Some 56 years after they were formed, British rock band Deep Purple continues to be in the news. On July 19, the group released its 23rd studio album, much to the anticipation of hardcore fans.
Interestingly, the 13-track record is titled ‘=1’, a symbolic reference to the concept that “everything equals one”. Besides the fact that it was another addition to the band’s vast discography, followers were more interested in two factors.
One was the quality of frontman Ian Gillan's voice, considering he was well past 78 while recording these songs. The second was the performance of guitarist Simon McBride, who was recording his first album with the band after replacing Steve Morse, who left in 2022 to take care of his ailing wife.
The heartening thing is that Gillan still has that perfect pitching and throw. Obviously, given his age, one cannot expect the screaming derring-do of the old hits Highway Star and Child In Time, but his voice has aged naturally and gracefully. We got evidence of that on the album’s first single Portable Door, released over three months ago, and that trademark runs consistently through the album.
As for McBride, he isn’t totally new to Indian audiences, as he was with the band during their performance at the Bandland festival in Bengaluru late last year. Of course, he then played the regular classics Smoke On The Water, Lazy, Space Truckin’ and Perfect Strangers, blending touch-artistry with shred-sizzle, and giving them a personal tweak. Before Purple, where he’s now a 45‐year-old ‘baby’, he played with Sweet Savage, Snakecharmer and keyboardist Don Airey’s group.
On the new album, McBride comes up with some melodic and intense solos, which perfectly complement Airey’s lush, dancing keyboards. While veteran bassist Roger Glover and evergreen drummer Ian Paice firm up the rhythm section, the production by Bob Ezrin (of Pink Floyd The Wall fame) adds value.
The album has the classic Purple sound reminiscent of the 1980s. Songs like Show Me, A Bit On The Side, Portable Door, Pictures Of You and Old-Fangled Thing are highly listenable, and the ballads If I Were You and Catch You are definitely worth a hum-along, complete with delectable McBride solos. One may argue that none of the songs has the anthem-like quality of the old favourites, though only time can tell whether any of them has lasting appeal.
Like most older bands, Purple faces the challenge of pushing their new material. Even at the Bandland festival, the set list was dominated by the popular gems. Barring a section of devoted fans, very few listen to the newer albums with as much focus and passion. The same was the case with Purple’s 2020 album Whoosh! and the last Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi albums, which were first-rate in terms of quality but didn’t gain the mass acceptance of the earlier records.
The positive thing, of course, is that Deep Purple still has that spark and snazz. They have an illustrious history, being one of the pioneers of hard rock along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, and a huge influence on many later-day rock and heavy metal bands. In fact, in an interview to this writer in 2003, Gillan had said that individually, each band member had grown up on so many styles, that it made their music more varied and eclectic, with Jon Lord’s keyboards adding a special flavour. He wished the newer bands had a broader palette.
The other main characteristic of Purple is their regular changes in line-up. The first vocalist was Rod Evans, and other singers have included the great David Coverdale and Joe Lynn Turner, with chip-ins by Glenn Hughes. The guitarists have been Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Joe Satriani and Morse.
Most fans swear by the early 1970s Mark II line-up, comprising Gillan, Blackmore, Lord, Glover and Paice. Some feel the Coverdale phase was special, their favourite albums being Burn and Stormbringer in the mid-70s. While that’s understandable, one also hopes the newer material gets a fair chance. The guys still have their chops in place.
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