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Still enough “yelling and screaming”
EuroWeekly reviews the Deep Purple appearance at the Starlite Festival in Marbella, Spain, on July 9, 2026:
McBride may be no Ritchie Blackmore, the famously enigmatic founding member who will always be the guitarist most associated with Purple despite Steve Morse having spent 28 years in the band, yet it immediately becomes clear that he is a supremely accomplished musician.
He wasn’t even born when the classic Mark II line-up of the band fractured in the mid-70s before an eight-year break and has had big boots to fill, but it can be argued that he has helped to inject a new fire in their bellies.
Read more in EuroWeekly.
Photo: Dooma Loor (Avory)
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
“Gillan may not be “running around the stage” as such but there was still enough “yelling and screaming” to send the Marbella crowd home happy.”
– no, ok, but he is still there, and he is the unifying driving force of the band
😊
Can anyone imagine Purple going on without the current vocalist?
I cannot, but I hope to be proved wrong.
When he hangs up his mic, I hope the band can continue in some form, but the great question is: will it then be Deep Purple without the witty and sarcastic songwriter?
Will they have the same impact as they do now?
This young man:
https://youtu.be/JYa7OMJrn-4?is=ZKRTKDlFshor2yje
Well, in my humble opinion (and in my head) he could be a worthy candidate.
But what it all depends on is the personality within the singer, and then I’m a bit lost thinking of anyone who could take over..
Well, no need to be gloomy, let’s enjoy the band as long as possible 😊
July 15th, 2026 at 12:28@1
Karin,
I just browsed the latest issue of Spain’s excellent THIS IS ROCK magazine and who should appear on a nice and shiny feature interview? Mr. Dan Byrne…So it isn’t just you taking notice of the talented kid!
Interestingly, he cites Whitesnake’s (a little DP spin-off band) “1987” as his most influential record.
Regarding DP’s future, in 1997 I dared to suggest Chris Cornell replacing Ian, after which I had to flee the community and hide for 29 years, so I won’t get into the topic again haha.
Personally I can imagine Paice driving ten more “Marks” if it’s up to him, so we shall see… 🙂
All the best,
July 15th, 2026 at 13:09Julio.-
#1 If Gillan calls it a day next year or in two or three years time its time for everybody in the band to call it a day too, and start a hobby band of some kind.. playing blues, jazz or whatever in clubs.. Simon is still young he can start a new band or join another band. To replace Gillan with a new vocalist would be an act of “lunasy”… just watch Uriah Heep the past 10 years and more with embarrasing new vocalist trying to sing David Byrons old songs.
July 15th, 2026 at 13:26When Gillan leaves.. its time to lay Purple to rest.
@2
Julio, to be honest: I would be so proud if that young man was my son 😃
I would even roll up his hair with Carmen curlers each morning ☺️
Of course he doesn’t have the Ian Gillan qualities (which qualities are that, I can hear you ask, and I’ll let you know if you ask me in here 😁) but he is a splendid and very talented singer.
This vocalist:
https://youtu.be/rrISpBSWN30?is=r11BOPD0T_vL456d
Had so much going for him, but sadly he had a stroke (I believe it was) and now he cannot sing. But he had so much of the legendary charms IG had and still has (honestly – you ought to see at fb how women (not yours truly!) throw themselves at him on a daily basis 🤭)
Read the other day that Dan Byrne is giving a concert with this singer:
https://youtu.be/TDGvmM1qAVg?is=pfZIYv7KaMqog6Hh
That I would like to hear….
“Interestingly, he cites Whitesnake’s (a little DP spin-off band) “1987” as his most influential record.”
– oh I think I have heard somewhere from someone about this little band 😂
Joke aside, David Coverdale is now among my favourites 😇
“Personally I can imagine Paice driving ten more “Marks” if it’s up to him, so we shall see… 🙂”
July 15th, 2026 at 17:40– so far the talented drummer is busy with Perpendicular, which I am going to see again next year 🥳
Saw them last year, and I was so pleased 😊
@3
“When Gillan leaves.. it’s time to lay Purple to rest.”
– Wiktor, I guess you’re right.
Let’s hope what ever it is that makes the band going on so strong, will continue a bit more 😊
“To replace Gillan with a new vocalist would be an act of “lunasy””
– yeah! Would Rolling Stones be what they are without the guy with the very big teeth in front? No, I don’t think so..
Can anyone replace IG?
July 15th, 2026 at 17:45No, I guess not. Then it would be Light Purple perhaps ☺️
when Ian Gillan is gone, there will be no more Deep Purple.
July 15th, 2026 at 21:57but I also believe that when LittleIan and Roger are no longer there will be no Deep Purple… and maybe even if Don is no longer there.
I don’t think the others would want to move on with someone else if one of them was missing.
Wiktor, I don‘t know which “Uriah Heep” you mean, but the one I know has had Bernie Shaw as its singer for the last 40 years, that is almost seven times as long as David Byron’s tenure with the band. 😂
Perhaps you meant Nazareth?
I will not speculate about what happens with DP once Gillan should decide to call it a day – the others will know what to do. Whatever they decide is fine with me.
And Carl Sentance is probably waiting in the wings! ☝️🥸
July 16th, 2026 at 01:13That’s what we all thought when Ritchie called it a day, not to mention Jon…. Yet, as the purple blood continues to flow we have all accepted the current line up. In fact, based on the latest record(s) I am listening to the new stuff like a little dog with his ear to a grammofone 🙂 Thankfully!!
July 16th, 2026 at 18:49Why could big Ian not be replaced by someone? Someone who could give us those old untouchable songs that Ian understandably can no longer deliver on stage.
Remember, it’s a roundabout that keeps on turning. Let’s make it to 100 years, we are already at 58 LOL
“Can anyone imagine Purple going on without the current vocalist?”
Yes, as long as it’s not Turner or Hughes
Former fan club guy Mike Eriksson has found a candidate
July 16th, 2026 at 20:46https://trinkelbonker.wordpress.com/2026/07/15/10-reasons-why-erik-gronwall-would-be-perfect-for-deep-purple/
Erik’s health would have to solidify a great deal more for him to work consistently with mammoth tourers like DP. Leukemia is no joke, especially for someone that young.
He’s a talented singer, no doubt.
https://youtu.be/Ghado2Dol-o
https://youtu.be/SxvvpgfHP0I
https://youtu.be/TtqQ92P3IHE
But I find it hard to replicate Ian’s “old man wisdom” with someone who was born in the year when THOBL came out.
Maybe I’m just old myself.
July 18th, 2026 at 00:07@10: Erik has been declared healthy and free from cancer since a couple of years back.
July 18th, 2026 at 08:41I thought his still fragile health forced him to stop touring with Skid Row and when I saw MSG earlier this year, someone else was singing with them too. But then my good countryman Michael changes his singers as often as his strings (not exactly a great recipe for group identity and recognition).
“Cancer free” from leukemia with a young person is often only a snapshot as opposed to being out of the woods for good. The disease has an unfortunate habit of returning, especially with young(er) people. In my extended family we’ve lost children from it and I’ve seen it return with a vengeance with a young woman at work after she had been cancer-free for several years after the first treatment (luckily, she survived the second round too).
But cancer treatment is improving all the time and if Erik is permanently healed I’m happy for him, he’s a talent.
July 18th, 2026 at 15:01