Deep Purple

Deep Purple

For some strange reason, these giants of rock don't have their own thread on these forums yet which - on a music forum - is frankly just embarassing. Maybe the reason they don't have a thread is because everyone knows them already. After more than 4 decades (okay, with breaks) of hard rockin' and over 100 million albums sold, maybe people take them for granted.

As you know, the band formed in England in 1968 and were at their height from 1969 into the early 70s when the band consisted of members Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Jon Lord (keyboard), Roger Glover (bass, synthesizer) and Ian Paice (drums). In 1972, they released the kickass album Machine Head which is frequently cited as a major influence on the later heavy metal. The album also included their most known song with what's probably the world's most famous guitar riff. The song is of course "Smoke on the Water" which tells the story about when the band had a mobile studio at a complex where Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were playing a concert .. "Some stupid" with a flare gun set fire to the place and so everything burned, including their studio.

They've put out lots of awesome rock music before and since, a lot of them revolving around central rock & roll themes like scoring chicks or driving fast cars. Members of Deep Purple have also been in other famous groups. For example Ritchie Blackmore which is perhaps the most moody diva in the guitar world, branched off and created Rainbow with our dearest Ronnie James Dio on vocals and Ian Gillan has sung for Black Sabbath.

That's perhaps enough trivia for a first post. So what do you guys think about Deep Purple? Any favourite songs or albums?


I'm not very original. Machine Head is my favourite album though I do have appreciation for their other albums. To get the ball rolling on vids and such, I'll post my favourite classic from that album which is of course "Highway Star". ROCK AND ROLL!