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Alive and creative in São Paulo
Deep Purple have headlined this past weekend the Best of Blues and Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil. This marked their first public performance since November 10, 2024. The hiatus, previously explained in an interview by Ian Paice, stems from the intention to take the live performances easy this year, playing “a day here, three days there”, with touring to resume in earnest in the Fall.
Our man in Brazil Marcelo Soares reports from the festival:
Deep Purple’s only show in 2025, before November, was an open air gig at the Ibirapuera park, in São Paulo. The stage was at an auditorium designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, with the white walls serving as a screen for the live images that also were used behind the drums and organ.
The organizers of the Best of Blues and Rock festival had announced one day before that they had sold about 85% of the 15,000 maximum tickets — which means nearly 13 thousand tickets sold. There was room for that many people. Even the rain that insinuated itself in the morning made room for a beautiful sunset.
No new songs were played. We had pretty much the same set of the German tour in October, but three =1 songs were dropped to fit the festival duration. Otherwise, the running order was the same. The three new songs played in Europe but not here were Portable Door (!), Now You’re Talking and Old Fangled Thing.
Purple hadn’t played together, at least onstage, for seven months, so this was their first show this year. Their playing was as sharp as if they had played together the week before. It might have helped that they did some rehearsals in a studio in the city before the gig.
The three =1 songs included in the set (A Bit on the Side, Lazy Sod and Bleeding Obvious) were not well known by the crowd, but they were not shunned either. It’s more a factor of the record industry than anything else, indeed. Lazy Sod had more people singing along, because of the video. And the energy in Bleeding Obvious is a very strong high point for the show; even if few people sing along, most will dance.
It’s important to have this nice share of new material. The band is alive and creative, and all the press reviews of the concert made a point of noting that.
About the band themselves, what original thing can one say, having followed them for so long as we have? My wife, who saw them for the second time, got very impressed at their competence, energy and high spirits. I never cease to marvel at that also, but then I have witnessed it time and again since 1997.
Roger is energetic as always, with a shining smile. Seeing him jump onstage, you can almost forget he turns 80 in November. Wish I had half his knees. (He, too, or so a wise man told me.)
Gillan never leaves his wit at home. After When a Blind Man Cries, people kept shouting his name and he cut it all with an “enough of that already!”. He also announced he gave up on explaining what Lazy is about.
Don quoted some bossa nova and Aquarela do Brasil. For the encore, he wore a Brazil soccer team jersey, in a move to reclaim the jersey last seen at the Madonna gig in Rio.
Simon was acclaimed by the crowd. Before Smoke on the Water, when there was a seeming mix-up on what he should have done (in Germany he did a solo at that time), the crowd chanted his name. He has the chops and the swagger.
Paice seems to do with less effort, in his 70s, what he had to be an athlete to do in the 70s. He is a master of his craft, like all his colleagues.
The two opening acts were far better than I expected, especially Judith Hill — a family act, with her mother Michiko Hill on Hammond and synths, her father Pee Wee Hill on a funky bass and a voracious drummer. The older Hills met in a funk band in the 70s, and the rhythm in the show was simply hypnotic, in a great mood. I didn’t know her before, and now she has two new fans at the same address.
Before Judith, we had the Brazilian rock band Hurricane. They were very excited to be in the same bill as Purple, and their keyboard solo showed younger musicians are still listening, learning and practicing what Jon Lord and his contemporaries did.
There are musicians able and willing to carry the kind of music we love for at least as long as Purple’s career so far. It’s great to see all those generations in the same stage.
Setlist:
- Highway Star
- A Bit On The Side
- Hard Lovin’ Man
- Into The Fire
- Guitar Solo
- Uncommon Man
- Lazy Sod
- Lazy
- When A Blind Man Cries
- Anya
- Keyboard Solo
- Bleeding Obvious
- Space Truckin’
- Smoke On The Water
Encore:
- Green Onions
- Hush
- Black Night
A few pieces of video evidence:
Thanks to Marcelo Soares for the review, and to mfg05 and Bruno Capelas for the video clips.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
nice to see Anya still in the set, also Bleeding Obvious. When I watch big Ian and also Roger Daltrey recently, I begin to worry a little more than I should. Anyway, brush off a few cobwebs and see how things go………..Cheers.
June 17th, 2025 at 02:32“My wife, who saw them for the second time, got very impressed at their competence, energy and high spirits.”
You made a good choice with her Marcelo! 💃
June 17th, 2025 at 02:43IG, IP and RG are still delivering the goods but the lack of improvisation from DA and SMB has become an albatross around the band’s neck. Their note for note renditions, staying the same from night to night, has taken away the incentive to go and see them.
June 17th, 2025 at 05:09Thank you for this nice review 😊
June 17th, 2025 at 05:47@3
Amen to that, Daniel!
My biggest regret. What a Shane. iG doing more improvisation with his singing than the two leading instrumentalists.
Thanks God we have Roger and Ian on too of all.
June 17th, 2025 at 06:51Je ne vais plus voir DP depuis 1994 car l’âme du groupe a disparu….
June 17th, 2025 at 07:11@3. Totally agree.
June 17th, 2025 at 07:32As a long term fan (approaching 60 years) my only criticism of DP is their need to repeatedly include songs such as Hush and Green Onions in the setlist. The space could be put to better use with songs from their own vast catalogue. Neither of the covers are better than Joe South or Booker T, so why bother.
June 17th, 2025 at 07:36Come on big Ian, have stab at Burn or Stormbringer – now that would surely excite us all.
Thanks for the review, Mr, Soares, very well written !
I doubt they’ll tour more this Autumn, I’m afraid it’s going to be Dubai and Tbilissi and that’s all, unfortunately.
Let’s hope they will still be on top form next year… The past few years have been incredible on stage : great setlist, Gillan and Paice still impress everyone and the Airey/McBride duo is exceptional. Roger if you read this, you know how good you are ahah
I still hope for some oldies like Never before or Fools to be mixed with the great new stuff (Lazy Sod or Portable Door work like classics !), I’m a bit tired of Hard Lovin Man, Into the Fire, Uncommon Man (though I understand it’ll stay because of the JL’s tribute theme). Roger’s playing is fantastic on those songs (Fools and Never Before)
June 17th, 2025 at 10:36Great review!
Hi Mark: Gillan will never sing anything from the MKIII or MKIV albums- quite rightly in my opinion. However, I do agree that the encores are in desperate need of an encore. How about Speed King and Fireball?
June 17th, 2025 at 10:38@6: On sait. Tu l’as dit un million de fois. Pourquoi ne pas passer à autre chose et t’en tenir à tes anciens albums ?
June 17th, 2025 at 10:38Yes, the set list will never ever leave everybody satisfied. I think we’re lucky to get a hunk of new tunes these days. I could do without Hard Lovin’ Man or Uncommon Man as well by now. Those aren’t even “hits” they have to play, so why not pick some other gems from the catalouge? But I don’t see IG sing Burn or Stormbringer. Why on earth should he do that? They cannot even get enough of their own songs in! They do a Mark I tune already cos it’s a “hit”. Plus: I really don’t think it would be that great if IG sang DC songs – apart from the curio point of view.
June 17th, 2025 at 10:45I hope they will play Nobody’s Home, Under the Gun or Gypsy’s Kiss one day
June 17th, 2025 at 10:50Judith Hill was Prince’s protegé — the soulful singing and mean guitar playing really show that. I discovered her a while back on Spotify when listening to the Purple One.
As for DP, seems like they’re still doing well, which is nice to see and hear. I wonder if they’ll ever move Black Night back toward the beginning of the concert, like they did in the 90’s — I think it works better that way. Also, how about that killer Bedlam + Fireball + Bloodsucker opener combo they did for a while in the Infinite tour?
June 17th, 2025 at 13:15Perhaps Francis “J’Accuse DP of ever letting Ritchie go!” could change his handle to “Cato the Elder” who was similarly renowned for his rallying statement: “Carthago delenda est!”
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/asterix/images/8/80/Quartalsabschlus.png/revision/latest?cb=20191107150549&path-prefix=de
June 17th, 2025 at 14:17I wish they would dust off WDWTWA there are actually some great rock songs on that album..and most of all I wanna hear
June 17th, 2025 at 14:26Rat bat blue live.. what a great riff!!
I wish they’d drop Hush and replace it
June 17th, 2025 at 17:52I, personally, don’t care about the setlist or the improvisation. What I care about most is that they come back to A C so I can see them one last time. They put on an incredible high energy show when they were here last. One I’ll never forget.
June 17th, 2025 at 19:27My incentive is that they are getting older and anything could happen to any one of them at this point. God forbid. Just seeing them is good enough for me at this point. Im just happy that they are still able to do it. Long live this band, the music and the great memories.
It’s great to see Gillan singing so well and looking and moving so well …don’t forget he turns 80 in a few months !!! The man is an institution and an inspiration…how many other 80 year olds can do what he does….I may not like what the band has become these past few years with the session guitarist and cabaret act but, hats off to Gillan , he has given us all such pleasure and happiness these past 50 odd years …he deserves to do whatever he wants!
June 17th, 2025 at 20:11#8 – Big Ian doesn’t have the voice for Burn or Stormbringer, but he could do a great job of Gettin’ Tighter, or some of the other Glenn songs. If he only had the stones to do it…
June 18th, 2025 at 04:2711
June 18th, 2025 at 06:19Je n’ai que faire de ton avis… je dit ce que j’en pense un point c’est tout….
@21
C’est bon, j’aurais aussi aimé que Ritchie se comporte correctement pour qu’il puisse toujours être avec Purple.
Tu n’aime pas du tout Purple tel qu’il est maintenant ?
June 18th, 2025 at 07:04All this Italian creeping in here, very burdensome to look up.
https://youtu.be/HyrCUAeo6qI
June 19th, 2025 at 12:37Gillan really needs to stop singing hard rock. I will get some hate but its just facts!
June 19th, 2025 at 12:58@19
“how many other 80 year olds can do what he does…”
– I know many 40 yo who can’t do what he does! He is indeed impressive 💜
June 19th, 2025 at 13:31This way, Bart won’t get invited to Karin’s next birthday, just sayin’.
She has a long memory too.
June 19th, 2025 at 17:37@18
June 19th, 2025 at 18:33Totally agree and based on those thoughts I have secured tickets for the Dubai gig!
@24 Well, your facts. Last time I watched him do it, a couple of thousands people seemed to stick to alternate facts. So as far as I’m concerned …as long as he likes to do it and we like to listen to it – why stop? Noone has to attend those shows.
June 19th, 2025 at 18:59@28
I agree here Max 😊
Ian is already a phenomenon! Almost 80 yo, and amazing…
And you’re right, no one has to show up at their concerts!
@24
June 20th, 2025 at 06:16No why should you get hate Bart? Your opinion is as valid as all the other opinions in here 😊
Would this be an interesting place if all we were was an echo chamber?
I like Ian’s voice so much, it has changed tremendously since he was a young man, but he is true to himself and the ability of his voice ☺️
And I enjoy =1, as I enjoy his screams when he was young 🥰
@23
“All this Italian creeping in here, very burdensome to look up.”
Do you know Anders W Bertelsen??
He is a very good, ahem, well, ‘singer’ (he is not actually, but to avoid the wrath from our very persistence admin in here, I cheat a bit and call this great actor for a singer – sshhh🫢)
It’s a wonderful and funny movie actually 😃
June 20th, 2025 at 06:39Interesting comments about Gillian’s singing being good for a nearly 80 year old etc. I am an enormous fan of Gillan the singer for his past recording and live work but I can’t help but wince when I hear him sing live now. There is no real power or accuracy, or more importantly soul left in his voice at all, and he mostly looks pained. Any objective review would conclude that his contribution to the band’s performance is now substandard and detrimental to the legacy of the band.
On the other hand 13000 tickets were sold so what do I know.
June 20th, 2025 at 08:56#31 : well, I’ve read at least 60 objective reviews in the specialized press and Gillan is almost always as still very impressing. I’m talking about the current tour of course.
I can understand that some people prefer his most powerful and aggressive vocals from, let’s say, 1969-2000 or even 2010 but every singer I know praises Ian’s performance even now, especially because of his ability to put soul in his singing (not only in WabMC, for which he gets standing ovation every night) but also in Uncommon Man, Into the Fire (personnaly I’d drop it though) or the new songs… Or even Smoke and Lazy after all those years… And the control and tone he still has is very technically masterful.
Still I understand that some people don’t like that, the same you can’t dislike Paicey’s more economical current style (I do like it myself).
I still hope Big Ian will put on a solo tour with less old Purple classic stuff and more songs that he’s unbelievable on (No more Cane on the Brazos, That’s why god, Walk On, etc… maybe some Ray Charles, things like Lazy Sod, Portable Door, I’m Alone, Maybe I’m a Leo or Never Before, Sometimes, Mitzee etc).
I guess it will never happen but it’s a shame, he’ll sing those terrifically.
But as someone rightly said here, whatever they play, we are still fortunate they are able to perform and with that much brio !
June 20th, 2025 at 10:12@31
Andrew, I do get your drift here!
When I am praising Ian for his voice and his singing, it’s not because I’m comparing his ability to what he could do when he was a young man! Not at all!
When he was young he had that phenomenal scream, and his voice was sweet and spoiling us all.
Yes, now he is an old man, so when I praise his ability now, it’s in comparison to his age!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone, almost 80 yo that can sing like that. And I do know a lot of older people actually.
Also when I hear him today, and by this I’m thinking of =1, I tend to hear all that Ian did from the beginning until now. I hear the development so to speak. I hear the collected singer.
And I’m enjoyed immensely of all those wonderful tunes he had sung through the years.
June 20th, 2025 at 11:59I am very well aware that he will not be able to continue for ever, so for now I just love what he can do.
“Italienisch für Anfänger” was a hit movie (I saw and liked it too) in Germany, why the surprise, Karin? There is a steady influx of Danish films and series in Germany, Edith just watched (in Danish!) that dystopian series where Denmark falls under the ocean levels and the whole population has to migrate to other countries – and are not always welcomed there, an obvious allegory to today’s prevailing anti-migration stances.
June 20th, 2025 at 13:14@31 Andrew
I agree with you. Only with a lot good will from us diehard fans and the broader rock community who appreciates seeing a “living legend” (which probably bought the bulk of those 13,000 tickets) that Ian Gillan’s singing, especially on older material, passes as acceptable. No raspy “Into the Fire” chorus or streched “feeEEeeeeeeeeeeelllls it” at the end of Blind Man can change that perception to me. The lows are just deeper and more numerous than the few highs he pulls off in any given night.
Frankly, I wish Ian Gillan changed his approach to singing to better accomodate his limitations. But he seems to be one proud and stubborn gentleman, and given that said limitations have been around for decades and only getting worse, I don’t think he ever will. It’s been said here on these pages: the man might die on stage trying for dear life to remind up that he’s a highway star, he’s a highway star, he’s a highway star.
June 20th, 2025 at 16:00Andrew, among friends, if Karin reads this …
D — U — C — K !!!
https://i.makeagif.com/media/12-01-2015/35L0-R.gif
June 20th, 2025 at 17:53I might add: She’s from the planet Gillanite. You wouldn’t want to mess with her.
June 20th, 2025 at 17:54To be honest, didn’t watch the clips before posting – just listening now as I type.
June 20th, 2025 at 21:57Sounds alright I reckon, but have to express my love for Judith Hill, go and see her at any venue available..
She’s fantastic – although not hard rock. just full of attitude
Of course Gillan isn’t going to sound like he did on MIJ etc …but I just can’t help being impressed by a man who is basically 80…yes 80 !!! Doing what he does! …most 80 year olds that I know are in a home or something!
June 20th, 2025 at 23:19I remember an interview with him in the 80s where he said …he’ll be singing till he dies !…and on this evidence, who’s to argue !
Hats off to him , he deserves a knighthood…I wouldn’t mind betting he will still be on the stage at 100 ..
@36&37
😄
Andrew don’t believe a word Uwe is saying!
I am known to be quite nice…. Even to those who taunt me endlessly and tries to bring me down by suggesting I’m an evil witch 😁
June 20th, 2025 at 23:39@34
Uwe, give your Edith a hug from me!
It’s impressive she watch that series in Danish.
It’s actually a rather grim situation, but rather thought provoking to how a lot of people not welcome immigrants 😓
‘Italiensk for begyndere’ is an adorable movie, and you know: all is well that ends well 😃
I take it you also saw ‘Forbrydelsen’?
June 21st, 2025 at 05:47IG can still convey great emotion on tracks like WABMC. I understand it’s not possible to have a rock show entirely consisting of ballads, yet it would be wise to drop the tracks where he sounds his age: HS, Into the Fire, Uncommon Man etc. The bigger issue is the lack of improvisation from DA and SMB. It’s as if they missed the memo that DP was once *all* about improvisation. You can’t have a DP with prerehearsed solos. Not even Toto does that.
June 21st, 2025 at 12:52@24 @29
No hate indeed! We have seen the strangest of opinions rolled out in front of our very eyes here in this forum!
June 21st, 2025 at 14:29People who like ELO, fellas that compare Quo live to Made in Japan, even one weirdo that calls the King of Rock’n’Roll a ‘butter tenor’…it all adds to the fun!
I stand by that: Status Quo’s Live! and DP’s MiJ are the two most famous and commercially successful (in Europe) “raw and totally untampered” live albums of guitar-driven hard rock of the 70s (the glory age of double live albums).
In comparison, “live” albums by bands like, eg, Led Zeppelin (TSRTS is a cut & paste job with studio overdubs – and it still sounded lame! 😎), UFO, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy and Peter Frampton have all been messed with.
June 21st, 2025 at 14:49I still love them very much. I saw them live in 2022 and 2024 and in 2024 they played 6 songs from their fantastic album “= 1”. A few months ago I saw Simon live solo with his new record and it also was beautiful and full of power.I hope to see them at least one more time live but for now I’m looking forward to the 2 remastered records in August and maybe new material in due time. Beeing 80 and 70+ they deserve it to take more time with their family and friends, they already gave us so much joy in the past.
June 21st, 2025 at 15:13@33
Tom Jones, now 85.
June 21st, 2025 at 15:44I was there at Best of Blues and Rock Festival and the band is still really good. We have our preferences, I would love some other songs, they came to Brazil in September last year, same set list now (they dropped Portable Door this time). Ian is almost 80 years old now, how can we ask something ? Let’s enjoy while they are still around. SMB really brought some new extra energy to the guys. I agree they don’t improvise anymore, same sets on different nights. BUT, that is it guys ! There is no band in the world like Purple. I still enjoy what they deliver every night. My 23 year old son loved it too, so they are doing something right ! Let’s try to see the good side of all of this, new records, new tours, we are privileged !
June 21st, 2025 at 20:09@43
Ahem!
Weirdo….?
June 21st, 2025 at 21:56Mick Jagger, Roger Daltrey, Jon Anderson and as Andrew mentioned, Tom Jones are all 80 years of age at the very least. Those guys are actually singing better than Gillan it would seem and have been for eons. But then again, they all looked after themselves much better me thinks. I suppose none of those singers are in the ‘hard rock slash metal’ genre. Oh well, join the Lemmy club, rock till you drop, or pretty well as close as you can at least. Have the people praising Gillan as the Almighty joined Karin’s infamous club, the Gillanuverse Club? Special membership fees apply and of course a secret handshake, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.
June 21st, 2025 at 23:01Poor Anton, he will be wondering who all these people are. Ian Gillan overload for the poor little thing. As if he hasn’t endured enough as it is. We need to help Anton, and very quickly. Cheers.
@49
“Special membership fees apply and of course a secret handshake, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.”
– oohhhhh yeah! Eric Idle is an honorary member of Gillanuverse Club (and any worshippers of the butter-tenor are turned away! Maybe we’ll be a small club, but at least a proud one! 😄😄)
June 22nd, 2025 at 10:06@23
Uwe, you’re more than welcome to ask me for help to translate!
Don’t thank me, I’m here to make life easier for you ☺️😉
June 22nd, 2025 at 10:08@49
“Poor Anton, he will be wondering who all these people are. Ian Gillan overload for the poor little thing. As if he hasn’t endured enough as it is. We need to help Anton, and very quickly. Cheers.”
😂😂
Well, thinking of my memberships standards (remember: no EP-worshippers at all!) I really don’t think my sweet little doglet is in imminent danger!
I guess beside myself, only Ian will join, since it’s a well known fact that he stopped appreciating the butter tenor in the ’50s!)
But as always MacGregor, thank you so much for looking out for Anton!
June 22nd, 2025 at 10:14He is a valuable feature in my life and he certainly deserves the very best 😍
Well I have to disagree with MacGregor (and that very rarely happens).
I’ve seen Daltrey last April, he’s far from singing better than Gillan… He’s still very good for his age but his range is now much more limited than Ian’s. And he’s helped with tapes (the scream in Won’t get for example), so as much as I love him, I won’t rate him superior.
As with Anderson or Jagger (I love both), who still sing great but what they have to do is so much easier (let’s say less difficult) than Gillan, you just can’t compare. Or maybe we should compare with ‘normal’ songs such as Portable Door or Lazy. Certainly not with what Gillan has to sing every night… I’m not sure everyone realize how hard the DP catalogue is for a singer.
We could also say that Plant is singing very well those days (and he is) but he has chosen to avoid everything difficult (and why not) so it’s hard to compare.
It happens that I’m a big Tom Jones fan… Yes the man is 85 and still traumatizes every singer so I’ll agree with that… But again, would he be able to sing Highway Star even like Ian’s doing it now? I guess not.
So I guess we are fortunate he’s still able to perform this songs at such high level, even though he should adapt even more but we all know how stubborn he is ahah.
I’d say the same for Paicey. Yes he was better when he was younger and some others, close to his age, are maybe even more impressive (I don’t like Aldridge but he’s a good example, or Carmine who is even older than Ian) but how great Ian still plays!
June 22nd, 2025 at 11:48@53
Peter! You are so right!
Listen everybody – Ian Gillan is out of reach! He is dominating the world scene of rock!
Tom Jones? Really?
June 22nd, 2025 at 16:02Well ok, he does sing, well, nice enough, but compared to Ian….😄
Noooo no no no! He certainly would never be this God-given rock singer as Ian was and still is!
@ 55- with respect Peter, my mention of other over 80’s rock ‘n roll singers is not a comparison at all. It is simply a reminder to a few that there are other singers out there still doing what they do, the best that they can in a live performance setting and some vocalists still sound better than others. I did mention the hard rock slash (metal) style for a reason and also big Ian’s lifestyle in his younger days too. Actually Ian Gillan isn’t 80 yet, so maybe we should wait a couple of months, he he he. That is why I didn’t mention Percy because he is a youngster in comparison. However, I forgot to mention Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney. These guys are all in their elderly years and it is how they go about it, choosing the correct songs to sing, not forcing the issue too much for fear of a voice breakdown or worse, a medical episode. Rock ‘n Roll eh? Regarding drummers and the same applies, health issues or not, age wears down that body eventually. Nicko McBrain recently retired because of that health issue. Ian is still fortunate that he can lay down a groove. Charlie Watts went on for a decent run too, all things considered. It is a younger persons game rock ‘n roll. Cheers.
June 22nd, 2025 at 22:31Sigh,
https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/10-worst-things-lucy-ever-did-to-charlie-brown.jpg?q=70&fit=contain&w=1200&h=628&dpr=1
I’m waiting for the day when Karin claims that her beloved Ian was/is also a better funk singer than James Brown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRubq5D-3kM
It can’t be long. 😁 Ian tops them all whatever the genre and Karin never runs out of superlatives. He’s better than Dio (never mind how he found Dio songs incredibly hard to sing with Sabbath), Coverdale, Hughes, Plant, Rodgers, Halford, Elvis, Neil Diamond and now Tom Jones. He seems to be a musical Allzweckwaffe. Nothing the man can’t do better than anybody else. We should really ask him to do something from Leonard Cohen to show Tom Jones, that symbol of mediocrity, how it is done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWiPFT0v2c
And then when Ian really goes out of his way to do something entirely different like with IGB or the less accessible Born Again tracks, Karin promptly doesn’t like it. Go figure. 😑
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgAL4zdMnJA
June 22nd, 2025 at 22:53@56
“I’m waiting for the day when Karin claims that her beloved Ian was/is also a better funk singer than James Brown.”
– wait no more oh Lawyer Superior! Ian is indeed several millions steps above James Brown! (In any way!)
And I guess a lot of people in here secretly agree with me, but they are fearing the wrath of the Superstar in the Courtroom! (I am not 😄😄)
“It can’t be long. 😁 Ian tops them all whatever the genre and Karin never runs out of superlatives.”
– I certainly do not EVER run out of superlatives when it comes to persons I admire!
(Do I, your Highness of the Law?)
“He’s better than Dio (never mind how he found Dio songs incredibly hard to sing with Sabbath)”
– of course Ian can’t go to such a low point in his singing! That is impossible! And that’s why Ian found it hard to sing those songs!
“Coverdale”
– HEY! I’ve admitted several times that mr Coverdale is on my 3.place in singers: nr 1 is the guy I heard hum a birthday song some time ago, nr. 2 is Ian, and David is a strong nr 3!
“Hughes, Plant, Rodgers, Halford,”
– yeah, they are not much in my very humble opinion!
“Elvis”
– with the risk of once again being called a weirdo in here, I dare say that for me (not for you Uwe or any of you in here but for this blond Viking) Elvis is an annoyance!
I don’t even wanna say sorry because I’m entitled to feel this way! In my head I have dreadful colours whenever I hear that person bleating…. (Whereas birthday song-guy, Ian and David draw beautiful colours to my great delight…)
“Leonard Cohen”
– I actually find this gentleman’s voice rather intriguing but his songs were pretty dark, not his voice, but the lyrics.
“Go figure.”
– well I guess the gentleman in here (can’t remember which of you it was…) who called me a weirdo must me partly right then!
But I guess it truly shows my devotion for the current vocalist of Purple, and that this devotion is based on righteousness and an honest opinion!
Because if I was some brain-dead fan who automatically just loved anything the British gentleman does, then my saying in this will fall to a low point. But me being honest show I’m worth listening to! (At least Anton agrees with me…when I’m about to give him a treat, but nevertheless!)
June 23rd, 2025 at 08:07@ 56- there is NO way Ian Gillan could do the splits like James Brown did in that video. Well, maybe he could, has anyone ever see that. Now if Uwe digs up some video somewhere of big Ian doing just that I will give in, a total surrender. Apart from the splits (ouch) what about the pirouette, could Gillan do that? Get down and get funky Ian, Living in the City indeed. Ha ha ha, we have to laugh don’t we, well some of us may laugh, some could even cringe a little. What an influence James Brown was, those were the days. Cheers
June 23rd, 2025 at 09:44As speed, fluidity, determination, ease of technique and copious amounts of testosterone go, DP (all five of them) likely peaked around the Made in Japan recordings. Since then things have not been getting (even) better.
But that is perfectly ok. I don’t have issues with an artist aging in his performance and DP do it mostly gracefully. If Bruce Lee was still alive, we would not expect him to still do midair somersaults in his movies either.
June 23rd, 2025 at 14:39@58
“there is NO way Ian Gillan could do the splits like James Brown did in that video. Well, maybe he could, has anyone ever see that.”
– (PSST Uwe, don’t read on, I don’t wanna scare ya☺️)
Well MacGregor, I do believe those movements you’re mentioning there was the way the gents discovered their inner falsetto-scream!
Uwe now you’re welcome to read in here again ☺️
“What an influence James Brown was, “
– ohhh MacGregor, I was about to agree with you here, but that was only because I misread the sentence!
You wrote JB was an influence, but what I read was this:
James Brown has a terrible influenza – which actually can explain a lot 😂
Well, have got this out of my system, I will walk my little doglet. We had thunderstorms most of the day, but now there is sunshine (pronounced as only Liam Gallagher can) so bye for now 👋🏼
June 23rd, 2025 at 15:47Let me join the comments here for once, since people are arguing about Ian Gillan’s singing.
Singing is a physical activity, like soccer. It is a common misconception the notion that the voice is made in the mouth. It takes a whole body to sing. When you sing, you express not words, or sounds, or tunes, or notes, but your whole physical and mental self – anything less, you’re doing it wrong. And Gillan knows what he is doing. He is not doing it wrong, he is present.
At 25, Ian’s singing could be considered the equivalent to Pelé’s soccer playing. Pelé left the field, except for highly controlled special participations, before he was 50, so we don’t have a comparison.
Gillan will always be compared to his unreachable younger self.
Of course, we have our memories from the songs that made our younger selves happy. But when I look at the mirror, my pimples and my long hair are gone. Gillan doesn’t do his former vocal athletics anymore, but he is a skilled and vigorous singer. The repertoire is difficult, of course, and the old songs we all want to hear were written for and by his younger athletic vocal self.
The fact he is there at 80 singing them in a different way only shows the nuances of life and its changes. It’s sincere – “this is who I am now, I love what I do, I’m here to express it”. Integrity is the word I was looking for.
He is not competing against anyone, much less his younger self. He seems to enjoy each moment. Whenever I want to hear his athletics, I have all the old albums and the DVDs. The gigs are to keep up with his thread of life. And, really, I do wish I’ll have half that energy and ability at 80.
That’s what I’ll be anywhere I can to witness and celebrate every time. It’s joyous. Seeing my favourite artists age gracefully gives me perspective on life in a way that only meeting my own elders (not many got that far, especially in good health) can.
Of course, you may have a different metric and it’s completely okay – for you. You simply don’t need to witness if it’s not for you. We have the old albums, we have the old DVDs, and those glorious athletic moments of the past, when I wasn’t even born, are well preserved there for the ages. I go back to them often.
June 24th, 2025 at 11:43If IG today still sang like he did in the early 70s, I ‘d find that weird. People age, develop and mature. And of course our bodies decline in their performance. We also gain experience and learn how to pace ourselves as we grow old, nothing wrong with that. I don’t subscribe to the youth cult.
As long as I can still recognize his voice – and I can – I’m fine with how it has changed and will continue to change over the years. Sure, he is no longer that falsetto/passaggio banshee, but he has gained Ausdruck over the decades instead. No one expected Frank Sinatra to sing at old age like he had done as a young man, he was cutting corners all the time, but it was still moving …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgF8_akgiQ
Now Karin, young as she is, probably doesn’t like Sinatra either, forgive her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPToiCutXQs
Glenn doesn’t oversing here one bit. 😂
June 27th, 2025 at 00:20@62
“Now Karin, young as she is, probably doesn’t like Sinatra either, forgive her.”
– no need for absolution here! I really do like Sinatra! I’ve done ‘I did it my way’ a lot of times when I have been in trouble 😂
The link to ‘I’ve got you under my skin’ isn’t bad at all! But I do prefer this gentleman:
https://youtu.be/D2D1myNTk_A?si=grc-4PcwxXIXUIDp
But of course the master himself is PRRRRRFECT 😍
https://youtu.be/OqH7VwpSwBo?si=2UZ9lg38ZUyUqr2f
Why did you presume I don’t like Sinatra?
June 27th, 2025 at 07:06I’m not at all tasteless 🤣🤣
They are still playing very good. Shame about the setlist, not really changes since last year. No new songs included which we may hear on the new album. Still good to see some songs from the new album in the setlist. A bit on the side and Bleeding Obvious are great songs. Hoping the new album will be as good as the last one
Just for fun and thinking what could be I turned to Udio for some ai generated DP ideas. You can find them here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtWCvJZt8RjPWqbLgVDMavLMPPSQLZ-hG
June 29th, 2025 at 10:50I don’t know if this news has already been given on THS, but it doesn’t seem so to me:
Steve Morris is back playing guitar in a mini-all-star-band called Sign of the Wolf.
here is the link to the album on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kp2zjP9lZHujm32XlHTU5x7BQnNNeEbyY&si=WJ3_pXoMsxPdUwTQ
I never expected Morris to play in a fairly anonymous classic heavy metal band, but that’s how it is.
it’s probably just money and fun.
The musicians:
June 29th, 2025 at 23:51Andrew Freeman: voice (Last In Line)
Doug Aldrich: gtr (The Dead Daisies/Whitesnake/Dio/Hurricane)
Fredrik Folkare: gtr (Unleashed/Eclipse)
Steve Morris: gtr (Heartland/Lonerider/Ian Gillan Band)
Vinny Appice: drums (Black Sabbath/Dio/Last In Line)
Josh Devine: drums (One Direction/Lavera/Turkish Delight)
Johan Kullberg: brums (Hammerfall)
Chuck Wright: bass
Marl Boals: bass & backing vocals
Tony Carey: keys (Rainbow)
Mark Mangold: Hammond (Touch/Keys/Drive She Said)
Mangold‘s songwriting with Touch created an AOR classic!
https://youtu.be/3KFu3JD1NOk
He also wrote for Cher …
https://youtu.be/ykIRhszzm9U
No one EVER wore a leather jacket & lotsa, lotsa hair + very little else with as much panache as the inimitable Ms Sarkisian! Consider me a fan, old battleships can still raise a barrel or two too …
https://youtu.be/9n3A_-HRFfc
June 30th, 2025 at 15:48Well, To Run with the Sign of the Southern Cross or however they’re called….sound like one of those projects to make a few bucks by recording a solo in your basement to a track that’s run of the mill Dio wanna be stuff. A kind of studio Last in Line cover band (coverband of a coverband of a…) For me there’s no heart and soul in that, but …tastes differ of course.
June 30th, 2025 at 19:02I’ve got to get it just for Mangold, thanks Fla76. The AOR/melodic rock beast in me needs to be fed too.
Mike Mangold has heard his share of Deep Purple as this little ditty here evidences not only at o3:15 … 😆
https://youtu.be/xzgslsyL8sE
July 1st, 2025 at 00:11@65
“I never expected Morris to play in a fairly anonymous classic heavy metal band, but that’s how it is.”
– me neither! Actually I thought it was a little mistake! That it should have said Morse instead of Morris… well what do you know ? 😊
July 2nd, 2025 at 23:27