[hand] [face]
The Original Deep Purple Web Pages
The Highway Star

Mark III reunion: episode MMIX

Rumours of a Mk3 reunion have been flying around for a while now, always turning to sum up to about exactly nothing. In the most recent resurrection of the idea, Peter Makowski of Classic Rock talks about it like of a definite possibility:

In separate interviews David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord have all intimated they would be up for it, and all parties have recently been in contact with Ritchie Blackmore.

The interviews in question will appear in the February issue of Classic Rock Magazine which goes on sale (even in it’s home country) tomorrow, so we’ll have to take his word on it. But as recently as in 2007 Coverdale stated in no nonsense terms that he has not agreed to a Mk3 reunion “in any way, shape or form” and that “now it’s Whitesnake time” for him. “The Whitesnake time” is going pretty well so far, with the new album, awards and all. And the criticism of David’s vocal conditions notwithstanding, the tour still has to hit the highly lucrative North American market.

Now, hypothetically speaking of course, if this particular wave of rumours turned out to be true, this still leaves open the little question of who’ll bang the skins for them. Makowski speculates:

In fact the only block to the band re-forming, surprisingly enough, could be Ian Paice who as a member of the current Purple would probably find it difficult and uncomfortable to get involved.

Enter Lars Ulrich, a self-professed hardcore Purple fan:

I know there’s talk about the fact that if they got Coverdale, Hughes, Lord and Blackmore together they would have four members who aren’t in the current Deep Purple – then they just need a drummer, I’ll volunteer myself for that [laughs].

If they need a drummer, David Coverdale has my number.

Keeping in mind the hypothetical spin on the whole story, would Ulrich be the right man for the job in the first place? From everything I’ve heard from Metallica, his style is very different from Paice. He’s a drummer of the “bombastic” school of John Bonham, Cozy Powell and Bobby Rondinelli. Paicey, on the other hand, grew up on the music of the Big Band drummers — Gene Kruppa, Buddy Rich, Max Roach. Which makes him rather unique among the hard rock drummers. The two can hardly be any more different.

But then again, after the banjo player took a hike, they’ve got Steve Morse. To make things any more different, they must have gotten John MacLaughlin.

And it worked out pretty well.

Discuss.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net and Classic Rock for the info.

Update (Jan 6): Jon Lord has posted a comment on his website where he states that first, he has not been asked to be involved in any kind of reunion, and second, he can’t imagine this happening without Ian Paice.



77 Comments to “Mark III reunion: episode MMIX”:

  1. 1
    Rascal says:

    If wishes were horses then beggars would ride,
    If turnips were swords I’d have one by my side.
    If ‘ifs’ and ‘ands’ were pots and pans
    There would be no need for tinkers’ hands!

  2. 2
    Tracy Heyder aka Zero the Hero says:

    First and foremost, If they do get together and Paice isn’t involved, it CAN’T be classified as a MKIII Reunion. It would have to be called a MKIII Tribute. Otherwise when JLT joined and he was the only odd-man-out, they could have called it a MKII Reunion. As a matter of fact, if they call it a MKIII Reunion, then at this point the term MK should be stricken. Just as with Sabbath and Heaven and Hell. You can’t have 2 Sabbaths running around and the same goes for Purple. If that’s the case, then the “Bogus Deep Purple” in 1980 with Rod Evans should be counted as legit and given a MK Status……

    Wishbone Ash is doing a double identity thing and it truly SUCKS! I love Wishbone Ash, but…..there is the Real Thing and then there is the Tribute……Simple as THAT.

    IT AIN’T a REUNION if someone is missing. IT’S just a Visit from some old musicians, and a guest “Walking in the Shadow of the PURPs”

    Second and just as important…..Please Mr. Paice…DO NOT sell out and join this rip off. I would love to see these guys get together and crank out some music. But not if it means the Present Purple being subjected to it. I look forward to any and all members of Purple Past offering up something. But again as with the “Over the Rainbow” debacle…..please KEEP IT REAL. Call it what it is and Record and album before going out instead of just Tributizing.

    Cheers

  3. 3
    Karl-Heinz says:

    If so – the group should simply been called “Mark III” (without “Deep Purple” – this would be a good name

    – B_U_T –

    both, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore, have RETIRED from rockmusic. That’s a fact.

    Both are happy with what they are doing now. And I’m pretty sure, that Jon don’t want any trouble with Ritchie again.

    The only drummer I could imagine in “Mark III” beside Paice could be Lee Kerslake – but he also retired.

  4. 4
    Rodrigo says:

    I don´t think Ritchie would agree in reunite with their old mates. Coverdale certainly will agree if someone offer him a good amount of money. Hughes is a musical whore, but he always improve himself. He certainly agree anyway. Lord would agree for a no-so-long tour. I think Carmine Appice would suit good Paice´s place. Gary Moore would be a good to choice to suit Blackmore´s shoes.

    Maybe the band would be called Stormbringer, don´t you think?

    David Coverdale: Vocals
    Gary Moore: Guitars
    Glenn Hughes: Bass/Vocals
    Carmine Appice: Drums
    Jon Lord: Keyboards

    Nice team.
    Let´s cross our fingers.

  5. 5
    tom fox says:

    a chance to see the man in black play some rock….come on im there!!

  6. 6
    Mike says:

    How about giving Bobby Woodman a go as drummer?….it at least continues the purple theme

  7. 7
    Scott says:

    Why an MK3 Reunion. It should be an MK2 reunion. To me that’s the only line-up that really matters. Or do a night with all the line-ups of Deep Purple. But not just MK3

  8. 8
    SEVEN-47 says:

    Too good to be true! Is it Mark III? No. Do I support it? Yes. 4/5ths is better than nothing. That being said, I agree with Tracy Heyder aka Zero the Hero, this would be another Mark. Two versions of a band at the same time? It’s been done before: FOGHAT, GUESS WHO, STEPPENWOLF. Lars as the drummer? VERY COOL!

  9. 9
    SEVEN-47 says:

    Rodrigo; I can appreciate your line-up, but mine would be:
    David Coverdale-Vocals
    Glenn Hughes-Bass & Vocals
    Jon Lord-Keyboards
    Yngwie Malmsteen-Guitar
    Vinnie Appice-Drums

  10. 10
    james jay says:

    i would like to see that line-up, however the legalities surrounding the name DP would turn into a nightmare. Just tour with some name other than DP. any suggestions for a name?

  11. 11
    Roberto says:

    DEEP PURPLE MKIII SHOULD NOT REFORM BECAUSE DAVID COVERDALE HAS NO MORE THR VOICE TO SING THAT SONGS…
    LARS URLICH DRUMMER?ian paice is 1000000000000 times better and refined…Cozy is gone, Lee Kraslake retired, the only man could be Bobby Caldwell…
    BUT EVEN IF IN THIS BLOG ANYONE HAS HIS DOUBTS, I AM SURE THAT IF THE REUNION WILL HAPPEN, EVERYONE OF US WILL GO TO SEE THEM, BE HONEST…

  12. 12
    Perfectstringdangler says:

    Carl Palmer would be a good fit for skins.

  13. 13
    George Martin says:

    The only MK reunion I want to see is MK1 just because it’s the only one I have never seen. I know this will never happen but I wonder is there anybody out there that has seen MK1 live? What were they like? I was to young when they were around. I also wonder if there will ever be any live concert video release if it exists from this line up. If anyone has ever seen them please respond. Thanks!

  14. 14
    Fernando says:

    Coverdale and Hughes , I believe they would hastly agree. Hughes never stopped singing and playing mkIII (and IV, to be fair) songs. And recently Coverdale brought Burn and a excerpt from stormbringer back to set list. Blackmore … had to imagine he would accept it, but who knows… not for the music itself, perhaps for (some good deal of) money, but certainly to annoy the others (or “one specific” other!). Lord is a mistery for me. And some news I recently read : Candice Night is preparing a solo album – without Ritchie, because he is “too busy in a lot of other subjects”! And the Stormbringer remaster has been postponed over and over. Coincidence, of course…. but it would fit perfectly to have the album out and just after, a 12 or 15 concerts tour of the Almost-MkIII reunion…

  15. 15
    Bo says:

    To me they can call it anything as long as they do it. Paice would be perfect in the band, but he cant do that because of his role in DP.
    But just the fact to see Blackmore and Lord on stage again playing rock would keep me smiling for a year or two.

  16. 16
    marco polo says:

    why do people keep putting malmsteen forward..the guys a tosser…he would ruin purple with his egoistical playing and would totally drown jon lord hes not a group player….

  17. 17
    Kraatzy says:

    And there will singin “… Dreams are all my fantasys … to live in harmony … ”

    Wake up and see the reality !!!

  18. 18
    AndreA says:

    Rascal!
    John Ray’s Collection of Proverbs

    Kairl Heinz*,
    I agree with you…
    perhaps people should stop dreaming sometime;
    I think Jon Lord wishes a quite life into his passions,
    I think he refuse to think an hard life on the road…

    I find the old mark3 a very wild group,powerful,I think that a man at that age like a Sir (Jon Lord) does not needs to combat and swinging on stage his Hammond.

    great Jon Lord

    *Rummenigge Bayern Munchen?

  19. 19
    Thunderhawk says:

    Why not, why not let MK3 tour for a tome period of 2 years or so, with Blackmore Paice and Jon back where they belong.
    I, meen come on guys we al now ad probably agree that Gillan realy need some time of.
    He trashed his voice with his intence touring.
    Just reunite Deep Purple mk3 for 2 year tour of so, and give the Deep Purple nowadays some rest.
    They seem a little burned out nowadays IMO.

  20. 20
    Ted The Mechanic says:

    Blah, blah blah blah blah, blah…..

    Leave it to rest and play yer vinyl…..

    Next?

    Peace,

    Ted

  21. 21
    Ryan says:

    I think it will happen. Purple is taking a few months off for Gillan to do his solo release tour(One Eye To Morocco) which frees up Paice, and Candice is doing her solo album which frees up Blackmore. Hughes and Lord have said for a long time that if the circumstances were right, they would do it. If Lord, Hughes and Blackmore agreed to do it, I am certain that Coverdale and Paice could be enticed into doing it as well. It would be one hell of a show and experience to see that lineup again 30+ years later.

  22. 22
    Ger in Assen says:

    See my comment in :

    ” Jon Lord: Mark 3 reunion is ‘hot air and wild speculation’ ”

    Best regards.
    Ger.

  23. 23
    George says:

    Hahaha…
    past-DP members are going to try out as much money as they can by this grand machine called Deep Purple???
    Nowadays, the ONLY group of musicians that can use DP’s name, is current MKVIII…
    any other incarnation outside of MKVIII, while MKVIII is alive, will be just the tribute to DP…

    So, WE DO NEED DEEP PURPLE, AND WE DO HAVE DEEP PURPLE: Gillan/Morse/Glover/Airey/Paice…

    let Coverdale to call his current tour Good To Be Bad Tour (don’t pay attention that it’s Def Leppard tour, with secondary supporting act Whitesnake)

    And let Glen Hughes to play in front of 40-50 people in the smallest pubs, he’s happy anyway 😀

    and let DEEP PURPLE be what it used to be always: Grand band in the Premier-League of rock music…

  24. 24
    Jack11 says:

    MKIII WHO CARES? Rainbow with RJD? HELL YES

  25. 25
    Kentish Man says:

    Hi All,

    Agree with Ted the Mechanic and Jack11. MKIII – who cares. Apart from 3-4 very decent tracks, there’s an awful lot of tosh, especially Stormbringer (sorry Roberto!). But then again, RB with a blazing strat in his hands again, that would be nice, but not on a MKIII farce.

    Enjoy ’09.

  26. 26
    purplepriest1965 says:

    George

    GH playing for 50 people?

    Another example of exaggeration

    Where to start and where to end that?

    Ok, bring it on…..

    I think Glenn will be happy to do both vocal parts anyday
    The only problem is he will do it over the top
    Maybe Ritchie can restrain him by giving him the evil eye? Hehehe

    Put DC in for Soldier of fortune and mistreated, and let him rest behind the table doing autographs for every fan…..

  27. 27
    George says:

    purplepriest1965

    aha, please, pay attention to the tour dates of GH, where does he play? Then search for the venue in google or wikipedia and see the capacity for the venue, and then read the reviews of GH shows… most of them say that the venue was half-full…
    and if he plays in the club which holds over 100-150 people, and if the club is half-full, so how many people attends GH shows? 😀

    btw, GH’s show in London Astoria almost failed. Asttoria holds 2 000 people, and only 500 tickets were sold 😀

  28. 28
    Andy Mac says:

    Your Kidding, MK3 Reunion, Why???? Whats done is done.

    Why regurgitate sometime out of the past. If Lordy and Blackers and my number 1 drummer are happy in what they do, let it lie. Why must there be reunions etc etc.

    I know lets get the Beatles back together? We could always ask Julian or Sean Lennon and Georges son….huh

    $$$$ ching ching ching $$$$$$$

    Andy from Downunder.

  29. 29
    Ger in Assen says:

    Please men and women, enjoy DP and related by listening to this great rockin’ music. Instead of debating about ……. Yeah, about what …… favourite line-up, guitarplayer and so on. ROCK YOUR LIFE ! Have another beer, like I do now, and go into a rocking sleep later on ….. :))

  30. 30
    Dennis Hanna says:

    I wonder if all these reunion stories are put about by those wishing to get easy publicity for their solo projects or by journalists experiencing a “slow news day.”

    Blackmore and Coverdale on the same stage together?
    “Seconds away…round one.”

    I think not. There’s more chance of Shergar winning Miss World.

  31. 31
    Ricardo says:

    Holly Jesus!!!

  32. 32
    Ted The Mechanic says:

    George, (23 & 26)

    Amen, brother. Very eloquent indeed. I’m sure team DP has a glance at this board every once in a while, for the pure amusement factor. I can imagine, at the very least, Paicey having a read with a smile and a shake of the head. To quote Ian Superstar with regards to a large portion of these posts, “Moronica”

    Off to that joint for a pint or two, and in between chugs, chalking my cue….

    Peace,

    Ted

    P.S. Last night she went again….. Va Voom!

  33. 33
    FRANK MILLER says:

    I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT HAPPENING IF THE MARK 3 LINEUP WOULD GET TOGETHER AGAIN. I DO NOT THINK IAN PAICE WOULD REFUSE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE DEEP PURPLE THAN THE CURRENT LINEUP BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE THE THREE MUSICIANS THAT FOUNDED DEEP PURPLE. THE MARK 3 LINEUP IS SECOND ONLY THE MARK 2 LINE WHICH CONTAINED BLACKMORE GILAN GLOVER LORD AND PAICE WHICH AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE IS THE GREATEST BAND EVER CREATED BY GOD. I ALSO NOTICED IN AN ABOVE STATEMENT THAT PAICE WOULD BE THE ONE TO REFUSE TO DO IT BUT I BELIEVE RITCHIE WOULD BE THE HARDEST TO CONVINCE TO DO IT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE REASON THEY SHOULD DO IT IS BECAUSE ERIC CLAPTON SAID THAT HIM JACK BRUCE AND GINGER BAKER PUT CREAM BACK TOGETHER WAS BECAUSE THEY COULD. A LOT OF THE BANDS FROM THE 70S AND 80S CAN NOT DO IT BECAUSE OF THE DEATHS OF MEMBERS OF THE BANDS. FOR EXAMPLE PINK FLOYD CAN NOT DO IT BECAUSE OF THE SAD PASSING OF RICK WRIGHT. I HOPE THEY REALIZE THIS AND WILL DO IT. AS LONG AS YOU WORK YOU WILL LIVE A LONGER AND HEALTHIER LIFE. FAN AND FRIEND OF DEEP PURPLE SINCE 1968. FRANK MILLER.

  34. 34
    Roberto says:

    MKIII reunion would have been nice in 2003 but now David Coverdale voice is gone…I won’t see (listen) a bad copy of themselves…

  35. 35
    purplepriest1965 says:

    George

    In Holland I always saw him in small clubs, which I prefer.
    The exception was Classics In Rock festival AHOY, Rotterdam, 2007
    There he played several songs incl Mistreated and Smoke on the water for a very large audience, 8 or 12000

    The smaller clubs at least held 500 to 750

  36. 36
    Eric E says:

    If Ritchie goes back to playing rock, I am there, no matter who the band is. Would love to see him do a career retospective live.

  37. 37
    purplepriest1965 says:

    We are all junkies, craving for more
    In a way thats very worrying or frightning
    What to do when they are all gone?

  38. 38
    Rascal says:

    There are fish in the sea better than have ever been caught.

    I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past

  39. 39
    joe says:

    Ritchie will never AGREE to this or any other lineup of Deep Purple again….there’s been to many issues with both singers IE Gillan and Coverdale

  40. 40
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Always dreaming………..
    Dreaming against the pain……….
    Whoepeeeeeeeee!!!!!

  41. 41
    john says:

    you ´re all dreaming for a shadow of Hamburger !!!

  42. 42
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Shadow of Hamburger?
    Capital should indicate a name?
    Been to Mac this week, had a busy moment the day after flushing it away…

  43. 43
    George Fotis says:

    Would only work if the current DP line up had a break in the tour then Ian Paice could join them for a couple of nostalgic shows and then go back to the current line up them it would be worth while . Forget that guy from Metallica they suck. Alex Van Halen from Van Halen of course is a much better drummer , so too the guy from Michael Schenker Group Ted McKenna. I’m sure if Cozy Powell was alive he would been offered the job. He is/was the only real man that could replace the mighty Ian Paice on the drummer. Powell worked with Ritchie , David and Jon before so it would have been natural and easy for him & it would have worked. What a drummer he was , he sounds so strong & powerfull on those Michael Schenker group cds. What’s Bill Ward from Black Sabbath doing these day’s , he knows hard rock his an old rocker , he would be ok.

  44. 44
    Roberto says:

    George

    Nostalgic shows…classic rock?
    so sad….

    cozy powell was much better during Rainbow days, do you remember the dvd live 1977? that was his peak

  45. 45
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Cozy Powell exuded to me as never peakless, he never did anything sub par that I’m aware of.
    I’m a gigantic fan of this legend.
    (btw, if Rainbow 77 was his peak, then I must not have been present for his take on Carl Palmer’s drum parts, the revolving riser alone was cosmic, let alone his impression of Carl, spiced with his own stamp)

    http://www.runboard.com/bforgillanfansonly.f23.t70666

  46. 46
    Steve says:

    Chad Smith of the Chilli Peppers would be a good replacement. He’s been playing on Hughes’ solo albums and could do a very good Paice style.

  47. 47
    Roberto says:

    EEEHHHHH????
    Paice style is very different from Chad Smith style (thanks to God….)
    If you want a rock drummer I would even sugest Carmine Appice (which is better than his brother Vinny Appice)
    .Have you ever listened his works with Cactus?

    regarding Cozy:his peak is with Rainbow…
    The Emerson Lake and Powell album is not good…80 horrible production..Crimson Ghost ,don’t reply just ro reply, you just have not to defend you every time…somtemies you can make errors, everyone does them…me included…

  48. 48
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Actually, Chad is very much a fan of Ian and has worked with him on the clinic circuit. MkIV in particular is where Ian most influenced him, and Chad has the chops and then some to pull it off… Lars is too straight metal.

  49. 49
    Roberto says:

    Chad’s style and way of playing is totally different from Paice even if He admire Paice (but any drummer of this world admires Paice…).

  50. 50
    SEVEN-47 says:

    Unfortunately Chad Smith is unavailable. He’s currently recording an album with “Chickenfoot”; consisting of Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony. Their debut release is due out in the spring of 2009.

  51. 51
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Schedules are made carefully, Chad also tours with Glenn at all possible chances, works full time in RHCP and does a pile of other things… trust me, iut’s the workaholics who make time for everything. Hell, I was watching the freaking Grammy’s last year and I think it was the Dixie Chicks or someone like that who opened the show, it was a country act anyway, and low and behold, who do I see back there on the drums but Chad Smith.(if the guy could work everyday, he would, so it can be done, but we’re all just dreaming anyway, so that cancels that, as nothing along these lines is likely to happen anyway)

    Chicken Foot… I’m already bored with it and they haven’t even finished recording the album yet, lol!

  52. 52
    Roberto says:

    Fortunately Chad is unvailable…

  53. 53
    Crimson Ghost says:

    No way, if this ridiculous idea were to ever be a reality, there isn’t one drummer who wouldn’t set down whatever they’re doing in order to be a part of this. Including yourself Roberto… agreed?
    Not being available for this is a funny thought.

  54. 54
    SEVEN-47 says:

    Micky Dolenz would! 🙂

  55. 55
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Are we still talking humbug?

  56. 56
    Roberto says:

    I WILL BE THE PERFECT DRUMMER FOR DEEP PURPLE!!!
    I WOULD LIKE TO BE HIM FOR 3 REASONS:

    1 TO BE ON STAGE WITHOUT MOUNTING My DRUMS
    2 TO KNOW MY HEROES
    3 TO PLAY IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

    but for sure I would not play well due ‘agitation’!!!

  57. 57
    fernando says:

    Quiero hacer un comentario acerca de esto : me resultaria glorioso ver juntos a todos estos monstruos arriba del escenario , pero bueno estoy totalmente en desacuerdo con la eleccion del baterista si no es ian paice por cuestiones que ya sabemos , seria el turno de Bob rondinelli o Carl Palmer , pero nunca Lars Ulrich !!!!! , aunque me gustaria algo mucho mas que esta reunion seria una reunion de Rainbow o una gira conmemorativa de DeeP Purple con todos los musicos arriba de un escenario , por favor pensemos en esa union y limemos todas las asperezas del pasado y que nos regalen esa maravillosas musica que gracias a Dios podemos disfrutar , Purple es y va a seguir siendo una leyenda y una banda dificil de igualar , por lo tanto LONG LIVE DEEP PURPLE AND LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL !!! , Y LAS LEYENDAS NUNCA MUEREN !!!
    THE LEGENDS NOT DEAD !!! , UN ABRAZO DESDE AQUI , BUENOS AIRES – ARGENTINA.

  58. 58
    Roberto says:

    “una reunion de Rainbow o una gira conmemorativa de DeeP Purple con todos los musicos arriba de un escenario ”
    …esto tambien me gusteria muchissimo…

  59. 59
    Mark Davis says:

    Bobby Rondinelli would be the best choice for a Mark IV reunion if Ian Paice was too busy with the Airey/Morse line-up.

  60. 60
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Again, not available either, but my former stance on that still applies, although I think Bobby has the skills and overall personality, especially to work with Blackmore again.

  61. 61
    Crazy Horst says:

    The only sense I could see in the realisation of any of these dreadful reunion fantasies is to prove ONCE AND FOR ALL that they are in fact just fantasies and that the main characters of these dreamtales have in reality developed way too far beyond any idea of reproducing the slightest glimpse of the magic of bygone days.

    It’s painful enough to see the gradual degradation of the current DP line up – despite keeping trained and being committed to the cause all the time.

    Can you imagine Ian Paice playing “You Fool No One” nowadays, when he currently counts in the comparably straightforward “HS” in almost half the speed of the MIJ-Version?

    How much harder must it be to resume the Rockin spirit for Blackmore who lost his interest in this kind of music about 15 years ago, and for Lord whose last true delight with DP seemed to be to stage the Concerto for a final time!
    They’ve long headed for more gentle strands of music and I can’t see how they should get the edge to stage a hardrock show.

    To my taste, there is too much retro and tribute playing around anyhow. I would much prefer to listen to many more songs actually created by the current line up. But as things stand, they can’t avoid the perpetual recycling of the MIJ-setlist, which is the major reason why I don’t go to the concerts anymore.

    A delightful idea would be what I once witnessed put into reality by the former members of the legendary German Band “Can”.
    They made a concert in the same Venue, but every one with his current project. They didn’t play together, and as far as I know, now old songs were played.

    That might be a very interesting and challenging experience.
    Just a thought

  62. 62
    Roberto says:

    Crazy Horst,

    do you play drums?
    I think you DON’T…..
    Highway star and many others songs has less speed only due Gillan singing…
    he is able to play fool noone, in fact he demonstrate it in the clinics…but you probably never been there…
    so why you talk about things you just don’t know???

    for the rest I agree…

  63. 63
    Crazy Horst says:

    I hope this doesn’t deviate too far from the original topic.
    Well lets say I play drums enough to have some understanding of rhythm and groove.
    Mentioning the speed was just a very obvious example of something much more
    thoroughgoing that is happening to Ian Paice’s drumming.

    It wasn’t there in 1993 and it wasn’t there in 1998 but gradually I must admit that his drumming is becoming simpler and a bit lame. He doesn’t seem to have the kick, attack and drive behind his drumming anymore. I don’t know if I choose the right words. It’s not only speed or loudness, what I realize is that he used to be the one who pushed the band forward all the time, stable as a rock. But not anymore. Nowadays he seems to be happy to take a back seat and just swing along with the band. Live in Montreux 2006 is such a sad example of this. You may have a point in that this was also an especially lousy performance by Gillan. But generally I would claim that both Ians have lost about the same degree of intensity over the last 10 years, and they are the main reasons for my growing disappointment with the band (apart from the neverchanging setlist).

    I think playing MK III songs in a way that makes sense requires a much more alert drumming than the MK II classics which can be played on autopilot as they render people insane no matter how they*re played.

  64. 64
    Tracy Heyder aka Zero the Hero says:

    Mark Davis#59…..
    You would also have to find a guitarist…Tommy Bolin is Dead.

    Crazy Horst….
    Though I agree with most of your points regarding any reunions, the ‘Talent Factor’ is definitely off the mark. Yes, some of the boys are beginning to show their age in some of their ‘extreme ranges’, but overall it would be very doable. I have to totally disagree with your description of Paice. He has always varied in his ‘Standout Presence’. But to this day, he can still lay out some amazing solos with great fortitude. I would have to say that the main thing that probably inhibits their ‘extreme enthusiastic Ball’s Out playing’, is the fact that they tour so much. You sometimes become lax and allow the routineness to effect your enthusiasm after a while. The Auto Pilot Syndrome you mention is probably their biggest drawback when it comes to the intensity of their playing….

    just my opinion based on 40 years of watching them and actually playing drums and singing in a band myself…..

    Cheers

  65. 65
    Roberto says:

    the only problem with Paice is that he choose to play with deep purple (always the same songs, always the same kind of music).He could have done progress…
    the problem with Gillan singing is his age and the tours…
    Probably if they choose to stop in 2000 after the concerto tour we now would have a better view of them…

  66. 66
    Tracy Heyder aka Zero the Hero says:

    “Probably if they choose to stop in 2000 after the concerto tour we now would have a better view of them…”……

    ‘WE?’ Roberto, do you have a mouse in your pocket? Just wondering, because WE is a word that speaks for others beside yourself, and I believe that is a very small group…

    Let’s see, no ‘Bananas or Rapture of the Deep’, which I for one find myself listening to more than the OLD BS. And they are both GREAT! Plus there is talk of a new one later this year. You can stop your appreciation clock anyplace you want, but don’t include the masses in ‘The Day Your Earth Stood Still’….

    Cheers

    Cheers

  67. 67
    Roberto says:

    We: me and Crazy Horst…
    said this, if deep purple stopped to play in the 70 and never reunited they probably now would be considered as gods…(as Led Zeppelin).

    accept your ‘small group’ mr.zero and we will be biggest…

  68. 68
    Joe says:

    Times change for most people and for those of which it dosen’t its called not moving on.Ritchie has gone on to play music he feels passionate about as did Jon and as a fan to both these guys and I personally think most of the stuff they now do is great and it has that passionate hair on the back of your neck standing up feeling when you hear some of it and that carries on in the live performances too and although Purple have produced loads of new material Gillan has got them stuck in the machine head album and Glover and Pace probably are happy to go alone with it but Morse and Airey must enjoy the newer stuff and you cant blame them if thats the case cos I think I would feel much better playing something I had a part in writing rather than going over the same songs time and time again so if this mark 3 got back together it would be refreshing to hear some of Coverdale/Hughes songs for a while

  69. 69
    Tracy Heyder aka Zero the Hero says:

    Roberto you wrote…..’if deep purple stopped to play in the 70 and never reunited they probably now would be considered as gods…(as Led Zeppelin).’

    What the hell? So, now you are willing to throw away all that Purple has given us to listen to since the 70’s so that they might be Gods?

    As I said once before…’You are childlike’

    Nuff Said…

    Cheers

  70. 70
    Eric Odijk says:

    This one would wet a lot of pants:

    Ritchie Blackmore
    David Coverdale
    Glenn Hughes
    Jon Lord
    Bill Bruford

    Yes! Bruford I said (again) and if you doubt his abilities, listen to any King Crimson record he played on (try Starless or in fact all of the Red album) and one thing Bill Bruford can do even better than Paice is go from rough to almost silent. Almost any previously mentioned drummer is a good candidate when it comes to playing the tough parts, but Bruford also knows how to play gentle and well-dosed. He will never outperform on any song, he’ll feel exactly what the song needs.

    Another thing you must hear from him: Yes – Roundabout

  71. 71
    Steve says:

    Bill Bruford! Good call. I think BB could fit in – especially the Red era King Crimson style of playing.

  72. 72
    Bruffie says:

    I agree with Marco Polo. Don’t even consider the supreme egomaniac,Malmsteen.
    MKIII re-union? No thanks!! I’ve been listening to Purple since 1970. I love Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore’s ability and music(2 of my favorite ever musicians). But the way Steve Morse has made this a ‘band’ again is great, and I’m very happy to be going to see them in Dubai tonite.
    Cheers!!

  73. 73
    demon's eye says:

    I’d love to see that occur. I think that would be amazing, though it seems very unlikely to happen… The last 2 lineups of deep purple may be exceptional, but for me, apart from keeping their neme, they don’t count as the genuine deep purple, their style changed too much.. It would also be cool to see other former members of the band in a reunion but that seems completely impossible. And going “a few” steps further into the impossible things I would like to see something that involves ritchie blackmore and Jimmy Page togethger (I guess that would need a miracle).

  74. 74
    Joe Caiola says:

    A Mark 3 reunion would have to be Mark 3 case closed. No one “suitably replacing” anybody. It must be Lord, Paice, Coverdale,Hughes and Blackmore…..Anyone filling in, then it would not be mark 3…………

  75. 75
    Loftur says:

    In case that Blackmore and Paice would not join an MKIII reunion, my line-up would be:

    David Coverdale: Vocals
    Glenn Hugues: Bass, Vocals
    Jon Lord: Keyboards
    Jimmy Page: Guitar
    Neil Peart: Drums

    And, of course, it would not be appropiate to use the DP name if Blackmore and Lord are not in the band…so Stormbringer would fit quite well.

  76. 76
    Maybe I'm A Leo says:

    Paicey is the ONLY drummer for Purple, period.

  77. 77
    Craig says:

    Call it ‘BURN’. Why not?
    Even with all five of them.
    I don’t like the current DP…AT ALL. But I fully respect what they are doing and think it would not be right if Mk. III re-formed (all-five) and intended to call themselves DP. Something would have to be done as with BS/H&H.
    It is unfortunate that this will never happen, it would be interesting. Hell, it’s even fun to TALK about it, let alone actually SEE it.

Add a comment:

Preview no longer available -- once you press Post, that's it. All comments are subject to moderation policy.

||||Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
© 1993-2024 The Highway Star and contributors
Posts, Calendar and Comments RSS feeds for The Highway Star