Ian Gillan preaches the values of Deep Purple’s simplicity: ‘It’s all about the music’

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A lot of bands, in the midst of a career as lengthy has Deep Purple’s, might consider stripping down to basics — getting back, as it were, to where they once belonged. Ian Gillan cautions that Deep Purple has always been that way.

“We don’t have a PR agency,” Gillan tells WikiMetal. “We don’t have a PR person, at all. I don’t know any other band that doesn’t have that. We’re just a simple outfit. We go out and we crank up, and we play — and we have a great time. … It’s all about the music.”

Deep Purple just announced another round of dates, this time through France, Germany and into London’s O2. Count on songs from throughout their storied career, including several from the group’s well-received current studio effort Now What?!

They’ll keep it simple. There won’t be a huge stage production, no lasers. Gillan says Deep Purple puts its money into the sound equipment, then lets the music do the rest.

The same as always.

“At the risk of sounding boring, we haven’t changed our ethos since 1969,” Gillan says. “We just get up there, crank it up and go mad. I mean, basically that’s what we do. I don’t know what’s going to happen; it’s improvisation. We rock ‘n’ roll. We play a lot of stuff, from ’68 through 2013, but that’s not it. The whole thing about Deep Purple is the jamming, the improvisation.”

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