20 years ago when I was 15, I heard a song one evening on the radio and next morning, I ran to my record shop to sing the tune to the salesman. Ohh, “Smoke on the Water”, he replied. this day I bought the “Machine Head” LP and it all began.

This is what I remember when the band introduces “Pictures of home”, I am (once again) in front of my 20 years musical companions. It is the third show of the “Rapture” tour that I have the opportunity to see, and I must say that (once again!) energy and cheerfulness of the band is very communicative. What a great night!

I was lucky enough to be just in front of the stage on Steve’s side (you know Steve, the bald guy who sang very loud and maybe out of tune… it was me… by the way, thank you for the pick!) and I just got a wonderful guitar lesson…

These guys could be rock stars because of their musical level, and because Deep Purple is one of the greatest bands of all time. But they are not. They are just nice guys, who smile to the audience and who are happy to play together.

The setlist was (once again!) great. I was really happy to listen to “The Battle rages on” which is one of my favourites. And all the songs we love, “Smoke” (of course), “Highway star” with the great new introduction by Roger and Steve, “Rapture”,” Things” and “Wrong Man” from the last album and many others.

Unfortunately, at 11 p.m., the show ended, and we all came out to… our homes, hoping to see them again very soon.

I don’t know if the Purple guys have the opportunity to read those lines but if they do I just would like to say one last thing: Many thanks to you, Ian, Roger, Steve, Don and Ian for this great night in Nancy and for being my musical friends for so long.

Michel from Epinal, France

Nach dem Vorprogramm konnte man es kaum erwarten als 20.40 Deep Purple auf die Bühne kamen. Mit dem Opener Picture of Home starteten sie ihr fulminantes Konzert.

Mit jedem Ton bewiesen sie das jeder ein exzellenter Musiker ist und sein Handwerk beherrscht.

Da folgte Höhepunkt um Höhepunkt Into the Fire, Fireball und auch Songs aus ihrem letzten Album Rapture of the Deep; Wrong Man und Rapture of the Deep.

Was mich besonders faszinierte Guitar Hero Steve Morse mit Roger Glover zusammen ein unglaubliches Duett. Da zeigte Mr. Morse wieder mal das er zu den Besten seines Faches gehört.

Die Herren waren in absolut bester Spiellaune und begeisterten das Publikum immer wieder auf das Neue. Highway Star und When a blind man cries mit Gänsehaut Effekt (Danke Mr. Morse)

Lazy, Strange Kind of Woman und viele mehr. Mr. Paice mit exzellentem Drum Solo einfach Weltklasse. Sehr gefreut hat mich das es auch viele junge Zuschauer hatten die auf den Geschmack gekommen sind was gute Musik Ist.

So faszinieren Deep Purple Jung und Alt über Generationen. Als Don Airey Hemmige von Stefan Eicher in seinem Solorepertoire anspielte und die Wilhelm Overture ertönte da wusste jeder in der Halle wir sind in der Schweiz.

Jetzt fehlte nur noch Smoke on the Water das schliesslich auch Schweizer Wurzeln hat das sie vor den beiden Zugaben Hush und Black Night spielten.

So kann man nur hoffen see you again next year on the same place

Long Live Rock’n Roll – Long Live Deep Purple

Urs Unternährer

Record companies have revealed details of the upcoming Montreux’2006 release. Release dates are now set to June 2 in UK on Eagle Vision, June 8 in Germany on Edel and (according to Amazon) June 12 in North America. Despite previous reports that it will contain complete performance at the 40th Montreux Jazz Festival, Perfect Strangers is conspicuously missing from the DVD tracklist that we got from Edel. We didn’t get any advance promos, but people who did, also report that the track is missing from the CD as well.

They All Came Down To Montreux — Live At Montreux 2006
Catalog number (for the German release): 636ERD
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Audio format: DTS, Dolby 5.1, PCM Stereo
Length: 187 minutes

DVD 1 (40th Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, July 2006):
1. Pictures Of Home
2. Things I Never Said
3. Strange Kind Of Woman
4. Rapture Of The Deep
5. Wrong Man
6. The Well-Dressed Guitar
7. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
8. When A Blind Man Cries
9. Lazy
10. Keyboard Solo
11. Space Truckin’
12. Highway Star
13. Smoke On The Water
14. Hush
15. Too Much Fun
16. Black Night

DVD 2 (Rapture Of The Deep release party, Hard Rock Cafe, London, October 2005):
1. Fireball
2. I Got Your Number
3. Strange Kind Of Woman
4. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
5. Rapture Of The Deep
6. Wrong Man
7. Lazy
8. Perfect Strangers
9. Highway Star
10. Smoke On The Water

Preorder the DVD from an Amazon store near you:

If you ever wondered what does Joe Lynn Turner think about American Idol, here’s your big chance.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net for the info.

Photo: Jim Corrigan

People in Herefordshire were treated on Monday to a 5 min feature on Jon Lord during prime time local news (Midlands Today 6.30pm), repeated in the late evening. Jon was at Hereford Cathedral, working with a variety of local schools.

The BBC Hereford and Worcester webpage has full details with opportunity to see the whole broadcast.

Thanks to Alexander Draper for the info.

A new Glenn Hughes interview has been posted on Metal Dreams (MP3). In it Glenn discusses Music For The Divine, his current musical direction, promotional videos and his upcoming live dates in the USA, status of the Hughes Thrall II CD, talks about Heaven and XYZ, and former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John (RIP).

Thanks to Chris Dugan for the info.

Virgin Radio Classic Rock will broadcast an interview with Ian Gillan on Friday May 25th 6-7pm GMT and then again Sunday May 27th same time. You can listen to this radio online.

Thanks to Steve Campbell from Caramba for the info.

This time was excellent, stranger than perfect even, just fantastic.

Last time I had seen Purple was in Lyons, France, at the start of the Rapture tour, and I must say I felt a bit apprehensive this time, because Lyons had been, well, great of course, but without much soul.

Geneva set list:
Pictures of home
Things I never said
Into the Fire
Strange kind of Woman
Rapture of the Deep
Fireball
Wrong Man
Steve Morse solo and Well Dressed Guitar
When a Blind Man Cries
Don Airey solo
Lazy
The Battle Rages on
Don Airey solo
Perfect strangers
Space Truckin’
Highway Star
Smoke on the Water

Encore:
Hush with Ian Paice solo
Roger Glover solo
Black Night

Deep Purple are welcome back to Geneva any time, the crowd was huge (by our standards), very enthusiastic.

The first three tracks were behind us before Ian Gillan talked to us, and he kept the chatter to a minimum, which was great, it means that we had solid music all evening.

There were some great intros to some tracks, keeping us guessing what was going to be played. Loved every second!

Martin Damary

We had a time of our life as usual, the more so as we met Ian Gillan at the Borders library. Not only “Smoke This”, but also “Get Away” and some of his newest CDs were signed. The singer was very amiable that day.

And the gig? Two supports as usual in England (sometimes there are three). Thin Lizzy started with some siren howling – a strange kind of entry by the way. It’s quite a good band, although a bit monotonous. All their songs could make you dance. Unfortunately there was no standing/dancing area at the BIC that night. Only seats.

Styx was the funniest group that evening, especially the organist who played a strange kind of rotary keyboard. He could go around, turn it and sit on it. He even stood on his head! I think the band has an interesting repertoire, more original than Thin Lizzy.

And at last our old Purple friends appeared. “Pictures of Home”, “Things I Never Said” – as usual. But the singer must have had an off-day because he sang them out of tune. “Fireball” was a bit better, and the rest of the songs came out quite well.

Unfortunately the scenery wasn’t very cool. No “Rapture” picture again. But the lights were unbelievable, for instance red, orange and yellow during “Into the Fire”. I felt as if I got into the fire indeed. I listened to that song with pleasure, all the more so as the band plays it so rarely.

No solo from Don Airey. What a pity. And why no “Perfect Strangers”? I was so disappointed. But there was a big surprise that night: “The Battle Rages On”! I thought I’d never hear it live. Thanks! I like this song so much. As you can see, Deep Purple never forget to give us some surprises… And they didn’t forget to play “Rapture of the Deep”, the best work of their latest album.

I only wish we were sitting close to the stage. We could hardly see the band. But independently of all we had a good time. Many thanks and see you later, Ians, Don, Steve and Roger!

Joanna Ostrowiecka

Last time when DP visited Brighton was on the Bananas tour, and it was a disappointing
experience. This time they gave a blistering, powerful and energetic performance.
Everyone in the band was in top form. The sound was brilliant and well balanced.

What I can’t understand is why they get teamed up with second rate derelicts from the
seventies as support acts. I think it’s a wrong road to go. Deep Purple is a major, living band tat has produced important major releases in this century.

Too many people out there are not aware of this fact. When they are teamed with something
as a Thin Lizzy tribute band, that only have one member left in the group, this could rub off…

Styx is very much down the same alley. They gave a competent performance, though and for the first time ever in my life I experienced a support act that played louder than DP.

However, DP totally dominated the show, and gave a fantastic performance. If I should nag, I’d love to hear more new songs in a very conservative setlist. But I really did enjoy Living wreck and The battle rages on – those two I heard performed live for the first time.
But nothing from Bananas and only two songs from the latest record – I really would have loved to hear Before time began, since I consider that as one of the best they recorded ever! I also would have wished for a set longer than 90 minutes.

But Brighton really rocked, and the pure pace of these 90 joyable minutes was breathtaking!

Per Lundblad