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Living up

A brief addendum to our coverage of the induction. Short press conference that Gillan, Paice, and Glover gave after receiving their awards. It may answer some questions, but I guess not from the people who are in write-only mode.

On his part, Blackmore posted this message on Facebook:

Obviously, as you know from the post here, I have my reason for not attending the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, although I appreciate the award- however, I do think that they should’ve given an award to Joe Lynn Turner for when he was in Deep Purple- for his singing and writing on Slaves and Masters-a great record, one of my favorites.

Thanks to deep-purple.ru for the info.



56 Comments to “Living up”:

  1. 1
    Mark Gowans says:

    They look like 3 old gangsters 😉

  2. 2
    Cristian Cocos says:

    Deep Purple finally joining Madonna in the Rock and Roll pantheon! What an honor (for Deep Purple, I mean)!

  3. 3
    Oscar Rodríguez Campos says:

    🙂

  4. 4
    John Madric says:

    Can we all just move on now that the circus is packing up again…

  5. 5
    Keith Pyron says:

    The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a farce!
    ABBA? Madonna?
    How about some REAL Rock bands?

  6. 6
    Jaffa says:

    It’s all a bit daft.

    Ritchie didn’t go, for whatever reason. He could have gone. He probably could have played. He could have just accepted the honour. But he didn’t. Cos he’s Ritchie. He’s as predictable as my teenage son, who, incidentally, thinks he doesn’t conform and is “out there”. The reference to JLT on Facebook is, at least, funny.
    But lets be clear, Ritchie has always treated fans poorly when he wants to…I was at Wembley Arena in 1980 when he refused to do an encore because the audience didn’t deserve it.
    What we got at this ceremony was the best we were ever going to get. No one is a villain, no one is a dick. It’s just the way it is. Different people all doing different things for different reasons. We can still be fans and still enjoy the music.

  7. 7
    Duncan Joe Henshall says:

    What a sorry state of affairs. I can’t believe they all couldn’t bury the hatchet for one night.
    RRHOF could have inducted the entire members of Deep Purple which would have removed some of the petty squabbling. I’d rather they hadn’t been nominated

  8. 8
    Gary William Sandywell says:

    It could of done so much to help towards healing the rifts.
    Well said Joe ?

  9. 9
    Kasper Kjærsgaard says:

    Like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin?

  10. 10
    Kasper Kjærsgaard says:

    Well the Menace in Black didn’t want to join.
    What should they do? Handcuffed him and dragged him?

  11. 11
    Nigel Bear Davies says:

    I’m not convinced by Gillan claim , Ritchie was invited twice? His body language was all wrong ……..

  12. 12
    Paul Carucci says:

    Deep Purple without Ritchie are not deep purple.

  13. 13
    Franky Ledoux says:

    JLT???? Yeah right…

  14. 14
    Keith Pyron says:

    Exactly Kasper, and Russ Ballard and the Midnighters, etc.

  15. 15
    Danijel Coda Dukmenić says:

    Hell on earth! Where is the Ritchie? Blackmore and Lord was a DP! Paice and Glover also but this, is just wrong,just wrong man!!!

  16. 16
    Nigel Bond says:

    Check out the Steve Miller press conference where Miller is highly critical of the RRHOF organisers. Maybe this is the reason Blackmore didn’t turn up.

  17. 17
    Blackwood Richmore says:

    Quoth the Raven “Nevermore”. And the Raven never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting on the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming; And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, shall be lifted – nevermore!. Taken from The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. For deeper people. Smiles to ya!.

  18. 18
    Hårstad Roy A says:

    Yes it is! I got a lot of records to prove it!

  19. 19
    Blackwood Richmore says:

    But still my mind wanders to another old classic….. Full fathom five thy father lies, Of his bones are coral made, Those are pearls that were his eyes; Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change, into something rich and strange. From “Ariel’s Song” in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Surely only for the deepest of people?. Smiles to ya!.

  20. 20
    Ian Low says:

    I would have had more respect for them if they had all told the RRHOF to stick the award up their arses and didn’t attend this farce at all. They had certainly all said as much in the past when they were knocked back. I guess egos won out in the end.

  21. 21
    Alket Kellici says:

    This is for fans man….they already said it many times how much they respect that so called institution!

  22. 22
    Dpfender says:

    Great post Jaffa. It’s no surprise that Blackmore said JLT should’ve received an award. The thing that gets me is how few people don’t respect Steve for his talent and contribution. He’s the opposite of RB. Anyone who has been to a show, heard him in interviews or met him would know this. Those who just want to put him and Don down for not being worthy should just not say anything. But that’s the world we live in.
    It would’ve been nice if Steve got one, but at least he got to play at the Hall in the state of his birth.
    This whole thing feels good for a fan from the beginning who has enjoyed every incarnation of the band and no one can ever say anything to take that away.

  23. 23
    George Bochorishvili says:

    the beatles ,rolling stouns , deep purple ,and nothing more,

  24. 24
    Les Hedger says:

    Ritchie couldn’t be bothered to attend the Jon Lord memorial show either. Paice said he was invited. By trying to be “unpredictable” Ritchie has become
    predictable. A thumbs up to Steve Morse, by the way, for playing “Smoke” almost note for note as it is on MH as a tribute to RB. That man is a class act.

  25. 25
    Danny N says:

    Very well said Jaffa and DP Fender. I so wanted RB to pitch up, shake hands and be honoured for his huge contribution to my favorite band of all time but it was not to be. I have met him and the current members of Deep Purple several times over the years. All I can say is that some artists respect their fans a lot and others well….enough said already. Like Ian Paice said, when a band you really like receives an award, it’s similar to your favorite sports team winning a championship. The fans are proud and feel like a part of the win. The guys aren’t getting any younger and time passes too fast. Although I think the RRHOF is a sham, it would have been great to see the surviving members on stage together one last time. Like others have said I am happy and lucky to have seen the different incarnations of the band through the years. I think that we the fans have a lot to be thankful for. Long live DP and their fans around the world.

  26. 26
    LRT says:

    Blackmore did not write that. It does not follow his syntax one bit. I call utter bullshit!

  27. 27
    Ivica says:

    Completed
    now let’s work …. Big Ian come to the studio … Bob waiting 😉

  28. 28
    Jean says:

    I love the way Paicey takes the mic from Gillan! 😀
    “Don’t say anything, I’ll talk!” Of course, Gillan is stuck: whatever he says, people will use it against him. And whatever happens, people will complain!

    They’re really old, by now, at any moment they could disappear from the public life and never come back again, due to sickness or worse…
    I’m thirty: had they stopped whem RB left, and I couldn’t have seen them at all. I’m so glad they continued playing stuff from Mark II!

    @6 & 22
    What pleasure to read you both!

    Yes a lot of things could have happened… And a lot of us hoped, at least secretely 😉 for a reunion with the unpredictable man in black! Without any form of disrespect for Steve Morse! Btw, I got once the chance to meet him during a guitar clinic: one of the nicest guys in the world (and one of the best guitar players, according to the readers of guitar magazine). And, as thousands of other fans, I LOVE THE STUFF FROM THE MORSE-ERA! I listened to it again and again, through the years, as I did with the Blackmore stuff.

    We are so lucky, now: DP new album / Rainbow new gigs / Hughes new album / Coverdale finally still on the run…

  29. 29
    MacGregor says:

    The irony of all this hype in the end wash up, is that Blackmore was at the Hall big time! The Hall Of The Mountain King indeed! He was all over it in many ways, such is his legacy! Sure we would have loved a live performance with the remaining guys, but Gillan said back in 2014 that that wouldn’t happen. I don’t see why Blackmore should have gone & watched from the sidelines, how disrespectful would that have been to him? And as we know he usually doesn’t attend these sort of things, but I think he may have if Gillan & Payne hadn’t carried on about it! Is Blackmore bigger than Deep Purple. Yes indeed, it does appear so! Lars Ulrich, what a joke he was! By the way, does Gillan look a tad uncomfortable when the questions start to fly? Or was he biting his lip, so to speak?
    Body language eh? Roll on the Rainbow gigs! Cheers.

  30. 30
    MacGregor says:

    Blackwood Richmore @ 17 & 19 – interesting indeed! Enjoyable also! Cheers.

  31. 31
    KC1961 says:

    Would prefer it if they’d told the RRHOF to “ram it”.

  32. 32
    Brendan Mac An Bhaird says:

    The RRHOF decides which members of a band get an award? Fuck the RRHOF.

  33. 33
    Andy says:

    I like Slaves & Masters and JLT, but I can’t help wonder if Blackmore was serious or if he was having fun, trolling the fans, and JLT for that matter.

  34. 34
    Kim Peters says:

    Danijel Coda Dukmenić says:
    Hell on earth! Where is the Ritchie? Blackmore and Lord was a DP!

    Well Danijel,

    Blame the hall of fame for not putting them in first year eligible in 1993.
    But I’m guessing Blackmore wouldn’t have shown up even then.

    Kim

  35. 35
    kaja says:

    sorry…but what does it mean ‘this is for fans’ ‘im accepting this award on behalf of the fans’ this is for you the fans…i am a fan and no they didnt have to accept it for me. i havent asked for it and am sure none of the fans care abt it. i am also sure all the fans wouldve been delighted to have seen them issue a statement to rrhof on rejecting the award. im afraid they do care for the award and the crappy hall. also miler what you come accept the award and then rant on them…they can all learn sth from lydon and the like

  36. 36
    Adel says:

    Ritchie is full of talent when it comes to guitar playing but he is also full of other stuff !!!!
    How can anyone takes you seriously when you say that slaves and masters is one of your favourite DP albums.
    If that the case lets see how many songs if any you will ask your Karaoke singer to sing on your Rainbow shows….
    As well if you are full of praise for Mr Turner and admire his singing and writing skills why on earth you refused his hand when he was reaching out to you to front your Rainbow shows.
    Do you find Mr Turner too expensive for you!!!!

  37. 37
    Ted The Mechanic says:

    “Great points” Jaffa @6 and Dpfender @22,

    ‘Nuff said!

    Peace,
    Ted

  38. 38
    Anthony says:

    Slaves and Masters is a good album and Ritchie has always liked it. Certainly doesn’t sound like ‘classic’ Purple but hey its Deep Purple…anyway does Stormbringer sound like Purple?

    @36 Maybe you can give Ritchie a wee call and ask if you can come along either to the shows in Germany or England and sing..I have a Rainbow feeling you could nail the songs so well 🙂 Also if you keep up to date with the music press you will know that Ritchie wanted a relatively unknown guy to front the new Rainbow and not ‘rehash’ what has been done before by bringing in Dougie, Graham or Joe…paraphrasing of course what the man in black has said

  39. 39
    Greg Furlong says:

    Yer gotta be kidding Ritchie!! Joe Lynn Turner in the Rock & Roll Hall of fame?
    Most fams would agree Slaves and Msters was a below par record. Joe lynn not good enough to get a gig in the new Rainbow mrk whatever it is. Give me a break!
    THE REAL DISGRACE IS STEVE MORSE 23 YEARS LEAD GUITAR &
    DON AIREY 14 YEARS KEYBOARDS NOT GETTING IN
    DISGRACE.
    Typical Blackmore petulance!

  40. 40
    MacGregor says:

    Adel @ 36- you seem to have trouble realising that each individual human being relates to each & every different thing in life, differently! One person likes something that someone else doesn’t, so be it! I don’t like S&M that much, I purchased it upon it’s release & gave it to a friend after a couple of years, as he liked it more than I did. It isn’t a bad album, it’s just that I couldn’t get into it after trying for a few years.
    Blackmore, like any musician writing or co writing music, has his likes & dislikes also! I still wonder why Martin Barre says his favourite Tull album is Under Wraps. That awful computerised keyboard & drum machine album they did back in 1984. Is he serious is the first thought that springs to mind? Well obviously he is, does that make it a good album, not to me it doesn’t, but to Barre it obviously does. Each to their own as we say! In regards to Blackmore not working with Turner again, why would he? That is in the past, this is now! Cheers.

  41. 41
    Greg Furlong says:

    Thanks for your “Candour” Mc Gregor, just on another piont you raised I thought it dreadful the way Ian Anderson treated Martin Barre when Tull went into “Hiatus” I saw Ian Anderson a year or so ago when he came out to Australia and I was very disappionted in the show. His voice is gone and I got the distinct impression that the band assembled did not appear to be enjoying themselves at all. As an Avid Jethro Tull fan I was saddened by this. I’ve seen them several times with Martin Barre, Doane Perry, Andy Giddings, and David Pegg and they were a first rate act. Incidently Ritchie always said that Martin Barre was one of his favourite guitar players. I think Martin Barre is criminally underated. Cheers !

  42. 42
    Alan says:

    I doubt if Ritchie was winding anyone up when he mentioned JLT and S&M. He has previously mentioned it is one of his favourite DP albums. It may not be to everyones taste but the playing is excellent and it is a great rock album. Perhaps some of you should listen to it !

  43. 43
    Johan says:

    At the end of the day all my heroes seems to turn out to be silly human beings.

  44. 44
    MacGregor says:

    Greg @ 41- From what i have read over the decades, Anderson has treated some band members poorly at times, especially when it comes to moving on with new members etc! Other guys in rock bands do similar from what we read, it seems to go with the creative ‘leader’ or visionary of an outfit, chasing perfection or something they are creating. It is a difficult one it seems, some of our favourite artists carrying on in a certain manner at times! In regards to Barre, yes indeed he is incredibly under rated as a rock guitarist. He does have a lot of respect in the field though from what we hear over the years. Blackmore was a Tull fan back in the day & Anderson did a solo on BN first album. I didn’t attend Anderson’s solo gig in Brisbane either, not interested in his vision anymore. The last Tull gig I went to was back in 2005, his vocal was weak then as it has been for a while. The music was superb as always! The interesting thing now days is that he has a ‘support’ lead vocalist doing the TAAB material. He needs to as you may have witnessed. The other oddity i found after he replaced Dave Pegg, was that he went with a bass player who didn’t sing at all. Strange move as he needed vocal support. Even John Glascock did support vocal back when Anderson’s voice was strong & he didn’t have any ‘throat’ issues at all. What a band Tull were in their day! Cheers.

  45. 45
    Greg Furlong says:

    And that’s all of us Johan, and “Dare I say it” Rock Heroes seem bewitched by this occurance!

  46. 46
    Greg Furlong says:

    Thanks Mac, Agree with all and yes the replacement vocalist who I saw on tour a year or so ago wasn’t even that good himself! I said to a mate, that’s probably because I.A didn’t want to be Upstaged by someone who could sing!!
    Fav Tull albums down the years for me are Broadsword, Stormwatch, Crest of a Knave, To Old to Rockn Roll and even tha very last one Dot. Com.
    The Best TULL concert I ever saw was at The Melbourne Concert Hall back in 93 A cracker of a set Cracker of props and just great Musicianship!
    Just as an Aside I met Jon Lord 3 Times and have some very special personal messages inscribed on his solo albums which went, Straight to the Pool Room
    I hope the Next Purple Album is a cracker with more songs like Weirdestan! I aslo hope they come out soon but doesn’t appear that this year will be possible!

    Cheers

    GREGF

  47. 47
    Shaun says:

    Ritchie might not have been there but Stevens solo in smoke on the water was note for note Blackmore,brilliant compliment from Steve.

  48. 48
    Manos says:

    Gillan previously said that if Morse and Airey were not to be inducted he wouldn’t attend the induction… The whole thing that the attitude of HOF was not right for the present members was rubbish. He couldn’t stand accepting a prize alongside Ritchie Blackmore.

    Thank God the band split in 1993. They would have killed each other and moreover Blackmore wouldn’t have made Strangers in us all album which is a lot better than any Deep Purple album from 1987 to this day. He has a beautiful talented wife and makes the music he always wanted, not matter what we want.
    Also Gillan has what he always wanted, an Ian Gillan band (present Purple) with the old repertoire touring and playing the same old songs.

    To my liking from 1984 to this day Deep Purple are an average band. There no sparkle, there is nothing leaving you with your mouth open like the 70’s. From the moment Paice switched to Pearl drums for the shake of money I didn’t like the sound. Blackmore’s playing in the 80’s was peculiar and the solos where misplaced. Gillan’s voice was and still is below average. Even Lord playing at times is odd and not fitting.

    I understand the HOF induction. the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s Purple is not a band that put a flame to rock music.

  49. 49
    Tommy H. says:

    Joe was by far the worst choice ever as a singer for Purple. I just watched two concert videos from 1991 – it’s just terrible. The Slaves & Masters record is even worse than the House of Blue Light. If Purple ever reached a low point then that’s what it was. Instrumentally the album features some nice moments but as soon as Joe’s voice comes in it’s completely out of place. He is lacking profile and on stage he behaved like a dandy. How can someone who worked with Gillan, Coverdale, Hughes (and Dio, bless him) seriously rate Joe’s contribution to rock or Purple as important?! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to bash Joe here, it’s not his fault. He stepped in, gave it his best shot, was very enthusiastic and for a short period of time kept the band alive (more or less). At times his comments (while he was the singer in Purple and afterwards) were also out of touch with reality which I found at least entertaining. But on stage it clearly didn’t work, it just felt strange and at times embarrassing.

    @ LRT: You have to be right.

  50. 50
    Rock Voorne says:

    Manos, you ve got it! 🙂

    I m glad Ritchie did not, like Gillan, succumb to the hall of Shame.

    Gillan is full of shit and lies.

    One can notice he is ashamed for a moment when he lies to someone with a question about Ritchie.

    He could easily also have said to Airey, Paice and Glover to play BURN with DC and Glenn.
    Then he would have been a real gent.

  51. 51
    MacGregor says:

    Tommy H @ 49- yes I have to agree, except for THOBL comment, but as we say, each to their own. To my ears THOBL is the strongest songwriting wise, of the ‘reunion’ MK2 albums. PS has some grand moments also, but as I have stated here before, it was a bit of a half arsed album in many ways! I tried to listen to S&M the other day & I just couldn’t handle it. It brought back the memories of why, why, why? If the internet was around as it was later in the 90’s, there is no way i would have purchased that album. Just a listen or two online would have been enough! Blackmore’s comment may be a tongue in cheek sort of comment in regards to DP & he Hall fiasco, who can tell. He does stand by that album, but i just wonder if one of the reasons is because of the bad vibes associated with Gillan & the reunion that MK2 became! S&M wouldn’t even be a decent Rainbow album for me, the songs are not strong at all, the production is woeful, Paice’s drums sound like, well I don’t know but they sound way back in the mix & come across a tad ‘muffled’! No bottom end at all on the album, no bite, no power at all. Is Jon Lord on that album?????? A couple of years ago I relented & had a quick look at some live recordings of that tour, more to hear Burn & how it turned out. I didn’t listen for too long. So glad as i have said before, that Turner isn’t in this ‘new’ Rainbow! Cheers.
    A mistake in DP’s career, but there have been a few, as any artist can tell you, it happens! Not to worry, life rolls on & on! Cheers.

  52. 52
    Tommy H. says:

    @ MacGregor:

    I have given the House of Blue Light quite a few spins so far. Neither does it have songs which are comparibly strong to those of its predecessor nor does it come across the same way. One thing is for sure though when you listen to the Perfect Strangers album: Everything is moving in one direction as a unit. Within the House Of Blue Light I hear a lot of patch work and unsettledness – quite similar to the Who Do We Think We Are record. Also it is the strange attempt to sound more poppy (I’m thinking of the single Call of the Wild). The opener is relatively weak: compare Bad Attitude to Knocking at your Back Door. On the House of Blue Light there isn’t really a title song to spot. I enjoyed Mad Dog because it is the fast song I missed on Perfect Strangers and that raw rockier version of Hush (although I still like the old version very much).

    But it’s good that we talk about it: I remember that in the late 80ies (or was it 1990/91?) there was a commercial on TV (I think it was one promoting a car brand but I’m not entirely sure) which was using the Unwritten Law instrumental tracks. It’s really a strange thing that I knew that song before I knew Smoke On The Water or that there was a band called Deep Purple. Do you incidentally know which commercial that was? It must be on YouTube somewhere but I couldn’t find it. I remember that my father recorded some movie back then on VHS and said commercial was really prominently featured. It would be really cool if you or anyone knew the commercial and post something about it …

  53. 53
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    JLT’s One Off Deep Purple album “Slaves & Masters” and short stint with Purple was exactly the same as the Gary Cherone travesty with his One Off Van Halen album “III” and short stint with Halen. Are the 2 albums listenable and good records? Yes of course. Are the 2 records worthy of being classified in the catalogue of the bands they were titled in? NO! Even more so, did these 2 flamboyant pooffy boys fit fronting these 2 bands LIVE? HELL NO!!

    Ch-BeerZ

  54. 54
    MacGregor says:

    Tommy H @52- We all hear differently i guess. To me Call of the Wild is a great rock song, superb melody with a great chorus etc & a quality little guitar solo at the end from the Maestro! Also Jon Lord is right up there on it as well & Gillan’s vocal melody is superb. I can never get around some Purple fans commenting on it being too commercial or ‘cheesy’ etc! Purple have always recorded shorter catchy singles, Black Night, Smoke (edited of course), Woman From Tokyo, Picture From Home & there are more! Nothing wrong with a quality catchy tune! Myself & a few other Purple fans were anticipating a ‘great’ new album back in 1984, as other were! It wouldn’t have mattered what album Purple released then, it would have sold well with all the hype of the reunion! We were disappointed in PS, barring the title song of course, Knocking At Your Back Door & Gypsy’s Kiss. the rest are bland & boring songs! My take on it, is that that is one reason THOBL wasn’t as popular ‘commercially’. When it came out I was the only one who purchased it as my friends were not keen after PS. Upon hearing me playing it they soon realised what a catchy album it is. Even a few friends who are familiar with Purple from the classic era & went to the ’84 gigs in Sydney, were impressed with Blue Light. They could hear more song quality. PS doesn’t have the ‘tension’ & hard work ethic to it. It sounds lazy to me in many ways. THOBL has some attitude there, trying harder etc! The only boring song on it is Hard Lovin’ Woman which sounds like many of the PS bland songs! ! Each to their own as we say! Regarding the advertisement for a car, I don’t know anything about that at all. Cheers.

  55. 55
    Rock Voorne says:

    Tracy

    I do understand the criticisms of the “flaws”S & M had.
    Partially they were the same as on HOBL : the trying too be nodern production, Paicey that did use the wrong drums, playing differently, once a swingmeister now just bashing his way through the music.

    Apart from some solo’s Lord was hardly audible.
    Blackmore , although doing some great stuff, ditto.

    Still I think S & M has great songs like Fire in the Basement, Truth Hurts, The Cut runs deep and king of dreams.
    Wicked Ways could have been a killer but as often with DP it does not reach its full potential.
    Live Paice y and Ritchie went back to a style that fitted this great band much better.
    JLT unfortunately had a weak period. Still dont know why.
    Just a bit earlier he was excellent on the ODYSSEY album and live with Yngwie was also great.

  56. 56
    Rock Voorne says:

    I dont think Bad Attitude was so bad but it might help if you program the cd differently :
    Start with the Spanish Archer or Dead Or Alive or even Strangeways.

    Live the songs got a whola lot better.

    The Unwritten Law, wow.

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