We have reported yesterday that Gillan is unhappy with BMG re-releasing the Birmingham NEC 1993 show on CD. The plot thickens. In an interview conducted by BBC he said that the album was re-released without his knowledge. BMG immediately announced that they are withdrawing the album, all the grand total of 2,000 copies that were printed and distributed.

Many questions remain unanswered as to why nobody protested when the NEC show was released years ago as the Come Hell And High Water video (so in fact it’s a re-re-release). But the cynics between us say that the UK tour is coming up and Gillan has his own DVD and solo album re-releases to sell.

And there’s no such thing as bad publicity…

UPDATE: You can listen to the whole interview in it’s entirety from the BBC here. Two points there:

1. Gillan’s position makes much more sense than his individual comments taken out of context and plastered on the net (like we are guilty of doing ourselves). He also categorically denies that this is a publicity stunt designed to attract attention to the upcoming UK tour.
2. Our own THS editor Rasmus Heide was interviewed alongside Big Ian. Cheers to Rasmus!

We will try to negotiate with BBC to be able to post the interview here.

Thanks to BBC and Reuters for the info.

As we announced earlier, Glenn Hughes has appeared at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles on February 15. Here’s a brief report from the Institute’s graduate and teacher Christopher Maloney:

Glenn Hughes was one of the most entertaining and enlightening performers we’ve ever had at the Musicians Institute. His stories of his own personal and professional challenges and achievements were inspiring even to the most apathetic student. His vocal and musical talents are well obvious, but it was his charm, frankness and sincerity that really came across to his audience, who rewarded him with a huge standing ovation (a rarity for ‘school events’). Most impressed were the faculty members who were in attendance, many of whom cancelled their classes and required their students to attend the Glenn Hughes event. The faculty knew the importance of their students hearing someone of Glenn’s status, experience and talent. In fact, the instructors were just as blown away by Glenn as the students were. Overall, it was an amazing event, and we would have Glenn come back anytime.

Pictures from the event can be found at the GHPG.net forum.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net for the info.

The Live in Europe 1993 4CD box set containing both Stuttgart and Birmingham shows from which Come Hell And High Water CD was compiled, have been recently rereleased by Sony/BMG as two individual 2CD sets. Apart from an obvious attempt of milking the cow to the last drop on behalf of BMG, the rerelease of the infamous Birgmingham NEC show apparently pissed off Gillan to no end. He called the record executives behind this decision ‘opportunist fat cats’.

BBC Radio 4 will be covering the story tomorrow February 27, on the Today Programme.

Thanks to contactmusic.com for the info.

In the wake of JLT, Glenn Hughes started today his massive tour of Russia. The tour kicked off in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Pacific coast and will work it’s way west. Glenn and his guitar player arrived to the city just two hours before the show after a 42 hour trip from Los Angeles via Seoul and Vladivostok, complete with weather delays.

Set list:

The Valiant Denial
Orion
Land Of Living
Mistreated (incl.guitar solo)
Coast To Coast
You Got Soul
Don’t Let Me Bleed
Getting Tigher
You Keep On Moving
Steppin On
Stormbringer
encore:
Burn

Thanks to Pavel for the info.

Photo: Dima Zykov (www.deep-purple.ru)

Joe Lynn Turner continues his tour of Russia. Here’s a brief report and pictures that we received from the Russian DP website:

Last week Joe Lynn Turner was in my city, Ivanovo. Backing band was Moscow’s group called “Green Town”. Absolutely amazing performance. Joe’s form impressed me much – fantastic voice condition, great set-list and storming audience. Surprisingly perfect show. One day before I met him on press promo event – very polite and open guy with great sense of humor.

Set list, Ivanovo, Russia, Feb 14 2007:

Street Of Dreams
Stone Cold
Death Alley Driver
Spotlight Kid
Jealous Lover
Can’t Happen Here
King Of Dreams
Power
Can’t Let You Go
Fire In The Basement
Unfinished Business
Jack Knife
I Surrender
All Night Long
Long Live Rock’n’ Roll
Burn
Highway Star
Smoke On The Water
Arianna

Pictures from press conference and the show on www.deep-purple.ru.

Pictures from February 10 show in Moscow: www.sbelyakov.ru.

Thanks to Dima Zykov for the info.

A brand new audio interview with Glenn Hughes, conducted recently by the Coast To Coast webzine, has been made available for download here (MP3, 23 MB). Glenn offers the latest on tentative live dates in the USA, the status of Hughes/Thrall 2, a possible Mk. III reunion, a new DVD and reuniting with a blast from the past. In addition, the podcast includes the third rendition of Coast To Coast’s exclusive feature, “Setting the Record Straight”, conducted by Glenn’s manager Carl Swann.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net for the info.

Deep Purple have been confirmed to perform at the Rock Fest 2007 in Cadott, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 19. Could it be the first sign that the long overdue North American tourdates are shaping up?

The festival lineup so far looks like this:

Thursday, July 19
4:30 Dennis DeYoung
6:30 The Mick Fleetwood Band
8:45 Deep Purple
11:00 Boston

Friday, July 20
2:15 TBA
4:15 Uncle Kracker
6:30 Grand Funk Railroad
8:45 TBA
11:00 Godsmack

Saturday, July 21
2:15 Cross Canadian Ragweed
4:15 Tragically Hip
6:30 Collective Soul
8:45 Chicago
11:00 TBA

Sunday, July 22
1:45 Corey Stevens
3:45 TBA
6:00 TBA
8:15 TBA
10:30 3 Doors Down

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net for the info.

British newspaper The Sun features Deep Purple on their “Something For The Weekend” page today, February 16. Ian Gillan and Ian Paice were both interviewed for the article.

Read the full article in The Sun’s online edition and some outtakes posted on Caramba.

Thanks to Steve Campbell (Caramba!) for the info.

Ian Paice is doing a rare one off UK drum clinic on Friday March 2, 2007 at Tom’s Music Venue, Treforest, Wales, UK, in support of the University of Glamorgan’s new Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries – dubbed the Atrium. Also on the bill will be former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable, Mick Chiplin from the Lost Prophets and Bob Richards of Man for a ‘percussion workshop’. In addition this unique event will see a preview screening of Ian Gillan: Highway Star – A Journey In Rock.

Tom’s music venue is hallowed ground in the Welsh music business as it’s the club where Tom Jones was first discovered. For tickets call either 07817 055 625 (24 hr) or 01443 654189 or email: lgeorge@glam.ac.uk Tickets are also available direct to callers at Tom’s live music venue, 71 Wood Rd, Treforest, Pontypridd, Wales, UK. Venue opens at 7.00pm Tuesday – Sunday.

Thanks to DPAS for the info.

Joe Lynn Turner’s next solo disc, titled SECOND HAND LIFE, is being mixed in February and March and will be out in early spring in Japan and Europe. There are 11 tracks on each of the album versions. Each one has a unique bonus track. The CD is scheduled for an April 4 release in Japan and at a date to be announced in Europe on Frontiers. There is also a possibility of a USA release. The major players on the album are: JLT, Karl Cochran (Guitars), Bob Held and Karl Cochran (Bass), Michael Cartellone (Drums) and Gary Corbett (Keyboards). Watch JLT’s official website: www.joelynnturner.com for a future studio report and more news as it happens.

In other news, the setlist for JLT show in Moscow on February 10 was:

1. Death Alley Driver
2. Cant Happen Here
3. I Surrender
4. Stone Cold
5. Power
6. Cant Let You Go
7. Unfinished Bizness
8. Street Of Dreams
9. Jacknife
10. Long Live Rock And Roll (including Black Night + Lazy)
11. All Night Long (including Guitar Solo)
12. Spotlight Kid

Encores:

13. Highway Star
14. Smoke on the Water
15. Burn

Thanks to Mike Garrett and Lorna for the info.