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– We’re all big Purple fans in this band
Opeth’s lead singer and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt tells The Highway Star how the band came to dress their new live album and DVD in a sleeve that pays tribute to Deep Purple’s original Concerto for Group and Orchestra from 1969.
Both albums were recorded at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. Opeth’s show took place in April 2010, and on a whim the band decided to do something different for the album packaging, explains Mikael Åkerfeldt.
– It was the obvious thing to do, we’re all big Purple fans in this band, and if we’re playing the Royal Albert Hall, how could we not do a remake of that sleeve? It’s a classic! We’d talked about how it would be cool to have a shot like that, but I didn’t really expect it to come out as great. I mean, it looks really alike, the colours and everything.
– We’ve often worn our influences on our sleeve so to speak – with song titles, album titles, album sleeves and lyrics being inspired by bands and artists we admire. But this is the most blatant one yet.
Initially, the band’s record label weren’t too hot on the idea.
– I had to fight a little bit for it actually. They wanted an alternative sleeve and it got to a point where I almost had to tell them to shut their mouths and just do as I told them, he laughs.
– Luckily, they believe in our artistic vision to the point where they virtually let us do whatever we want.
The actual photo shoot happened as a spur of the moment thing initiated by friend and photographer Christer Lorichs, who also happens to be a big Deep Purple fan.
– Christer just said, ‘let’s take the shot like Purple did’. After the show when we were a bit buzzed on red wine and whatnot, and kinda lazy and tired after having played for 3 hours, he dragged us up there, placed us in the same seats as where Purple had been sitting, and went ‘click’. Lo and behold, it became the sleeve!
– Actually, I think I am in Glover’s seat, not Gillan’s, which is not right. I’m a big Glover fan of course but I’m also the singer, goddammit!
The new album sleeve is a radical change from Opeth’s other album designs. How does the band think their fans will react to it?
– Some response has been like ‘Fuck guys, it’s not the goddamn 60’s! But most of the responses I’ve seen so far have been great. People understand the nod to Purple and they like it. It’s a change of course, but I like change. Travis Smith has done our artwork for 11 years, and I think he was delighted to do something completely different than the style he’s known for.
Do Opeth fans in general know about Jon Lord’s Concerto?
– To be honest, probably not. I try to ‘educate’ our fans on good rock music whenever I get the chance. But I think most people know only Smoke on the water and the hits as opposed to the Concerto. However, I am certain a few Opeth fans will be picking up the original Concerto now.
What does Jon Lord’s Concerto mean to the guys in Opeth?
– First and foremost it’s a great record. I love the film as well. Perhaps it’s not the most influential Purple record to me personally, but I find it to be rather unique, and at the time it definitely set Purple apart from the other hard rock bands.
– I am a fan of big dynamics, and this particular record has those dynamics. It’s something I’ve learned with time, that a clever use of dynamics can lift a song from great to fantastic. It keeps the interest up I think.
Various bands around the world have tackled Jon Lord’s Concerto with or without him onstage. Have Opeth ever thought about playing the Concerto?
– No, it’d be a bit too much for us. But never say never, right? I am not as much into classical music like say, Jon Lord’s, and neither are any of the other guys in the band. It’d be a bit too gimmicky for us to take on such a thing. I love big ideas, but for us I think we’ll stick to what we know best, and classical music is not one of those things.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I think this is great:) What’s wrong with a successful band happily displaying their influences for all to see…I’ve often come across anti-purple propoganda from respected musicians, so this is a positive as far as I’m concerned :o)
August 23rd, 2010 at 09:50@1,
“Anti-purple propaganda from respected musicians” – what’s the buzz? Here’s some list of bands and musicians who DO LOVE, appreciate and in mostly cases, are fans of DEEP PURPLE.
1. World’s mega metal-bands: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath e.t.c
2. World’s mega rock guitarists: David Gilmour, Joe Satriani, Yingwie Malmsteen, Santana, George Harrison, Tony Iommii, Steve Vai e.t.c.
3. World’s mega rock vocalists: Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Dickinson, Dio, Halford, James Heatfield e.t.c
4. World’s mega drummers: Lars Ulrich, Chad Smith e.t.c
The list goes on tooo tooo far! All the people listed above LOVE and appreciate Deep Purple, most of them being devoted fans of the band and choosing Deep Purple as #1 influence on them (Dickinson, Ulrich, Malmsteen)
Who else d’you call a “respected musician [who hates Purple?]” the one name I remember is Robert Plant. Probably just because, that in the 70’s Deep Purple was as big as Led Zeppelin and because, after releasing Machine Head album, Smoke On The Water single, and Made In japan live and Who Do We Think We Are album + Burn, in 1973-1974 Deep Purple was the biggest selling band in the world, they were outselling Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones.
So, if we don’t count Robert Plant, I haven’t listened or read any other “respected” rock musician who goes an anti-Purple propaganda.
August 23rd, 2010 at 15:44and the only “anti” thing Plant once said about Purple and Sabbath was that they were trying to be like Zeppelin. This is NOT TRUE, of course, Plant is absolutely wrong. All those three bands, Purple, Sabbs and Zepps were GREAT in their own way, they don’t look like each other…
August 23rd, 2010 at 15:48great record and video it flows and rocks now I need to check out Opeth? peace and love like Ringo says saw him in Bethel N.Y {woodstock} this summer 41 years later
August 23rd, 2010 at 16:16Probably Plants remarks had to do with David Coverdales too obvious I WANT TO LOOK AND SING LIKE PLANT behaviour?
On the other hand, its possible that Plant had or has a certain disdain for DP because he felt that he and Zeppelin were more inventive, well in his opinion anyway.
I always felt Plant has a lot of pretention with his overindulging in worldmusic.
Refusing to play Stairway to Heaven during his 80 s solo days while his fans wanted it so bad I also find very arrogant.
All that bs that people have to evolve and not stuck in the past is a 20th Century Dogma and used by artists too often.
FACT is that the offshoots of DP were way more satisfying and succesfull than he with with so called search for new horizons.
A bit of Eastern influences can do wonders but it becomes very tedious to hear it for hours.
I heard his last solo performances.
And although I do feel a certain respect for the man, trying out things instead of a certain moneycoaster with Zeppelin, I was frustrated in the end.
It goes on and on and on and ooooooooooooooooooooon.
WHERE S THE ROCK?!
Yes Robert, we now all know you love Morocco and all that shit.
Same thing accounts for BN ofcourse.
I understand the interest in the Dark Ages but enough is enough.
August 23rd, 2010 at 16:52So you reckon a Moroccan-Medieval record by Plant and Blackers would suck? I guess the music wouldn’t, the arrangements wouldn’t, Ritchie wouldn’t, but Plant is just like Gillan, a dim shadow of their pasts.
Nice touch by Opeth. Hope people will really take on the Concerto and realize what they’ve been missing.
August 23rd, 2010 at 18:20I think that Plant at that time was feeling bad hearing to Gillan storming him out of the position of “long haired outstanding powerful vocal which makes you cry not to be able singing like him – and who sung that song named Child in Time that was like wow”.. When doesn’t have another argument, Plant is accusing people of being wannabe LZ. Still, I can’t find any comparing moment between DP and LZ in that time. Guitar sound totally different, organs, drums completely different approach, LZ vocal (Plant) totally bellow DP’s (both Gillan and Coverdale, and Hughes – still maybe that’s only my taste), everything is different. I mean even Coverdale took Plant’s image at the beginning of 80’s, not singing style, he tried something at 90’s when even Page was playing Whitesnakes tunes. Plant was a little bit jealous, I think, that everyone recognized this new different power in picture of super talented DPAS..
August 23rd, 2010 at 22:03You wanted anti-Purple propaganda? Here it is: U2 frontman Bono joked about Deep Purple in an offensive way TODAY: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/arts_n_ideas/article/u2s-bono-jokes-about-medvedevs-taste-in-music/413525.html
August 24th, 2010 at 01:42Why do Deep Purple fans have such an inferiority complex re: Zeppelin?
Fact is, Blackmore has stated that he and Purple went out to find a screamer like Zepp had, and that is how they got Gillan and the classic Purple sound.
No need to bash Zepp to prove your Purple-ness. Purple owes Zepp many debts but developed their own sound.
August 24th, 2010 at 02:44@2
August 24th, 2010 at 12:10when and what santana, ozzy and halford said something good about deep purple ?
thanks
Roberto,
August 24th, 2010 at 13:27Halford names Ian Gillan as the main influence on him (if I find this particular interview, I’ll post it here)
Ozzy is a great friend of Gillan and had some lovely statement about DP. he even said that the best Black Sabbath album since the Ozzy-era was “Born Again”
What about Santana, he has often named Deep Purple as one of his favorite bands, on the last album he even did some covers of DP
@9 zep gets more than their share of props. how many bands did DP influence? probably too many to count. remember @9, popularity wise zep wins, however talent wise…….?
August 24th, 2010 at 13:39@ 1 George, I am a musician and have met and played with some of the names you have mentioned and many more. In my experience, fellow pro’s seem to either love or hate Purple. I have rarely met anybody (in any genre) that did not have good things to say about Zeppelin (whom I also love). I know how big an influence DP have been on modern rock music, but unfortunately those that have absorbed this influence don’t often speak up. Good for Orpeth for doing so :o)
August 24th, 2010 at 14:26Ps. Halford was definitley (and obviously) influenced by Gillan as was Dickenson…Although I’ve personally heard Halford say this, I’ve never seen this in print.
August 24th, 2010 at 14:29Plant lost his voice shortly after Presence. But seriously….
And Bono, and the other pretentious one named lug nuts, are entitled to their opinions but should keep their voices quiet within the field of entertainment. I wouldn’t see he and his band free of charge….
Just a few modest opinions, that’s all.
Eeeeaaaooouuwww!
Peace,
Ted
August 24th, 2010 at 18:16LZ belong to the (past) history of music (hardrock,mainly blues,nothing of special). Deep Purple never stop: nowdays make pure cool hard rock.
August 24th, 2010 at 19:26What i think is that Plant was a kitchen,on stage always fallen in fool orgasmo kitchenscreams. Gillan is a rocker.
very simple. me too I have some LZ’s cd,but lost among others. Instead of LZ i prefer to listen Free,John Mayall….LZ are boring…
@ 6
Perhaps that is a good idea.
Like so many ideas that should have brought to life but they wont.
One of the many good ideas was Ritchie doing that blues album or an all instrumental album.
The first 2 BN albums are refreshing, although I d preferred an aal the way Medieval style album….., but later on it got boring and repetitive.
Repetitive always sounds so negative.
It HAS a negative connotation, that is.
But is it always negative?
I d have given an arm and a leg for reproducing certain experiences……
A few more albums with Dio and Powell on board after Long Live Rock And Roll.
Having a love and sex relationship with a twin must be very satisfying.
Although I can appreciate the seasons sometimes, I dont mind having to bear sunny weather the rest of my life.
It might become boring, but should I really wish for cold and rain and so on….?
So many options never realised/
Would have loved to hear Ronnie sing The Shining from the Eternal Idol album, for example.
August 24th, 2010 at 20:00And there are so many!!!!
Andrea #16
“Plant was a kitchen,on stage always fallen in fool orgasmo kitchenscreams. Gillan is a rocker.” – couldn’t have it said better than this! absolutely agree with you!
August 24th, 2010 at 22:31Thank you George #18
Sometime I am afraid because I fear to be not understood for my grammatic…
About Mikael Åkerfeldt and his musical influences;
He has never hidden his passion for music 70s and 80s.
You should know that like him a lot of musician from States and Europe are passionate about italian prog music from seventies;
August 25th, 2010 at 08:02Two examples among many others:Alice Cooper and Mikael Åkerfeldt were won by an Italian album (which is the soundtrack called “Profondo Rosso” -1975- of a thriller movie by director Dario Argento http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Red ). When I saw Opeth in concert (tour of the “Damnation” release of 2003) I got a Opeth T-shirt with above writing “Profondo Rosso” because of his passion for that soundtrack performed by the band called Goblin. You all should see this movie
Of course if you have not done in the past of course.Mikael Åkerfeldt on stage mentioned many names of the 70 Italian groups. In despite of his bad growl when he sings Mikael Åkerfeldt is a person who loves to joke with the audience. On stage during the tour of “Deliverance” (2002),as usually he like to do, pulls out a vinyl of the past to give to the audience the riddle: “Who knows this record?” ; in that concert he showed the vinyl “Long Live Rock’n’Roll” of Rainbow.
I was delirious, because I thought they would do a cover …. but no! They did not! shit! :-)I wait this their new release, although in recent years they have changed their line up.
Thank You Opeth for your music!
U2’s joke about Deep Purple became the top story of the week. Why don’t ths.com say a word about that?
August 25th, 2010 at 08:07http://www.google.com/#expIds=17259,25219,25955,26082&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=deep%20purple&cp=6&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=nws:1&source=og&sa=N&tab=wn&fp=7db4f7af4a13aa89
August 25th, 2010 at 08:08@9
I don’t think that DP fans have complex issue towards LZ’s commercial and pop-success, the issue is, as I think, that LZ fans ridiculing taste of DP fans, because DP is so NOT pop-thing. Page is so shiny, colorful, banging those simple riffs loudly or playing cheese music with Plant crying and babying all around. It’s so different of emotional not-business passionate Ritchie’s approach, speed an complexity at moments (even though SOTW is built on simplicity on purpose as Ritchie said) and Gillan’s challenging powerful voice and straight appearance without women-like cheesy moments. You have nobody to compare with unique Jon, and Paice is faster more passionate than great Bonham. I love both bands, DP more, but I think that LZAS have contributed to this animosity as DP is not just their match but more than that – so you’ll not hear a lot of artists saying it loudly (except Malmsteen, Dickinson and Lars) because it’s not in, HRH Plant might be ofended, or HM Page, and then you’re not in. It’s boring hearing all artists, that a lot of them haven’t achieved something special repeating how LZ is soooo big, and you know, they are totally WOW… Come on guys, I love them, but in many aspects they are not match for DP, they are following blues patterns of afro community, nothing specially new except blondie guy and colorful high guitarist – and occult things and stuffs… Ritchie – as eccentric as he is – is much more modest and down-ground then “I know everything and I’m the best” Page, and still I’d like to see Page playing Highway Star; if he’d know how Mozzart is ridiculous… And what Bono did is just in support of what I’m saying. Oh Medvedev, I have to tell you, LZ is in, not DP. Really? I don’t like that musical totalitarism. But time will tell.
August 25th, 2010 at 08:58Boy George hated DP as well.
Who the fuck is Boy George?!
August 25th, 2010 at 12:27Who even cares?!
@11
MANY THANKS GEORGE…If you will find the Halford and Ozzy interview please post them…
About Plant what could be said? With just one song (one eye to morocco) Gillan outclass Robert in his field (the easter one)…
August 25th, 2010 at 12:46plus you should remember as Coverdale sang Zeppelin tunes live (better than Plant ever did in my opinion) and how the boy sang the Coverdale-Page song (much worse than David)
…I always hated Bono, U2 and their music…from today on even more…
August 25th, 2010 at 12:48I can say that I loved U2’s music, also LZ’s, but I was never aware of some sort of LZ’s “mastership”, they are good, they have very original approach to afro-american music, they have some beautiful touches on middle-eastern kind of music (I think that Page was admirer of Umm Qulsum, famous Egyptian female singer), and they have some very beautiful folk adaptations. The truth is that Ritchie said that LZ started this hard thing they wanted to be in also – but the truth is also that Hendrix did it before. It’s clear that Ritchie was influenced by Hendrix, it’s more than clear that he’s influenced by classical music kind of perception, but his talent, charisma, virtuosity and composing skills turned into something original – from there you can say that these are things, beside unique harsh Jon’s Hammond, beautiful, fast and powerful Paicey’s drumming and high challenging and rocking Gillan’s voice that formed Deep Purple we fell into love with. After all this time I’m sure that Plant is jealous – I mean when Coverdale rocked with Page, Plant acted as a chick, his tongue was all around Coverdale.. To the point that later on Page said to Coverdale we should’ve done more than what we did. But let us be fair, DP fans love DP because of all family – man all of them are just great, and they’ve done in DP and outside so many great and rock-wise important things (I think that Rainbow Rising is as important for developing of hard rock and heavy metal – specially power kind of things – just as Machine Head or LZ 2 is). And from the other side versatility of Ritchie is by far greater than with any of his generation counterparts. Therefore I can’t understand why is LZ so “WOW”, I love them etc., but they are so overrated towards DP or BS or Jethro Tull for example that it’s not understandable for my obviously weak power of observation. I just can’t see how are they more influential than DP (solo as we know it is Ritchie’s invention), I just can’t see how is LZ 2 better than Machine Head for example. I can see that they are much better business-wise and that’s it.
August 25th, 2010 at 14:58@25 I will give Bono credit. He dressed the part as a “Rocker” and fooled us all. The dude is a terrible singer and should kept his politics and DP opinions to his self.
August 25th, 2010 at 15:55I have always liked LZ, but not nearly as much as DP. You have to admit LZ is creative and Page is awesome, I respect them although they get way too much airplay in the states. Bono sucks!
August 25th, 2010 at 17:50Cheers
I thought Sonny Bono was dead…..skied like he sang.
August 26th, 2010 at 02:40Oregano kitchen screams would have been so much beter, Andrea?
August 27th, 2010 at 11:18sorry pp,
What do you mean with oregano? why precisely oregano? oregano makes you scream? sorry,I am in fault probably because i don’t understand..please tell me!
ciaooo
August 27th, 2010 at 16:07Andrea
Reread your 16 comment.
In the meantime I d like to say that I join people who are wondering…..
Why does a DP fan have to be so anti Zeppelin?
I m not sure if its really so that Zepp fans are in general demeaning about DP.
If so, well, good luck to them.
I m enjoying BOTH.
Besides critcisms on certain levels, BOTH bands made immortal rockmusic.
Mark
August 28th, 2010 at 12:43Oh yes PP
August 29th, 2010 at 17:32LZ,as DP and many others has written the history of rock,also U2 surely…
but let me say that I am not antiLZ,simply I say that about me LZ has not conquered me at the same of DP LZ Uriah heep Thin Lizzy and so on….on and on…
LZ are a good band,but they were born on the blues sound and when a band has a print of bues can be not innovative and a experimental band..
I have never appreciated the voice of Plant (is it a guilty),Jimmy page is a good guitarist but i think that Iommi and Blackmore (just my 2 first examples) are better,full of fantasy..
Listen Iommy,he has roots and musical scales from blues suitable in dark sound,blackmore has inspiraction to baroque and classic music with his immagination….
Page is just a guitarist with with four basic chords and some nice solos…
i think there are a lot of guys that in cellar/cantina could play like page…Find me a double of Blackmore/Iommi that has relevance…no…it is impossible..
the old DP’s lp are all different from each other,take the all LZ’s..very similar,always the same stuff blues country guitars….Dazed and Confused is a point of experimental sound,just an exception..but the rest…So I don’t hate them,but they don’t give me strong emotions…
The only one reason for which i could hate them is valid also for U2 and is this: as LZ and U2 make a little fart all TV and news paper have to bring on! I don’t accept this. DP has never need these ways to get success. I see LZ and U2 as 2 POP commercial bands produced by business,even if they are good musicians! Proof what i think is that for example I love the live CD performed by Blck Crowes with Jimmy page.
You can see that BC could be replace LZ in 90’s and 00’s.
I like BC at the same level of LZ,but at the same moment for me is impossible to find a great band that can replace DP, there is no one band that can can take the place of DP and BS,they don’t exist.
It’s actually good publicity from U2 for those who like good music and not crappy 3 note garbage, poorly played by sold out morons, led by a singer who can’t sing and also is a dollar whore profiting with the excuse of being a so called “humanitarian”. Even when I know Big Ian is not anymore the unique and greatest singer ever to roam the rock world, Bonidiot could never recover from the fact that Pavarotti chose Gillan for Nessun Dorma (his trademark aria) over him, during his Pavarotti and friends series. Can’t see where DP and U2 might coincide elsewhere. Like 2 worlds apart, as I said, 3 note mediocre junk (mostly from a 2nd rate pinkfloyd/police/doors disgracefully awful rehash) versus REAL, complex-yet-in-your-face, unpretentious-but-virtuoso hard/prog/blues/instrumental/heavy rock from DP.
I do like LZ, of course have all their records. Lately, I’m developing a weird dislike for most of their material. I find it more and more, unengaging and disenchanting. When it pops on my iPod, I do listen but I think they amount to about only 20 really amazing songs and the rest is not that brilliant (as it has been well said here, they just are better sold). Even worse, I read somewhere that out of the more or less 80 recorded songs by LZ, more than 35 were borrowed or taken from blues and other sources. AND, if it weren’t for Page tampering with “the song remains the same”, with all the overdubbing, I don’t think I’d even listen to some of those songs, particularly No quarter and Stairway, but also The Song/Rain. The other big save is the Page/Plant CD (obviously the overdubbed one, so I can listen to some songs that otherwise I’d skip altogether: ex. 4 Sticks and Battle of Evermore)
Page is not very good live, but to his credit, a great producer. Bonham’s great but his soloing is boring, Jones is their best musician, still has nothing to do with Lord and might compete with Glover or Hughes. Plant, I really dislike the “kitchen” screams, and his style is a rip-off from a mixture of Daltrey and Joplin. But then again, Peter Grant is possibly the greatest manager of a band ever, hence the impact of the image, marketing and merchandising success.
DP is possibly one of the worst handled bands ever (especially considering the talent- MK2!!!!)
Well, for my part, I discovered prog rock from the back door in 1980, so I used to think as a kid that DP and LZ were 1 and 2 ever. Clearly that was just because I hadn’t really listened to the true other virtuoso bands in rock history.
Nowadays, I really can’t see LZ being even close to the bands below.
DP-YES-ELP-RUSH-RAINBOW-TULL-CRIMSON-UK-damn, even ASIA!
Only then on a second tier:
LZ-PF-WS-BSab-BOCult-UHeep-JBeck
and on the freaking basement: underground level 10
2 neanderthals beating coconuts-U2-and pigs farting in a pen.
Cheers!
August 30th, 2010 at 07:46Quite a long piece regarding the fact we were talking about a short joke, Andrea.
Btw, dont you think that line ups with Michael Schenker in UFO and the Cozy Powell era with MSG are on a par with the true greats?
August 30th, 2010 at 15:01Sure PP #35!
I could write a lot of names here on my previous post; I have forgotten Micheal Shenker! I love UFO mainly until 1983 (Making Contact). About MSG I am lacking,because I possess only Assault Attack with G.Bonnet on vocals.
In my life companion I spent a lot of yars listening and abandoned in sound that never has happened with the sound of LZ….to me listen music often means to loose my mind in extemporaneous thoughts,reaching almost fairytale thoughts, dreams with open eyes….I’ve never got it with LZ,U2….
Another aspect of music that does not digest is Perhaps a political footprint in a brazen…I my political thought of course, but mixing music with politics I find it stupid, and for a group like U2 I find it very contradictory…
Bono is a wicked character, a classic rock star by the media.
He speaks against the system, against capitalism but he belongs to both … what a strange life, eh?
Music should make me dreaming! Last was yesterday with “Born Again”.
while was playing Born Again song in my car at high volume my girl asked to me “who are These?” “they are Black Sabbath with DP’s singer”: in that moment I saw her like I was younger, my first years in which I abandoned this music so fascinating ..
when I listen LZ she never asks me who they are,the same is for U2,I don’t not listen their cd because of course I want nothing of them…
PP: I was sure we were into a joke above….
August 31st, 2010 at 07:05wishing well Mark Purplepriest! 🙂
To:dpprpl
U2 were suppose to sing “Nessun Dorma” with Pavarotti? I never heard this before. It’s just an assumption or a true fact?
August 31st, 2010 at 12:33Darker Than Blue magazine has posted a photo of Bono, holding The Book of Taliesyn album and trying to get Ian Gillan’s autograph. The text under the photo says it was captured on DP’s last tour. Is that true or did DTB make a joke by photoshop?
http://darkerthanblue.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/the-unforgettable-fire/
August 31st, 2010 at 23:04Bono isn’t exactly somebody to pay attention to regarding musical qualities – he’s more into fashion than music.
September 1st, 2010 at 08:57Guys, perhaps Bono was just joking here? People sometimes do that you know. I’m not saying that U2 are influenced by DP, or even like what they do but can’t see them deliberately being this disrespectful to both DP or the Russian president in his own country…Bono is usually campaigning for piece.
September 1st, 2010 at 10:41No, Jeff, Bono is known for his disrespectful attitude towards DP. Haven’t you hear about the 1985 accident? U2 on Milton Keynes Bowl VS Deep Purple at Knebworth. have you hear about that 2 gigs?
September 1st, 2010 at 12:54No, George, never heard of that. Please tell us.
It’s fascinating to see how worked up people get over a little joke from Bono. Just because you don’t like his music, he can still have humour, you know? And as Jeff says, if it wasn’t a joke, it would have been disrespectful to the Russian president in his own country. And I assure you, that would have made more people upset than a couple of orthodox DP fans who can’t stand any other music than their own favorites.
September 1st, 2010 at 12:59@ 42
I dont think it has to do with a dislike for other music.
Personally I feel more for the view Andrea exposed.
Not that someone should not have the right to be contradictionairy but……
A public figure like him, espescially because he s always busy with politics, is always looked upon critically.
Back to my meat and french fries.
September 1st, 2010 at 17:56Joke or not(and yes he is entitled humour) I still don’t care for Bono. There is a South Park episode about Bono that hits the nail on the head. LOL
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:22George, I remember U2 playing the Milton Keynes Bowl on the same day as Knebworth (I went to the Knebworth gig) But seem to recall that DP had a much bigger audience:)
Pretty sure that wasn’t a deliberate ploy by the U2 to upset the apple cart…I also read a recent interview/book type biography about Bono; Apparently when U2 were first formed, they used to play SOTW in rehearsals… (Then again, which rock band didn’t!)
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:46Svante (and others)
It’s quite famous occasion. In 1985, when DP reformed, they choose to play only one gig in the UK – it was Knebworth festival. U2 had a gig planned in Milton Keynes Bowl, a month after DP’s gig. As soon as DP announced that their gig would take place on June 22, U2 suddenly changed their Milton Keynes date to June 22, in order to coincide with Purple’s gig. U2 maybe thought that they would attract all fans and Purple’s gig would loose. BUT of course, DP attracted 80,000 fans, as well as U2.
Now, as Jeff said here, DP sold even more tickets than U2…
Ritchie even commented about U2’s such disrespectful act.
September 6th, 2010 at 18:57read it: http://www.thehighwaystar.com/interviews/band/k-files/kneb/
Thank you George for directing me to that old interview.
I might be my Alzheimer Light or Media Overkill or…..
I read it with a certain bewilderment.
I seem to remember parts or ….
Maybe I ve read it completely, I m really not sure.
At the time, 1985, I was a member of the Belgian DP fanclub.
When I joined the DPAS FINALLY in 1999, because other sources including the DUTCH and Belgian fc s ended completely, I came to the conclusion that I should be ashamed.
Ashamed and so damn frustrated that I had been a fan since 1977 and not untill 1999 reached the shores of the Motherload!!!
Not to mention the fact that, apart from attending those 2 DP shows in 1999, with the wrong man unfortunately,I NEVER visited the country before or after……..
Yeah, shame on me.
The last few years I ve been visiting the Hoek van Holland beach a lot and really gazed with melancholy in the direction of England.
In Holland and Belgium FC magazines often EXCERPTS and or translations resulted in missing out on lots of DETAIL.
This INTERVIEW I cant recall in that sense.
It struck me in more than one way.
Reading his problems with nerves, alcohol, backpains, the panic about arthritis…..
Trying to compensate things with amongst other things supplements.
It s totally me!!!!
Kinda funny to read Steve Harris s view on Ritchies efforts on the fields while playing football.
Admitting he was lazy, hahaha
I wonder what and what not to take serious always when hE speaks.
Could it really be that he appreciated Gillan at the time and later on completely got fed up with him?
Wasnt he already fooling us around, again?!
Another interesting think that FINALLY sank in with me is….
So Blackmore was injurerd at the end of the Bent Out Of Shape tour and at the same time Gillans vocals were shot!!!!
What a moment to do the reunion.
I always felt that they should have done it earlier.
In the EARLY 80 S both were in great shape, Ian singing excellent on FUTURE SHOCK and the 2 studioalbums later on, RB still playing like a God.
The expression Bent Out Of Shape which seemed to referr to his inclination to get completely wasted/drunk.
In retroperspect one could say it was referring to his injury.
Maybe THEY all hoped things would improve with Ian and Ritchie and that could not WAIT to recover from those injuries because they already had made fargoing obligations?
Ofcourse one could suggest that Ritchie, like Paice, did not return to FORM before 1990?
It already has been suggested that the injury Ritchie got in the USA leg of the HOBL tour was the final push to end all proceedings?
In the meantime Ritchie tried to take care of himself and Ian stayed on the schedule of trucks of tobacco and alcohol?
Maybe RB thought that HE made the effort in a professional sense and that Gillan was to blame for that same reason?
And so on…….
Mark
September 8th, 2010 at 11:11Thanks George, interesting read…I didn’t relaise that U2 had actually changed the original dates.
I was playing at a festival this summer and was chatting to an ex-member of UFO (no names here he’s a friend) I mentioned that I’d been to see Paul Rodgers recently and he said he was a big fan. We talked about his influence on modern vocalists and about his peers of the day. He mentioned that he loved Free and Zepp, but couldn’t stand Purple. I challenged him about this and his response was: “They are more like Sabbath, no soul and no sex!” Free and Zepp had all the soul and sex, Purple and Sabbath were just noisy!!”
I told him I didn’t agree and that they were the most musical band of teir generation…couldn’t convince him I’m afraid.
September 8th, 2010 at 15:21Hey Jeff
I really want to know which ex UFO man you met, hahaha
There have been some.
I love DP, Zepp, Free, BS, UFO, MSG, Bad Company, Foreigner, and loads more…..
Interesting thing is……
Apart from the obvious ridicilous statement about being just NOISY…….
From which part or which member of DP lay the sex and soul?
Personally I think more than member had it all but Ian Paice seems to come first, strangely enough or not?
I hope it wasnt Neil Carter.
September 9th, 2010 at 13:10DP no soul no sex?
the truth is that the LZ RP were chronically ill of sex but also for sex (oh just yesterday I heard a new song from last RP work:it is called “you can’t buy my love”…ohohoh..but who is buyng? [thank you Dave Mustaine for your suggestion..]) , just listen to each disc and hear bleating of a hen in love, like being on a farm …
when Gillan screams at the end of STRANGE KIND OF WOMAN “oh my sooooul I looove youuu” Well,he deleted all paranoid orgasms of LZ.
this is to say that you can be more discreet and more stylish …
🙂
September 14th, 2010 at 07:16Andrea
Dont forget to listen to Glenn tonight!!!!!
September 20th, 2010 at 20:33@ 49 & 50
Sorry for late response chaps, just picked this up…
Priest, I was playing Rock n blues fest with Statetrooper on the same bill as UFO. I spent most of the day and evening with Pete, Phil, Vinnie and Clive Edwards. Vinnie was the only one with positive words. I can’t elaborate I’m afraid as these were private conversations. As I mentioned before, I find some peoples attitudes to Purple very frustrating.
Andrea, I agree that Purple have soul and sex in there music and plenty of other enotions besides. I’m purely pointing out what was said (and I’ve heard thhis before)Don’t knock Zepp though, they are brilliant also. If you don’t like them, that’s fair enough, however I understand and appreciate their significance very well. It isn’t their fault that everybody raves about them, just frustrating for us DP fans.
Cheers
Jeff
September 21st, 2010 at 11:28@ 52
Hi Jeff
Maybe they were talking about DP without the Maestro?
On the other hand, UFO never has been my cup of tea since Schenker left.
They made great stuff in more than one era but Schenker is the shit.
Playing still most of Strangers….says enough.
I kinda liked Vinnie before he joined UFO, even thought he would have a better replacement, although I think its safe to say NO ONE can fill Ritchies shoes REALLY.
Saw 2 shows with Vinnie in UFO , it was great to hear the songs, I love the quality of underrated singer Mogg, but something lacked without MS.
October 1st, 2010 at 09:47Those blokes in UFO are simply jealous of DP. How many bands do you know that could fill a Motor Speedway at Cal Jam with 400,000 and not even have the Mark Two members? Having said that Micheal Schenker is probably the most underated player of all time next to Rory Gallagher and that fellow Mick Taylor. I was at Cal Jam and both Sabbath and Purple killed it even with that Emerson bloke on the bill.
Sabbath and Purple just Noisy? Go figure. So Ritchie has the Bad Reputation has this unpredictable Bad Attitude but his playing and stage presence were second to none. Yeah I aint a big fan of BN but he still is the greatest of all time even greater than Joe Satch. Remember Ritchie wipes the floor with most guitarists.
May 26th, 2011 at 08:51U2 were just a alternative band here in the states until somebody put them on the Rock Playlist. U2 is NOT ROCK and they know it and Dave Mason knows it too. Lol.
This Led Zep/Purple Fued has been going on for years so here is my take. Had an old friend in a room a bass player an aquaintance now forgotten says JP Jones is the KING of the Bass Guitar dont always agree with old acquaintances but he is probably right on that one. That rythmn section on Trampled Under Foot kills it. But on the other hand I find Achilles Last Stand absolute RUBBISH. What kind of song structure is that? UGH. Then again Plant and Page are amazing on For Your Life. Long story short Purple is easily more consistent than Zeppelin. Better live hands down goes to Purple. Better vocals goes to Gillan, but Plant aint no SLUFF. Easily in the TOP TEN of all time. BONO is nowhere even in the top 200 fella. That was off topic sorry people. Drums gotta call it EVEN though my blood is Purple. On the guitar where do you start? Blackmore has the unbelievable talent and has gone where no guitarist has gone before and yet is unappreciated even now. When I saw DP the first time ANAHEIM Convention Center there could be no mistake Blackmore was like a F5 Tornado, relentless yet perfect. Like a Citizen Eco Drive Watch worn by your better older brother QB unstoppable and UNTOPPABLE.
So in closing, Purple over Zeppelin, Sabbs over Zeppelin, Blackmore over Page as a lead guitar player but as SONGWRITER there is no one greater than JAMES PAGE only two equal JAGGER AND RICHARDS. And finally this the greatest work PAGE has ever done was with Coverdale. Listen to that guitar work and marvel at perfection.
@jeff summers well done for Weapon and Wildfire mate (if you ever read that). Great bands and yourself , you’re amazing. Rock on, and Purple rules..
September 5th, 2016 at 22:32But Jon Lord introduced LZ in the Hall…..
April 26th, 2017 at 07:52