Author: Jernej Vene
Interview date: 12/15/2003
Deep Purple are among the pioneers of hard rock in music history, right up there with giants like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Since 1968 they’ve racked up an ocean of songs, albums and shows. There were plenty of lows, and maybe even more highs. Bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Steve Morse answered questions from Jernej Vene.
Why it took them five years to record the new studio album Bananas:
Roger Glover: “We didn’t actually need much time. Three weeks and four days in total, but I know what you’re getting at. Abandon came out in 1998, a year later we recorded Concerto for group and orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, and Jon Lord made a solo album, quite different from Deep Purple records. That direction is close to his heart, he’s loved that kind of music all his life. He’s always been immensely interested in orchestral music. Back then he finally had enough time to realize the project. But he was still close to the band. Concerto for group and orchestra was a huge success, and we even went on tour with an orchestra, which is unusual. We played with different orchestras, and that took a year or a bit more. In the meantime we had a few meetings where we wrote new songs. I thought Jon Lord would leave Deep Purple when the tour was over, which didn’t happen. His musical direction had become obvious, and you can’t make a new record with a band if someone’s heart isn’t in it. We made a smart move by recording the new album without him. But that takes quite a bit of time. Making a record with the new keyboardist Don Airey is definitely better than making a record without him. We waited until we were all ready, and then we recorded Bananas.”
On recording Bananas:
Steve Morse: “All of us in the band wanted the production of the new album handled by someone who loves the band’s history and direction. Producer Michael Bradford wanted to make a rock record that was close to his heart. He told us we had the right sound and that he knew how to capture it in the studio. So we got to work. He picked the songs, and just like me, a fan first and a band member second, he wanted to hear a direct, punchy organ sound. He wanted a little more aggression in it. Anyone can play anything, push a button and that’s that. But Don Airey plays naturally, his approach fits the band’s sound perfectly. Producer Bradford didn’t use many overdubs, he added a few spatial effects on the guitar, organ and drums. He convinced singer Ian Gillan to sing in a relaxed way. Gillan had been coming into the studio every day under pressure, feeling he had to sing like he does on stage just to please the producer. He should’ve been singing the way he knows how. He was a bit on edge, which was perfect for studio work.”
How did Don Airey fit into the band?
Don Airey: “A year ago we started rehearsing in Burbank for the Bananas sessions. It was a big day for me, I could hardly believe it was happening. We rehearsed for three weeks, producer Bradford came in every day and explained his take on the new songs. He knew how to steer us. We musicians liked changing keys or song intros, but Michael Bradford would say: “”No, it stays the way it is.”” And that’s how it stayed. I’m glad I got to work with him. It made life so much easier. I recorded most of the keyboards in the first take.”
What they think of newer rock acts, like the Strokes or the White Stripes:
Roger Glover: “I have to admit I bought the White Stripes record, but I’m slightly disappointed. Still, I see what’s appealing about their music. These days everything is perfect when it comes to music production technology. People who aren’t musicians can express themselves through technology, which is sometimes good and sometimes not. But the White Stripes play real instruments, they don’t use computers, and I respect that. Their music-making is untrained, naive, fragile and also fresh. I think listeners can hear that freshness on the record. We mostly don’t listen to that kind of music, I bought the record out of curiosity.”
Steve Morse: “I listened to a few of their songs. If they were playing some club, I’d say – fantastic, these two should be on TV. But on the record I miss a few instruments and harmonies. It’d be easier to listen to that way. The difference is the live sound, which wins you over in a chaotic setting, versus music you listen to on headphones, where you have to concentrate.”
Steve Morse on the Grammys.
Morse: “Let me explain how the whole process works. With The Dregs we had quite a bit of success a while back. I was also nominated six years in a row for my solo work. The label controls a certain number of votes from Grammy Academy members and needs them to secure a nomination. The winners are usually the biggest names of that year. For the lesser-known ones, the votes run out. The label has to back you and promote you, otherwise you can’t get nominated. The label also has to carry some weight in the individual categories. To win a Grammy, you have to be an important artist within the label. Believe me, in most cases that’s the truth. It’s dangerous to generalize, but I’ve been at quite a few ceremonies and seen how it works.”
Roger Glover on other musicians:
Glover: “The Sex Pistols couldn’t play all that well, but they were a great rock band. The Rolling Stones proved years ago that they aren’t brilliant musicians, but when they play together they’re dynamite. What counts is the end result, when a song finds its audience, it doesn’t have to be played perfectly. It has to be played with commitment. But you can play with commitment and play well at the same time. That’s what we do in Deep Purple.”
What drives them to create new music?
Roger Glover: “It’s a great job, and a fun one too. It’s rare to be able to spend your whole life doing what you love. Fun might be a strange word here, since our work involves other chores as well. It’s a business – the music side is fun, the business side isn’t. We can’t escape that. As long as the spirit of friendship is in our band, especially now, even though it wasn’t always like that, and as long as we care about Deep Purple as an important name in music, I’m happy.”
How do they pick songs for the live set?
Roger Glover: “At the start of a tour we shuffle the running order, but after a few shows, with the grueling schedule of show – drive – sleep – show, we don’t feel like rehearsing or writing new songs anymore. Sometimes we swap some songs for others or add something to the existing ones, so they sound different live. That happens as a joke, five minutes before we go on stage.”
How keyboardist Don Airey joined the band.
Roger Glover and Don Airey: “His surname was first in the phone book – Airey”:-))). Don adds that he doesn’t count for much. Glover continues:” Well, we know each other from Rainbow, where we played together in 1979 and recorded the album Down to earth. Don’s known as a great musician. When it became clear that Jon Lord would sooner or later stop performing live, we started thinking about how to get through the transition. We decided quickly, because circumstances forced us to. A year and a half ago we had four shows planned in Scandinavia at the start of a tour, and Lord’s knee hurt so badly he couldn’t walk. He said he couldn’t play those four shows, but that he’d join us later. Those were big, important summer festivals, which meant the crowd would be drunk and nobody would notice a keyboardist swap. So who to call? Don is the best in the business. When I called him, he said he’d take the job. Two days later we’d already played the first show successfully. Jon Lord was still ill, and so Don stayed with us.”
