Deep Purple on cover of Metal Hammer magazine Poland

Gillan and Paice looked relaxed on the Later with… TV show on Tuesday evening. Jools Holland banged on about the album sleeve for a bit and then (for some reason) asked IG how dressing room riders had changed over the years? This prompted a nice (but barely audible) IG riff about asking for a rhino full of tartan ice cream and milk from two dogs! Holland then wheeled out the old Top Of The Pops clip – again – and asked them to come back and play on the show sometime. Paice said they would make that happen. IG mentioned that Roger couldn’t come as he was in hospital but didn’t say what was wrong. They may have a longer chat on the show’s repeat.
The DTB Mail Order Store have been told the Now What vinyl edition has sold out. The distributors are checking to see if any extra stock about, or if the label might be repressing given the demand.
Rolling Stone magazine have run a story asking readers for their list of bands which should be ion the rock and roll hall of fame but are still missing. Deep Purple tops the list. They were nominated for this year, and the next list will be announced in 2014. The place is fast becoming something of a laughing stock. Here’s the story. And even I know how to spell Nirvana correctly.
Also worth reading, a really well put together review of the new album and where it sits in the band’s career, in the Albany Democratic Herald. Nice to see such good journalism surviving in odd corners, it sure beats some of the shallow stuff which passes itself off in the UK qualities these days.  And when you’re finished reading it you can even get a Beaver Sports Update… A fairly positive review in the Independent newspaper in the UK too although the writer seemed to think that Don was a replacement following Jon’s death.
The Wednesday after Jools, Coverdale popped up on the BBC Breakfast TV sofa looking chipper and plugging the tour which starts Saturday. Dates are on the Coverdale news page. There are strong rumours to the effects that Bernie will pop up again at some shows, and even that Micky Moody might join him, but we’ll have to wait and see.
The next installment of the Whitesnake live album releases has been announced, a double from the UK and ROW, the details again on the Coverdale page shortly. It looks like they decided to combine two releases into one. Apparently they decided to record every show, and the CD production team then had to sift through over eighty concerts to make the selection…
It looks as if Coverdale guests on a track on Bernie Marsden’s upcoming solo album, as well as Joe Bonamasa (it is coming out on Joe’s label).
Finally who is the scallywag who posted this comment on a YouTube clip of Ritchie and The Outlaws some years ago (hoping it might become part of Blackmore myth)? It has finally been refuted! “Not many people realise that Ritchie Blackmore wrote and played most of the music for children’s television through the 1960′s – this was just before purple made the big time: Magic Roundabout, Chigley and Camberwick Green to name a few.” Mind you two more mid-sixties sessions have been mooted by one of the old engineers, so we’re trying to confirm.
Oh, and still wondering why Amazon are so cheap? Staff at their German offices have had to stage a strike just to try and get their wages up to the German state minimum.

Thanks to Mark Maddock. John McEvoy. Jamie Woodward. Stephen Clare. Tim Summers. Timothy Campbell.

We’re only here for the beer.

Nottingham’s Castle Rock Brewery are producing beers to celebrate famous folks born in the city, and have announced a limited edition “Ian Paice Nottinghamian Celebration Ale” available in local pubs through to the end of June. I’m not sure if this will be bottled at all. Most of these breweries just make such limited edition ales as draught, and the design probably appears on the pump (but if you live locally and know different let us know!).  Spotted by Peter Judd.

Later… with Ian Gillan

Gillan and Paice are to be the studio interview guests on Later… with Jools Holland next week.  It’s taken 42 series of the only music show left on the BBC for them to get round to mentioning Deep Purple!  Fingers crossed it might open the doors for the band to play it live at a future date.  Anyhow, the show goes out live on May 14th (Tuesday) BBC2 and is repeated in a slightly longer version the Friday after, and also available to view on the BBC iPlayer. Thanks to Sam Bowman and David Browne for alerting us.

Top of the Pops

“Now What?!” has been charting all over Europe, with the album sending Deep Purple straight to no.1 in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. After entering the Norwegian album charts at no.4 the album has climbed to no.1 in its second week of release.

Elsewhere “Now What?!” entered the UK album charts at no.19 on 5th May, breaking into the top twenty for the first time since “House Of Blue Light” back in 1987. It dropped to no.69 on 12th May.

 

The album was also straight in at no.1 in the UK rock album charts.

Other first week European chart placings include no.2 in Switzerland, no.3 in Russia, no.5 in Poland, no.7 in Sweden, no.7 in Hungary, no.8 in Finland, no.12 in Holland, no.12 in Italy, no.13 in Scotland,  no.18 in Denmark,  no.19 in France and no.19 in Spain.

Elsewhere, the regular edition of “Now What?!” entered the Billboard US charts at no.115, after having sold only 4,000 copies in its frst week.  That situation may improve when the limited edition is released. (As of 14 May  the limited edition is at no.52 in the Am*z^n.com top 100 chart)

with thanks to Hans Peter Jenssen

Bernie Marsden talks

“LOOK AT ME NOW…” It was at Bristol’s Colston Hall in 2002 where Bernie Marsden bounded on stage with Deep Purple to rapturous applause. “Is that Ritchie Blackmore?” the twonk beside me shouted in my ear. “No, it’s Bernie Marsden!” I shouted back. “Is it?” The guy looked at me, looked at the stage, turned back to me and said, “nah, that’s not Bernie Marsden.” Given that I believe the death penalty should be re-introduced for people who talk at gigs (and people who make Meat Loaf records) this exchange of yes-it-is-no-it-isn’t continued for a short while until I told my new-found friend to go forth and multiply. But after the show I reflected that the ‘discussion’ probably sums up Bernie Marsden perfectly. Everyone knows who he is, but perhaps a lot less people actually, well, know who he is…”

Read the rest of John Tucker’s entertaining chat with the man from Whitesnake on his website here. I nearly got to fisticuffs with two chaps at a Mogwai gig in Nottingham a couple of years ago, who felt it incumbent to talk to each other loudly enough to be heard above what can be a pretty hefty volume from a band which pretty much likes to devour an audience, then stuck to the same chat level during all the nice quiet bits as well. Tossers. So let’s get that petition on you.gov right away John.  You can orderBernie’s two solo albums at DTBOnline store.

Dancer And The Moon

Details, cover art and tracks for the new Blackmores Night album are out. There are more details on our Blackmore page, and details of pre-ordering for those who are interested. Track listing is on the DTB Online store.

Here’s our new single

All The Time In The World has turned up in the band’s set-list, the rest is as normal. We’ve added the list to the tour dates page if you want to look. Thanks to Mike Richards.

Montreux WC2!

Updated again… Chris Carver reminds us that DP are playing Montreux on July 19th and the Harrods Jazz Cafe are screening highlights from that event in-store as well, while Charles Ashmore comments (below) that the ROH diary has a blank week from July 22nd. DP are in Italy until the 24th then have a few days free.

Updated… In answer to my question about this mysterious July London show which IG has mentioned a few times now (both before and after the October UK tour was announced), David McGlone dropped me a line: “I think the July gig is at Royal Opera House. They are putting on a ‘Montreux Jazz Festival – In London’. I heard Gillan talk about playing one night with Quincy Jones etc. and the next night with Purple.”
I’m now told that the ‘Montreux comes to London’ concept was actually announced last October, but despite that the Royal Opera House site still has no confirmed acts listed, only a concept poster. However you can sign up for news, by going to the page on their site. Given There is also a tie-in with Harrods for acoustic events and lunch! Our thanks to Jamie Woodward for the information.

Barry Fey

Boulder newspapers have reported the death of Tommy Bolin’s manager Barry Fey. More details in our obituary section and links to the newspaper article.

Bonus tracks.

It seems as if there is a bonus track from the album sessions which is only available if you purchase the album from one particular German CD supplier, and then only as a download (by entering a code off the CD). Perhaps appropriately this track is called First Sign Of Madness…!
Some have asked about the Japanese CD bonus tracks, but for once you don’t need to worry. They’ve just added the two live tracks off the CD single (which were on the special edition of the last album anyway) and the radio edit. It doesn’t come out there until May 22. 2013.
Ian Gillan is still insisting they are in London in July for a concert according to the Mark Radcliffe show, still no idea what this is about.

Thanks to Richard Taylor, Martin Ashberry.

More magazine covers now added to the DPAS Cover Gallery