Deep Purple
The top-ranking heavy metal rock band, Deep Purple, have had so many different members that perhaps they should have stuck with their original name — Roundabout. Jon Lord (b.Leicestershire 1945-2012, keyboards) and Nick Simper (b.Middlesex 1945, bass) asked Ritchie Blackmore (b.Somerset 1945, guitar), then Rod Evans (b.Berkshire 1947, vocals) and Ian Paice (b.Nottinghamshire 1948, drums) to form the original line-up in 1968 and their first official gig was in Denmark.
They released three albums of ‘psychedelic rock’ in their first year, with a hit single, ‘Hush’, straight away. However, Simper and Evans were replaced in 1969 by Roger Glover (b.Powys 1945, bass) and Ian Gillam (b.Middlesex 1945, vocals) because the other three wanted to move into what would be a groundbreaking metal style. For many, this was the classic Purple grouping with singles like ‘Black Night’ (1969) and ‘Strange Kind of Woman’ (1970). They toured constantly, split up in 1976, then reunited in 1984, with several line-up changes along the way, including the addition of singer David Coverdale (b.Yorkshire, 1951).
They have produced 24 studio albums but an incredible 48 live albums, including the iconic ‘Made in Japan’ (1972), emphasising their strength and popularity as live performers. Their 60 singles include their signature tune, ‘Smoke on the Water’ (1973), telling the tale of the 1971 Montreux Casino fire, which they witnessed.
(Image of line-up no.4, 1976 – Bolin, Hughes, Coverdale, Lord & Paice: jenikirbyhistory.getarchives.net / Public domain)