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Rod Evans in New York

By Marty Petosa

Till this day I tell the story of Poor Rod Evans.

"Deep Purple" were to play a local club in Staten Island, New York called The Factory ["The Soap Factory" according to other sources - Ed.]. Being right between New Jersey and a hop skip and jump away from Brooklyn, NY, in Staten Island at times we can get a rather rowdy crowd. The factory had been advertising for months that Deep Purple was appearing (forgot the date but I might still have the ticket stub) on such and such a date. There were great rumors flying around, the original line-up including Blackmore or just Blackmore who formed a new Deep Purple (I think at the time the rest of the band was with Coverdale in Whitesnake [well, most of them, anyway - Ed.]). The advertisement was rather vague and when you called the venue they weren't quite sure of the current line-up.

The night finally comes and as usual they oversold the event. It was hot like a pizza oven and we were crammed in there like sardines. Then the rumor starts to spread that some guy (Poor Rod Evans) who sang for them before they were famous had formed his own "DEEP PURPLE" and that was the band we were seeing.

The place went nuts, they were throwing beer bottles at the stage. People were yelling they wanted their money back. When all was said and done Poor Rod Evans never took the stage and we were all given a refund. According to the announcer the band were in fear of their safety and the safety of the audience.

That is my story of the great DEEP PURPLE farce. Now I'm curious I have to go home and hunt for that stub. I hope I didn't have to hand it in for the refund.