves; David and Glenn, with our wives, and it was great. David and I, what a great time! And we closed the show with Cheap Trick and Sheryl Crow, and our friends in Chicago. You know, it’s a touchy subject. It was not an easy night for us. If you look at the body language, it’s pretty obvious, you know? But again, David and I have been thick and thin for so long, I just dearly love him. Regarding Deep Purple, I have no idea what they’re doing, and I don’t really care.

Read more in eonmusic.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Jon Lord’s press conference on September 13, 2003 outside of the Hell train station in Norway, prior to his performance at the Hell Blues Festival, and at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim the next day. Some of you may have seen it (some may have been there), others not. Continue Reading »

There’s been a bit of a soap opera going on the the family tree, particularly in its Rainbow branch.

We’ve reported earlier this year that Graham Bonnet teamed up with the original Alcatrazz bassist Gary Shea and keyboard player Jimmy Waldo for the band reunion. An album of new material came out in July, and plans were being put together to tour some time in 2021, once the pandemic is over. Apparently there has been a split between Graham on the one side, and his manager and the rest of the reformed Alcatrazz on the other. Graham announced that he will form his own version of the band and will tour with it as ‘Alcatrazz featuring Graham Bonnet’. The other Alcatrazz announced that it has hired a new singer — another ex-Rainbow man Doogie White.

Speaking of Rainbow vocalists, Ronnie Romero will perform at a live streaming event tomorrow, December 13. He is teaming up with Bulgarian outfit called Intelligent Music Project.

We will play some of the best songs of Intelligent Music Project from the last two albums of the band – Sorcery Inside and Life Motion. It’s great to be part of this amazing project. It gives a big opportunity for me to meet different audiences and to bring positive message to all of them. It’s great to work with such an amazing team!

The performance starts at 6PM CET on December 13, 2020. It will be available via Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Here’s what this particular collaboration may sound like:

The Intelligent Music Project had previously performed with other guest stars — Simon Phillips (TOTO/Protocol), John Lawton (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s friend), Carl Sentence (Don Airey, Nazareth), Joseph Williams (TOTO), and John Payne (ex-Asia).

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

The promised new Blackmore’s Night album will be called Nature’s Light and is scheduled for release on March 12, 2021 via Edel’s imprint earMusic.

Candice explains the title:

The story of Nature’s Light is the story of nature being the true queen and the simplicity and magic of everyday miracles that happen right before your eyes. If you feel stagnant or repressed in your surroundings, it is important to take a break from the mundane and go where your heart leads you. It allows you to recharge and begin again with fresh and renewed energy. For some it is the ocean, for some the woods, for some feeling the sun on your face. Our music is an escape from the stress and pressure of modern times. Journey back through time with us, to a simpler, magical time where music enters your heart and soul.

Track list:

1. Once upon December
2. Four Winds
3. Feather in the Wind
4. Darker Shade of Black (instrumental)
5. The Twisted Oak
6. Nature’s Light
7. Der Letzte Musketier (instrumental)
8. Wish You Were Here (2021)
9. Going to the Faire
10. Second Element

The album will be available as

• a digipack CD;
• a 180g 1LP gatefold on black vinyl;
• a limited edition 1LP gatefold on yellow heavyweight vinyl;
• a limited edition 2CD hardcover mediabook;
• streaming and download.

The second CD of the mediabook edition (pictured above) will feature a compilation of tracks from the band’s back catalogue. Other than that the track listing appears to be identical across all formats. The album can be preordered through the usual outlets.

A lyric video for Once upon December has been posted to promote the release:

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

In case you have nothing better to do over the holidays, why not sit down and read a fictional story about Vladimir Nabokov encountering a certain band in Montreux in 1971.

Nabokov vs Deep Purple is written by one Mark Rudolph, in a genre self described as a post postmodern humor. The story is written from Nabokov’s point of view, who did indeed live in Montreux from 1961 until his death in 1977, and indeed stayed there at the Palace Hotel. This is the same hotel where the band stayed, but not the same where they recorded (The Grand Hotel was empty, cold, and bare for the winter). Keep in mind that Nabokov was infamously quite an, ahem, opinionated gentleman, and equally as infamously hated pretty much all music.

They all came out to Montreux, shaggy drug dunderheads all, rendering my adopted hotel home a discommodious farrago. The band in question was something called “The Deep Purple,” which I assumed was a gang of British homosexualists who prided themselves on the depths of their passive intercourse. It turns out they were a rock band (More like ROCK BOTTOM! I loathe equally Sgt. Pepper, Sgt. Schultz, and Sargent Shriver!).

Our misadventure began when I was in the middle of a typically vivid dream of synesthesia. My wife Vera elbowed me into common consciousness. The acrid smell of pyrolysis filled our room. Mrs. N. rang the dipsomaniac night porter to confirm that the casino on the lake was on fire and not our hotel.

The story can be purchased in print form for $4.20 from MagCloud, or read there for free in digital form.

More from the same author: Pops & Clicks: Eno, Nabokov, Deep Purple.

Thanks to Yvonne for the heads up.

Second part of the fan interview with Roger Glover and Don Airey. This time they spoke to Chris Aston from the UK. This probably is as close as most of us will ever experience sitting in a pub with those two gentlemen. Enjoy! Continue Reading »

Paicey continues to answer your questions. In this installment: Neil Peart, Buddy Rich tribute, J. E. and C., And the Address, future albums, making of In Rock, the perennial setlist debate, loudest band in the world and hearing loss, and how to play Burn. Continue Reading »

A socially distanced video for a new track from the upcoming Dead Daisies’ album Holy Ground. It’s called Shake the Memory. Continue Reading »

Another caroling track from Blackmore’s Night Xmas EP — O Little Town Of Bethlehem. If you’re into that sort of thing. Continue Reading »