Hi Barry,

the autographs are real, I can vouch for that. I stopped playing the Rick because it caught a cold. It's now recovered and maybe I'll use it again.

RG

Hi Georgi,

Yes, I believe I would have loved to have painted it myself, given the time. That's always the problem. Thanks for helping us out.

RG

Hi Sergio,

Yes it was Fender Mustang but I have forgotten what distortion box I used, probably one borrowed froim Ritchie.

RG

Hi Simon,

Yes, I do write entire songs by myself but as far as DP is concerned, we all write together, usually from a jamming situation. It seems to have become our tradition - the backing track gets written and recorded with only a vague idea of what the vocals will be and then IG, alone or sometimes with me, will figure out what to put on top.

RG

Hi Alexander,

I would very much like to get involved with a Perfect Strangers reissue, and there has been some discussion about it. It will happen, I just don't know when. Perks and Tit is a bootleg, nothing to do with us.

RG

Hi Peter,

Thank you. We are not very involved in the sound production during a live performance; we rely on a good sound engineer. You can't really tell what the sound is like from the stage; you have to be out in the audience. The best way to judge the sound is by gauging the audience reaction.

RG

Hi John,

Emmeretta was on the third album, simply called Deep Purple.

RG

Hi Brad,

After many years of travelling and seeing so many countries it is always a wonderful feeling to experience a new one, especially such an intriguing place as China.

RG

Hi Steve,

Thank you. Judging by the fact that we spent a lot of time perfecting Never Before as a single and completely ignored Smoke On the Water, no we are not aware.

RG

Hi Nika,

The producer has many roles; instigator, arranger, psychiatrist, mediator, therapist, musical overseer, go-between, masseur, business advocate, musician's advocate, chef, unpaid servant, punch bag, wise man, magician... the list is endless. It is no wonder that I am happy not to be the producer for a change, I'm exhausted. 😉

RG

Hi Tyler,

I wrote the riff to Maybe I’m A Leo after hearing John Lennon’s How Do You Sleep. I liked the idea that the riff didn’t start on the down beat, like 99% of riffs do. Most of the songs on Machine were from the first take, or not long after.

Working with Warren and Matt was wonderful, they are really easy going players but with intense musicality

RG

Hi Jo,
Yes, I played on it, but as I player I wouldn’t consider myself on the same planet as Jon. I use keyboards for songwriting and production.

RG

Hi Terry,
Where do we get inspiration? In a word... life!

RG

Actually they are both our dressing rooms, it’s just that IG needs peace before a show and the rest of us need peace afterwards.

RG

Hi Oswaldo,

Yes, it is a tremolo that I used, along with a very primitive distortion box.

RG

Hi Marcello,

I don’t know how to read or write tabs, sorry, but the only thing I can tell you is that it is simply a matter of fifths; the first is an open A followed by an E on the second fret of the D string. Then the same thing but a semi-tone up, and so on.

RG

Hi Bob,

Yes, I think I have changed and improved since Steve joined the band, partly because he’s such a great inspiration as a player, but he is also a very patient teacher and whenever I think I won’t be able to play some particular piece, he will guide me through it and suggest different ways of approaching it. During the last ten years or so I have felt more of a bass player than ever before.

RG

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for the good thought. Ian wrote the words to No One Came and I agree, they are brilliant. There is an example of a set of lyrics that I could not have written.

RG

Hi Manny,

No, we have never considered that except for the 1999 Albert Hall Concert when we actually did perform some of each other's solo material, a rare night indeed.

RG

Hi Dimitra,

Things, people, clocks, situations, desires, bodies, minds, circumstances, personalities, underwear, the world... everything changes.

RG

Hi Iken,

The name comes from the time I first joined Deep Purple. Ian and I were not very well off at the time we joined Deep Purple, in fact we had one decent pair of trousers that we shared, they were crushed velvet bell bottoms, as I recall, and it was his turn to wear them the day that I met the rest of the band for the first time. I was not exactly a fashion statement (I had string for a belt!) and I was also partial to the occasional unusual cigarette. They christened me "the stinking hippie" then and it stuck.

RG

Hi Dan,

Sometimes, a given solo will be of a certain length and the improvisation is within that length, other times it is open-ended and the signal usually comes from the soloist. There is no leader on stage and whenever there are mistakes, or what we call train wrecks, there are a lot of desperate glances around the stage. On those occasions it's usually down to myself or Paicey to count the band back in.

Rehearsing is not something we do a lot of, the least the better. Getting on tape what is in your head is one of the great mysteries of the universe. The best advice I could give is not to have a predetermined result in mind otherwise you are fighting one battle too many. Be open to the moment and relish accidents and spontaneity. In other words, use your heart and not your head.

RG

Hi Joe,

I felt pretty pissed off at the time but it wasn't Glenn's or David's fault, and as can be seen on Butterfly Ball, I worked with both of them and also produced two solo albums by David. After all, when I came into the band I replaced Nick Simper, so I know what it's like from both sides.

I only met Tommy Bolin a couple of times and he was a super bloke, very friendly. I know little of his playing.

RG

Dear kitten,

Ian Gillan is a bit taller than I am, Don Airey has a lot of information that not many people know, Ian Paice likes food, Steve Morse is an expert on pizza, Ritchie Blackmore used to throw the javalin, Jon Lord never threw the javalin, David Coverdale wore glasses when he joined the band, Glenn Hughes now sometimes wears glasses, Joe Lynn Turner is from New Jersey, Joe Satriani likes noodles, Tommy Bolin often coloured his hair.

RG

Hi Mic,

Thank you for the good idea, I'll see what I can do. I don't know if the Copenhagen show was ever recorded on multi tracks, it was a TV show. If not, then it can never be remixed, it is the way it is but it could and probably has been re-mastered (which just means subtle adjustments to the overall sound).

RG

Hi AkeNordh/IKEN,

No, I haven?t heard it. Despite what many people think, I don?t have a huge bootleg collection, nor do I give what I have much more than a cursory listen. What was going through my head that night? Apart from concentrating on playing I would probably have been fairly emotional and very aware that it was our last gig and how could I hang on to each passing moment? Oh yes, and would I get my laundry back before checking out of the hotel in the morning.

RG

Hi James,

Many questions...

The Highway Star is a good site simply because it is run by fans, politics aside. Logic? Don't know about that. Official sites are rarely so vibrant.

No.

Possible, not probable.

Your humble opinion.

Things change because they have to. You can?t live in the past. It sounds the way it sounds now, that?s the way it is.

TIOLI (take it or leave it)

RG

Hi PD,

Whenever we are advertised to play somewhere and then it is cancelled, it is hardly ever anything to do with the band ? it?s usually promoter or agent maneuverings. We find these things out much like you do. There are some artists/bands who will cancel stuff on a whim but we are not like that. We have, I believe, a very good reputation with both the fans and the business. Unfortunately, it?s always the band that gets blamed. Oh, yes, I nearly forgot ? I cancelled a show once because there was no beer in the dressing room, I mean... enough is enough!

RG

Hi Martina,

Yes, I am interested in writing a book and one day I hope it will happen. It?s a daunting challenge because the plot is so unbelievably complicated, the characters range from the hopelessly inept to the downright vicious, the dialogue is liberally peppered with salt, compliments and insults, Heroes and Villains is by the Beach Boys and has nothing to do with it. The one big mystery, which has yet to be solved, is... who did it?

Right now I?m too busy being in the band to find out.

RG

Hi Craig,

No. I?m not doing Burn, or the others. I have answered that before, the next logical album would be Perfect Strangers but that is not EMI and so I don?t know quite how that is going to happen yet. Thanks for the info regarding royalties, I doubt it can be much but I?ll check into it anyway.

RG

Hi Evgeny,

I am very well, thanks for asking. J. Lord (or J Lo, as I cheekily call him) is not the end of the band, as is evidenced by our continuity. What about Blackmore? I don?t think he?s a very good keyboard player. I don?t know what he thinks about his wife (sic) but I doubt that he shares your opinion.
Don?t worry, your Engleesh is fine.

RG

Hi Gerd,

Thank you for the good thoughts.

1. I?ve answered that one several times elsewhere but the bottom line is I don?t know about Lazy, maybe they were lazy?
2. It wasn?t me that got anyone to do anything, the company that made the DVD were a thoroughly professional outfit and they certainly made me very comfortable - apparently it worked for Ritchie as well. I hope they decide to do more and should this happen I would look forward to participating.
3. I am not planning anything like that, no, but the company may be. I hope so.

RG

Hi Rick,

I?m afraid I am not blessed with clairvoyance so I can?t really answer the first question. It may be possible one day, who knows? But I very much doubt that it would be on any kind of permanent basis. What would be the reason other than nostalgia?
One of the problems of a US summer ?sheds? tour is that with three acts on the bill, every band has to compromise regarding time on stage, it?s just a fact of life. The two headliners get the same amount of time, by contract.

RG

Hi Ali,

Thank you. Playing Burn on the S&M tour was not a problem for me any more than playing Stargazer or Man On A Silver Mountain was during Rainbow days. It's a whole different thing to play bass on those songs as to sing them, which fortunately for all of us, I don't have to.

I go about getting back stage passes by playing in the band. 😉

RG

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your kind words about the Mark ll anniversary series. You will probably know by now that I am not going to be involved with the Mark lll albums. I did investigate what I could bring to Burn but ultimately I thought it wasn?t for me. I don?t know what EMI have planned.

We all have different thoughts about old songs. However, getting us to agree on them is another matter. I'd love to do Demon's Eye and Hard Loving Man.

RG

Hi Reno,

I never met Nick Simper or Rod Evans so I know very little about them. I do know that Nick is still around in the UK, and still playing in bands, Quatermass 2 I believe was the latest. Rod was in Captain Beyond for a while after DP but I think his whereabouts are not known at this time. Hush was written by Joe South. I wish I?d written it though! 😉

RG

Hi Wajd,

Thanks for the question. We will tour anywhere that we are invited. It?s not as if we say to our agent that we would like to tour this or that country, it?s really a question of the tours being presented to us for approval and we along with our manager, just say yes or no (actually I can?t remember ever having said no!). We are just musicians and don?t make those kind of decisions.

Glenn Hughes ? a great talent.
Jethro Tull ? a one man band in many ways but some great musicians and very influential in the early days.
Pearl Jam ? I always preferred Soundgarden and Nirvana in days of grunge but they have stayed the course and have stuck to their guns, so I respect them.

RG

Hi Eirik,

Ah yes, a studio update so long after the album is out would not be very useful, would it? But I take the point and the next time we are in the studios, which should be later next year (2004 ? 2005) I will do one. Thanks for the reminder.

RG

Hi Rob,

Most people don?t know what gives that riff its character. Yes, it is played with the fingers, RB showed me once. The first riff I ever learned was Peter Gunn, starting on the E string (actually I have no idea what key it?s in really) and most people start SOTW that way. However, it is in the key of G and the important thing is that it is two notes ? the D and the G an octave up from the low G. That?s what gives it its thickness. So you?re right. Thanks for the question.

RG

Hi Jim,

You have good ears. Actually I haven’t heard the re-mastered PS. I can’t imagine how it could be different, though, it wasn’t remixed. I can only assume that whatever engineer did it, put it into ProTools or Sonic Solutions, or some such programme, and just clipped it slightly, it’s easily done. One day I’ll be doing the anniversary series, I suppose, then I’ll be able to control things more.

RG

Hi Big Den,

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated. I can’t say that I have a favourite line-up; it’s a bit like asking what is my favourite colour (all the silly pop magazines in the 60s always wanted to know that, along with favourite food, drink, girl’s hair colour, etc.).

Soccer has been a part of my life one way or another. In my youth I was never a huge team supporter, though. I moved to London when I was nine and on the first day at my new school I was surrounded by a group of tough looking kids who wanted to know who I supported. I hadn’t clue as to what they were talking about so they elucidated the point by poking me in the ribs and saying, “Football, you idiot, who do you support?” I still didn’t know what they were talking about - I had been living in Wales up until then and other things like ploughing matches, horse shows and sheepdog trials, were important. “I..I..I..er, don’t know,” was my witty reply. “Right, that’s it, you’re an Arsenal supporter then. Say ‘Up the Gunners’.” I repeated “Up the Gunners,” baffled, but quickly realizing that this was the only way I wasn’t going to get beaten up. So that was my first team. Many years later, IG took me to see QPR and I became a sort of fan but I was never that into it, to be honest. Later, in DP we used to play quite a bit, really for Ritchie’s sake, and although I did enjoy that sometimes, it got a bit political at times. These days I don’t play. I enjoy watching a good game but it usually doesn’t matter who wins, to me.

RG

Hi Wajd,

Thank you for your positive comments. As far as Slaves and Masters, or any other album for that matter, is concerned, as I always say, opinions are like leaves on the trees; whatever you think is right for you, whatever I think doesn’t matter (or is it the other way around? ;-)). If you really want to know what IG puts into his body you’d have to ask him. I’d go anywhere where is an audience and I’d love to visit the Middle East again. Is that where you can get doppppppeeee?

RG

Hi Paul,

When I was recording Snapshot I asked Randall if he know of any blues
guitarists in NY and he recommended Warren Haynes. I called him up and set
a date, he came and played one afternoon and in return invited Randall and I
to a recording session in Manhattan later that night. Maybe I?m A Leo was
their late bassist Alan Woody?s favourite song and apparently he used to
drive the rest of the band to distraction by playing it over and over again.
Warren thought it was a fitting song to do, so we did it. Gov?t Mule and
DP together? I?d go for that.

RG

Hi Bruce,

1a) No it was a gig that was being televised.

b) It was a full concert, I?m fairly sure.

2. No idea. What I saw on the MH DVD was what everyone else saw, and what
Dick Clarke has in his castle is anybody?s guess. The producer of the DVD
told me that there was more stuff but Mr. Clarke was going to hang on to it.

P.S. I still have the main hat I wore in those days, it is blue denim and
these days is hardly recognizable as a hat being all crumpled and shapeless,
a bit like me on some days.

RG

Hi Greta,

Thank you but it's no thanks to me, it was the company that approached us.
I agree, I thought they did a fantastic job despite ignoring Lazy. I knew
it would be good when I realized that they had flown over to the States
especially to see RB and me. They didn't stint on the time they took
either, thoroughly professional; one of the few DVDs that I can see many
times.

RG

Hi Finn,

Well, I can’t really comment on what Jon said; I haven’t actually seen that video. The truth is that because of RB’s feelings, along with JL and IP, I was forced to leave (although foolish pride would not let me admit to that back in 1973) but it is also true that we were working too hard. It has long been our perception that had we taken a little time off after years of slogging around on tour after tour, that our course would have been different. It is all conjecture of course; no one knows what might have happened. It has also been said that all things happen for a reason and that the subsequent events may never have happened any other way.

Thanks for your kind words. My equipment is: Vigier Excess bass guitars, no mods. Amplification: 4 SWR 750 amplifiers with 2 SWR Interstellar Overdrives driving 4 Megolith four-range stereo speaker cabinets containing 8 ten-inch speakers and horns in each. Picato and/or Ernie Ball strings. Effects I rarely indulge in, however I do use EBS distortion, compression, octave splitting and phase shifting boxes when I am soloing.

RG

Hi Joanna,

Believe it or not, it ain’t right just because it’s in black and white, or any other colour for that matter. We had done some writing in 2001 but had not completed any recording. Anyway, by now you may well know that we have a new album out, you may well have heard it, and you may well have also managed to obtain Snapshot. If so I hope you liked it/them. I have no way of knowing how available our records may be in Poland but when we tour there in December I hope to have Snapshot available at the concerts. I’ve done a few telephone interviews with various journalists there and I gather that distribution of my record has been less than adequate but I am working to rectify that.

RG

Hi Gary,

Did I say that? I was probably referring to the drink that was put in front of me! Actually, although I remember the Plus Three, I don’t remember the incident in question. The idea to put the autographs on the cover was something that EMI dreamed up, AFAIK. However, you can say you came up with it if you like, no one’s going to sue you. Try it.

RG

Hi Peter,

My feelings about bootlegs are both simple and complicated. Genuine tape traders are all about the music and not about ripping off either the band or anyone else. However, it is illegal to tape and then sell a live performance unless the band allows it, as some bands do. It is also an unenforceable law and so it goes on regardless, so I tend to take the view that as long as it’s not doing too much harm then it’s probably doing some good; most fans have bought more than their share of our legitimate albums anyway. When it comes to marketing a bootleg, it gets a little more complicated. Zappa was the first, AFAIK, to sell his own bootlegs; a bold and typically Zappesque move. We have attempted it but as I write we are stymied by certain legal restraints (I can’t say more). I haven’t heard the Sonic Zoom series; I don’t think they need our permission to release them although I’m not that up to date with the ins and outs. Generally, I’m philosophical about the whole thing, and much more concerned with the band as it is now, moving forward. On to the next gig!

RG

Hi Hansie,

I was not on DP’s version of The Beatles’ Help, that came from 1968 and I joined the band in 1969.

RG

Hi Wajd,

The purple line-up that I like the most is an impossible question; there is no answer to that. Maybe there will be when you ask the same question in twenty years.

Ian Gillan drinks just about enough and no more.

Do I think S&M is a quality album? The question itself is indicative of what you think, and I will never be able to change your mind on that. In any case, the ‘quality’ to which you refer is a subjective judgment; it is not something that can be measured in any way. Of what can be measured we can say this for certain: the CD weighs the same as most other CDs; it has the same dimensions as other CDs; the length of the musical content is commensurate with most other CDs; the information on the cover is accurate – I think I can safely say that Slaves and Masters is indeed a quality product.

RG

Hi Phil,

That time has gone, sorry. When we are recording it is always difficult, if not downright impossible, to arrange meetings, lunches, drinks, coffee mornings, get-togethers, signings, chats, cocktails, photo ops, cups of tea, rendezvouses (!), picnics, appointments, trysts, t?te-a-t?tes, jam sessions, yard sales, gatherings, studio tours or just plain everyday encounters. I am usually too busy contemplating the fact that the number of strings on my bass guitar is the same as the usual count-in for most of our songs; an observation so profound that it leaves me speechless. As for secret gigs, yes we did loads but I can’t talk about them. Apologies Phil, I’m in that sort of mood!!

RG

Hi Svante,

No, there were not any questions put to me about Lazy, I don’t know why. The song was basically a replacement for Wring That Neck – in other words a soloing vehicle for Jon and Ritchie. The title came about because I had a great album by Oscar Brown Junior called Sin and Soul and there is a song on it called Sleepy. I remembered that before I had actually heard the song I tried to imagine what it would sound like (an odd habit retained from school days, when imagining what American records sounded like was the next best thing to actually hearing them) and in the case of Sleepy I was so wrong; it is actually quite an angry theme. During a conversation with IG in Montreux, I mentioned this and he came up with Lazy, especially since it is anything but lazy! Another odd thing is the intro; when Ritchie overdubbed solos he liked to play the song from the top just to get into the feel. As it started he was tuning up and when Martin hit the record button it interrupted a previous take - the resulting accident sounded so good we kept it in. You can spot it as it’s his first entry after the hi-hat starts time.

RG

Hi Alex,

I haven?t a clue, sorry. I?ll ask around though and if it is a good story I?ll post it.

RG

Hi Fabian,

Thanks for good thoughts about Snapshot. The set list is probably close to religion as far as causing a fight is concerned; everyone wants to hear something different. I favour looking at new ideas and I can assure you that there will be a lot of Bananas played on the next tour. (If you didn?t know the name of the album you?d read that twice, wouldn?t you?) I can?t predict what exactly will be played as we don?t know until a day before the tour, or ten minutes before we hit the stage, whichever comes first!

RG

Hi Joel,

The answer is Wednesday evening, 2004. At least that's what the plan is. Thanks for the good thoughts.

RG

Hi Charlie,

If the question was, ?Did Tempus fudge it?? then I suppose the answer is I suppose so. Many have been surprised at Lazy being included out. I can only think that it was a time constraint because the rest of the programme was exemplary.

RG

Hi Raj,

Of course it?s a danger to analyze things too much because... who knows? The one thing I do know about DP is that it has always been a band that?s about music, above all else. I learned a long time ago that DP was a band of musicians who wanted to be as ?natural? as possible. In other words all one had to be was oneself. It sounds simple, but sometimes the strongest things are the simplest. Throughout it?s life, DP has also had some really gifted musicians who love to play and are not motivated primarily by the trappings of show business. This can be as much a blessing as a curse, but at least it?s a blessing. We were also fortunate enough to have been present at the start of a new era, something that cannot be engineered, and as such gained some credibility for being forerunners.

RG

Hi Janne,

It actually is a democracy, there is no leader (one of the few bands that seems to be this way, I think). Most decisions are a case of common sense. Everyone has an opinion and we argue our positions but I suppose ultimately, if there is a difference of opinion, Bruce or record company has their say. It is also true that many meetings have taken place in restaurants. "Group meetings" are something we try to avoid but when they have to be had, why not do it in a convivial atmosphere? Thanks for the kind thoughts.

RG

Hi Danny,

1) No I am not. I had intended to explore what I could bring to BURN and I did go into the studio to do just that. However, there was not a lot Peter Denenberg, my engineer, or I could contribute. Furthermore, I had an uncomfortable feeling about it because I was not in the band at the time. So, ultimately I decided that the project was not for me and I can't imagine the situation on Stormbringer being any different.

2) No. It's all down to what IG will sing, and he won't do anything from that time period.

3) I can't compare. However, they were both wonderful and each heralded a new departure for both the band and the individuals in the band.

RG

Hi frustrazated fan!

This is a bone of contention amongst fans and band alike. The unfortunate fact of life is that the more sophisticated fans will always want to hear the more obscure or the most recent songs whilst the summer tours in America and the festival tours of Europe demanded that we play the most recognizable songs. We even tried to incorporate what might be called the "B list" songs, like Mary Long, but it didn?t work. The hard fact of the matter is that the last two albums, regardless of their lasting value to a fan, did not generate the higher profile needed to make their songs recognizable to the general public. They weren?t hits! Now, with a new album, Bananas, there is a chance that we might break through that acceptance barrier and have some new classics. Personally I would still like to explore a few of the songs from the previous two albums as well, but I have to get the rest of the band to agree. Not always an easy task.

RG

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the good thoughts. The band has as much input with regard to the stage set as it wants, which is, certainly over the last few years, not a lot. This is partly because back in the 80s and into the 90s, bands of a lesser musical nature tended to rely on stage sets to bolster their lack of talent. It became ludicrous; who could have the bigger, better, or more outrageous set. We decided to concentrate on the music and present it in as uncluttered a way as possible, and that has been our practice of late. The Bananas Tour may hold a few changes though, we?ll see.

RG

Hi Greg,

Thanks for the kind words. Brazil? The answer is?. very soon! September, in fact. I haven?t got the dates in front of me but I?m sure you will have no difficulty in finding them, try http://www.deep-purple.com. I hope you catch the tour, I?m looking forward to it.

RG

Hi Mike,

It came as a surprise to me as well. The whole piece was brilliantly put together so I can?t explain why Lazy was ignored. I just answered questions on whatever they asked me, I had no clue that one song would get omitted ? I wasn?t keeping score. Given that the televised portion was only half an hour I can understand that some things had to be cut, but there was plenty of time for the DVD extras to have contained Lazy. I shall ask them, if ever I get the chance.

RG

Hi Mike,

I did go into the studio with the intention of getting a new mix for the title track. Peter Denenberg had purchased a copy of the original CD and we seemed to be getting a great sound in comparison, but when we listened to the remastered version on the Listen, Learn, Read On box set, it wasn't such a great improvement. That, coupled with the fact that I felt a bit odd about doing it to an album that I wasn't on in the first place, led me to decide to not get involved. I hope that the reins will be taken up by IP or MB, but that is up to them and EMI.

RG

Hi Danny,

No I don't get bored with anything that we do, it's a happy event just to be on the stage. As to the argument about doing the newer stuff, I am sympathetic but refer you to the answer I gave to Oleg.

RG

Hi Oleg,

Thank you for the kind thoughts. I think that there are some great songs on HOBL but not many of them ever made it live. Bad Attitude is a song that Don Airey said he would like to have a go at, and that may happen sometime. I personally like Spanish Archer and Black And White (I know a lot of people don?t care for this song but I love it). There are some songs that will never be attempted live because they just don?t turn us on as live material. The choice of songs to play live is a hot topic and we can never please everyone, even those in the band! However, on tours like we?ve been doing the last few years it has been necessary to do more recognizable material. Our fans are the best in the world but don?t always understand that the majority of our audiences these last few years (summer gigs and festivals) want to hear music that they are familiar with. We are also on a bill that includes bands who are doing just that and although I like to play the more the obscure songs, as does the band - at least some of us - it?s a tough sell to the management, agents and promoters. Also, there are a lot of young people coming to see us that have never heard us before.

RG

Hi Frank,

There was only one proper live recording with Joe in the band and that was during the Japanese tour when he had been playing with us for a few days. The quality of the recording is very good and we had hoped for a release of When A Blind Man Cries at that time but Joe (and his management) firmly refused permission for that because he felt that it was too early on in his relationship with us and that his playing sounded like he was feeling his way. I thought it was great but we have no choice but to respect his wishes. They might surface one day, who knows? AFAIK there were no decent live recordings of our time with JLT. I don?t think, certainly at this stage in our career, that we should be trying to find dodgy recordings of writing sessions, however interesting they may be to a few people, sorry.

RG

Hi Jo,

Good question... Actually I think I can remember what is you are referring to. We were rehearsing in a club in Poughkeepsie, New York, for a tour. It was the first of only two days of rehearsal and the equipment had just been set up. I started playing an odd sort of riff in 6/4 time with IP playing along. I liked what it sounded like and so we continued, with Jon joining in. Ian started singing something unintelligible (it was a normal day) and our engineer, at my signal, recorded the whole thing on a cassette (I usually have some kind of recording device around for just such times). RB didn?t just burst in and start playing his riffs and I don?t remember Ian leaving the room (although he might have) but he did say later that he thought that the riff was great and wasn?t it a pity that Ritchie never liked playing anyone else?s riffs any more? One day later on (years) I found that cassette in my basement studio, edited it and added some synth horn parts. Because the recording had been in a room, the sound was pretty fat and the drums had a character approaching Bonham?s Zeppelin sound. Nothing happened to this idea until a lot later, when we were doing Abandon, and I played the tape to the rest of the band. They liked it, we all worked on it, and it ended up as a song called Jack Ruby.

RG

Hi Andrew,

He used a Vox AC 30, usually with his red Gibson 335 but he stopped using that after a while. I have a sneaky feeling that he might have had it with him when we recorded Lazy but I can't be sure. In my mind it is always associated with the earlier days.

RG

Hi Jim.

1. Before the reunion I had the feeling that maybe we should leave Deep Purple where it had come to rest; maybe it was a seventies phenomenon and should be left that way. Two things happened; first I listened to a few boots and reassessed what I thought the band was all about. Then my curiosity got the better of me and I wondered if we could still do that years later. The first thing we did was to have a jam together. At that point I knew it would work. It felt like slipping on a favourite old sweater. No, we didn't feel constricted. At least I didn't.

2. I don't like comparing people, as far as I'm concerned they each had something great to offer. Cozy was, well, Cozy - charm, power, determination and tons of charisma. Bobby had a fantastic sound, stage presence, great hair, and was, and still is, one of the funniest men I've ever met. Chuck was reliable, cool, intelligent and a superb drummer. That's why I used him on Mask.

RG

Hi Ghassan,

1. Most of the songs that we write in DP start out as instrumentals and IG and I, together or individually, write the top lines and words. On this particular song I wrote most of the lyrics one night and showed them to IG the next day. He liked them, made a few changes, and that was that. As for Ritchie's solos, I don't how he came up with them, he just played and there they were. Sometimes he'd try a few different experiments and would listen to suggestions from me as a producer. Occasionally a solo would end up being a composite of two or more takes. He had an unconventional way of approaching a solo space, I don't think he always knew himself where he was going to end up, but that is the mark of a great musician - to be able to 'think on one's feet' as they say. Pure instinct.

2. I feel that Deep Purple is what it is even though some personnel changes have happened over the years. Was it Deep Purple in 1968? 1974,75,76? The band is an evolving spirit, always has been. I wouldn't be in it if it hadn't changed in 1969. It is only because the so-called mark 2 line-up sold millions of records that people immediately equate that time as the band's defining moment. In some ways it was, I agree. Obviously for you, that is the case, and you are not alone. However, that fact that we don't sell in those kind of numbers any more doesn't mean that the band is not still valid, or that I enjoy myself any the less, in fact the opposite is true. I feel that the band is the band as long as we are producing good music and performing to enthusiastic audiences around the world. Of course, people are entitled to their opinion, I would never try to influence that. All I know is that I believe in what we do. To me, that is Deep Purple.

RG

Hi Sylvain,

On the recording of Fireball I was using a Fender Mustang bass amplified with a Marshall stack. I experimented with the Mustang because I wanted to control the bass end a bit more than the Precision, but I found on stage that it didn't have the force,that's when I tried out a Rickenbacker for the first time, and played it on Machine Head.

Good luck to Vincent,

RG

Hi Eirik,

I did not OK the cover of Love Conquers All, and I agree, it's awful. However, I did not have much of a chance to voice my opinions in those days. The video of the same song is also awful and I have a long story about that but it will have to wait for the book. Suffice to say that I never want to see it again.

RG

Hi Stefan,

I did not play bass with Elton John, that was another Glover.

Don't know much about touring Sweden again but it will happen, it always does.

Thanks, I like Seventh Heaven as well and I hope we play it again. We played a lot from Abandon when it came out but unfortunately, most of the crowds we play to don't know it too well. There will be new stuff on the next tour though, new new stuff and new old stuff.

Dream Theater - fine musicians but they don't know how to spell theatre.

RG

Hi Peter,

I think Steve could be persuaded but that's not who has to be - it's the promoters and agents again. (That would be an interesting board game, Promoters And Agents - I can think of several scenarios that could turn up on a wild card!)

To my knowledge IP has never missed a gig.

I'd love to tour Snapshot everywhere but I have to take it one pond at a time.

RG

Hi Adir,

Thanks for your message. You told me how you feel with a great deal of eloquence. I would love to come to Israel again - it's all down to promoters and agents. We received a lovely welcome the last time we were there, despite the fact that it wasn't such a great time in the band's career.

As for the new album, I don't think there will be a concept as such, just a feeling of renewal and courage to do something different. Maybe that's a concept in itself. It's difficult to say much about the album until it's done because it changes and grows all the time, no one knows what it will turn out like.

RG

Hi Jackie,

Thanks, I saw you too. It was not officially recorded. (Officially? Sounds like an office job. I've (thankfully) never had to spend much time in an office.) The Point Depot gig was the first of the tour and was a wonderful welcome to us. It's unbelievable that we've not visited Ireland more often. Crying shame, I call it. I won't forget. We'll be back.

RG

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I love playing music. True, the travel can get to one from time to time, but for me, those moments on stage more than make up for it. How many other jobs have world travel as one of the perquisites? My friends think I've got the best job, I agree with them. You'd have to ask Jon the other question but I suspect that the answer would not be quite as simple as you might think. I'll mark down your vote for Pictures.

RG

Hi Max,

As I've stated before, I don't believe this was ever Jon's idea, it was a question put to him by a journalist that has been erroneously attributed to Jon, who probably answered, saying something to the effect that it would indeed be a dream. I don't think it could be a reality and I don't know what positive effects it could have, it's just pure nostalgia.

RG

HI Marcin,

(taking a deep breath...)
1) Yes, sometimes I have but not recently. I had a hard time listening to Burn but had to admit that Sail Away and Might Just Take Your Life were rather good. As the others came out I lost interest and have no particular feelings about them, good or not.

2) Probably not, there is no reason to. While we're on the subject, I don't believe Jon's dream has anything to do with Jon, as far as I know it was a question put to him by a journalist that has since been taken completely out of context and is now widely believed to be Jon's idea, which it never was.

3) Sad. Ian seemed very set on the course he had chosen. I had no thoughts of leaving - the band seemed to be falling apart around me and I was trying to keep it going. Ritchie never said anything to me about his plans.

4) Cherkazoo was originally four unconnected songs that I wrote with Ian earlier on (mostly he doing the words and myself doing the music). We made the demos, involving a few different musicians, two of whom I remember - Pete York and Paul Buckmaster - and only later did Ian elaborate on the idea and add more songs to make a concept piece of his own.

5) There were some writing sessions, I have not heard them since. There was nothing finalized, don't know what exists.

6) I am not irritated by touring. It is a privilege.

7) I cleaned his shoes, made sure his bed was made and heated some milk. Occasionally a memory or two comes up.

8) Allow? It's not that sort of set up. We would do backing vocals if it sounded good. In fact he has suggested it from time to time.

9) Time permitting, yes I would. I speak to some of them fairly regularly, others I have lost touch with. Things change.

10) Both. There is nothing wrong with giving something away. Taking it without permission is stealing, there's no other word for it.

11) Yes, time permitting.

RG

Hi Milos,

I don't usually comment on other band members' albums. As for the video thing, I'm sorry I don't have a clue, that's a side of the business that I have nothing to do with, and usually has nothing to do with me.

RG

Thanks for the good advice. I don't know when we will be coming to Australia, we've just stopped touring after four years or so without much of a break. Always good to be there though. Funny accents, good beer.

RG

I can't remember the exact ruling, but I don't believe they could do it if there is an ongoing band. RB and JL might be able to, if the band had ceased operating, but I don't think DC of GH would have any rights on their own.

RG

Hi Eric,

1. IG has a lot of enthusiasm, a great quality. The idea of a concept of sorts may or may not transpire, it's all down to what happens when we get together. There is no such thing as a bad idea. That has been our motto since _l_. Small string orchestra, small string vest, anything is possible.

2. He chose us. His motivation is that he is a fan, and can see a great possibility. How much better could that be? I hope it works.

3. Probably, but too early to say.

4. Jam mainly. I've no doubt that everyone will be coming with some rough ideas, but it's all of us that fleshes them out.

5. Right now I wouldn?t have the time. If I had the time ... well that's a different story, I don't know.

RG

Hi Charlie,

The simple answer is, yes. I don't like percentages, it just reminds me of agents, managers, publishers, taxes, expences, contracts. I always want to do new material but sometimes I don?t always get what I want. Strange, that.

RG (the sincere, odd-looking chap with the Hatch End connection)

Hi Serg,

Thanks for the good thoughts. I have no idea of our touring plans for next year other than we will probably be in Europe around May. There is a rumour of a large tour to your part of the world some time later on but no dates are set yet. I?d like to see you again as well, a great welcome we had. J

RG

Hi cn,
I appreciate the positive thoughts on the Machine Head DVD, I happen to agree that it is one of the best of its kind that I’ve seen.
However, with the greatest respect, you are labouring under a false assumption;
That Steve does not put his heart and soul into the band. If he hones his skills at what is, after all, his passion, then that makes him a better performer/writer/participant in our band – as with any of us who dabble with other interests (and that includes all of us) he comes back from such activities refreshed and envigorated, and all the better for having worked ’on the outside’ so to speak.
Second ...ah, two false assumptions - that if we in Mark ll could ’work out our differences’ we would somehow be able to recapture something of what we had thirty years ago. Even if we had no ’differences’, that would be impossible (and who’s to say that it might not be worse than imagineable). DP is frozen in time for some, and that’s fine, but it is not for me/us, it is an evolving band all the time and one cannot help but evolve with it. The fact that one may prefer the younger DP to the, how shall I put it? – more mature DP – is fine, that’s opinion and everyone is welcome to an opinion, but what can a poor boy do - get young again? Pass the pills please. 😉
I know, I know, I’m taking it to extremes and what you really mean is if we were together now, at this time, would or could it be good based on the fact that it was good once? Try that out on an ex-wife!
Third ...ah, three false assumptions – that RB always put his heart and soul into whatever we recorded. I also have always put my heart and soul into whatever we record, and I don’t know of anyone in the band that doesn’t do the same, including Steve. In fact I don’t know any respectable musician anywhere who does not put their heart and soul into what they do.
Fourth... (is this getting boring?) – that ’a lot’ is one word.

Sorry to go on, I do appreciate where the question is coming from, but it’s all hypothetical isn’t it?

Nostalgia’s OK, in its place.

RG

Hi Reinaldo,

I’m doin’ fine thanks.

There are songs that work well live and there are song songs that don’t. We kind of have a sixth sense about which is which, based on experience. However there are surprises – Fools is one, also Watching The Sky, Blind Man, No One Came. Most of those were overlooked in the past and yet have now become regulars.
No song is just plain difficult to play, after all we played it in the first place, but if they are intricate, or rely on a delicate feel, they tend not to be the ones we would gravitate to on stage. The best songs are usually those where a certain amount of freedom allows us to stretch out a bit. One of the strengths (and maybe weakesses) of this band is that it has always had great players who are not interested in playing the same thing twice. In fact most cover bands play our material closer to the recorded version that we could ever do, we just don’t listen to our own music much.

RG

Hi Jeff,

I played a Fender Mustang on the Fireball album but found it to be a bit light sounding on stage. The Fender Precision I used on In Rock was good but I had a hard time with the bottom E, hence the change. However, I discovered Rickenbacker after that and used it on the next two albums, until I left. I’ve tried several others since then, all in the quest for a bass that makes me sound better than I am. I have been using Vigier basses for the longest time now, fantastic guitars. I also like Music Man for a change.

RG

Hi Smudge,

We will be back on the road but in Portsmouth, no idea. Not for a while I should imagine. Take a (hopefully much deserved) summer trip yourself and come to see us in Europe next year.

RG

Hi Ottar,

Most of the re-releases are nothing to do with us. I always felt that they (the old management) were plain greedy to be putting out stuff that was never intended for release. It felt like they were 'scraping the barrel' or ‘sucking everything out of the melon’ as you so daintily put it. Maybe that's because I underestimated the band's appeal, I don't know. I still feel uneasy about rehash after rehash, but having said that, the new box set is really good, it is well put together (apart from a few flaws) and although I don't know how much of the material was available before (I'm not an avid collector, as some people think), I found it entertaining. The 1969 Concerto was well done. And I am all in favour of the EMI anniversary series, then again, I'm biased.

RG

Hi Chris,

> 1) Why is it taking so long to record the next DP cd? Are you guys in the studio and when is the expected release date?

We haven't started yet so I don't know how long it's going to take. I assume though, that you're referring to the length of time between albums. Good question. After the Concerto we got tied up with touring with orchestras for a while and that put us back. There was also the bigger question of whether Jon was going to be in the band or not, I don't think it would have very wise to have recorded an album with Jon and then have him retire and us go out with Don or whomever just playing Jon's part. That wouldn’t have been fair. The essence of this band is what happens when we play together. On the other hand, no one but Jon could have reached that decision, and it took some time for him to finally face what he didn't want to face; he loves playing with this band, a band that he helped to create, but he had other avenues to explore and eventually he put himself in a position to do just that. We are now ready to explore our own avenues. I believe it will be all to the better for this delay.

> 2) Will there be a major change in the setlist the next time DP tours here in the US? DP is not a nostalga band in my book.

Yes, I believe there will, but don't forget that with the audience getting younger, more and more people are coming to our shows who haven't heard us before. Like it or not, they are the songs most associated with us. It would be nice to have newer material be so well known but right now it isn't. I know all the arguments, believe me, I have them with various people in our organization all the time, and I'm all in favour for newer songs, or even rarely played older ones, but I also know the realities of the band, both from a media point of view and a personal one. However, having said that, I will be fighting for as much new material as possible.

> Please no more coheadlining shows!!!!

Talk to our agent and see how difficult it is get any kind of tour these days. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!

> 3) Why no songs off of Abandon?

On the Abandon tour we did seven new songs from that album. Seven! We've never done so much new material before or since. Personally, I think some worked better than others, but I really enjoy playing Seventh Heaven and I'd love to do it again. I liked Any Fule too but that's a tough one for IG to sing night after night. We'll see.

> 4) Who are your favorite professional football, baseball and basaketball teams?

Bristol Wednesday, The New York Wankers, and The Knickers.

RG

Hi Rich,

No Jon won't be there, at least not initially. We have not reached the stage where we can make those kind of decisions yet. We did write a few ideas with Jon and I for one would like him to be a guest on the album for one or two tracks, but it is important that Don be represented well, he is our keyboard player now and that's that. We'll see.

RG

Hi Rasmus,

Roughly speaking (which I'm quite good at) the initial writing session will be in December. In January 2003 we enter the studio, in Los Angeles, and start recording. Writing and recording will proceed through the next few months and we aim to be finished by 2004 (just kidding!!!!). I have no predictions for the style of the album, I just want it to be vibrant, fresh, and sounding good. There is a great feeling within the band right now .

I'm not 100% on when touring will start so I'd rather not speculate. Suffice to say that by summer we will be back on the road, somewhere. I would like to do a few dates with The Guilty Party sometime around March to May, probably in the States. It all depends on how the album is doing. I'll be writing studio updates.

RG

Hi Ingrid,
Thanks for the welcome. For the first in a long time we are working with a producer, Michael Bradford, based in Los Angeles (I went to see his studio in the summer when we were touring there). Our scheduled start date for the writing session was November but he called and asked if we could put it back to December. For a change we could actually say yes because there are no tours in the near future. I didn't mind because it's good to be with my family for longer than a few weeks and also to contemplate the music we are about to make and get some ideas going.

RG