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Deep Purple
Deep Purple in 2004. From left to right: Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Don Airey and Steve Morse.
Background information
Genres	Hard rock, heavy metal, blues-rock
Years active	1968–1976 1984–present
Members
Ian Gillan Steve Morse Roger Glover Ian Paice Don Airey
Former members
Ritchie Blackmore Jon Lord David Coverdale Glenn Hughes Rod Evans Nick Simper Tommy Bolin Joe Lynn Turner Joe Satriani

Deep Purple are an English hard rock band which currently consists of vocalist Ian Gillan, guitarist Steve Morse, bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Don Airey. The band formed in Hertford in 1968 and originally comprised vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, drummer Paice and keyboardist Jon Lord.^[1] Deep Purple is notable for their history of lineups, each one of which is often referred to by its own "Mark" number, ranging from the inaugural, I, to the current, VIII.

The original Mk. I released three albums, before vocalist Evans and bassist Simper were fired and replaced by Ian Gillan and Roger Glover respectively to create Mk. II. The second lineup remained until 1973, when Gillan (followed by Glover) left the band. David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes joined to create Deep Purple Mk III, though co-founding member and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left in 1975 to be replaced by Tommy Bolin. Mk. IV lasted only a year and disbanded in 1976. While on hiatus, members concentrated on other projects, including Rainbow (Blackmore and Glover), Whitesnake (Coverdale, Lord and Paice), Black Sabbath and Gillan (both Gillan).

Deep Purple reunited in 1984 with the Mk. II lineup of Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Paice and Lord. Gillan and Blackmore had a disagreement and the vocalist was fired from the band and replaced by Blackmore's former bandmate in Rainbow, Joe Lynn Turner. Turner remained until 1992, when the Mk. II lineup came together for the third time. Due to continuing conflicting interests between Gillan and Blackmore, the guitarist left the band for good in the middle of 1993s The Battle Rages On tour. He was replaced with Joe Satriani for the remainder of the shows but could not join the band permanently due to contractual issues.

Steve Morse was chosen to be Blackmore's full-time replacement in 1994, and he remains the guitarist to this day. In 2002 the most recent lineup change took place when Jon Lord, who had been in every incarnation of the band until then, left the band to pursue personal interests. He was replaced by Don Airey, formerly of Rainbow and Ozzy Osbourne's band, to create the current Mk. VIII lineup. Drummer Ian Paice is now the only member left who has been present in every lineup of Deep Purple since the band's formation in 1968.

Current members

Ian Gillan

Active: 1969–1973, 1984–1989, 1992–present

Instruments: vocals, harmonica, percussion

Release contributions: Deep Purple in Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972), Who Do We Think We Are (1973), Perfect Strangers (1984), The House of Blue Light (1987), The Battle Rages On (1993), Purpendicular (1996), Abandon (1998), Bananas (2003), Rapture of the Deep (2005)

Steve Morse

Active: 1994–present

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: Purpendicular (1996), Abandon (1998), Bananas (2003), Rapture of the Deep (2005)

Roger Glover

Active: 1969–1973, 1984–present

Instruments: bass, synthesizers

Release contributions: In Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972), Who Do We Think We Are (1973), Perfect Strangers (1984), The House of Blue Light (1987), Slaves and Masters (1990), The Battle Rages On (1993), Purpendicular (1996), Abandon (1998), Bananas (2003), Rapture of the Deep (2005)

Ian Paice

Active: 1968–1976, 1984–present

Instruments: drums, percussion

Release contributions: all Deep Purple releases

Don Airey

Active: 2002–present

Instruments: keyboards

Release contributions: Bananas (2003), Rapture of the Deep (2005)

Vocalist Ian Gillan

Guitarist Steve Morse

Bassist Roger Glover

Drummer Ian Paice

Keyboardist Don Airey

Former members

Ritchie Blackmore

Active: 1968–1975, 1984–1993

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: Shades of Deep Purple (1968), The Book of Taliesyn (1968), Deep Purple (1969), Deep Purple in Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972), Who Do We Think We Are (1973), Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), Perfect Strangers (1984), The House of Blue Light (1987), Slaves and Masters (1990), The Battle Rages On (1993)

Jon Lord

Active: 1968–1976, 1984–2002

Instruments: keyboards, backing vocals

Release contributions: Shades of Deep Purple (1968), The Book of Taliesyn (1968), Deep Purple (1969), Deep Purple in Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972), Who Do We Think We Are (1973), Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), Come Taste the Band (1974), Perfect Strangers (1984), The House of Blue Light (1987), Slaves and Masters (1990), The Battle Rages On (1993), Purpendicular (1996), Abandon (1998)

David Coverdale

Active: 1973–1976

Instruments: lead vocals

Release contributions: Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), Come Taste the Band (1975)

Glenn Hughes

Active: 1973–1976

Instruments: bass, vocals

Release contributions: Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), Come Taste the Band (1975)

Rod Evans

Active: 1968–1969

Instruments: lead vocals

Release contributions: Shades of Deep Purple (1968), The Book of Taliesyn (1968), Deep Purple (1969)

Nick Simper

Active: 1968–1969

Instruments: bass, backing vocals

Release contributions: Shades of Deep Purple (1968), The Book of Taliesyn (1968), Deep Purple (1969)

Tommy Bolin

Active: 1975–1976

Instruments: guitar, backing vocals, bass, piano

Release contributions: Come Taste the Band (1975)

Joe Lynn Turner

Active: 1990–1992

Instruments: vocals

Release contributions: Slaves and Masters (1990)

Joe Satriani

Active: 1993–1994

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: none

Band lineups

Timeline

References

External links

• Deep Purple official website