Deep Purple: "We´re Useless - It´s Typical Purple," Says Ian Gillan

Ian Gillan says Deep Purple’s “useless” work ethic is the reason why there hasn’t yet been a follow-up album to 2005′s "Rapture of the Deep" – and their slow progress has even hampered work on his next solo release.

But the singer seems to be relatively convinced there will be another LP, despite bandmate Roger Glover’s recent comments that Purple were joining the ranks of bands who felt a series of EP releases are now a more viable way of releasing recorded work.

Gillan tells BraveWords: “I don’t know about that. I don’t know much about the business, or the ‘industry’ as it calls itself now. But it’s hard to imagine exactly what you’re going to do with a project once you’ve finished it – especially as you’re part of a generation that was born with records.”

But first there has to be a record; and it seems the band haven’t got very far into the process. “We’re Useless – it’s typical Purple,” Gillan says.

“We never make plans, and that’s the trouble. When we get some time off, which we don’t have, someone says ‘Let’s write some new songs,’ which we do, but then it gets forgotten until the following year.

“We never write prior to a session. A session involves everyone turning up, going into the kitchen, putting the kettle on and talking about, ‘Is that dog still alive?’ ‘How’s your family?’ ‘Did you buy that car?’ And talking about football teams. We then go into the studio as if it’s an office, working from noon until six o’clock, then go out and have a bite to eat.

“The songs evolve through those jam sessions, and we’re not really that far into the process. We’ve not got any free time until next March, so I don’t see anything immediately on the horizon. We’re having such a good time on the road.”

But the knock-on effect is to place his next solo release on the backburner, even though he already has about 30 tracks nearly written. Its status was reduced even more by his WhoCares charity release with Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, ex-bandmate Jon Lord, Mikko Lindstrom of Him, ex-Metallica Jason Newsted and Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain.

Gillan reports: “I put the solo album on hold because Purple’s due to make a record and I’m prioritising that. I also did the WhoCares thing with Tony.

“It’s business reasons: it’s all the same label and you can’t get the guys working on three projects at the same time from the same source. It doesn’t make any sense at all.

“So the solo album is at the bottom of the pecking order, let’s put it that way.”