 Legendary. Classic. Influential..... etc. As rock and roll approaches its 50th anniversary, as more and more rock icons continue or reinvent their careers, a lot of fancy adjectives are getting thrown around. In reality there are only a handful of artists deserving of that level of acclaim and recognition, and one band anyone could agree belongs there is Deep Purple, without a doubt one of the most important bands of the rock era. Coming out of the second British invasion in the mid-late 1960's, Deep Purple blasted out high intensity rock that placed them in the forefront of the hard rock genre of music. Indeed many of the so-called legendary bands of the last 30 years cite Deep Purple as the pioneer, the influence, and the standard. To this day, "Smoke On The Water" is considered by many the premier hard rock/ heavy metal song of all time. It is easy to figure out why this band has been able to maintain their level of success and their relevance for so many years. Each member of the band has earned individual respect as well as their respective contributions to the band's popularity as a unit. Lead vocalist Ian Gillan has a vocal range and depth that is as astounding whether he's belting out the blues, screaming hard rock, making us dance to a funky R&B tune or even flirting with jazz interpretations. Keyboardist Jon Lord has long been credited with adding symphonic dimensions to rock, while bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice have steadily continued to be not only the band's rhythm section, but its heart and soul. Latest addition, former Dixie Dregs/Kansas guitar whiz, Steve Morse, has added a virtuosity that has allowed the band to explore even more deeply the varying musical genres found in their songwriting and playing. If there is a word to explain Deep Purple's place in rock history, it would be "important". The dictionary defines important as "...having much significance, consequence or value..." How better to describe a band whose influence has not only lasted for more than a generation, but continues to influence young musicians and fans today? As their musical growth deepens, so has their fanbase. One can only wonder what lays ahead for Deep Purple as they release their best album in years and embark on their latest world tour.
|
