Jerry Bloom of More Black Than Purple fame will be publishing his new book Deep Purple: A Matter of Fact on May 4 via Wymer Publishing. If his Blackmore’s biography is anything to go by, this is the one to look forward to.

Press release reads:

DEEP PURPLE A MATTER OF FACT is the perfect companion to Deep Purple’s music. Full of bizarre, obscure and amazing facts that have surrounded the band throughout its career of over forty years. If you have ever had disagreements with fellow fans about various facts or want to test the biggest fan on just how good their Deep Purple knowledge is, then this is the book for you.

• How did Ian Paice and Rod Evans end up supporting Deep Purple?
• Why did Ritchie Blackmore’s country and western guitar playing save him from a beating?
• Why did Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler review a Purple gig?
• Who first recorded versions of several Deep Purple songs, complete with an orchestra?
• Did Deep Purple’s explosive performance at Plumpton really prevent Yes from performing?
• Who did Deep Purple sue for selling bootlegs?
• Which big rock star did the band get in a spat with at Knebworth?
• Why did the Bee Gees receive Purple’s lifetime achievement award?
• What was Deep Purple’s involvement with a film about a sixteenth century naval explorer that never got produced?
• Why were some of Deep Purple’s recent gigs illegal?

The answers to all these questions, and many more amazing facts are revealed in this captivating book, which includes a foreword by tennis legend and Purple fan Pat Cash. Based on interviews with band and road crew members, contemporary press articles, and drawing on management files, A Matter Of Fact helps to clarify the truth behind several stories. It also dispels some untruths once and for all, as well a few previously un-revealed new stories that will appeal to even the most diehard fans.

Jerry Bloom does an amazing job of collecting a collage of information and stories of the band members when they were in and out of their various bands before, during and after Purple. The stories will keep any Deep Purple fan enthralled. As anyone in showbiz will tell you there’s always a whole lot more going on than it appears. This book is not just about the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle but an insight in to the tough day to day grind of a group of amazingly talented artists all with differing personalities.

Pat Cash

The book will be available from Amazon in North America and UK, and all other major retailers.

Title: DEEP PURPLE A MATTER OF FACT
Author: Jerry Bloom
ISBN: 978-1-908724-06-9
Pages: 194
Price: £14.99
Publication date: 4 May 2015

It can also be ordered directly from the publisher’s own web store. All orders from that site will include a free colour booklet of previously unpublished Deep Purple photos (while stocks last).

Cover artwork for the upcoming Long Beach 1971 has been released to the media, together with the accompanying press release:

Welcome to Long Beach 1971, the latest album in earMUSIC’s Deep Purple reissue series that, over the last two years, has seen the release of rare live material from the band, including “Paris 1975”, “Copenhagen 1972”, “Stockholm 1970” and “Graz 1975”. Spanning over 70 minutes of music, “Long Beach 1971” has been remastered in 2014 and is going to be eleased on 2 March 2015 on earMUSIC.

Recorded at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California, on July 30, 1971, it was broadcast on radio (KUSC 91.5 FM), a showcase for a support performance to Rod Stewart and The Faces. An official release for a concert that has long been considered a landmark for the band, the set featured tracks (“Speed King” and “Child In Time”) from their fourth studio album, June 1970’s “In Rock”. This was a transitional release for the Mk II version of the band – guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, frontman Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, organ/keyboard player Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice –, being their first hard rock affair as well as their commercial breakthrough as the third leading über-rock band of the day along with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Completing the set that day were a considerably extended version of “Mandrake Root” from their July 1968 debut album “Shades Of Deep Purple”, and “Strange Kind Of Woman”.

Opening with an 11-minute long “Speed King”, the show actually starts off like a climax, with a frenzy of organ and batter of guitar and drums, before segueing into a fast and furious riff and some classic caterwauls from Ian Gillan. Next up is “Strange Kind Of Woman”. The piledriving central motif is a classic combination of rhythm and riff, the band hitting a bluesy, even funky, groove. Following is an impressive version of the Deep Purple classic “Child in Time”: it is 20 minutes of heavy action from Blackmore. If you’re not too exhausted by that, there is time for one more, and it’s a good – not to mention long – one: “Mandrake Root”, a 27-minute extrapolation of the debut album track and concert standby.

Tracklist: 1. Speed King / 2. Strange Kind Of Woman / 3. Child In Time / 4. Mandrake Root

All in all, the frenzy, powerful show is leaving the audience staggered, and not a little dazed, as they head towards the exit, into the warm California night, wondering what the hell just happened. Deep Purple live just happened.

Thanks to Chris Hewlett for the info.

A radio station KYGT from Idaho Springs, Colorado, will be airing The Life & Music Of Tommy Bolin on Friday, February 6th, from 9:00 am to noon MST. It will be a 2+ hour commercial free radio documentary featuring interviews from Glenn Hughes, Kenny Passarelli (Barnstorm, Elton John band), Stanley Sheldon (bass player on Teaser and Frampton Comes Alive!), and Tommy’s brother Johnnie Bolin.

KYGT broadcasts locally on 102.7 FM and online “for fellow earthlings” via Streema and Tunein.

Thanks to Trace Keane for the info.

A Glenn Hughes’ interview will be on the air this Sunday on the Rock City Radio Show Berlin. The interview is from November 23 when California Breed played in Berlin. The presentation of the show is in German, but Glenn is not overvoiced. The part with Glenn is about 45 minutes long (including music).

The show will be on the air on Sunday, January 18, between 17:00 and 18:00 CET. The show can be listened online and worldwide at alex-berlin.de. Check that page for other ways to listen as well.

[Update Jan 22] The show is now available for listening on Soundcloud:

Thanks to Jens for the info.

French-German TV channel Arte will be airung a new documentary called Hauptsache laut (Essentially Loud) this Saturday, January 17 at 22:00 CET, repeated on Saturday, January 24 at 1:55 CET. The documentary focuses on how the rock music became the loud music. A number of very loud luminaries have been interviewed for the film, including the lead singer for The Loudest Band in the World^TM — one Ian Gillan, along with Dave Davies of The Kinks, Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Suzi Quatro.

Thanks to Claus Dornhard for the info.

And just as some of our readers have predicted, California Breed is no more. Less than a year after the project was revealed to the world. The band has announced today via Twitter:

We are no more… another thing we couldn’t keep together.

and on Facebook:

The band is over. What a logo though, right?

Thanks to Classic Rock for the info.

Bits and pieces (presumably, the good ones) from Ian Paice’s drum clinic held at the Adams Drummersfestival in March 2014. Young and old drummers alike, take note!

And an oldie but goody — his clinic at the Bass’n’Drum Festival in Stockholm back in 2005:

Thanks to Marco van de Meulenhof and Lasse Niemela for the videos.

If it floats, Dutch can play music on it. 😉 Here’s the proof — Dutch band Helloise and Art Vark saxophone quartet perform Smoke on the Water at the 2012 Rotterdam Harbour Fest:

Thanks to Ben Blaauw for the video and to Hadely for bringing it to your attention.

Last month California Breed were touring UK supporting Slash and Myles Kennedy. In Glasgow on December 4 Glenn Hughes and Andrew Watt joined the headliners on stage for a pretty blistering rendition of Burn:

Thanks to david williams for the video and to Tracy for bringing it to your attention.

An Italian new report on Paicey’s appearance in Santomato on December 19. Includes a bit of the press conference where he talks about challenges of playing under less than perfect conditions:

Thanks to Yvonne for the info.

And with this, we wrap up our coverage for 2014 and wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year. Cheers!