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.

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

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.

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.

Thanks to Richard Taylor, Martin Ashberry.

More magazine covers now added to the DPAS Cover Gallery