Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock although some band members have tried not to label themselves any one genre. The band have also incorporated pop and progressive rock elements. They were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's loudest band, and it has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Deep Purple was ranked #22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock program.

The band has gone through many line-up changes and an eight-year hiatus. The 1968-76 line-ups are commonly labelled Mark I, II, III and IV. Their second and most commercially successful line-up featured Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Jon Lord (keyboards), Roger Glover (bass guitar) and Ian Paice (drums). This line-up was active 1969-73 and was revived from 1984-89 and again in 1993 before the rift between Blackmore and other members became unbridgeable. The current line-up including guitarist Steve Morse has been much more stable, though Lord's retirement in 2002 has left Paice as the only original member.

Current members

Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945 in Hounslow, London) - vocals, harmonica, congas (1969-1973, 1984-1989, 1992-present)

Steve Morse (born July 28, 1954 in Hamilton, Ohio, USA) - guitar (1994-present)

Roger David Glover (born November 30, 1945 in Brecon, Wales, England) - bass guitar, synthesizer (1969-1973, 1984-present)

Don Airey (born 21 June 1948 in Sunderland, England) - keyboards (2002-present)

Ian Paice (born June 29, 1948 in Nottingham, England) - drums, percussion (1968-1976, 1984-present)

Former members

Ritchie Blackmore (born April 14, 1945 in Weston-super-Mare, England) - guitar (1968-1975, 1984-1993)

Jon Lord (born June 9, 1941 in Leicester, England) - keyboards, backing vocals (1968-1976, 1984-2002)

Rod Evans (born 19 January 1947 in Slough, Berkshire, England) - lead vocals (1968-1969)

Nick Simper (born 3 November 1945, at Frogmore House Maternity Home, Norwood Green, Southall, Middlesex, England) - bass guitar, backing vocals (1968-1969)

David Coverdale (born September 22, 1951 in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, England) - lead vocals (1973-1976)

Glenn Hughes (born August 21, 1951 in Cannock, Staffordshire, England) - bass guitar, vocals (1973-1976)

Tommy Bolin (August 1, 1951, Sioux City, Iowa, USA - December 4, 1976) - guitar, vocals, piano (1975-1976)

Joe Lynn Turner (born Joseph Linquito August 2, 1951 in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA) - vocals (1990-1992)

Joe "Satch" Satriani (born July 15, 1956 in Westbury, New York, USA) - guitar (1993-1994)

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