Deep Purple
Shifting halfway through their career from keyboard flourishes to guitar-dominated heavy metal, Deep Purple is one of the few bands in the world who can legitimately lay claim to having changed the face of the music industry, creating an entirely new style of rock ’n’ roll.
Deep Purple
Shifting halfway through their career from keyboard flourishes to guitar-dominated heavy metal, Deep Purple is one of the few bands in the world who can legitimately lay claim to having changed the face of the music industry, creating an entirely new style of rock ’n’ roll. In their vastly more popular phase, the band was listed as the “loudest rock band in the world” in the Guinness Book of World Records. After taking five years to establish their worldwide supremacy, selling millions of albums and packing venues around the world, the band’s most famous line-upsinger Ian Gillan, guitarist Richie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord, drummer Ian Paice and bassist Roger Glover—broke up.
The phenomenal success of Machinei Head, Smoke On The Water, Made In Japan and Burn could do nothing to help keep the band together. Gillan left for a solo career; Roger Glover left to produce Judas Priest, Michael Schenker and Elf. Jon Lord recorded a solo album and Richie Blackmore formed Rainbow. Replacing Richie with Tommy Bolin, with whom the group recorded one album before retiring in 1976, it looked as if Deep Purple was headed for the department of repackaging and greatest hits compilations.