DEEP PURPLE's IAN GILLAN Talks Past And Present Lineup

Launch Radio Networks reports: Although DEEP PURPLE has gone through many line-up changes since their formation in 1968, the current one — with singer Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Don Airey, drummer Ian Paice, and guitarist Steve Morse — has been together since 2002. "I think it's probably the most significant musical force the band's had since, I would say '69/70," Gillan told TheMusiciansVoice.com, "but that's with great respect to all the other formations of PURPLE. I mean, obviously, they had three hugely successful records before Roger and I joined. But we did change direction. Roger and I joined not just as a singer and a bass player, but as a songwriting team and I think that established in the public eye what essentially PURPLE is. It's quite flexible actually and it's quite textured."

Gillan says that although the band writes new material, "It's a complete waste of time as far as America is concerned, because nobody plays it," he said. "It's classic rock-oriented and all they ever play is 'Highway Star' or 'Smoke On The Water'."

Gillan says that the current lineup is one of the best, because the members all trust each other: "Well, it's like any group of people, really. I think you function much better when you trust people and when you've got a sort of relationship where you can develop ideas within a framework. When we go to the studio now it's just pure joy."

Gillan says that the friendly atmosphere is good for DEEP PURPLE. "If you could be a fly on the wall in the dressing room or on the tour bus or in the hotel bar you'd see a bunch of people that don't even talk about music when we're offstage or out of the studio," he says. "There's a lot of banter that goes on and I think that creates a good atmosphere. It's good for the soul."

Gillan fondly remembers the early years in the band, saying, "When we joined, it was working very well. There wasn't a real tension, other than the usual mucking around. I used to room with Ritchie (Blackmore),Roger used to room with Jon (Lord) and no one used to room with 'Pacey' (Ian Paice) because his feet smelled so bad... The last three or four years have been among the highlights in my memories and probably the most creative, too."

The band recently released the double-DVD live set "They All Came Down to Montreux: Deep Purple Live At Montreux 2006", which contains many of their early hits.