Just as you haven’t been to Brazil until you saw a soccer game there, you haven’t been to Canada until you’ve attended a hockey game. Our frontline correspondent reports from the trenches:

At the Winnipeg, MB show last night, Steve Morse came out for the encores wearing a Winnipeg Jets jersey (Winnipeg’s recently-returned NHL Hockey Team). The crowd was very appreciative and gave thundering approval. Apparently Steve and other band members attended the Jets game at the MTS Centre the previous evening, then played a thundering, tight show in the same venue less than 24 hours later.

Thanks to Jim Corrigan for the info and pictures.

The Hamilton Spectator has Steve Morse’s profile and interview mostly revolving around the story behind Contact Lost:

I’m a big fan of what NASA has done. People don’t realize the research and development strides that have been made, all that technology. We’re recipients of all of that eventually.

Read more in The Hamilton Spectator.

Saskatoon’s The StarPhoenix similarly featured Ian Gillan, who in his seemingly habitual manner denied that any progres has been made on the new album:

We haven’t actually gotten any material at the moment. I read that too but it’s rubbish.

Read more in The StarPhoenix.

Date: 2012-02-11: John Labatt Center/Massey Hall, London, Toronto, Canada

Well, where do I start? What a week-end indeed. First of all my brother (Scott) flew in from Scotland on the Thursday to be part of the Purple experience with my son (Craig) and I.

We set off on a snowy Saturday morning from Oshawa bound for London, we arrived in one piece, booked into the hotel then headed for Steve’s clinic. My son and I are both drummers, but enjoyed Steve’s playing and story telling.

As reported, the gig itself was what you’d expect from Purple, full of high energy, with musicianship second to none. In all my years they have yet to disappoint.

As luck would have it we were staying at the same hotel as the band and after the show we met Ian Paice and Steve in the lobby. As always, Ian was gracious enough to spend a few moments with us.

Next day we were off to Toronto for the Massey Hall gig. Again, same high performance, but Massey Hall just seemed to be electric, there was a great buzz and Purple made it shake to it’s rafters. Only down side was the ushers kept telling people to stop filming, this went on through the entire show.

Next day we set off for “Just Drums” (a drummers paradise) to see see Ian Paice once again. We arrived a little early only to find Ian already there, so again he was good enough to chat to us for about 10 minutes before the “meet & greet” actually started. It was a great turn out and Dave Hamilton and the Just Drums staff were gracious hosts. To me this was the high-light of the week-end as being a drummer Ian has been a great influence on me for over 41 years. I was able to get my Ian Paice Signature snare actually signed by the man himself.

Now my brother heads back to Scotland tonight, still not quite believing what he’s experienced. A trip none of us will ever forget.

Roll on the new album and tour. Long live Deep Purple.

Jim

Date: 2012-02-12

: Massey Hall

: Toronto,ON

: Canada

On this wintry Sunday night, Deep Purple showed the sold-out crowd that, while last tour’s orchestral backdrop was a pleasant enough venture, the innate power of the band is more than enough to shake off February’s chill.
The setlist was largely the same as last summer, with one noticeable change. The Mule took the place of Knocking at Your Back Door. This gave Ian Paice a spot for a proper drum solo which the fans really enjoyed. Ian Gillan was in good voice, despite a torn Achille’s tendon which had him hobbling about the stage with a walking cast on his right foot.
Airey, Glover & Morse were firing on all cylinders throught the show. Stellar musicianship as always.
The following afternoon, I went to the meet and greet with Ian Paice at Just Drums.
Ian was generous with his time, gracious and patient. He signed multiple items for fans, posed for pictures and answered questions. He even tapped out the intro to Pictures Of Home on the table because a fan asked him how it is done.
Other questions and answers revealed that Purple is taking about 3 months off after this tour before heading into the studio to work on a new album. As well,Jon Lord is getting well and will hopefully be back to making music by April.
Ian told me that he will write a book on Deep Purple “… when it’s all over”
Here’s hoping that day doesn’t come for a while yet.

Date: 2012-02-11

: John Labatt Centre

: London, Ontario

: Canada

Where to start? I live near Toronto and had hoped to see DP at Massey Hall. But all the decent tickets were gone in no time at all, so I was left accepting I\’d not see my favourite band. I had wanted to take my entire family so the kids (three 14 year olds) could see what a great rock band was all about. But it seems that is not to be.

But as it happens I did have to drive my 14 year old daughter to London, Ontario for a three day hockey tournament. Its cold and a snow storm is coming in. And on the radio we heard DP was playing in town that night. So I call and get a pair of tickets – seventh row floor, centre aisle. I’m amazed at my luck and worried about attendance. What happens if DP plays to a half empty hall? They’re pros, but who wants to play to a half empty hall?

Well, I needn’t have worried. Despite the snow and cold, the place was reasonably full (around 1,200). There was a lot of grey hair in the audience, but also a fair number of younger adults. There were very few kids.

The opening act was “Monster Truck”, taking the stage at 7:30. They were fun and enthusiastic, and the guitarist was effusive about opening for DP. My daughter and I agreed that they were good, exceptionally tight and entertaining.

Around 8:30, DP took the stage, opening with Highway Star. And from the opening it was clear they were ON. Recent posts have suggested Gillan has struggled at times but tonight, despite wearing a walking cast on his right foot, he was in great form. (Though late in the show his voice did exhibit some strain.) And the other members of the band repeatedly hit their marks. Their playing was amazing.

I didn’t memorize the set list order (sorry), but I was really pleased to hear old chestnuts like “When A Blind Man Cries”, “No One Came” and “Never Before”. They also played the stuff you’d expect – The Mule, Strange Kind of Woman, Lazy, Hard Lovin’ Man, Perfect Strangers, Smoke, Space Truckin’, Hush, Woman From Tokyo, Black Night, and Rapture of the Night. Each of them also took a solo.

And as to my daughter. She was amazed. It was the first time she’d seen a band where everyone is an exceptional talent. No better way than a DP show to have a real music experience.

One odd moment. After the first few songs, Gillan mentioned they would be working on a new album. I must admit the body language exhibited stage right suggested a lack of keenness. Perhaps it was the lighting. Or the cold Canadian winter.

What a great evening, and even better I could share it with my daughter.

Sterling

The Chronicle Herald from Halifax, Canada, did an interview with Roger Glover. He spoke about the way things are done in the band, the “new” guys, and, for some reason or another, the question of Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame popped up again:

I don’t think we ever will because if they ever ask us, we’ll just say ‘No thanks’. It’s fraught with political overtones and it could get a bit uncomfortable because if we were going to do it, for a start, Ritchie would have to be involved.

Relationships with Ritchie, by his choice, are non-existent, and it wouldn’t be a very pleasant experience. But look at all the other acts that haven’t been inducted either. We’d probably just say, ‘Thanks, but see ya.’

That makes it two for two so far.

Read more in The Chronicle Herald.

Thanks to Monika Schwarz for the info.

Halifax Metro has published a short interview with Roger in anticipation of the February 4 Deep Purple show:

When asked by fans if he thought 40 years ago he’d still be performing today, Roger Glover doesn’t hesitate in his reply.

“Yes, it’s all going according to plan.”

Though the Deep Purple bassist makes light of his bumpy journey, he is grateful for the ride.

“I feel fortunate to have been born at the time I did,” he tells me over the phone. “I was in a band, living a dream and it wasn’t a dream.”

Read more in Halifax Metro.

Thanks to Monika Schwarz for the info.

Black Country Communion will release its live concert CD, Live Over Europe, on February 28 on the Joe Bonamassa’s J&R Adventures label. This two-disc CD follows up the October 2011 release of the two-disc DVD by the same name.

No further details on the source, mix, etc, of these recordings are available at this time.

Track listing

Disc 1

1. Revolution Of The Machine
2. Black Country
3. One Last Soul
4. Crossfire
5. Save Me
6. The Battle For Hadrian’s Wall
7. Beggarman
8. Faithless
9. Song Of Yesterday
10. I Can See Your Spirit

Disc 2

1. Cold
2. The Ballad of John Henry
3. The Outsider
4. The Great Divide
5. Sista Jane
6. Man In The Middle
7. Burn

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.

In a new interview with The Nervous Breakdown Glenn Hughes tals about his book, how come he ended up wearing goat pants, does a bit of name dropping, and answers an either/or quiz:

Blackfoot or Molly Hatchet?
Ah, Blackfoot, yeah! No knock on Hatchet, they’re great, but Blackfoot.

Kool & the Gang or The Bar-Kays?
Ooh, I love them both. Kool and the Gang were a little more pop but Bar-Kays, they had that groove, man.

Ozzy or Dio era Sabbath?
Well, one was my dearest friend and the other I’ve known all my life. Dio was just such a good mate. It’s like Eddie Trunk said — both were valid. Both deserve to be Sabbath.

Absolutely. Bootsy or Lemmy?
Bootsy! Lemmy’s my good mate. As a human, Lemmy. On bass, Bootsy is the man.

Led Zeppelin IV or Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life?
Songs in the Key for the music. When that came out I was hanging with Stevie and he was a mentor to me in many ways. Zep IV for the memories. Bonham must’ve played that for me a hundred times before it was released and I’ve got some great memories from that. So one for the music, the other for the memories.

Read more at The Nervous Breakdown.

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.

There will be a Meet and Greet event with Ian Paice in the afternoon of February 8, between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm at the Dave’s Drum Shop. Admission is free. Dave’s Drum Shop is located at 390 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0Z1.
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