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Notes from the road

Steve Morse. Photo © Nick Soveiko.

In his latest installment of Notes from the road Steve Morse talks about his pet peeve — air travel, reminisces on the last tour leg, and touches on the topic that stirred so much controversy in THS comments:

Afterward, I was upset to learn that some bloggers had chosen to politicize, or criticise the band’s show being in Russia, forgetting that we play pretty much everywhere in the World for people. Generally, we just like music lovers, that’s all we ask for, doesn’t much matter geographically where, just as long as there are human beings who want to hear our music.

Read more on Stevemorse.com.

Thanks to Daniel Bengtsson for the info.



25 Comments to “Notes from the road”:

  1. 1
    Danny says:

    Not so much where you played Steve but rather who the audience was….there’s a difference.

  2. 2
    Rascal says:

    It annoys me when DP plays the U.K. Just look at the atrocities that the U.K.(and Great Britain before it) have committed over the past 500 years within its own country and especially throughout the world.

    America arent exempt either, or Asia, China, Japan, most of Europe, South America, you are all guilty as charged………

    The Moon???………dont think the Moon has declared war, or murdered and mistreated people. Dont think it can be charged with slavery, or building its Empire through torture and pain……..

    Thats settled then………….cancel the world tour………

    Anyone have the shuttle timetable for the next Moon Mission?

  3. 3
    Danny says:

    Last time I checked this was the first time DP have played a private paid gig for politicos and energy czars…… Given Russia’s stellar track record on human rights and current energy prices etc I guess it was a good thing eh?

  4. 4
    Rascal says:

    Well I guess if they hadnt of done it, it would have made all the difference…..would it???

    And you think Russia have the monopoly on human rights and energy prices??

  5. 5
    andresihotang says:

    Let see Deep Purple play in country such as Vietnam, Iraq, Libia, Cuba, and others. Surely Russia issue will fade away.

    Deep Purple 7 & 8 are totally professional musician that their job only to entertain listener from the beginning to the end, not interested in making any issue other than music. Remember Black reject to play in Mexico and some of South America reg?

  6. 6
    stefan says:

    andresihotang!

    BULLSHIT!!! Money talks, pure and simple!

  7. 7
    Rascal says:

    Another wad of ‘cash’ for the ‘retirement bottom draw’…….

    ‘human rights’………….MY ASS

  8. 8
    Danny says:

    “BULLSHIT!!! Money talks, pure and simple!”

    I think we have a winner and his name is Stefan. That’s all it’s about is the money……screw the principles.

  9. 9
    Rascal says:

    Principles only matter when theirs money in it.

    Welcome to the real world.

    Eyes wide open.

  10. 10
    David says:

    Principles only matter when theirs money in it. Welcome to the real world. Eyes wide open.

    Doesn’t make it right……………

  11. 11
    Rascal says:

    Name a country or a government that you consider blameless……

    I suggest you catch that moon rocket…………

  12. 12
    stefan says:

    Andorra………??????

  13. 13
    Konstantin Gorlov says:

    Here is a part of Ian Gillan interview in Russia. Sorry for the quality of my English translation.

    — Could you clarify your position about the gig at Gazprom jubilee in February? Many DP fans turned their faces off the group.

    — As a musicians, we are ready to play for christians, muslims, communists and capitalists.
    Russiams are very clever. West plays in “monopoly” and Russians plays chess. You look ad things very deep and understand what’s going on very well.
    And must to say the following. Imagine that our show in UK visited Tony Blair – one of the politicians who started the Iraq war. Should I knowing this cancel the concert? Or you will tear me apart becase I sing in front of him? Politics want to be involved in culture in many countries but it does not matter anything for me. And it does not matter anything for Deep Purple. I commet things on my web-site and concentrate on UK politics. But I try not to discuss the politics of another countries — I have no enough experince and historical knowledges, so I have no right for discussing their politics. But I thing that many people including Russians understand what’s going on in the world

    — Rarely fan likes when artist plays in company of “greats of this world”. In that case you started the fire to yourself.

    — This kind of critics — a big mistake of our fans. They try to mix politics and music – it is wrong. I was introdused to president Medvedev, he said that he likes DP since his 13 years in Soviet period, it was not legal. Why can’t I to get him as one of our admiers? I met sometines a man in Berlin who was jailed for owing “In Rock” vinyl. A lot things are canged since that time. Maybe not very fast and not deep enough as someone wants, but the positive changes are obvious. And I want to add that all said above is my personal position. I can not say for Deep Purple. But remember what I said about UK and Iraq war. I was born and I live in England, pay taxes there, it is my country. But I suppose that Tony Blair should be judged as a war criminal. Bombing civilians is a dirty deal.

  14. 14
    Rascal says:

    Andorra…….MMmmmm……Didnt they have a bit of ‘tussle’ and kill a few Moors in the 7th or 8th century???

    Arent they under ‘horse eating’ French rule now? And lets face it France have ‘human rights’ issues…………..Sacha Distel…….for starters!!

  15. 15
    AndreA says:

    To Rascal (post #11)

    yess!! it is the same I would write…

    we could write a lot of things if we would read the history,the dirty past of a lot of european nations…

    not only USA or ex USSR did,it is too easier remind only to these two..

    Someone say that Vietnam is not democratic..but remember it was in war in his territory against France..

    how many crimes europeans made in Asia,Africa,in Americas..

    I think that when a band plays music it bring happiness on all over the world,in every nation it goes,only music should/could break borderlines.

    I conider music a kind of art,and the art should make different nations under a only sign:freedom and happines.

    Enjoiment,nothing more..

    sometime we speak about democracy,but it is very difficult at the end to explanin what it means this word..

    Someone could think to be in a democratic nation only because he can vote,or because it is free to walk,to buy,to travel into,take a beer in pubs,see a concert…

    I listen on TV that a lot of people in europe now risk to loose the houses they bought where they live because world has passing through a big economic crise,I listen that in USA this is happening and that a lot of people are living in tent camps..(is it true purple fan from usa? tell me,do you confirm?)

    In italy a lot of people live in temporary barracks built by the state waiting for new houses (never got) after the earthquakes of 60 and 80..

    so…

    have you never seen the new italian movie GOMORRA?
    this movie is the version of the Roberto Saviano’s book SODOMA E GOMORRA..

    My italy is not a democratic place because the corruption commands…if one decide to be a good clean politician,he looses the guess,is impossible..

    I am sad for what I see..sometime here I and my friends dream to think that other countries are better (much more) than our nation…you know the real,the truth…

    now Roberto Saviano leads a life under protection,he is is thinking to live abroad unknown identity as the writer Rushdie does..

    The world is under one only flag: that of corruption..

    sorry for my molasses

  16. 16
    Rascal says:

    Unfortunately people are blinded by lies and propaganda…………by their own country and by the rest of the world.

    It easy to judge other countries and their governments because we are partly brainwashed by our own leaders and their ‘finger pointing’, and ‘holier than thou’ attitudes.

    Fuck em all………………..

    ‘The Truth Is Out There’……………

  17. 17
    stefan says:

    Ronnie James Dio´s lyrics suddenly pops up in my mind…”The world is full of kings and queens,who blind your eyes and steal your dreams,it´s heaven and hell”…!!!

  18. 18
    Tracy Heyder says:

    Once again Politics becomes a harrowing centerpoint to a Blog Topic. It’s becoming as constant as the “Blackmore vs Morse” vomit that spews the pages.

    Purple have never been a political band. They have always maintained a Nonpartisan role in their profession and I’m glad they have. As with all of the bands I follow, staying out of this realm makes their music about the MUSIC. It’s too easy to piss off fans when the ‘wrong message is received, thereby causing turmoil at the audience level and within the band itself. Even as with each of us, there becomes tension between us each as the subject is expressed, when what we should always try and do is maintain civility and try to stay on subject as much as possible regarding the Blogs.

    Obviously we all have a certain amount of ‘Blind Loyalty’ to our country. It’s human nature and keeps us grounded in our various cultures. That’s a good thing, but doing so in a ‘Completely Blind’ approach causes ignorance and lack of mind for the not so obvious facts that are masked by the propaganda which is constantly shoved down all of our throats. Not to mention some counties whom leaders actually monitor and limit what information is allowed to be made public to it’s citizens. That is much more repressive and damaging to state of one’s mind regarding their personal views towards fact and fiction.

    Which leads me to another Dio tune from Kerry Livgren’s ‘Seed of Change’ album….”The Mask of the Great Deceiver”.

    Cheers

  19. 19
    elprupdeep says:

    well bunch of d….. what;s the matter here whats the matter with DP( OUR FAVOURITE BAND) playing in russia. not their fault if W. Poutine favorite band is DP. AT LEAST a president who got taste…. wish I was a president too and guess who I will invite in my palace? cheers and long live DP.

  20. 20
    Crimson Ghost says:

    So all the bitching and complaining about where and what people the play for still won’t stop me from getting on yet another plane, but this time to see them in an area they have been avoiding since 1976 or something, and that is Hawaii!

    What is it about the Polynesians that they don’t like playing for? Oh, am I so naive as to think there is some kind of underlying reason they don’t play there that has to do with culture, politics, religion, what? Am I a glutton because I travel to wonderful places to see a band that has criminally only played in my area twice since 84? Am I that eccentric? I think it’s really just a matter of doing what it takes to fulfill what they can’t quite manage, so since they don’t get around to me, I have to get around to them. You only live once. People should thank their lucky stars the band come through some of their areas two or three times a year… I say all this political shit is as about as concerning as watching my dog take the piss.

  21. 21
    Rascal says:

    Its political correctness brainwashing…….

    We seem to live in a world that is increasingly over run by ‘nanny states’……….

    The members of DP have travelled the world, and been paid for the privelage……….what a fantastic job!

  22. 22
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Why is covering Love is All a war crime?

  23. 23
    man from brazil says:

    rascal,
    unfortunately there aren’t jets to the moon, quite difficult for the boys playing there,
    for your question about why they do not playing at countries like LIBIA, VIETNAM and others, is a simple issue : who would take the risk, if there are not enough listeners…
    see in brazil, in curitiba (a city) they have come over and over, and there is always a good audience, but if they decide to go to SALVADOR they will find an audience of 500 people (is the number of rock followers there) in a city of 2 million people, nothing to have with economics, you got it?
    and to finish, we should not talk about politics in this blog, DP boys are worried about their MUSIC, the reason for their success and their interactivity is music, not bullshit politics,
    let politics out of this site,
    go criticize paul mccartney for being expelled from israel and later bend on his knees and play for them, that is POLITICALLY WRONG

  24. 24
    Rascal says:

    man from brazil………….Im nout sure I asked why they dont play certain countries…

    The point of my comments is that they are entitled to play ANY country………..regardless of fans blinkered socially and political views…….

    And being as this ‘blog’is based on the Steve Morse coomments about Russia, then Im afraid a certain ‘political’ overtone is bound to be included……………MMMMmmm like for instance your posting!

  25. 25
    Tracy Heyder says:

    GOD BLESS the USA!!!!! How’s that for politcal overtone?

    I don’t care if they played for Saddam at his hanging…..As long as they are enjoying themselves, getting paid, playing well, and writing new material along the way……

    That is the beauty of Music. It has no agenda except to be played and heard…until before and after “The Sun Goes Down”.

    Cheers

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