The year is drawing to a close but I want to tell you that for me it has been a really good one. I wish to wish you all the wishes that you wish for to come true. But be careful what you wish for!

It has been another triumphant year for Deep Purple; we survived. Our tours were a joy – yet again we were welcomed at various places around the planet and I am pleased for all the support you gave us. Thank you.

Snapshot finally escaped and I’m glad that those of you who heard it, enjoyed it. I am not one to complain, oh well, yes I am, but a review or two in the UK would have been nice, even if it was a bad one. It appears to have been met with a wall of indifference, probably because I’m not sprouting bits of anatomy or am under 15. Other countires have faired a little better and the US record company are planning some good promotion in the next month or so and I’m looking ahead to that. I am also hoping to do a couple of dates in the new year, time and everything else permitting.

rogerglover.com is up and running. A work in progress, of course. Tim Weeks did a great design and the hard-working Andi Thul is maintaining it. More stuff will be up there shortly so please check in once in a while. Or more. Some of my art work will be up in a few days. As the new year progresses I will be going through my old box of photographs and posting some odd memories.

This year marks another turning point for us; Jon Lord leaving and Don Airey joining. It is impossible to put into words what Jon means to this bunch of people, particularly me. When I joined the band in 1969 I was impressed and stimulated by Jon’s moustache, intellect and musicianship beyond measure and he helped me grow through the years. I am priviliged to have met him, let alone work with him. I wish him the best of luck with his future endeavours. I sense the music that is in him it will come out with grace and style, two of his many trademarks. I am a fan and I look forward to it as eagerly as anyone else.

Of course the band will never be the same and anyone wishing it to be so will undoubtedly be unhappy. However, like Steve, Don Airey enters the band replacing someone whose shadow looms large, but I have faith in him and believe that he will cast his own impressive shadow. He is a consumate musician, an old friend and a lovely bloke and I’m sure we’ll have a good time. Onwards and upwards.

We completed a writing/rehearsing session in a large room in Los Angeles. There was space enough for us to blast out without it being too loud and claustrophobic and we had a really constructive time. Anyone attempting to divine true meanings behind ambiguous statements, like those put out after meetings between political leaders, will have a field day with the word ‘constructive’. Anyway, it was truly constructive and there are about twenty ideas on the table, nine of which we’ve made a meal of, so far. And we’re still hungry.

Michael Bradford is a really nice guy and a great chap to work with. He has a knack of bringing out the best in people, which what makes him a fine producer to start with. Anyone wondering what DP will sound like with him at the helm will just have to carry on wondering because a) we haven’t started recording yet, just writing, and b) it’s not something that can be put into words anyway. Suffice to say that we are really looking forward to it. Speaking as a producer, I’m thrilled he’s involved.

We are back in the new year for a brief rehearsal before actually going in to the studio to start laying down tracks. The buzzword is…sonics!!

Thank you, good luck and bon voyage,

RG