While being on tour in Indonesia with Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson spoke to the local edition of the Rolling Stone magazine. In the interview he revealed his top 5 favourite albums of all time. We list them here so that you can commend him on his music tastes. “In no particular order”, here it is:

• Deep Purple – Made in Japan
• Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II
• Jethro Tull – Aqualung
• The Crazy World of Arthur Brown – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• Rainbow – Rising

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

We all like to moan and groan about unimaginative/poorly designed merchandise that can often be found online or at the shows. Now we have a chance to do something about it.

The new online Deep Purple store will be launched in the coming weeks. The Highway Star has been asked what kind of interesting merchandising ideas would fans like to see pertaining to the classical era of the band (1968-1976)? Apart from the usual t-shirts? What would you like to see in the store? What would you buy? We are being told that the management will be happy to review all your ideas.

Let’s have a brainstorm. Leave a comment below.

Perhaps no other property so distinctly epitomized the excesses of 1970s rock’n’roll lifestyle as the infamous Starship plane. Back in 2003 the New York Times has run an article about it’s history. Bruce Payne, who was band’s US booking agent at the time, and Ian Paice were interviewed for the feature:

Ian Paice, of Deep Purple, fondly recalls being in Miami and, on a whim, flying to Boston for a lobster dinner. ”It was a time when everything was doable,” he says. ”And we weren’t shy about spending the money.” Groans Bruce Payne, the band’s manager, ”That probably cost $11,000.”

For the members of Deep Purple and their roadies, it was more about watching X-rated movies on the high-tech video monitor and using the Starship to entice groupies. ”The girls would get on the plane and fly to wherever the next show was,” recalls Bruce Payne, the group’s manager. ”Fathers two states over were calling the cops.” But Deep Purple’s drummer, Ian Paice, has no regrets. ”The Starship was a great place to join the mile-high club,” he says.

If you have missed it first time around, read more on NYTimes.com (that is, if you manage to get through their paywall). Also, check out pictures by Fin Costello of the band aboard the Starship.

Thanks to Yvonne Osthausen for the info.

Whitesnake have released a promo video for a track called Love Will Set You Free from their upcoming album Forevermore:

[update] We are being told that for whatever reason this video is not available in some countries. If that’s the case with you, try this link. [/update]

The new album, titled Forevermore, will be released on March 25 in Europe and March 29 in North America via Frontier Records. Preorder the album from a store near you:

Audio CD:

CD + bonus DVD in digipak case:

Double LP:

Fan pack:

Thanks to Yvonne Osthausen for the update.

This year Sunflower Jam is taking it up a couple of notches. First of all, it will be held at the Royal Albert Hall, on July 8. Second, the lineup they have so far secured for the event looks pretty spectacular:

• Jon Lord
• Rick Wakeman
• Keith Emerson
• Joe Bonamassa
• Newton Faulkner
• Deep Purple with special guests

Sunflower Jam is a charitable event which has become an annual tradition for the past few years. It raises funds for the advancement of public health in the UK through alternative therapies.

Thanks to George Kikonishvili for the info.

Universal Music will release a “deluxe” edition of Rainbow Rising on February 28 in the UK and on March 8 in North America. The new edition will come on 2 discs. The first one will contain two different mixes of the album, known as the “New York mix” and “Los Angeles mix”. The second disc will contain rough mixes/demos for the album, plus two tracks from the tour rehearsals at the Pirate Sound studios. The album will be packaged in a fold out double digipak with a 16 page colour booklet.

Disc 1:

1. Tarot Woman
2. Run With The Wolf
3. Starstruck
4. Do You Close Your Eyes
5. Stargazer
6. A Light In The Black
7. Tarot Woman
8. Run With The Wolf
9. Starstruck
10. Do You Close Your Eyes
11. Stargazer
12. A Light In The Black

Disc 2:

1. Tarot Woman
2. Run With The Wolf
3. Starstruck
4. Do You Close Your Eyes
5. Stargazer
6. Coming Home
7. Stargazer
8. A Light In The Black
9. Man On The Silver Mountain

Order it from a store near you:

Thanks to Blabbermouth and Simon Robinson for the info.

Classic Rock Revisited has a tribute for Gary Moore with quotes from many rock musicians.

Steve Morse:

On the last date of our tour a couple of months ago, Gary was playing on Roger’s MP3 player backstage through an amplified speaker. It was Gary and our Don Airey, I think, playing with Colosseum II. They sounded great, of course. Don always spoke fondly of his playing, and I’m a fan as well. His playing was lively, energetic, but tasteful at the same time. I never knew him but all of us in Purple were shocked at the loss.

Joe Lynn Turner:

Gary Moore was one of the greats. He had his roots in the blues and the power of rock, which is a brilliant combination. I have played with some of the best guitarists in the business and when asked if wanted to do a project with someone else, I always said, “Gary Moore.” Maybe it’s little known but I am a guitarist myself. I became a singer by pure accident. So, I can really appreciate Gary’s playing from a musician’s point of view. He was an amazing talent and let’s not forget his voice, which was pure and honest like his playing. I had the great fortune to meet Gary while in Denmark during the Rainbow days. He was a great guy and very down to earth, which is impressive to say the least. We shall greatly miss him for he was an original who stood out from the rest. I send my sympathies to his family and friends and to the rock world who is truly saddened by this loss. RIP Gary.

Bob Daisley:

Gary was one of the greatest guitar players ever and a nice bloke with it. He was a brilliant technician and musician but above all, his playing came straight from the heart and soul. I have many fond memories of our years together. mere words can never convey such sadness in such loss. Long live Gary Moore and may he rest in peace, we’ll miss you mate.

Neil Murray:

My memories of Gary will be of someone who was dedicated to playing the guitar as well as he possibly could and with total focus, energy and intense commitment. I don’t think I ever heard him play a wrong note and he was able to effortlessly become Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix if he felt like it. He was a very funny, down-to-earth guy and for over 10 years we seemed to share identical, wide-ranging taste in music, more so than anyone else I’ve played with. I wish I’d had the opportunity to play blues with him but that came later in his career. I do remember that in the mid-70s he was very casual about how he looked after the priceless Peter Green Les Paul – then again, he could make just about any guitar sing and cry. His passing is a giant loss for music.

Read more quotes at Classic Rock Revisited.

As you have probably heard by now, Gary Moore has passed away this Sunday, February 6, in his hotel room in Spain. His death was ruled out to be of natural causes, heart attack being the prime suspect. He was 58. Both Ian Paice and Don Airey played in his band in the 1980s.

Roger Glover writes on his webstite:

I am deeply shocked and saddened about Gary’s passing. He was truly one of the great guitarists, had a huge talent, and was a musical force beyond par. I am a fan.

My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends, and fans all over the world.

RG

Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov for the info.

The new CD of a Russian band Pushking called The World as We Love It is finally out and on sale. We wrote about this project almost two years ago. The album features contributions from several members of the Purple family as well as other rock luminaries spread across 19 tracks:

1. Intro
2. Nightrider (vocals, guitar: Billy F.Gibbons)
3. It will be O.K. (vocals: Billy F.Gibbons, guitar: Nuno Bettencourt)
4. Kukarracha (vocals: Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet, Eric Martin, Paul Stanley, Glenn Hughes, guitar: Steve Lukather)
5. Stranger’s song (vocals: John Lawton, guitar: Steve Stevens)
6. Cut the wire (vocals: Paul Stanley, guitar: Stevie Salas)
7. My reflection after seeing the Shindler’s list movie (vocals: Koha, guitar: Steve Vai)
8. Trouble love (vocals: Alice Cooper, guitar: Keri Kelli)
9. Why don’t you (vocals: Glenn Hughes, guitar: Dobro Al Perkens)
10. God made us free (vocals: Graham Bonnet, guitar Dobro Al Perkens)
11. Tonight (vocals: Glenn Hughes, guitar: Joe Bonamassa)
12. I believe (vocals: Jeff Scott Soto)
13. Open letter to God (vocals: Eric Martin)
14. Head shooter (vocals: Joe Lynn Turner)
15. I love you (vocals: Dan McCafferty)
16. Heroin (vocals: Jorn Lande, guitar: Alex de Rosso)
17. My simple song (vocals: Dan McCafferty)
18. Nature’s child (vocals: Udo Dirkschneider)
19. Private own (vocals: Glenn Hughes, guitar: Matt Filippini) 

Order it from a store near you:

Thanks to Gustavo Solinas for the info.

Ian Paice will be making guest appearance on a new space theme concept album called Seeking Major Tom. Comprised of 18 interpretations of “classic intergalactic rock anthems” (you can start making guesses), the release will also feature guest appearances by Brian May, Steve Howe, Peter Frampton and Zakk Wylde. William Shatner (of Star Trek fame) is also attached to the project, although it’s not clear in exactly what capacity. The release is due later this year on Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records.

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.