Simon McBride appeared on That Pedal Show, speaking about his gear and his job in Purple. It’s a long conversation, and it gets quite a bit technical at times, but generally well worth setting aside time and listening for the whole thing. Even if you’re less than interested in “plumbing” per se. Continue Reading »

Glenn Hughes appeared on the latest episode of the Iron City Rocks podcast, dated September 15, 2023.

In particular, Glenn mentioned that the new BCC album should come out in the first quarter of 2024, and a proper solo album is in his plans for some time that year as well.

I am an artist that must make new music. I mean, I insist — I hate that word ‘insist’, but every year I find myself with a new paint board of new songs. I’m getting ready next year, by the way — I am gonna do another Glenn album next year, the first one in nine years, ’cause it’s time to do it.

I don’t write about politics. I write about the human condition. I write about how are we feeling, what are we going through, are we going to get through this — you know, acceptance, staying in the present moment. This is the big thing for me. People call it woke, awakening, if you will… For me, it’s all about staying present in this moment right now, and I’m writing about that.

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info and quotes.

Glenn Hughes performed his Purple set on Friday, September 8, 2023, at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. He was joined on stage by local talent Joe Bonamassa and Chad Smith. Continue Reading »

Cherry Red Records is releasing on November 24, 2023, a Glenn Hughes and Robin George collaboration album Overcome, originally recorded back in 1989.

A chance meeting between Glenn Hughes and Robin George eventually resulted in an invitation for Glenn to sing backing vocals for Robin and Sean Harris’ Notorious album, which lead to a full collaboration between Robin and Glenn. The album started life as a solo Robin George record and developed into ‘Overcome’, complete with four songs co-written by the pair; ‘Number One’, ‘Sweet Revenge’, ‘Don’t Come Crying’, and the title track.

Such was the faith and strength in the new recordings, that a major label deal was struck but fell through, leaving these recordings to languish in the vaults. Glenn is on fine form on the album, and among the 13 tracks of melodic, and occasionally funky, hard rock, one special treat is the track ‘Haunted’, essentially recorded by a reformed Trapeze, featuring Dave Holland, Mel Galley and Terry Rowley.

Over the years, Robin George has collaborated with many musical legends, from Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Thin Lizzy’s Philip Lynott, Uriah Heep’s David Byron, UFO’s Pete Way, John Wetton & Asia, Daniel Boone, Raymond Froggatt and the Quireboys’ Spike. As a native of Wolverhampton, it’s no surprise that a musician of Robin George’s caliber would cross paths with local heroes Trapeze.

Track listing:

1. Flying
2. Overcome
3. I Want
4. Haunted (featuring Trapeze’s Dave Holland, Mel Galley & Terry Rowley)
5. Number One
6. Sweet Revenge
7. The American Way
8. Machine
9. Steal My Heart
10. Things Have Gotta Change
11. Don’t Come Crying
12. Loving You
13. War Dance

The album can be pre-ordered via the label.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Over the course of the pandemic, Robert Fripp and his wife Toyah Willcox were entertaining themselves and their Youtube audience by recording covers of everything from Swan Lake to Smoke on the Water in their backyard.

Guitar World has recently caught up with Fripp and interviewed him about this project (which is still going strong, with 145 entries posted).

You also covered arguably the most iconic guitar riff of them all when you and Toyah tackled Smoke on the Water…

That was another fun one. I saw Ritchie Blackmore live when he was 18 at a dance hall in Poole, Dorset. I was around 17 myself, so this must have been around 1963 or 1964. Ritchie was playing with The Outlaws. There might be some footage of him with them on YouTube.

My feeling is when he got to 18, he realized that he’d gone as far as he was going to in that band. He was superb. It would be unfair to say Ritchie didn’t get better, because he continued to grow. But what I will say is that at 18, he absolutely nailed it.

He worked with [Screaming Lord] Sutch along with another mythical guitarist called Strawberry, who was somebody everyone had heard of in the reports but no-one at the time seemed to actually know his identity. He would play with his back to the audience and was a legendary player to those of us watching in the early ’60s.

I never got to see Strawberry, but I did see Ritchie. He had all the moves, all the swinging and all the chops. We met very briefly in passing and we nodded. My nod to him was one of great respect.

Read the rest of Fripp’s interview in Guitar World (albeit there’s nothing else Purple related there).

Guitar Player magazine profiles the “new new guy” Simon McBride in their October 2023 issue (the one with Nita Strauss on the cover).

When asked if he felt any pressure kicking off Deep Purple’s epic number, Simon had this to say:

At the moment, no. But the first time I did it I was very nervous, because that was with Ian Gillan in front of about 10,000 people. But it’s such a simple riff. The main secret is just giving it the right tempo. Then Don kicks in with the Hammond playing the same thing, Roger kicks in with the bass, and it’s just a wall of power.

Some people overcomplicate the ‘Smoke’ riff by playing it like a guitar player – you know, they throw vibrato and other things into it – but then the riff loses its essence. You just have to keep it simple.

There are plenty of other places in the set for me to try new things. People always ask me, ‘Do you have freedom to improvise in Deep Purple?’ The answer is yes. But there are certain things you just have to play as they were recorded, like Blackmore’s solo on ‘Highway Star.’

It would be very arrogant of me to think that I can do better than that. That’s a brilliant solo. It’s iconic.

The issue (October 2023, #738) can be ordered via magazinesdirect.com.

Joe Satriani was interviewed for Sonic Perspectives, and there were several purple-related questions — whether he was expecting a call from his former bandmates to replace Steve Morse, would it be more difficult to play Morse’s music as opposed to Blackmore’s, and if he is going to do an album or tour together with Glenn Hughes. (Spoilers: no, yes, and not likely). Continue Reading »

This is highly unconfirmed, borderline on rumour, but we thought it’s worth mentioning on these pages.

The Good Old Boys are having their very last concert tomorrow, August 31, 2023, at the Eel Pie Club in the London suburb of Twickenham. Nick Simper was their bass player for a long time, but left the band a few years ago. According to our long time contributor, Nick will appear at this show as a special guest. This information apparently comes from the Boys’ frontman Alan Barrett. Tickets are available at £13.20, so that’s the grand total you might be laying on the line.

Thanks to Reinhard for the heads-up.

Another sad day in the family — Bernie Marsden has passed away at the age of 72. His PR people released the following statement:

On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side.

Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end.

David Coverdale tweeted (as quoted by Louder Sound):

I’ve just woken up to the awful news that my old friend and former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed. My sincere thoughts and prayers to his beloved family, friends and fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honoured to know and share a stage with.

Thanks to Louder Sound for the quotes, and to Uwe Hornung for the heads-up.

Whitesnake’s The Purple Album will be reissued on October 13, 2023, via Rhino Records. It will be available as 2CD, 2LP on gold vinyl, Blu-ray, and digital. Of particular interest in certain quarters would be the second CD that will feature the 4 tracks from DC & The Fabulosa Brothers tape that landed him the Purple gig:

• Everybody’s Talkin’
• Get Ready
• Lonely Town, Lonely Street
• Dancing In The Street

Another bonus track is enticingly labelled as 1974 DC Demo Ideas For The Stormbringer Album. The CD2 is rounded up with live tracks and alternative mixes. CD1 contains the original album remixed. Whitesnake.com has more details, including the complete track listing.

The whole affair is being released under the ‘celebrating 50 years of joining Deep Purple’ moniker.

A promo clip featuring a remix of Burn has been posted today to promote the release.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.