Tonight in Odense, Denmark, Jon Lord witnessed an impressive performance of his piano concerto ‘Boom of the Tingling Strings’ performed by the Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann and featuring Nelson Goerner on piano.

The near-sold out concert was a resounding success with a prolonged standing ovation, for which Jon Lord joined Mann, Goerner and the orchestra onstage. The full programme was the ouverture from Weber’s ‘Bride of the Hunter’ (Jægerbruden), Jon Lord’s ‘Boom of the Tingling Strings’ and Carl Nielsen’s ‘Symphony no. 4’.

After the concert, patrons were invited to a Q&A session in the next-door Carl Nielsen Museum. Here orchestra manager Jesper Lützhøft introduced ‘the Mann and the Lord’ to an attentive crowd of around 60 people. Over glasses of red wine, Lord, Mann and Goerner answered questions about their music.

Paul Mann asked how many Deep Purple fans were in the crowd …

… and remarked how loyal Deep Purple fans and rock in general are compared to fans of classical music. Jon Lord stressed how he doesn’t see his music as either or, as it is his ambition to break down as many musical barriers as possible.

At the end, Jon Lord signed autographs to fans young and older. This lady said how much she had loved the concert – but she’d never heard a Deep Purple record.

Look out for a more detailed report of the Q&A session.

During next week, Paul Mann, Nelson Goerner and the orchestra will record ‘Boom of the Tingling Strings’ and Jon Lord’s ‘Disguises’ for EMI Classics.

Update:
Watch tv interview with Jon Lord prior to concerts.

Okay. There is a gap in the Deep Purple story books. There is a deafening silence during Deep Purple documentaries. There is a man who is still the voice of Deep Purple every time he sings “Hush” on classic rock radio in the U.S. and elsewhere (it still gets a lot of play in the States, dunno about elsewhere).

Rod Evans.

[to the tune of “Hush”]:

Rod, Rod
I thought I heard you worked as a doctor
Rod, Rod
You goofed in ’80 but we love you ever after

Where is Rod Evans? I don’t know, and I have been looking for Rod for years. Do you know? If so, get in touch. If you are Rod, and you’re reading this, *please* get in touch. All is forgiven. The 1980 thing was half a lifetime ago.

Come home, Rod Evans. Your public awaits.

If you happen to know where Rod Evans is now, we would love to know. Rod hasn’t said much about his time in Deep Purple or Captain Beyond or Mercy Hospital, and what stories he must have. Ha ha!

If you’re a detective or a spy or anything that involves investigation (but not radiation poisoning), maybe you could use your investigative skills and resources to (legally) find Mr. (Dr.)? Evans.

Give the Deep Purple historians a holiday present. Let’s find Rod Evans. We just want his anecdotes. We’ll have a 1980 moratorium.

Jo

Jon Lord will take part in an all-star celebration of the late Jim Capaldi, solo musician and member of Traffic. The show will take place Jan. 21, close to the second anniversary of his death, at London`s Roundhouse. Tickets go on sale Dec. 18.

The Dear Mr. Fantasy concert, named for one of Traffic`s best-known albums, will celebrate the life and work of Capaldi, who died of cancer Jan. 28, 2005, at the age of 60. The event will raise funds for the Jubilee Action Street Children Appeal, a charity in which Capaldi and his wife Anina were active.

The show will be presented by BBC Radio 2`s Bob Harris. Already confirmed to appear are Steve Winwood, Capaldi`s longtime collaborator both in and out of Traffic; Pete Townshend, Paul Weller, Bill Wyman and other such performers as Joe Walsh, Gary Moore, Simon Kirke, Dennis Locorriere, the Storys, Andy Newmark, Ray Cooper and keyboardist Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens.

No, no, I won’t sing the Righteous Brothers song. I . . . well . . . I hate the Righteous Brothers. There, I’ve said it now. Shame about the tenor. He’s passed on. (Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield August 10, 1940 – November 5, 2003. RIP).

On to today’s topic. Purple members who have gone over to the other side, passed the pearly gates, sleep with their fathers in Sheol, have joined the choir at Canterbury, sleep with fishes, are crossing the River Styx. (The fallen of Styx: John Panozzo September 20, 1948 – July 16, 1996; John Curulewski October 3, 1950 – February, 1988. RIP).

Here are a few memories of Purple members and family members who have left this veil of tears for a place that always has cold beer in an ice bucket in the dressing room and plenty of clean towels. And rest rooms that don’t stink like tom cat spray. And a favorable babe-to-skank ratio in the crowd. And monitors that [censored] work once in a blankity-blank while. Not that it matters if the sound man is drunk again. Oh, and you go to get paid and Billy’s the only one who can pay you and Billy won’t talk to anybody who won’t bail him out. Again.

But I digress. Tommy Bolin died 30 years ago today.

A survey of our dear departed musicians:

A young Cozy Powell (December 29, 1947 – April 5, 1998) playing a jazz set. I think. I’m not a musician but one of my other personalities is. Oh, Jeff Beck is on this too.

Tommy Bolin (August 1, 1951 d. December 4, 1976) with Deep Purple in Japan ca. 1976. Tommy died soon after. Deep Purple was on life support in this video.

Brian Connolly (October 5, 1945 d. February 9, 1997) and the Sweet. Google around for the connection!

Before Dave Sutch (November 12, 1940 d. June 16, 1999), Blackmore was a really normal guitar god. Sutch pushed him over the edge.

This guy and the Mothers were at the best place around. Frank Zappa (December 21, 1940 d. December 4, 1993).

So there they are, a few of the greats who have crossed the Purple path. And a string o’ Strats, killed by Ritchie Blackmore. Oh, and a camera.

Jo

This request has been put out on behalf of Paul Weaver (Head of the Blackmore’s Night UK Street Team):

Would UK fans (reading this message) please be kind enough to take a look in their local cd shops (HMV, Virgin etc) and tell us how many copies you have seen on the shelves? If you would be kind enough to do this AND POST THE INFORMATION ON THE MESSAGE BOARD that you are currently reading this message on, the information can then be seen and collected; and passed onto Paul Weaver. Thank You!

Since we at The Highway Star really are not equipped to collect this info, we suggest that you get in touch with the UK Street Team directly.

Thanks to Mike Garrett for the info.

Glenn Hughes latest solo album, MUSIC FOR THE DIVINE, will receive its long-awaited U.S. release on January 30, 2007 via Demolition Records. The CD, which is available now in Europe on Frontiers Records, was recorded in Chad Smiths (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) house in Los Angeles and again features Smith on drums and longtime Glenn Hughes collaborator JJ Marsh on guitar. Also featured are RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS guitarist John Frusciante and Mark Killian, who has provided the string arrangements and keyboards.

Also, an eight minute audio interview with Hughes, conducted recently by Norways Metal Express Radio, has been posted online.

Glenn recently announced his new touring band as Jeff Kollman on guitar, Mark Mondesir on drums and Anders Olinder on keyboards.

Thanks to Mike Garrett for the info.

Ian Paice. He is not human. He cannot feel pain. He cannot be reasoned with. Just stand back and weather his drumming thunder.

A young Ian punishing the Ludwigs. “This will be our opening number for the next year or so.” And how.

Ian Paice. Rubbin’ elbows with royalty. I hope it doesn’t diminish his street cred.

Bibbidy bibbidy BASH! Bibbidy BASH bibbidy BASH BASH!

Ian giving some kid private lessons.

This is where the rumors started about Ian being a cyborg. Look at him go.

So there he is, Ian Paice. Man or machine — you decide.

Jo

A new box will be released by Phenomena, called “The Complete Works”. It will include the first 3 albums, Phenomena I, Phenomena II Dream Runner, Phenomena III Inner Vision. The box will also include 6 bonus tracks. Don Airey can be found on 1 song on the first album, but Glenn Hughes sings on the whole first album and 3 songs on the second album. The box will be released on December 7. You can buy it in our shop.

That’s the old saying, isn’t it? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Or most sincere. Or least phony.

Here we have fans and distinguished tributaries to Deep Purple its subplots.

First, it is my distinct honor to introduce to the larger Web world the Next Big Thing, Nathalie Lorichs:

Nathalie sings Glenn Hughes’s Coast to Coast.

She is young. She is beautiful. She is talented. Joanna hates those women. 🙂

Our Peruvian friends give Space Truckin’ a try. The venue reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of the Jakarta in Liverpool. Plus the singer might be Wil Wheaton from Star Trek TNG. It snowballs.

On to Brazil, and Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming.

And we end the evening in Japan with a very accurate Highway Star. 🙂

The idea here is to call, IM and e-mail everybody in the music industry until Nathalie is competing in Eurovision and — oops I mean the idea is to give other fans a taste of what people are doing with Deep Purple’s music.

Jo

No, the other man in black. I was out listening to classical guitar tonight and it was amazing. Of course, we blew a fatty of primo burmese Indican hydroponic crypto bud in the Cortina just before we went in. This enhances the experience. Any experience, really.

Okay, some Blackmore:

We really need this one clip only. It has it all. It won’t just rock you, it will —- you up for life.

Rainbow Rising got me through the latter part of the 70s. Well, that and Blue Nun.

This is a cut from Blackmore’s Night’s Winter album, available from online outlets everywhere. Please buy copies for everyone you know, and donate many to hospitals and schools. Thank you.

Every grunge guy who ever broke a guitar and impaled his speaker cabinet with the jagged, broken neck owes Ritchie Blackmore royalties. This is from the California Jam DVD, which is so good I buy one every month just to be safe.

This is Blackmore’s Night Live. Joanna highly endorses this product.

So, when you go to buy your piles of Deep Purple CDs and DVDs for gifts for this western hemisphere more or less holiday season, throw in numerous Blackmore’s Night offerings too. You’ll be glad you did.

Oh. The other day I mentioned the “other” Glenn Hughes, who was Leatherman from the Village People. Look, I blog a lot of drek when I’ve had some martinis and skunk weed, but this is as real as, uh, other real stuff.

The other Glenn Hughes, not a figment of Joanna’s imagination.

Jo