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Not as empty, cold, and bare any more

Swiss site 24 heures reports that a memorial plaque has been unveiled this Wednesday, July 4, on the Résidence des Alpes building in Territet (Montreux) — the very same building that was the Grand Hotel back in 1971.

Gillan, Glover and Paice were in attendance, as well as Jean-Paul Marquis (stage manager at the Casino the night it caught fire), plus some dignitaries, including British ambassador to the UN.

Darker Than Blue has a backstory of the plaque and couple more pictures from the event.

Thanks to BraveWords for the heads up.

Broad your understanding of human nature

Italian radio station Radio Rock 106.6 has posted a lengthy interview with Ian Gillan. Our best guess, it was recorded some time in June 2017 (several things hint to that) and now is being used (reused?) to promote the current tour. Quite entertaining nevertheless.
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A few years later…

Record company has announced some release details for the Ian Gillan & The Javelins — a collection of rock’n’roll standards recorded by Big Ian with his first band (predating even Episode Six) earlier this year.

In the early 1960’s, you might have seen The Beatles doing Chubby Checker’s ‘Twist and Shout’ at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, or The Rolling Stones doing Chuck Berry’s ‘Come On’ at the Station Hotel in Richmond, and The Javelins doing Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Smokestack Lightning’ at Wistowe House in Hayes.

These contemporary recordings (2018) by The Javelins are drawn from our set lists, circa 1963, when I was 18 years old. Now, a few years later, I have the privilege and joy of working with my old mates from the original group; Gordon Fairminer (Lead Guitar); Tony Tacon (Rhythm Guitar); Tony Whitfield (Bass Guitar); Keith Roach (Drums), as we make a long overdue L.P.

The album has been recorded at the Chameleon Studios during a five days recording session in Hamburg, March 2018, Germany. It also features Don Airey on piano as a special guest. It will be released on August 31st, 2018 on earMUSIC as CD digipak, 1LP gatefold vinyl (180g, black) and digital download.

Thanks to Lutz Reinert for the info.

Going Home for One of a Kind

Record company keeps promoting the latest Don Airey solo album with posting the title track One of a Kind:

Meanwhile, some time ago Don released another solo album without much fanfare. That album is called Going Home. It is the jazz piano album that Don started mentioning he’s working on since a few years ago. The album is self published and can be ordered through Don’s website (please be patient — it is more often down then up lately).

Don Airey - Going Home cover art

We managed to procure a copy of the latter and hope to offer you a reveiew once the things at THS ivory towers get a little less hectic.

Not the most modern guy

Ernie Ball Steve Morse 30th Anniversary Prototype

Steve Morse gave an overview of his touring gear to the Music Radar, including his new guitar — an Ernie Ball Steve Morse 30th Anniversary.

This is the most simplified version.

For the first time ever it’s got an active circuit. I’ve been resisting this for a long time, but I know John Petrucci and Steve Lukather’s guitars have these and they always sound great.

So I agreed to try it and it gives me a different sound, a more modern sound. And I agree I’m not the most modern guy. I use it during the show and there’s nothing else that will get the sound. It’s two humbuckers, and Dudley at Music Man made these. Again with the multiple switch it’s possible to do anything [with coil split and combinations]. The transparent [plexi] plates were originally a plastic like my other models but when I saw the finish I thought it was criminal to cover it up.

We always keep the scale and length the same and it will fit into a student-size gig bag, I hold it under my arm and it will fit right on board in the overhead [luggage]. It’s not a huge guitar but it’s got everything you need. In fact, it’s longer scale than a Firebird.

Read more in Music Radar.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Everything louder than everything else

Deep Purple Japan 2018 VIP tickets flyer

A second show in Osaka has been added to the Japanese tour calendar. We have no reliable information, but usually this happens when the first one is either sold out or being very close to.

Fun fact: the venue they will be playing in Osaka is the very same venue where the bulk of original Made in Japan album was recorded, albeit extensively renovated since then.

Thanks to Akiko Hada for the info.

Authentic 1962 vintage feel

Ian Gillan gave an interview to Finnish KaaosTV while being in the neighbouring Estonia. He revealed, among other things, that he has recorded an album of rock’n’roll standards with his first band The Javelins, which should be out some time in August. He also mentioned that he has solo and Rock Meets Classics orchestral tours booked for February-March next year.

Thanks to Yvonne for the info.

Black tie and no hat

Yesterday, June 14, Ian Paice and Roger Glover introduced Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo of Metallica at the Polar Music Prize Awards ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Polar Music Prize is a Swedish international award founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of ABBA, with a donation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The award is annually given to one contemporary musician and one classical musician. This year the recipients were Metallica and Afghanistan National Institute of Music. It is customary that the recipients are being introduced by their peers, and as you may remember, Jon Lord took the honours in 2006 to introduce Led Zeppelin.

Swedish TV4 broadcast part of the show. TV4 also did an interview with Ian and Roger. They said this was a part of payback to Lars Ulrich and Metallica for introducing Deep Purple at the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.

One can watch the TV4 broadcast after creating a free (with ads) account at https://www.tv4play.se/program/polar-music-prize/3960051. Use Google translate, ‘coz the website is all in Swedish. The interview with Roger and Ian is right after the second advertising break.

Thanks to our editor emeritus Benny Holmström for the info.

Touring update

November 2018 Mexico flyer

Deep Purple are in the process of finalizing the dates for a tour of Mexico this November. In an unusual twist of events, the dates are already posted on the official site, albeit some venues are still to be determined, and none are on sale.

Glenn Hughes has added several more European dates to his Classic Deep Purple Live tour: Prague, Kiev, Moscow, Helsinki, and Tampere confirmed, but so far partially ticketless, while the 3 Dutch dates are on sale, but unconfirmed. Bernie Marsden will be supporting at the Kiev gig.

Thanks to Lutz Reinert and Shades of Deep Purple for the info.

Classic Rock and Sweden Rock

Classic Rock magazine June 2018

Purple family was heavily featured in the June issue of Classic Rock Magazine, which hit the newsstands in the UK on May 1, and now starts appearing overseas. The issue includes 25 pages about Dio & Rainbow, Captain Beyond, David Coverdale & Whitesnake, Ian Gillan, Paice Ashton Lord, Butterfly Ball, Hughes/Thrall, Warhorse, Trapeze, Roger Glover, Baby Face, Don Airey, Ian Paice, etc, plus a free Purple Records CD.

The issue can be ordered via My Favourite Magazines with worldwide delivery.

Meanwhile in Sweden, the Sweden Rock Magazine has a 5 pages feature/interview with Don Airey in its May issue. Don tells that he is working on his autobiography and maybe he will have something done in the end of the year. He also said that the years with DP is the best thing ever happened to him and that if the other guys would like to record another album in Nashville with Bob Ezrin, he wouldn’t say no to that. Last time in in Nashville, he went with is son Mike to see Slayer and loved that. After the gig he met the band and two of the guys (King and Araya) told Don that they saw him in Rainbow when they were young kids. Don thought the guys in Slayer were wonderful and the concert was good.

Thanks to our editor emeritus Benny Holmström for the info.

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