Topic: Another Reunion possible - Deep Purple Mark III, with Lars Ulrich
What with the talk of reunions elsewhere, I thought this news story might be of interest. The origins came from an interview with Metallica's Lars Ulrich but have now spreaded about the web.
Mark III Deep Purple was the line up from 1974 to 1975 andf featured future Whitesnake singer David Coverdale and former Trapeze singer/bass player Glen Hughes, along with original members Richie Blackmore, Ian Paice and John Lord. Between them they recorded the albums Burn and Stormbringer, and several live releases have followed including the 1974 Califormia Jam. Here is a song clip of Burn from that performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CErFTm72UQ
With such a rapid rise and demise, the Deep Purple Mk III saga has always had an air of unfinished business about it.
There have constantly been rumours regarding a reunion backed up with insanely lucrative offers from promoters, especially in Japan where this particular line-up never made an appearance.
In separate interviews David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord have all intimated they would be up for it, and all parties have recently been in contact with Ritchie Blackmore.
In fact the only block to the band re-forming, surprisingly enough, could be Ian Paice who as a member of the current Purple would probably find it difficult and uncomfortable to get involved.
But there is a solution in the form of Metallica’s suave sticksman, Lars Ulrich, who would be more than happy to ‘do a Grohl’ and deputise on drums for a one-off event.
A hard-core Purple fan, Ulrich was fortunate enough to see Purple Mk III at their first show, at the KB Hallen in Copenhagen in 1973.
“That was the famous gig where in a newspaper article the day after, Coverdale was talking about puking in the toilets backstage before the show, he was so fired up with nerves,” Lars recalled, laughing at the memory.
“I remember they played a lot of new songs, I was all of nine years old.”
Lars even admits to being a big fan of Stormbringer, Purple Mk III’s second and final studio album: “I think that Soldier Of Fortune and The Gypsy stand out and have aged well compared to the rest of the record.
“I hope that one day Metallica will do a version of one of those songs; James Hetfield could sing Soldier Of Fortune beautifully.”
And as for the reunion?
Ulrich: “I know there’s talk about the fact that if they got Coverdale, Hughes, Lord and Blackmore together they would have four members who aren’t in the current Deep Purple – then they just need a drummer, I’ll volunteer myself for that [laughs].
“If they need a drummer, David Coverdale has my number.”
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
