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Honest musicians playing music
Broward Palm Beach New Times (is that a long name for a newspaper or what?) down in Florida has an excellent interview with Roger Glover. Here are a couple of quotes to wet your appetite:
Somebody once asked me, “How come you don’t write songs like ‘Highway Star’ anymore?” I said, actually we do, but they don’t sound like “Highway Star.” We’d be a parody of ourselves, and that’s when you get in trouble and become intimidated by your past.
Anyone who actually gets out from the computer or the TV and gets off the couch and has the energy to go see a live concert deserves our absolute gratitude. And that’s what we live for. People doing that. It still happens. The internet has robbed us of a lot of things, but people still get up and go to a concert, and I’m very grateful.
Looking back now, you can see that something quite magical happened in the late ’60s and ’70s. There was something going on there. There was a huge creative explosion, if you like. The record companies were all run by people who loved music, unlike today. You could write songs about anything, in any particular style, and people took it seriously. Plus, the tastes ran across the board. Now it’s become so polarized and shackled. Music isn’t as important in people’s lives as it was then. So I think we were part of a huge cultural revolution without even knowing it.
Go read the whole thing. It’s well worth it. You’ll learn how it feels to sign stacks of 40 records, to get stuck in your own traffic jam, what drives him to keep touring, and many other things.
Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov (deep-purple.ru) for the info.
PS. the photo above is from the Ceasars Casino in Windsor, Ontario, August 21.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I’ll say one thing, this continues a series of very good knowledgable interviews in the U.S. Although, I think I did spot one ‘Gillian’ in there!
August 27th, 2014 at 23:56Love Roger! What a guy! Bless your heart and your music man!
August 28th, 2014 at 03:09They do!!! Vincent Price & Uncommon Man are both as good as anything they have ever done.
August 28th, 2014 at 05:04It certainly was a ‘huge cultural revolution’ indeed! And it almost makes me feel sorry for the generations that have followed music since & missed out on that fabulous era! Of course if they are not aware of it, then they are not missing out or if they don’t care for it, the same.
August 28th, 2014 at 10:24Well at least that is my way of bring some justification as to my age these days. If I hadn’t lived as long as I have, I would have missed out on all that ‘classic’ rock as a young lad! Now I don’t feel ‘as old’ anymore! Well at least not at this ‘nostalgic’ moment I don’t. Cheers.
Interesting to read Rogers comments about the possible HOF induction ceremony. Which is in direct contradiction to Ian Gillan’s feelings.
August 28th, 2014 at 10:35Either way it was a nice interview.
Roger as always is a true gentleman who speaks from the heart. His words are a reflection of Purple’s approach for so many years. This is the fundamental reason why I have always loved Deep Purple over all other bands since the mid-70’s….they are HONEST MUSICIANS who play top notch music for the love of the art itself. They follow no trends. They pander to no one. They are true to themselves and their fans. They are not overrated as so many other bands are (I will take the high road here and not mention the other ones, but I am sure you can guess who…). Purple are not the products of hype nor corporate shilling. They are not living on past glories. They are the real genuine article, no matter which Mark is your Mark of choice. I hope they keep on playing for many more years.
August 29th, 2014 at 01:30No it isn’t, he just said he wouldn’t want Ritchie there, he didn’t comment on the “both” subject. Perhaps if it crossed his mind he’d say different or the same, who knows. I’m with Michael’s post, btw.
August 29th, 2014 at 07:15@3 Michael, you are wrong on both a musical level and in terms of success. Highway Star, CIT, SK, SOTW, BN, SKOWetc, etc. are unique, brilliantly written, brilliantly performed and sung, uniquely influential and incredibly successful in commercial terms. I like NW?! but it cannot compare with any of MKII’s work between 69 and 73.
As Roger mentions, the reason they are still there is because of that period.
I understand that you may prefer those songs to DP’s greats as a minority of people do, but please don’t say they are as good as anything they have ever done…
August 29th, 2014 at 08:24Drdp:
August 29th, 2014 at 09:36Where is direct contradiction to IG´s feeling? I dont see any contradiction:
– IG just said that he doesnt like that “conflict of interests” between currently very well-working “living, breathing Deep Purple” (I would like to remind that they are working on new album for 2015 release!) and ceremony about things which happened in early 70s. It´s more than obvious and logic that new album is much bigger priority than some cermony in USA….. It´s like you would prepare marriage with your beloved woman and you were forced by outside power to go somewhere with your former wife after awful break-up. 😉
Roger gave another interview on Contours. Move to 41:32 and you can listen to him talking about the genres of rock and – what else – the SOTW story.
http://wnti.org/post/contours-sunday-august-17-2014
August 29th, 2014 at 20:16Ref the RaRHoF – if it happens, all current and former band members attend. Don’t play anything and the only person to give an acceptance/thank you speech is Jon’s wife. Basically it’s too late. Part of me wants “my” band in there, the rest of me doesn’t really care.
August 30th, 2014 at 23:42Hey guys –
This must be an old article – they caught up with roger at his hotel “in Montreal.”?!
They didn`t play here this tour – just wondering if this is a repeat article.
Saw them in Casino Rama though – fantastic show!
Gary, living in Montreal (Roger wasn`t here).
September 2nd, 2014 at 12:26