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To burn or not to burn

A piece in Ultimate Guitar goes all drooling over this guitarist’s take on Blackmore’s solo in Burn: Here’s How Ritchie Blackmore’s ‘Burn’ Solo Should Sound in 2025 Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What do you mean it ‘should’ sound like anything?” Of course, you’re right, Ritchie Blackmore’s solo section in “Burn” is the stuff […]

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Chopin’s story revisited

Continuing with the tidal wave of Gillan news, the 2011 documentary about Frédéric Chopin narrated by Big Ian has been recently posted on ’em intertubes. Due to the scarcity of archival footage of Mr. Chopin, we get to see a lot of the narrator, riding horse carriages and tractors, and even partaking in a village […]

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It’s a Nightmare

It’s that time of the week — time for another freshly restored classic Gillan video

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Alive at sea

Black Country Communion has posted a video of he band’s past live performances, including one in March 2024 on board of the Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea cruise.

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Grit, edge, and balls

Louder Sound teases Gillan’s interview appearing in the current (#337) issue of the Classic Rock magazine. The interview largely deals with Gillan the band years, and the teaser is the story that most of us have heard before — of Blackmore trying to recruit Gillan to sing for Rainbow. The reason I had left Deep […]

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Then we started to get restless

Release of restored Gillan promo videos continues on what looks like a weekly schedule. This week, it is Restless

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Solo album from Simon

Simon McBride’s new album is due to be released on March 14 via Edel/earMUSIC. It is called Recordings 2020-2025, but contrary to what it may seem, does not include any of the tracks already released during these years (such as on his 2020 Trouble EP, or 2022 The Fighter album). Track listing: Uniform Of Youth […]

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Too mellow and too muted

Guitar Player reprints online a story of how Ritchie Blackmore got the “loudest amp Marshall ever made”. In his Deep Purple days, Ritchie Blackmore was known for two things: his habit of torturing his Fender Stratocasters and his love of volume. But getting an amp as loud as he wanted took particular skills and talents. […]

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Trapped in undesirable circumstance

Louder Sound reprints online a feature on Gillan’s Magic, arguing it is a conceptual album of sorts in nature. Of the three major offshoots that emerged after the break-up of Deep Purple in 1976, Gillan (the band, not the man) was certainly the most musically daring. And Gillan’s most daring album just might be their […]

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A little Gillan and a little Lord

The latest issue (February-March 2025) of the Rock Candy magazine has a feature on the “Deep Purple maestro’s other band” Gillan. We have no idea on the details, so please report if there’s something interesting in there. In other unrelated news, Dear Mr Fantasy – A Celebration for Jim Capaldi Featuring the Music of Jim […]

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A day in history

City of Münster, Germany, publishes this historic photo. Deep Purple in the window of city history The Deep Purple concert on December 4, 1970 in the Halle Münsterland was completely sold out. Numerous disappointed fans without tickets then tried to storm the entrance to the hall. Only a massive police operation prevented them from entering. […]

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Barely made a dollar

You guessed it right — yet another classic Gillan video has been restored and posted to the intertubes. Living for the City

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Celebrating Bernie Marsden

Rufus Publications is taking pre-orders on their new book Celebrating Bernie Marsden. The promo blurb reads: With the kind permission of his family we have been working on a new book to celebrate the career of the amazing Bernie Marsden. This new, 300mm square book with over 300 pages includes written contributions from David Coverdale, […]

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Two colours of the rainbow

A couple of recent interviews with ex-Rainbow people. Ronnie Romero talks to Barstools & Bandtalk: Bob Daisley has appeared on the Talk Louder Podcast, and it was a protracted conversation, so buckle up! Despite repeated efforts to scrub his name from the history books, bassist, composer and lyricist Bob Daisley is universally celebrated (and rightfully […]

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Sea Glass

Candice Night’s new solo album Sea Glass will be released on April 25, 2025, vie Edel/earMUSIC. It will be a family affair, with her hubby guesting on one track (The Last Goodbye), and their children appearing on another (Promise Me). Track list: Sea Glass Unsung Hero (She’ll Never Tell) The Line Between Angel And Jezebel […]

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Live Archive 1974

Another batch of vintage Deep Purple bootlegs has been released on streaming platforms. These are the Live Archive 1974 Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. The sets include: Manchester-Belle Vue, King’s Hall, May 15, 1974 New York City, Madison Square Garden, March 13, 1974 Sheffield, City Hall, Oval Hall, May 6, 1974 Uniondale, Long Island, New […]

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Sarabande in Athens

Jon Lord’s Sarabande will receive a rare live outing in February in Greece. It will be a one off performance by the Camerata Friends of Music Orchestra, conducted by George Petrou, with special guest Gus G on guitar. Other memebers of the band include Giorgos Fakanas on bass, Stefanos Dimitriou on drums, and the conductor […]

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No, not swimming

Another classic Gillan video has been restored and posted.

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The Frank Sinatra of rock´n´roll

A 1981 vintage Jon Lord interview, where he talks about the bogus Purple, Gillan’s departure from the band, Tommy Bolin, prospects for a reunion, Tony Ashton, an upcoming solo album, and the Frank Sinatra of rock´n´roll. The interview is published with a warning that no part can be quoted without permission, so we can’t offer […]

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Ще не вмерла Україна

Ian Gillan’s autobiography has been published in Ukraine. It was translated by Gennady Shpak (text) and Julia Vrotna (lyrics), and edited by Volodymyr Drybushchak, who himself is a well published author of quite a few books on Deep Purple and family. With Ian’s blessings, Volodymyr corrected several factual inaccuracies that sneaked into the original. Sounds […]

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