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Here’s something for you to dwell upon — Gillan discussing everything from the current financial crisis to monogamy in a recent interview for the Russian Internet TV station Nevsky Express:
Thanks to Tatiana Marshanova (via deep-purple.ru) for the info.
…And sometimes they don’t.
While the setlist is one of the more favourite topics of lament on pretty much any Purple website and forum, sometimes they do feel like doing something a little bit different. SIFLS got two airings on the recent Ukranian/Russian tour. Here’s the second outing, which happened in Moscow on October 27:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr8UCh_faSo
The next day, in St.Petersburg, the band didn’t do SIFLS, but threw in about a minute long istrumental jam of Back In USSR to open the encores.
Thanks to deep-purple.ru for the info.
Klaus “Pyro” Porzia passed away. He was a great photographer and a dedicated Purple fan. One of us, people who love this band. I have met Pyro on several occasions while following Purple tours in Europe. He was always there, every single show, always with his cameras.
His nickname came from an incident before one of the concerts, when he accidentally put out his cigarette in a pyrotechnic contraption on stage, with spectacular consequences. Ever since everybody called him Pyro. He loved that name.
Steve Morse mentioned Pyro’s death in his latest note from the road and Roger Glover commemorated him on rogerglover.com. The band also have sent flowers to his funeral. They were the only musicians to do so. Nice touch on their behalf. The funeral took place on Friday, October 24, near Darmstadt, Germany.
You can see Pyro’s work at his Myspace page and in the artwork of recent Deep Purple and Gillan releases.
Rest in peace, Pyro.
Thanks to Michael Meier for the info and picture.
Steve Morse sends another message from the road. Junkyard Wars, “ticofi”, and in memoriam of Klaus “Pyro” Porzia — read it on stevemorse.com.
Thanks to Daniel Bengtsson for the info.
Deep Purple started it’s tour of Ukraine and Russia. On October 12 in Dnepropetrovsk they were greeted at the local airport by two girls
in traditional costumes, welcoming the band with an ornate loaf of bread and a capella folk songs. This turned into an unexpected jam when Steve Morse pulled out his guitar to provide instrumental accompaniment for the singers.
Setlist for the most shows have been so far:
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming was also played in Cherkassy on October 17.
More pictures:
Thanks to SubAqua and www.deep-purple.ru for the info.
In his latest installment of Notes from the road Steve Morse talks about his pet peeve — air travel, reminisces on the last tour leg, and touches on the topic that stirred so much controversy in THS comments:
Afterward, I was upset to learn that some bloggers had chosen to politicize, or criticise the band’s show being in Russia, forgetting that we play pretty much everywhere in the World for people. Generally, we just like music lovers, that’s all we ask for, doesn’t much matter geographically where, just as long as there are human beings who want to hear our music.
Read more on Stevemorse.com.
Thanks to Daniel Bengtsson for the info.
Crossword puzzles, Ritchie’s mother in law, and the Big Bang theory — what do they have in common? Read on. A very entertaining interview with Ian Gillan done by George Anasontzis.
Thanks to Kevin Dixon for the info.
Deep Purple’s appearance at The Sunflower Jam turned into a very different show, high on improvisation and special guests.
Introduced by Yes’ Rick Wakeman, Deep Purple got under way with Pictures of Home and a pumping start.
– That’s Johnny Lord!, exclaimed Ian Gillan after Hush with an extended solo from Jon Lord – and then Gillan introduced Wring That Neck from The Book of Taliesyn – ‘I must have been only 15 in those days.’
For the encores of their 65-minute set, Deep Purple were joined by Bruce Dickinson and Ade Omotayo from Amy Winehouse’s band. Together they did a rare version of Little Richard’s Lucille.
Roger Glover has contributed one of his paintings to Status Quo’s ‘Pictures’ Auction, which is taking place on November 5th at Bonhams in London. Proceeds of the sale will go to British charity Prince’s Trust.
Entrance to the auction will be strictly by invitation only, but from 1 October all of the paintings are viewable online. Online bidding for is available on Prince’s Trust website. Online bidding will finish at midday on November 5 and the highest bids will be transferred to the auction room with the highest online bidders given the opportunity to continue bidding.
Further information available on Status Quo’s website.
Roger’s painting is at Lot 14 and at the time of this writing highest bid for it is £45.
Thanks to Mike Paxman for the info.
Richard Hugh and Candice Lauren were pronounced husband and wife at 4:48 pm on October 5, 2008, at a small gathering of friends and family.
Update [Oct 15]: pictures from the wedding are available on Candice Night’s website. More pictures here.
Thanks to Mike Garrett for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing