BILLY IDOL (born William Michael Albert Broad in London, 70 years ago)
has 9 solo LPs under his belt, last year’s Dream Into It album, as his most
recent one.
In August/September, he’ll travel around the US for
a series of concerts with oldtimers Devo as one of
his guests.
Iconic hard rockers DEEP PURPLE have been around for ages. Their 24th LP,
named Splat! arrives on July 3rd. They’re starting their European tour today,
and it’ll keep them busy until November.
In the past few years, you could see rock titans GUNS N’ ROSES somewhere on this planet. And no pause. They’re about one third in this year’s run, with the UK/Europe and US dates coming next.
Band: THE MOUNTAIN GOATS Who: Californian veteran rockers THE MOUNTAIN GOATS, conducted
by singer/songwriter/musical mastermind and only original member John Darnielle have been playing around for more than 3 decades.
Track: SHALLOW GRAVE
Piece from their 24th LP, named Days. Available August 7th.
Vincent: “My musicianship is quite untrained, and I didn’t even realise I was writing it in 6/8 time. That’s the kind of stuff that’s been allowed to shine on this record, because it’s a full band and Sam’s jazz background helps those moments to work.”
TUTV: Ardency embraced by a slowly advancing devotion, sonically,
vocally, and lyrically. Big Truck are riding in the right direction.
Artist: VIOLET GROHL Who: The 20-year-old daughter
of Foo Fighters’ frontman.
Track: OFTEN OTHERS
Knockout belter from her debut full-length Be Sweet To Me.
She co-wrote all songs, mostly with the LP’s producers Anthony
Paul Lopez and Justin Raisen.
Mojo about the album: “She marr[ies] the etheral swoon of dream-pop with
the crunch of grunge, creating a fusion that evokes the off-kilter spirit of the ’90s.”
TUTV: Violet rocks with more supersized zing and determination than a bunch of today’s muscular groups. Hopefully, she will not be cited ‘like father, like daughter‘ all the time. Yes, there are Foo Fighters echoes, but in the end, it’s Violet‘s own, top-scoring debut opus.
Vitalizing tunes that work faster than a stream of caffeine
13 May 2026
Press picture by Olaf Heine
Last week, English symphonic hard rock titans DEEP PURPLE announced
the upcoming birth of their 24th LP, titled SPLAT! It’ll show up on July 3rd.
At the heart, SPLAT! is an idea conceived by Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation. It explores the end of humanity
not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
Ian Gillan (vocalist): “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies. I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘Lazy’, the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73.” ”
Make way for the lead single, called ARROGANT BOY.
Holy cow. They’re in their seventies but rock as if they were in their twenties. Arrogant Boy could easily have been one of their mastodonic 70s hits. Lots of smoke on the water again. Hat off.
Their extensive 2026 touring schedule will bring them
in 28 countries on three continents. All dates HERE.
English symphonic hard rock titans DEEP PURPLE
have no expiration date whatsoever.
On July 3rd, they will launch their 24th LP, namedSPLAT.
Ian Gillan (vocalist): “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies. I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘Lazy’, the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73.” ”
At the heart, SPLAT! is an idea conceived by Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation. It explores the end of humanity
not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
To celebrate the release, Deep Purple will continue their extensive 2026 touring schedule with no fewer than 86 shows across 28 countries on three continents. All dates HERE.
As the saying goes, “you’re never too old to rock ‘n’ roll.”
DEEP PURPLE (1968–1976, 1984–present / 23 LPs with 2024’s
‘=1‘ as the most recent one) are one of the many examples.
The band still features 3 key members, drummer Ian Paice (aged 77),
bassist Roger Glover (aged 80), and powerhouse voice Ian Gillan (aged 80)
and they still tour nonstop around the globe.
Singer IAN GILLAN was born in Chiswick, Middlesex, England
on 19 August 1945. Happy 80 to one of the greatest voices
ever in rock history.
He joined hard rock titans DEEP PURPLE in 1969 (they were named Episode Six
at that point) after being in several local bands. He left the band already in 1973,
after 5 LPs, to go solo with his own band and he also was the singer for Black Sabbath
for one year in 1983.
Gillan returned to the group in 1993, and has remained its lead singer ever since.
Many rock fans, certainly the fanatic ones, will remember him always for his jaw-dropping vocal tour de force on their 10-minute classic Child In Time from their notorious 1970 LP ‘Deep Purple In Rock‘. Watch/hear a spectacular live version above.
That classic – reworked instrumentally – is now part of the soundtrack for the fifth
season of American sf-horror series Stranger Things, which starts streaming on Netflix from November 26 onward. Listen to the new version below.
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile, yeah
We didn’t have much time now
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
(Smoke) on the water, you guys are great
This day, 57 years ago British hard rock legends DEEP PURPLE
played their very first gig. They did it in Tastrup, Denmark.
On their way to the gig they changed their original band name from Roundabout
to Deep Purple, which was the title of guitarist Richie Blackmore grandmothers’
favorite song at the time.
Later in the year, they scored their first hit with a cover of Billy Joe Royal songHush.
Not done yet.
Original members, singer Ian Gillan, drummer Ian
Paice and bassist Roger Glover still in the line-up.
British imperishable hard rockers DEEP PURPLE (1967–1976, 1984–present)
have no intention to retire. Their, brand-new, 23rd longplayer, weirdly named =1 out now.
TUTV: #1 sounds like early DP album from the 60s/70s.
Yep, no surprises, it’s all vintage Purple with instantly recognizable screeching guitar
solos, recognizable organs, recognizable IanPaice vocals (mind you, he still has a far
reaching and firm voice) recognizable stompers for fanatic headbangers, recognizable bombast and melodrama.
BUT not one tune comes in the neighbourhood of Smoke On The Water, Child In Time or Woman From Tokyo, not even close. If you sound the same for 58 years you still can stand out when you fabricate resistless, magnetic and ear-exciting TUNES with titanic choruses. Sadly this is not the case here. =1 is only for diehard fans.
