I will agree that they are still a very good band, as whenever they come around I always go and see them. They were here in Ontario Canada back in April, and it was a very good show. Having said that you simply cannot argue with the strength of the band in the seventies during their heyday. Two things come to mind, one is the obvious, and that is the fact that Gillan cannot sing as he did then (pretty easy to understand that) and for me, the softer sound of the keyboards and the much different style of Steve Morse’s playing. Even during the reunion shows, there was not that “grinding” raw sound that is well documented in live recordings of the 68-76 era. Blackmore’s sound had a very distinctive minor sound that meshed perfectly with Jon’s beast. That was the Purple sound that I fell in love with. To me, those were the best days.
You betcha. The band ROCKED back in the day. Sadly Ritchie is no longer interested, Jon is gone, and Ian’s voice has changed so dramatically it’s tough to get interested enough to go out and see ’em when they come around. Saw them in Maple leaf Gardens for the Perfect Strangers tour in the early eighties and then in Boston after moving to the States, but never without Ritchie. Steve Morse is a great player and as good as you can expect for a replacement but you’re right Dave it’s just not the same. If they could get a big re-union with Blackmore and maybe even Coverdale and Hughes all together with Gillan, Glover and Paice I’d be there though. Just wouldn’t be able to stay away from that much of my best Rock memories. A tribute to Jon Lord show?
They wouldn’t even have to come close by… I’d travel for that one!
Sorry, but as a young fan (23), I’m fed up with all those nostalgic comments about the ‘good old times’. If you think, that ‘old time’ was better, it happens not because that the time is ‘bad’ now, but because you were younger then. You’re missing not the ‘old time’, but your own young mind and body.
So, please, the older fans, if you don’t like it, just give up the band and let Deep Purple be ours – young fans’ band.
I’ve seen them live in 2009, 2010, 2011 (going to the 2012 show again) and I think they ARE fabulous and fantastic live.
I adore the ’72 DVD, the band plays like furious dinosaurs on full fire, volcano! But personally for me nothing can be compared to the LIVE experience that I witnessed in the last three years.
OK, I’m not saying that DP is either better or worse now than it was in ’72. I’m not even comparing those shows, because notwithstanding the so called ‘time’ and ‘age’, they do always have their IDENTITY as an astonishing and volcanic LIVE band. I love them simply because of this identity that they never loose.
So, the word ‘was’ is not compatible speaking of this amazing band. Deep Purple ‘was’ Deep Purple? No way! Come on! Deep Purple IS Deep Purple!
Those where the days when Deep Purple WAS Deep Purple.
I wish I could go back in time. At that time they where superior to all the rest. Forget Sabbath and Zeppelin.
I hope that also YOU were around at that time. For us, it will never be the same. They are still good, but this was on an other planet.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then look for the KB-Hallen live-DVD. Black and white it is, but so much power and energy compared to the newer DVDs.
Ok, I might be an old fool. But I like it.
Happy Easter!
Well yes I was around at the time, and they must have done something exceptional to keep me interested all these years. And I know exactly what you mean about the 1972 video (or DVD). I remember leaving the viewing room shaking after seeing that when we first found the tapes back in the 80s. And I’m not even a Deep Purple fan, as Ritchie will happily tell you!
We covered the shemozzle surrounding Deep Purple’s elevation to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 (“I’m not going if he’s going” etc.), but missed this nice little collectable, a compilation CD featuring the five nominated artists. The cover is great, would have made a nice LP. I don’t know what the tracks […]
Exciting news that IAN PAICE is heading up this year’s Buddy Rich Memorial Concerts. The shows take place at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London from May 20th to 25th 2019. There are two shows each evening. The details on their site are a bit confusing, but Ian Paice will be part of the actual […]
Who is the dude in the sharp suit? It’s Otis Redding. What’s he doing? Trying to get tickets for an Episode Six concert by the look of it! We were looking for the release date of (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay recently, and hadn’t realised it was only issued after his early death […]
Have we shown this on the site before? A couple of people were discussing it recently as one turned up for sale, so I though it was worth a look. Basically it’s a large in-store display item for the Made In Europe album release. It’s printed on corrugated card and cut out around the logo. […]
David Coverdale is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Slide It In with a slew of editions to suit everyone. Rhino are issuing a 6CD version which bulks out the original 1984 UK and US mixes with “unreleased live and studio recordings, music videos, concert footage, and a new interview with founder and lead singer, David […]
Timothy Campbell has his radio alarm set to Radio 3 of an early morning, and tells me he was woken by the second movement of Jon Lord’s Durham Concerto on Tuesday. Nice to hear it’s still being played and remembered by their programmer.
I came across this video of the Gillan number Puget Sound yesterday while I was looking for the studio version to check something (I can’t say what yet!), and it shows Ian Gillan with Ted McKenna (going all sports casual), Chris Glen, Steve Morris and co. grinding through the track live like they mean it. […]
Very sorry to learn of the death of drummer Ted McKenna today. Ted was the drummer on Ian Gillan’s Naked Thunder solo outings during the “between Purple years” in 1990. He also played with Michael Schenker, Rory Gallagher and many others but for me and other older fans, Ted will probably be most fondly remembered as […]
UPDATE : John Tucker tells me the new CDs slack all the bonus tracks which turned up on previous editions, not sure why! UPDATE 2 : apparently there is a dispute over ownership. The first three Phenomena albums, the brainchild of Tom Galley, have been reissued, I think this is the third time they’ve been […]
Deep Purple have been dragged into the five year saga of boy band singer / Happy Shopper Frank Sinatra Robbie William’s planned basement pool extensions which neighbour Jimmy Page has gone to court to try and stop, fearing they will damage his Grade 1 listed property next door (see below; nice). There are now allegations […]
July 16, 2012 at 1:14 am |
I will agree that they are still a very good band, as whenever they come around I always go and see them. They were here in Ontario Canada back in April, and it was a very good show. Having said that you simply cannot argue with the strength of the band in the seventies during their heyday. Two things come to mind, one is the obvious, and that is the fact that Gillan cannot sing as he did then (pretty easy to understand that) and for me, the softer sound of the keyboards and the much different style of Steve Morse’s playing. Even during the reunion shows, there was not that “grinding” raw sound that is well documented in live recordings of the 68-76 era. Blackmore’s sound had a very distinctive minor sound that meshed perfectly with Jon’s beast. That was the Purple sound that I fell in love with. To me, those were the best days.
August 17, 2014 at 5:37 pm |
You betcha. The band ROCKED back in the day. Sadly Ritchie is no longer interested, Jon is gone, and Ian’s voice has changed so dramatically it’s tough to get interested enough to go out and see ’em when they come around. Saw them in Maple leaf Gardens for the Perfect Strangers tour in the early eighties and then in Boston after moving to the States, but never without Ritchie. Steve Morse is a great player and as good as you can expect for a replacement but you’re right Dave it’s just not the same. If they could get a big re-union with Blackmore and maybe even Coverdale and Hughes all together with Gillan, Glover and Paice I’d be there though. Just wouldn’t be able to stay away from that much of my best Rock memories. A tribute to Jon Lord show?
They wouldn’t even have to come close by… I’d travel for that one!
April 9, 2012 at 9:54 pm |
Sorry, but as a young fan (23), I’m fed up with all those nostalgic comments about the ‘good old times’. If you think, that ‘old time’ was better, it happens not because that the time is ‘bad’ now, but because you were younger then. You’re missing not the ‘old time’, but your own young mind and body.
So, please, the older fans, if you don’t like it, just give up the band and let Deep Purple be ours – young fans’ band.
I’ve seen them live in 2009, 2010, 2011 (going to the 2012 show again) and I think they ARE fabulous and fantastic live.
I adore the ’72 DVD, the band plays like furious dinosaurs on full fire, volcano! But personally for me nothing can be compared to the LIVE experience that I witnessed in the last three years.
OK, I’m not saying that DP is either better or worse now than it was in ’72. I’m not even comparing those shows, because notwithstanding the so called ‘time’ and ‘age’, they do always have their IDENTITY as an astonishing and volcanic LIVE band. I love them simply because of this identity that they never loose.
So, the word ‘was’ is not compatible speaking of this amazing band. Deep Purple ‘was’ Deep Purple? No way! Come on! Deep Purple IS Deep Purple!
March 30, 2012 at 4:10 pm |
Those where the days when Deep Purple WAS Deep Purple.
I wish I could go back in time. At that time they where superior to all the rest. Forget Sabbath and Zeppelin.
I hope that also YOU were around at that time. For us, it will never be the same. They are still good, but this was on an other planet.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then look for the KB-Hallen live-DVD. Black and white it is, but so much power and energy compared to the newer DVDs.
Ok, I might be an old fool. But I like it.
Happy Easter!
April 5, 2012 at 11:08 am |
Well yes I was around at the time, and they must have done something exceptional to keep me interested all these years. And I know exactly what you mean about the 1972 video (or DVD). I remember leaving the viewing room shaking after seeing that when we first found the tapes back in the 80s. And I’m not even a Deep Purple fan, as Ritchie will happily tell you!