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Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll
Perhaps no other property so distinctly epitomized the excesses of 1970s rock’n’roll lifestyle as the infamous Starship plane. Back in 2003 the New York Times has run an article about it’s history. Bruce Payne, who was band’s US booking agent at the time, and Ian Paice were interviewed for the feature:
Ian Paice, of Deep Purple, fondly recalls being in Miami and, on a whim, flying to Boston for a lobster dinner. ”It was a time when everything was doable,” he says. ”And we weren’t shy about spending the money.” Groans Bruce Payne, the band’s manager, ”That probably cost $11,000.”
For the members of Deep Purple and their roadies, it was more about watching X-rated movies on the high-tech video monitor and using the Starship to entice groupies. ”The girls would get on the plane and fly to wherever the next show was,” recalls Bruce Payne, the group’s manager. ”Fathers two states over were calling the cops.” But Deep Purple’s drummer, Ian Paice, has no regrets. ”The Starship was a great place to join the mile-high club,” he says.
If you have missed it first time around, read more on NYTimes.com (that is, if you manage to get through their paywall). Also, check out pictures by Fin Costello of the band aboard the Starship.
Thanks to Yvonne Osthausen for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
coffee? tea? peanuts?
February 16th, 2011 at 16:13How many of those planes were there? Only the one? If so how did the bands scheduled their tours so they could all use the plane? I’m a bit confused here!
February 16th, 2011 at 19:10man if this global recession keeps goin down i might never be able to afford my own 707?!?!
February 16th, 2011 at 22:17One of the more interesting novelties to come from it is the Deep Purple matchbook. So if Bruce doesn’t book them in his old age, I’d like to hear a name or I’m inclined to think he runs the department still in his middle management position.(if anyone knows what ‘MM’ means, as it’s not what it sounds like, Thames via Premiere isn’t an easy egg to crack)
February 16th, 2011 at 23:22It’s a damn good thing that Marcin Rybacki is putting this entire era in perspective into a book..a book of Literature….
Rock and Roll excess…How droll and jaded…
February 17th, 2011 at 02:04This is what i want to hear more of , stories of the band on the road & studio. Some of the things that happened between Ian & Ritchie. Plus when Tommy & Glen were in the band. There is more to the band than In Rock, Burn & Machine Head , what went on behind the scenes etc ?
February 17th, 2011 at 11:14They made a movie about the Door’s Jim Morrison. I think DP history with all the different Mark band changes and events they experienced would make a great watch. They are all alive except T Bolin—we could get it straight from the horses mouth.
February 17th, 2011 at 11:21Those where the days – also in music. I wish they could bring it back. One major problem is Coverdales voice. The rest is “only” to get them back for a show or two or ……..
February 17th, 2011 at 13:16@6
More? All I see is the one blurb involving Purple, otherwise the airplane means nothing to me. Loved watching it arrive at Cal Jam on ABC when it aired, that is my only memory of it besides a bunch of pictures, and a great memory it is, I’ll leave the Starship at that.
About a movie… feature films like that go over much much better with American bands that those in Hollywood actually relate to enough to put their best into making sure it comes across to the people who can smell a rat a mile away. To do that about a British band would not be so easy but I’d like to see it given a good crack.
February 20th, 2011 at 01:00Sex, drugs and rock and roll…magic words!!!!! Those magic 70’s, the golden age of rock music!!!!! I’m actually listening to the Fireball 25th anniversary edition. What a great album!!! Deep Purple’s “prog” album, which paved the way for Machine Head. Great songs…Fireball, The Mule, Demon’s eye, No one came, Strange kind of woman, the b-sides, specially Freedom. No question about it, Deep Purple is THE HARD ROCK BAND of the 70’s!!! Cheerz rokkerz!!!! Jack from Aguascalientes, mexico.
February 20th, 2011 at 17:50X Rated films…LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOOL LOL Deep Purple rules forever!!
February 21st, 2011 at 19:10