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Over the course of a career that’s lasted almost forty years - and that’s not allowing for an eight-year break after an initial split in 1976 - Deep Purple have cemented their position as one of the most influential rock and roll bands in the history of the genre. Furthermore, they’re considered genuine pioneers of both hard rock and heavy metal after having moved away from initial roots in progressive rock, and have the commercial clout to back up their towering status within the rock community; they’ve sold in excess of one hundred million albums internationally. The current lineup features just one original member, Ian Paice on drums, although frontman Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover both joined the band shortly after they began, in 1969. Steve Morse, on guitar, and Don Airey on keys round out the five-piece as they stand today, and they continue to tour and record; their latest album, “Now What?!”, was released in April of 2013, and flirted with progressive metal.
That album might not have been as successful as the records that defined them back in their seventies heyday - March 1972’s “Machine Head”, which features their signature song “Smoke on the Water”, frequently features on countdowns of the greatest rock records ever - but they still pack out arenas the world over; their status as bona fide rock legends has long since been secure.
Perhaps it’s because their one and only split, in 1984, seems so long ago now, or perhaps because they lacked an iconic character of Ozzy Osbourne or Jimmy Page’s standing, but Deep Purple are the one member of the ‘unholy trinity,’ alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, who seem to have the lowest public profile. Sure, they still tour arenas, but Sabbath have been playing stadiums this summer, and as for Zeppelin, the number of applications for tickets for their one-off reunion at the O2 stretched into seven figures. Quietly, though - as unsuitable a phrasing as that is - the biggest band ever to come out of Hertford are continuing to do quite nicely for themselves. Their most recent UK jaunt had them mixing things up, playing some arenas and some theatres, and doing their best to avoid accusations that they’re trading off of former glories; of the seventeen tracks making the setlist each night, seven were plucked from last year’s 'Now What?!' record. The classics made the cut, too, of course, as did all the trappings of the classic rock show - extensive soloing and plentiful crowd participation included. Stadium tours any time soon? Probably not, but if we’re talking about the preservation of their legacy, Deep Purple are certainly doing it justice.
Joeg_67
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