Deep Purple: Hard Rock’s Longest Running Band
This week, Deep Purple will kick off their latest tour. And that got me thinking: they must be hard rock’s longest running band. Part of the first wave of British hard rock and heavy metal, they formed in 1968, the same year that both Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin got together.
Deep Purple released their debut, Shades Of Deep Purple, in 1968, which included the band’s first classic: “Hush,” written by an American named Joe South. That was followed by The Book of Taliesyn, released later that year. By contrast, Led Zeppelin released their self-titled debut in 1969, and Black Sabbath released theirs in 1970.
Of course, as Purple fans know, only one member of the original version of the band – drummer Ian Paice – is still in the group today. And that sounds like a reverse-Spinal Tap scenario where only the drummer lasts! The original version of the band featured Paice, longtime members Ritchie Blackmore on guitar and Jon Lord on keyboards, along with singer Rod Evans and bassist Nick Simper, and they were great in their own right. They have their place as one of the great psychedelic rock bands of the late ’60s. And Deep Purple still plays “Hush” in concert.
But they really came into their own with their second lineup, known as the “Mark II” lineup by their fans. In 1969, Evans and Simper were replaced by singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, both of whom are still in the band, along with Paice. That’s the version that released the classic albums In Rock and Machine Head and later, the triumphant reunion LP Perfect Strangers. Their classic songs include “Highway Star,” “Child In Time,” “Space Truckin’,” “Lazy” and of course, “Smoke On The Water.” This is the version of the band that helped to define hard rock and heavy metal for decades to come.
And we also have to give it up to “Mk. III” which featured singer David Coverdale (later of Whitesnake) and bassist/singer Glenn Hughes. That lineup also had a bunch of great songs, and Coverdale and Hughes were, rightfully, included in Purple’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Some of the hallmarks of classic Purple include Ian Gillan’s wailing vocals (which have influenced nearly every metal singer who has followed), Ritchie Blackmore’s classically-inspired guitar work (also often imitated, never duplicated) and Jon Lord’s incredibly heavy and technical keyboard work. But another hallmark of the band is drama within the ranks.
I remember going to see Deep Purple on the “Perfect Strangers” reunion tour in 1985 and buying a program at the merch stand (yes, programs used to be a big thing at concerts). It included a pretty extensive “family tree” – demonstrating who had been in the band in each era, what bands they came from, and where they went afterward. (Not-fun fact about that show: for some reason, they declined to return to the stage for an encore, meaning that we didn’t see them play “Smoke On The Water” that night. Years later, I mentioned it in an interview with Roger Glover, who chuckled, “I remember that show,” and left it at that. But man, it was a huge bummer for a young guy seeing Deep Purple for the first time!)
Change has been a constant with the band, although from 1992- 2002 things were pretty solid, starting with when American guitar legend Steve Morse joined the band; that era lasted until Jon Lord retired. If you haven’t followed the band in recent decades, we’ll tell you that they’ve released a lot of music worth listening to. Check out “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming,” “Rapture of the Deep,” “Above and Beyond,” “Time For Bedlam,” “Throw My Bones” and their cover of Cream’s “White Room.” And hey, they just released a new album, =1. Their current lineup features keyboardist Don Airey (who has been there since 2002) and new guitarist Simon McBride, who joined in 2022.
In the world of hard rock, there aren’t many giants still walking the earth (and we should give a shout out here to Blue Oyster Cult, who formed in 1967, released their debut in 1972, and released their latest album Ghost Stories earlier this year and who also still tour). Deep Purple is still out there blowing minds. Ian Gillan says that rumors of his retirement are “rubbish.” He’s taken great care of his vocal ability. But you never know, so if you’re a fan, catch the tour this summer. Black Sabbath, Van Halen, Aerosmith and KISS have played their final notes in the past few years, and you never know how long we’ll have Deep Purple for.
