DEEP PURPLE Drummer Says ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Induction 'Could End In A Punch-Up'

Drummer Ian Paice of legendary British hard rockers DEEP PURPLE — who have been eligible for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for two decades now — has told Classic Rock magazine that a hypothetical induction of the band's surviving members "could end in a punch-up."

PURPLE was recently nominated for Hall Of Fame inclusion for a third time, having been passed over in both 2013 and 2014.

The inductees to the 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will be announced on Thursday, December 17, four months prior to the induction ceremony, which will take place in New York City this coming April.

Paice tells Classic Rock about the possibility of his band finally getting inducted: "Well, who would they induct? There have been so many members of this band, even if they say it will be core members, who would it be?

"You also have to bear in mind, that if some people are inducted together, it could end in a punch-up. I don't need to tell anyone certain key members and former members of this band do not get on. Personally, I think they would be better off inducting us individually. That avoids the problem."

According to Paice, there could be additional problems if DEEP PURPLE is asked to perform at the ceremony.

He says: "As for playing live, again who would be involved? You'd have the same situation as for an induction. This one won't play with that one — it could be a mess.

"The Hall Of Fame should be embarrassed for not inducting us already. Look at some of the non-entities who've got in. I won't name them, but just have a look at some of those names, and you'll know who I mean. What have they ever done for rock 'n' roll? Nothing. Having these artists in before DEEP PURPLE undermines what it is supposed to represent."

DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan recently called the people who run the Hall Of Fame organization "bloody arrogant and rude." He told Classic Rock magazine: "I have no respect for them. They're the kind of people that having seen 'A Hard Day's Night' decided that THE MONKEES would be America's equivalent to THE BEATLES. They've no idea what goes on in the big, wide world outside of their self-arbitrating surroundings. To me, those people are bloody arrogant and rude."

He continued: "I've heard that somebody on their committee dismissed us as one-hit wonders. I couldn't figure out whether that hit was 'Hush', 'Kentucky Woman', 'Black Night', 'Strange Kind Of Woman', 'Child In Time', 'Perfect Strangers', 'Knocking At Your Back Door' or perhaps even 'Smoke On The Water'."

Gillan added: "I'm very grateful for the other bands and artists that stood up for us with a view to our induction — that's nice of them. But I wish that the Hall Of Fame had had the discretion to ask us first. It's now become a debate in which we are too late to have the final word."

The last time PURPLE was denied entry, they were passed over for the likes of pop singer-songwriter Randy Newman and R&B singer Donna Summer.

To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. The 2016 nominees had to release their first recording no later than 1990.