This Saturday, March 21, is the National Learn to Play Day in the UK, and going with the spirit, Paicey will perform/teach a drum clinic at his favourite drum store — DrumWright in Woodley, Berkshire. There will be introductory lessons running in the store all day — from 10am till 5pm, while Ian will appear at noon to address the more experienced drumming crowd.

The event is free for all, there is no need to book or call ahead.

Thanks to Classic Rock for the heads up.

Don Airey live at Hypothalamus (Rheine, Germany 2015-03-13)

“It’s like doing it in the old days”, Don said after a blistering concert in Rheine (Germany) on 13th of March. The venue was very small with a maximum capacity of 250 people, around 150 were there. Don had four absolutely great musicians with him: Carl Sentance (v), Darrin Mooney (dr), Laurence Cottle (b), Simon McBride (g). Carl showed his talent in an astonishingly good version of Child in time, Simon’s ability was best shown on I still got the blues, Darrin und Laurence had great solo spots and played a perfect rhythm seciton. And Don – well you know him …
The setlist:
Eyes of the World
Bad Girl
No Time to Lose
3 o’clock in the Morning
Back on the Streets
Still Got the Blue
Is this love
Fire
(The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Child in Time
Difficult to Cure
Over the Rainbow
All Night Long
Lost in Hollywood / A Light in the Black
Encore:
Since You Been Gone
Black Night

Highlight of the evening was the best version I ever heard from “Difficult to play”, as Don announced the song. After the show, he patiently signed loads of albums and tickets, had a nice word for everyone. He told me, the follow-up for Now What is on the way, but he doesn’t know when Deep Purple hit the studio.
The tour “40 years of classic rock” is on it’s way. If Don comes near your down: Don’t miss the show!!!!

review by Friedhelm Wenning

The unusually long lull in touring is over. Deep Purple managements has announced that the band will play six dates in Mexico in late May / early June. Curiously enough, Mexico City is not on the list. Of interest to our Texan followers might be the last gig of the tour on June 7th in Ciudad Juárez, just across the river from El Paso, TX.

There is no information on the ticket availability yet. Further details in our calendar.

Today, March 11, and tomorrow, March 12, Nick Simper and Don Airey will repeat their 2012 double bill appearance by sharing the stage in Russia. Yesterday Simper attended a press conference in Moscow (Airey didn’t make it as his plane wasn’t scheduled to land until midnight). Andrey Gusenkov shared the highlights on deep-purple.ru:

• Nick said that he never announced a “farewell tour” [as some reports suggested before his shows with Nasty Habits in 2013 — ed.];
• he is not in touch with any other Deep Purple members, past or present;
• he was not invited to take part in Jon Lord memorial show at the Royal Albert Hall last April;
• he has no idea of Rod Evans’ whereabouts.

On a more personal note, the local press also reported that he is living in Buckinghamshire, happily married, with four children (three daughters and a son), and five grandchildren.

[Update] Video from the press conference, with above points somewhat expanded and complete with the bits lost in double translation:

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov (deep-purple.ru) and tass.ru for the info, and to News-w.org (via Vladimir Drybushchak) for the videos.

Italian radio station Radiorock 106.6 has posted an extensive interview with Ian Gillan conducted some time this February at his home in Portugal.

The whole thing is 1 hour 22 minutes long (with music breaks), so sit back and enjoy — as you can imagine, a lot of ground was covered there.

Thanks to Yvonne for the info.

British charity Rockin’ for Tots is auctioning off an Epiphone Les Paul signed by Glenn Hughes, Andrew Watt, Slash, and Zakk Wylde. The guitar was signed at the California Breed show supporting Slash at the Hydro in Glasgow on December 4, 2014. The bidding now stands at £200.00 and the auction will close on March 8. Worldwide shipping is provided.

Axel Rudi Pell will be releasing a live 3CD/3DVD album Magic Moments – 25th Anniversary Special Show at the end of April. The show was recorded on July 11th 2014 at the Bang Your Head festival in Balingen, Germany. The reason we mention it here is because of the several covers performed that night together with several people from the Purple family.

The album includes covers of Black Night, Mistreated (performed with Doogie White and Tony Carey), Since You Been Gone (with Graham Bonnet and Doogie White), Long Live Rock´N´Roll (with Doogie White, Graham Bonnet, and Tony Carey), and a grand finale of Smoke On The Water with all guests. Top this up with Bobby Rondinelli on drums, and you have a pretty good chunk of the Rainbow branch of the Purple family tree appearing on stage that night.

His rendition of Black Night is now streaming from the Soundcloud:

Magic Moments – 25th Anniversary Special Show is out via SPV/Steamhammer in Scandinavia on April 22nd, in Germany on April 24th, in Europe on April 27th and in the USA on April 28th.

Thanks to Cameron Hons for the info.

The renowned Purple tribute band Purpendicular is releasing an album of original material titled tHis is the tHing#1 on March 6. It is an 11-track concept album featuring guest appearances by Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey, Steve Morse, and Neil Murray, among others. The release party will be held in Paderborn, Germany, also on March 6. After that the band will embark on an extensive European tour with Ian Paice taking the seat behind the drums on 5 dates.

Track listing:

1. Somebody Done It
2. Dancing In A Cage
3. Only To Laugh At
4. The Rain Is Gone
5. If It’s Possible
6. Business Is Business
7. Off My Trolley
8. Broken Bones
9. Crazy
10. Keep Me Away
11. Samara

The album will be sold at the shows or can be ordered by contacting the band at purpend.icular@gmx.net

Thanks to Classic Rock for the info.

…Or, at least, to his manager.

Classic Rock has some quotes from DC appearing in the April 2015 issue of the magazine (the one with In Rock on the cover, see above):

The tragic loss of Jon made me finally realise that life is too fucking short to hold animosity, bitterness and resentments.

So I decided to reach out to Ritchie to share the sense of grief and loss of Jon with him, and to express my gratitude to him for bringing me on board Deep Purple.

During the conversation we did discuss the idea of getting back together in some way, which was Jon’s wish.

After several discussions with Ritchie’s manager I felt I didn’t share their vision of the project. I sincerely wished them well and respectfully withdrew.

During this time I pulled out the albums and started messing around with some of the songs – rearranging ideas, adding a new bit here and there.

The bonus for me was I rediscovered my love for that time and the work all of us achieved together. Magical times.

I felt I had to prove myself. I knew I had been given an incredible opportunity and didn’t want to blow it.

But, my God, I was so young and naive. Thrown in at the deep end to sink or swim. The two sci-fi lyrics I wrote for Mr Blackmore, Burn and Stormbringer, I’d never written like that before. But then again I’d never been given music like that before.

Classic Rock April 2015 issue should be on sale now (or very soon) at a good newsagent stand near you.

After some vague hinting and some more vague hinting, Whitesnake revealed today that their next album will consist just from remakes of Purple Mark 3 and 4 material. It will be called The Purple Album and is slated for release on May 18 in the UK (May 15 in Europe, May 19 in North America) via Frontiers Records.

Track list:

1. Burn
2. You Fool No One (interpolating Itchy Fingers)
3. Love Child
4. Sail Away
5. The Gypsy
6. Lady Double Dealer
7. Mistreated
8. Holy Man
9. Might Just Take Your Life
10. You Keep On Moving
11. Soldier Of Fortune
12. Lay Down Stay Down
13. Stormbringer

The deluxe edition will also include two bonus tracks:

1. Lady Luck
2. Comin’ Home

and bonus videos:

• Lady Double Dealer
• Sail Away
• Stormbringer
• Soldier Of Fortune
• Behind The Scenes
• EPK

The news are accompanied by a couple of quotes from Coverdale:

It’s a tribute – a homage. It’s a huge thank you from me to Deep Purple for the opportunity I was given over 40 years ago.

I said to Richie Blackmore, ‘You guys set me on an incredible journey that continues today and I couldn’t have asked for better teachers.’ The university of Deep Purple is an extraordinary, amazing school to learn from. We can’t wait to play these songs in concert.

After this release the band will embark on an extensive US tour (with a couple of Canadian dates tucked in) that will start on May 28 in Spokane, WA, and finish on July 25 in Atlantic City, NJ. The tour is also branded as Purple. See our calendar for the complete listing. Tickets for many shows are going on sale in within the next couple of days. Whenever there is a “fan club” presale, the password is PURPLE.

VIP packages are available for some shows. These will include (at least for the Santa Rosa show on June 2):

• One premium reserved ticket located in the first 12 rows
• Specially designed Whitesnake tour shirt (exclusive to VIP packages only)
• Collectible tour lithograph autographed by David Coverdale (numbered, limited print)
• Official Whitesnake tour program
• Exclusive Whitesnake merchandise item
• Commemorative tour laminate

Thanks to Classic Rock for the info.