Louder Sound (parent of Classic Rock magazine) has a brief interview with Rick Wakeman about his late great peer Jon Lord:

Jon Lord is one of the greatest keyboard players there has ever been. He’s not really considered a prog rock musician, but he did things that nobody else did. When you look at early Deep Purple especially, there was a lot of prog in there – they were breaking rules. Jon did things that you ‘shouldn’t’ – in inverted commas – do on in the context of a rock band. If that’s not progressive, I don’t know what is.

I bought Shades Of Deep Purple, the very first album by the original Deep Purple line-up, back when it came out. What I really loved about that album was that they did a version of The Beatles’ Help! on there, where Jon did amazing things on the Hammond and Leslie. I thought, ‘I like this guy’, so I always kept an eye on what he was doing.

Continue reading about their relationship and a planned collaboration project (that sadly never happened) on Louder.

Thanks to Jim Collins for the heads up.

Deep Purple have been announced to play a couple of festivals in Austria, in July 2020. Yep, that’s a full year from now. “Early bird” tickets are available for Clam Rock on July 3, 2020, and Lovely Days Festival on July 4.

Mind you, both appearances are yet to be confirmed by the band’s management.

In other touring-related news, a band called Joyous Wolf will be supporting Purple for the whole US tour in September/October 2019.

Hmm, is it just me or does their logo use the same typeface as appears on the cover of Shades of?

Thanks to Reinhard Lackner and Lutz Reinert for the info.

Back in November 2016 Ian Gillan did a short tour of Eastern and Central Europe backed by the Don Airey Band and various local orchestras conducted by Stephen Bentley-Klein, all supported by Grace Gillan’s band Papa Le Gal. The last three shows of the tour were recorded and are now being released as a series of three live albums, each in a different format (perhaps to make our lives more interesting).

Contractual Obligation #1: Live In Moscow

Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia, November 15, 2016
Blu-ray

1. Hang Me Out To Dry
2. Pictures Of Home
3. No Lotion For That
4. Strange Kind Of Woman
5. Razzle Dazzle
6. A Day Late ‘N’ A Dollar Short
7. Lazy
8. Rapture Of The Deep
9. When A Blind Man Cries
10. You’re Gonna Ruin Me Baby (with Grace Gillan)
11. Ain’t No More Cane On The Brazos
12. Difficult To Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth)
13. Anya
14. Perfect Strangers
15. Hell To Pay
16. Demon’s Eye
17. Smoke On The Water
18. Hush
19. Black Night

Contractual Obligation #2: Live In Warsaw

Hala Koło, Warsaw, Poland, November 19, 2016
2CD & digital download

CD1

1. Hang Me Out To Dry
2. Pictures Of Home
3. No Lotion For That
4. Strange Kind Of Woman
5. Razzle Dazzle
6. A Day Late ‘N’ A Dollar Short
7. Lazy
8. Rapture Of The Deep
9. When A Blind Man Cries

CD2

1. You’re Gonna Ruin Me Baby (with Grace Gillan)
2. Ain’t No More Cane On The Brazos
3. Difficult To Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth)
4. Anya
5. Perfect Strangers
6. Hell To Pay
7. Demon’s Eye
8. Smoke On The Water
9. Hush
10. Black Night

Contractual Obligation #3: Live In St. Petersburg

BKZ Oktyabrsky, St. Petersburg, Russia, November 17, 2016
3LP vinyl

Side A

1. Hang Me Out To Dry
2. Pictures Of Home
3. No Lotion For That
4. Strange Kind Of Woman

Side B

1. Razzle Dazzle
2. A Day Late ‘N’ A Dollar Short
3. Lazy

Side C

1. Rapture Of The Deep
2. When A Blind Man Cries
3. You’re Gonna Ruin Me Baby (with Grace Gillan)
4. Ain’t No More Cane On The Brazos

Side D

1. Difficult To Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth)
2. Anya
3. Perfect Strangers

Side E

1. Hell To Pay
2. Demon’s Eye
3. Smoke On The Water

Side F

1. Hush
2. Black Night

Record company PR blurb to follow:

Still fresh from the success of the studio album “NOW What?!”, and just a few months before the release of the latest and equally successful album “inFinite”, Ian Gillan accepted the offer to tour for a month in Eastern Europe with a full rock show, accompanied every night by a different local orchestra.

Gillan decided to recruit the Don Airey Band, which features the guitar talent of Simon McBride.

All shows were truly unique, with Airey and McBride delivering perfect performances night after night. Deep Purple material (including rarities like “Razzle Dazzle” or “Anya”) went hand in hand with Gillan solo songs and surprises for those into the deepest catalogue.

The title is a humorous reference to Ian Gillan’s notorious reticence to pay any attention to his own or Deep Purple live releases (as he explains in the album liner notes). This live album and video might well be one of the nicest chapters in Gillan’s solo production ever and a reminder about how great his solo music and concerts have been over the years.

Curiosity: The last Deep Purple album was named “Infinity” (which later turned into: “inFinite”) during the afternoon preceding the Warsaw show that ended up being immortalized for its CD release.

“Contractual Obligation” will be available on Blu-Ray (Contractual Obligation #1: Live In Moscow), 2CD & digital (Contractual Obligation #2: Live In Warsaw) and as a 3LP+Download (Contractual Obligation #3: Live In St. Petersburg) on July 26, 2019 on earMUSIC.

In other related news, Deep Purple show in Newcastle, Australia, from 2001 is being released as a standalone album. It has previously been available as a part of The Soundboard Series. The album is due out on July 5, 2019.

Thanks to our editor emeritus Benny Holmström for the info.

On June 14 Whitesnake performed at the Download festival held at the Donington Park Circuit in England. This performance will be broadcast in British TV channel Sky Arts on July 6 and 7 starting at 9 PM.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

British label Top Sounds Records is releasing an album compiled from the three BBC sessions of The Artwoods: Saturday Club — 13th March 1965, Holiday Pop — 19th April 1965, and Jazz Beat — 8th January 1966.

The ARTWOODS — Art Wood, Derek Griffiths, Malcolm Pool, Keef Hartley and future Deep Purple organist Jon Lord — recorded for Decca, Parlophone and Fontana from 1964 to 1967 and their Decca back catalogue in particular has been well documented by retrospective re-issues and compilations. The thirteen canvasses in ‘Art’s Gallery’ however are sourced completely from three live radio sessions that the ARTWOODS recorded for the BBC during 1965 and early 1966 and were not known to still exist. The British Broadcasting Corporation saved a number of tracks the group played for the Beeb and these have since appeared on the Cherry Red ‘Steady Getting It’ set, the rest of the ARTWOODS’ radiophonic output however was not kept by the BBC with the tapes being erased or junked. Thanks to diligent home taping by a particularly keen fan at the time, the ARTWOODS’ music for radio on ‘Art’s Gallery’ can again be heard in public for the first time in over fifty years. And besides welcome live takes of familiar favourites such as ‘Oh My Love’, ‘She Knows What To Do’ and ‘Don’t Cry No More’, there’s a spoil of cool numbers that the band never committed to disc. There’s the upbeat jazz of ‘That Healin’ Feelin’ and ‘Smack Dab In The Middle’, the slow burning blues of ‘How Long, How Long Blues’ and ‘Black Mountain Blues’, the soulful grooves of ‘Out Of Sight’ and ‘I Got A Woman’ and the pure mod suave of ‘Comin’ Home Baby’ (and more!).

The vinyl version features a profusely illustrated 16 page ‘Radio Times’ sized booklet with a story featuring contributions from lead guitarist Derek Griffiths, and the CD comes with a 24 page edition. The music has been restored to the highest possible standards from the only known surviving reel to reel recordings and Top Sounds feel sure there’s a splendid time for all to be had from a visit to ‘Art’s Gallery’!

Track list

1. GEORGE MELLY introduces the ARTWOODS
   Broadcast on JAZZ BEAT – 8th January 1966
2. WORK, WORK, WORK (Naomi Neville)
   Broadcast on JAZZ BEAT – 8th January 1966
3. OH MY LOVE (Terry Fox, Brian Smith)
   Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
4. OUT OF SIGHT (Ted Wright)
   Broadcast on HOLIDAY POP – 19th April 1965
5. I AIN’T GOT NOTHING BUT THE BLUES (Duke Ellington, Don George)
   Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
6. I’VE GOT A WOMAN (Ray Charles)
   Broadcast on HOLIDAY POP – 19th April 1965
7. SHE KNOWS WHAT TO DO (Gump)
   Broadcast on HOLIDAY POP – 19th April 1965
8. SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE (Charles Calhoun)
   Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
9. THAT HEALIN’ FEELIN’ (Les McCann)
   Broadcast on JAZZ BEAT – 8th January 1966
10. BRIAN MATTHEW reads a request
    Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
11. COMING HOME BABY (Tucker, Dorough)
    Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
12. BLACK MOUNTAIN BLUES (J.C Johnson)
    Broadcast on SATURDAY CLUB – 13th March 1965
13. HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES (Leroy Carr, Scrapper Blackwell)
    Broadcast on HOLIDAY POP – 19th April 1965
14. OH MY LOVE (Terry Fox, Brian Smith)
    Broadcast on HOLIDAY POP – 19th April 1965
15. DON’T CRY NO MORE (Malone)
    Broadcast on JAZZ BEAT – 8th January 1966
16. GEORGE MELLY ends the programme
    Broadcast on JAZZ BEAT – 8th January 1966

TSLP 007 VINYL album with 16 page booklet
TSSCD 007 COMPACT DISC with 24 page booklet

Vinyl:
UK £21.00 including postage
Europe £24.00 including postage
USA / Canada £28.00 including postage

CD:
UK £14.50 including postage
Europe £17.50 including postage
USA / Canada £18.50 including postage

The album can be ordered directly from the label through a rather convoluted process.

Thanks to Nigel Young for the info.

The Decibel Report has an exuberantly written review of one of the shows Paicey did with the Buddy Rich band in London last month.

‘Twas a hot summer’s night and waiting in the VIP queue outside the venue whilst awaiting the first show of the day to end one could feel gentle excitement mounting. This was raised somewhat when a possible co-conspirator (or witness to the crime) Ian Gillan sauntered past and joined the queue to take his Place In Line.

Once inside this cosy and classic Jazz House in London’s Soho, we were escorted to a front of house table immediately in front of two rather impressive and imposing drum-kits.

Posh drinks and elegant burgers served, we settled into our seats to await a mystery performance. Subtle jazz maybe? Gentle tunes a possibility? Car crash in the making? Who knew? We certainly had no idea how this most unusual of gigs would pan out. The world’s top rock drummer guesting in a jazz band that is still considered to be one of the top acts in its field. Curiosity was killing these cats in the front seats…

Continue reading at the Decibel Report.

We can confirm that Ian Gillan was in the audience at one of the shows, as well as a number of other celebrities were spotted. Quite bizarrely, absolutely no photo or video was permitted and strictly enforced (the picture above is from our stock). This just leaves us to hope that something was recorded professionally and will see the light of day some time in the future.

Thanks to Akemi Ono and Jim C for the info.

Wymer is publishing another book on Ritchie Blackmore. It appears to be (primarily) a photo book of 128 A4 pages in full colour, with narration by Jerry Bloom.

Publicity blurb reads:

This new deluxe photo book compiled by Blackmore biographer Jerry Bloom is the perfect companion to his 2006 biography Black Knight, as it portrays Blackmore’s career with photos and memorabilia from 1958 to the present day. Not only does it feature a large selection of photos, many of which have never been seen before but following years of research by Bloom, it also includes the most comprehensive gig list ever published, for Blackmore’s pre-Deep Purple career between 1958-67 with over 300 gigs detailed from his days with The Outlaws — backing Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis; with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages; Neil Christian & The Crusaders; and even going back to his earliest bands such as The Vampires and The Kestrals. Augmented with memorabilia from the time, the book also plots Blackmore’s career in photos, through Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore’s Night along with narrative by Bloom that puts the visual elements in context. This is a limited edition of 1,000 copies worldwide in a bespoke, custom-made presentation box with a set of prints.

The book can be preordered for £59.99 plus shipping from the publisher. Publication date is pencilled in as September 12, 2019.

Back in 2016 Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abasi toured together under the Generation Axe moniker. According to Steve Vai:

The idea was to create a seamless show with one backing band and 5 completely accomplished and astonishing guitarists that take to the stage in various configurations, performing some of their solo music and merging together as cohesive co-creators of lushly orchestrated guitar extravaganzas.

One of said guitar extravaganzas was a 10-minute jam based around Highway Star and performed as an encore.

This track is from their live album The Guitars that Destroyed the World: Live in China due out on June 28.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Flying Colors will release their third studio album — called Third Degree — in September 2019 via Mascot Records.

The release will be accompanied by a brief tour, grand total of 10 dates. Five of them are stateside: MorseFest in Tennessee on August 30, followed by four shows quite literally squeezed in between Steve Morse’s schedule with Deep Purple: September 5 in LA area, October 7 in NYC, October 11 in Philadelphia metro, and October 17 in Chicago metro. Tickets for LA and Philly go on sale this Friday, June 7. NYC presale has already started.

Four more dates are being arranged in Europe in December. Steve will be touring there with his day job between December 1st and 10th with quite a tight schedule of 7 shows in 11 days. Another show is booked for next spring on the Cruise To The Edge, which departs from Miami on March 27, 2020 for 6 days of prog rock and fun in the sun.

On a related note, the first Flying Colors album has been rereleased in 2017 as True Colors. That release is said to contain the original mixes before they were butchered by the loudness wars of commercial mastering. $8 digital download gets you 16-bit WAV files, 320 kbps MP3, 256 kbps AAC, and a newly designed 102 page high resolution digital booklet. There is no hard copy available, you’ll have to burn one for yourself if you really want to.

Sorry to everybody who missed it because we did.

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.

More interviews from the red carpet at The Ivors.

Ian Gillan and Ian Paice were interviewed together, and then separately, by the MusicNewsWeb. Paicey mentioned that they’ve just spent 5 weeks in the studio in Nashville, which may or may not result in releasing something, eventually.
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