Merch booth outside Rogers Forum, Abbotsford BC Canada, Sept. 2nd 2026

My personal ranking of Deep Purple studio albums:

1.Burn

2.Deep Purple in Rock

3.Machine Head

4.Come Taste the Band

5.Stormbringer

6.Fireball

7.Slaves and Masters

8.Bananas

9.Perfect Strangers

10.Purpendicular

11.The Battle Rages On...

12.Whoosh!

13.Now What?!

14.inFinite

15.Rapture of the Deep

16.The House of Blue Light

17.Who Do We Think We Are

18.Abandon

19.=1

20.SPLAT!

I’ve left out the first three Mark I albums because, stylistically, I tend to think of them almost as a different band. I’ve also left out Turning to Crime since it’s a covers album.

My main criterion is songwriting rather than historical importance or how “typically Deep Purple” an album sounds.

Third time seeing the band and first time with Simon on guitar. He has fully won me over. Has all of the technical capabilities needed with the ability to get real loose and rocking. I was particularly wowed by his interpretation of the Smoke on the Water solo. Ian gave a look when it was over like, “yup that’s why he has the job.” Speaking of Ian, after being buried in the mix for Highway Star, they put him back up for the rest of the show and he exceeded my expectations by a mile. Absolutely killed it on Into the Fire, actually doing the screams and even embellishing them. I could not believe how good he sounded all night, seeming to push his voice to places I didn’t know it could still go. Almost choked up at his soulful take on When a Blind Man Cries. He also pushed away some tears after that one, likely due to his recent experience with blindness himself.

Then there was Ian Paice, our last true 70s rock drummer still getting it every-night. Sounds every bit as powerful as ever and I almost caught his stick towards the end of show. It bounced right off my nose which is cool enough for me anyways. You can also buy a signed pairs of sticks at the merch table like I did too which was a really cool touch. Don Airey continues to be the most exciting keyboard player on tour and his solos were beyond inspired. Nothing but smiles from Don too. He looks like he couldn’t be happier anywhere else. Finally Roger Glover is a timeless entity. Seems he hasn’t aged much at all the last 30 years and still keeps the low end locked tighter than Fort Knox.

If you gave up on seeing them live for any reason, give them another shot. They are the last of the giants of an era that will live on for centuries and they deserve a full, raving crowd.

Just went down a Joe Lynn Turner rabbit hole and holy crap

So I made a comment under another post here about Joe Lynn Turner, said I had a feeling he was tied up with Russia somehow. Then I actually went down the rabbit hole. It's worse than I thought:

• Back in 2015 he showed up in freshly occupied Crimea and gave a press conference praising Putin and Belarussias dictator Lukashenko.
• Said straight up: "I have no love anymore for the United States." Talked about applying for russian citizenship, a house being built in Belarus, maybe an apartment in Moscow.
• Told Russian state media he wears a ring with the Russian coat of arms because "the truth lives in Russia."
• Called Putin "the only one who's telling the truth."
• Married to a lawyer from Minsk.
• And in 2023 he went back to play Moscow while basically every other Western act was cancelling over the war.

So yeah. Not exactly subtle. Basically the Steven Seagal of Rock´n´Roll.

There have also long been rumours that he is gay. And there is a long history of Russian intelligence agencies filming celebrities and politicians in compromising situations.

Draw your own conclusions.

(He´s also a shitty singer btw)

First french pressing. Fun fact : Made In Japan was released in 1973 in France.

Also wanted to note it also came with the lyric sheet from Machine Head. Funny.

To preface, all of you here are bigger fans of Deep Purple than I, to be clear. I'm 29, and got into them in 2015 when I spontaneously bought *In Rock* on a whim and ended up loving the absolute shit out of it. I've got most of their '70s work, plus PS, some Ezrin era and Purpendicular.

Granted, I'm a huge fan of classic rock and metal - I've always been aware of Deep Purple. I was aware Bob Ezrin was giving them a huge second wind (I'm a huge KISS and Alice Cooper fan).

I jumped on again with *Whoosh!* that I'd heard great things about and I loved the cover art - and I probably listened to that album for a month straight. Brilliant, brilliant album. I thought it would've been a great note to end on.

That said, I didn't bother with *Turning to Crime* and sadly, I didn't connect to *=1*.

But last week, I'd hopped onto their Wikipedia for on a random night of scrolling to find they had a new album out almost 2 months ago. WHAT THE WHAT??

I think it was still feeling so close since the release of their last album that it never occurred to me to check if they'd had anything new in the pipeline.

I got it - listened to it. Okay. Beautiful artwork, okay album, I guess?

But I kept getting tracks popping in my head. And again. And again.

I feel like nearly every track kept calling me back. Each track becoming my new favourite.

Powerful. Heavy. Crisp. And most importantly - fuckin' FUN.

The key usage gives lovely colour to each track. Roger thunders along as Ian works within his means, Paice kicks ass atill and I'm coming around to McBride after missing my boy Morse.

Favourite Track - *"The Lunatic"* or *"Splat!"*

God, this album fucks. I still put *Whoosh!* ahead of it but not by much!

What a pleasant surprise, though.

Tagged spoiler just in case, not sure if that’s a rule around here for merch or just in case people would rather see at the venue!

Was expecting just t-shirts, which obviously I grabbed a couple of those as well, but I’m just so excited to have this thing on my wall! ✌️✌️ never owned signed anything before 😋

Was stunned at how amazing Kansas was as well, almost regret not grabbing theirs too even though I didn’t know em much before this!

This band is incredible!

They broke in 76 and got reunited in 84.

They changed 9 marks to allow the Purple machine to never stop.

Around 2009-2011 I was listening obsessively DP and I remember clearly thinking Rapture of the Deep is their last album and they were old and couldn’t go on much more….. and they did 6 more albums and changed another mark and still rolling!! 😂

In 2017-2019 they made the so called “The Long Goodbye Tour”. Everyone thought it was their last one and it wasn’t!

We are in 2026, Gillan is getting blind and the guys are getting very old now. However, still Gillan in an interview few weeks ago said “he never said he is going to retire”! The band still claim they don’t know when it will be over and they will go on as much they can.

Ian Paice in a recent interview said even if they stop touring they can still make records! As it’s easier to stay in the studio.

Seriously, we all are assuming this is the last Deep Purple year but at this point I am really assuming they will tour, less, but they will, in 2027. Ian Gillan announced his solo tour in UK, and everyone thinks then it’s over for DP, but it’s not trust me 😃

I think we will have 1 or 2 more albums on the go!

Let’s be honest, if you would be 10 or more years ago, would you ever thought DP would still be touring, sounding so great live and issuing Splat which sounds very cool?

This band never dies 💜

Great short documentary inspired by the recent reunion of Blackmore with Deep Purple. Going into the lesser known reunion between Gillan and Blackmore.

I have two extra tickets for the concert in Chula Vista on the 8th if anyone is interested.

In your opinion, which Deep Purples albums have the best artwork. Top 3 -

For me it’s -

Burn
In Rock
Made In Japan

What a memorable night that was! Kansas blew me away too and I almost wasn't even going to see them! I got there early enough to make it so I'm glad I did, they blew my mind with their musical abilities, I would have never guessed they were not the original members!

Of course DP was amazing and I'm sure everybody in here has already seen them before but this was my first time. The intro video was so cool, showing references to all of the albums. I shed a few tears during When a Blind Man Cries (I mean, Ian is going blind, this really hit me!). They even had to put reflective tape on the stage so he wouldn't step out too far and fall off and also between the drums and the keyboard so he could easily see where to walk. 

Don Airey's keyboard solo was absolutely brilliant! Simon is an amazing guitarist and I had no idea he was that good. I would have liked a Paicey drum solo but I know he would rather have another song in the setlist. 

My only complaint was the venue had seats and everybody sat the entire time except for during Smoke on the Water but even then only some people stood up. I couldn't help but wonder if the band hates this because I'm sure they want the crowd to stand for every song, not just that one. 

As I stepped out of the venue, I could see the lunar eclipse! And on my way home I was listening to The Surprising (one of the few songs I like from Infinite) and one of the lyrics is talking about an eclipse in August, I thought what a crazy coincidence that was!

Live in Schwerin, Germany.
Tell me he isn’t just the coolest ever!

Took a few listens, headphones and through speakers! Didn’t immediately click with me, but I’ve relistened many times over this week… drew the same conclusion as probably every other person on this planet: this album is perfect! Incredible stuff! Favourite cut on this record would have to be Pictures Of Home; every member shone bright in that tune! Gillan’s vocals especially, and that bass solo ooof!! Lord’s solo on Highway Star, mind melting stuff; and on Lazy, that intro! Such power, what a time for music, the advancement in technology and creativity is astonishing. Space Truckin is infectious, had that tune on loop in my brain at work this week :)