23 Facts About Deep Purple

Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and an eight-year hiatus .

Deep Purple went through several more member changes – including Gillan rejoining in 1992, followed by Blackmore's second departure in the following year – before settling on its longest-running lineup, which consisted of Paice, Glover, Gillan, Morse and keyboardist Don Airey, the latter of whom replaced Lord in 2002.

Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme, and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever".

Deep Purple were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Deep Purple was making a name for himself as a studio session guitarist, and had been a member of the Outlaws, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Neil Christian, the latter artist prompting Blackmore's move to Germany.

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Second to Deep Purple was "Concrete God", which the band thought was too harsh to take on.

In May 1968, the band moved into Pye Studios in London's Marble Arch to record their debut album, Shades of Deep Purple, which was released in July by American label Tetragrammaton, and in September by UK label EMI.

The following month, Deep Purple were booked to support Cream on their Goodbye tour.

Deep Purple then found that the song had already been recorded with Glover on bass.

The remaining original members of Deep Purple then instructed management to inform Simper that he had been officially replaced.

Shortly after the orchestral release, Deep Purple began a hectic touring and recording schedule that was to see little respite for the next three years.

Deep Purple had played with Dr John, Albert King, the Good Rats, Moxy and Alphonse Mouzon, and was busy working on his first solo album, Teaser, when he accepted the invitation to join Deep Purple.

The now-defunct Deep Purple began to gain a type of mystical status, with fan-driven compilations, reissues and live records being released through the remainder of the 1970s.

In 1980, a touring version of the band surfaced with Rod Evans as the only member who had ever been in Deep Purple, eventually ending in successful legal action from the legitimate Deep Purple camp over unauthorised use of the name.

Deep Purple was asked to join permanently, but his commitments to his contract with Epic Records prevented this.

The concert included songs from each member's solo careers, as well as a short Deep Purple set, and the occasion was commemorated on the 2000 album In Concert with The London Symphony Orchestra.

In 2003, Deep Purple released Bananas, their first studio album in five years, and began touring in support.

On 25 November 2016, Deep Purple announced Infinite as the title of their twentieth studio album, which was released on 7 April 2017.

In support for the album, Deep Purple embarked on 13 May 2017 in Bucharest, Romania on The Long Goodbye Tour.

Deep Purple are cited as one of the pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal, along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

In 2000, Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" programme.

Deep Purple are considered to be one of the hardest touring bands in the world.

Deep Purple released a new live compilation DVD box, Around the World Live, in May 2008.