JOE LYNN TURNER On U.S. Presidential Election: 'Americans Are Sick And Tired Of Politicians Saying The Same Old, Same Old'

In a brand new interview with Full Throttle Rock, former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer Joe Lynn Turner was asked how he feels about the upcoming presidential election. He said: "I think it is a circus and I think it is probably the most important election in America's history, if not the world's history. Because whichever way it goes, it is going to shape the world into a situation that is either going to be positive or negative. Personally, I am tired of 'business as usual.' I think that millions of Americans are sick and tired of politicians saying the same old, same old and that we really need to wake up and create something new here. We need our independence back, we need the power of the people, we need people to get more active and awake about things happening instead of sitting at home and watching their TV. So I do think this is an incredibly important election, and at the same time, I don't see the truth within the election. When I left the United States, there was a lot of conjecture about falsification in voting, rigged systems and I happen to know that politians are like that. So I don't doubt that that is the truth. I guess THE WHO said it best: 'Won't get fooled again,' but most time people do get fooled again, don't they?"

Joe Lynn Turnermade headlines last year when it was revealed that he joined a list of Western celebrities who publicly expressed support for and defended Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose image had suffered greatly because of Moscow's aggressive foreign policy. He said at the time: "Truth be told, I have no love anymore for the United States, really. I don't like the administrations, I don't like what's going on, I don't like the lies to the people… I don't like anything. It's not the country… my father's country. When there was opportunity, when there was truth — some truth anyway — I think…" He added: "I've listened to every leader in the world. The only one who's telling the truth is Putin."

Joe was the singer of RAINBOW between 1980 and 1984 and he sang on the album "Difficult To Cure", which featured the band's most successful U.K. single, "I Surrender".

During Turner's time with RAINBOW, the band had its first USA chart success and recorded songs that helped define the melodic rock genre.

1990 saw reunited Turner with RAINBOW leader Ritchie Blackmore in a reformed DEEP PURPLE for the "Slaves And Masters" album.