Roger Glover
 |
Member
Live musician
Guest musician
|
Personal information
Born on: 30.11.1945
Official website
1945 30th November; born at Brynllicci Farm, Bwlch, near Brecon, South Wales to Norman and Brenda Glover.
1949 Moves to rooms in The Rectory, Cantref whilst parents wait for a council house. Snapshot picture taken. Moves to Llangorse.
1950 Sister Christine born.
1954 Attends Llangorse VP School (29 pupils, total). Starts taking piano lessons. Gets a bike. Recites poetry in the local Eisteddfod. Listening to The Goon Show, Journey Into Space, Family Favourites, The Billy Cotton Band Show, etc.
1955 Moves to St Helens, Lancashire to stay with grandparents for three months while parents train as publicans in London. Attends Windlehurst Primary School. Loses Welsh accent and gains a Lancashire one. Does song and dance routine to the song Don't Worry. Continues piano lessons, passes grade one with merit. Moves to London, The Richmond Arms public house (now The Tournament), Old Brompton Rd, Kensington. Loses Lancashire accent and gets a London accent. Listening to Johnny Ray, Alma Cogan, Max Bygraves, Ann Shelton, Dickie Valentine, Frank Sinatra, etc.
1955 - 58 Attends Bousefield Primary School, then Sir Walter St. John's Grammar School for Boys, after barely scraping by the Eleven Plus. Gives up the piano. Listening to Lonnie Donegan (first record - Cumberland Gap), Vipers Skiffle Group, Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball, Terry Lightfoot, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, etc.
1958 Moves to rooms at Nevern Square, Kensington. Mesmerized by an acoustic guitar lying around there. Beatniks are everywhere with their jeans and long sweaters. Listening to blues and folk music, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Duane Eddy, etc.
1959 Moves to a flat in Rostrevor Rd, Parsons Green, Fulham. Joins All Saints Church choir, Putney, singing treble. Also in the school choir at Sir Walter St. John's (pronounced 'sinjuns') as an alto. Buddy Holly dies. Stereo music is now available and although RG doesn't own a record player he is exposed to a large amount of music. The initial explosion of rock 'n' roll turns into a plethora of pop music from America. He gets his first acoustic guitar. Listening to The Drifters, The Coasters, Sam Cooke, Freddy Cannon, Rick Nelson, Richie Valens, Dion and The Belmonts, Larry Williams, etc., etc.
1960 Moves to The Oddfellows Arms, Pinner, Middlesex. Attends Harrow County Grammar School for Boys. Whilst doing odd jobs in the pub on a Saturday morning, Apache by The Shadows comes on the radio and RG is stunned. Sees The Lightnings rehearsing Poetry In Motion in the old gymnasium, for the Christmas Entertainments held at the school every year. Vows to be in a band by next year. Listening to Eddie Cochran, Ray Charles, The Shirelles, Brenda Lee, Neil Sedaka, etc.
1961 Moves to Greenacres Avenue, Ickenham. Parents split. Joins the cadet force, first in the army and later in the RAF where he learns to fly a glider. Forms The Madisons; Tony Lander - rhythm guitar, Dave Collis - lead guitar, Mick Duvall - vocals, piano, Harvey Shield - drums. They debut at the Christmas Entertainments, performing Night Of The Vampire (The Moontrekkers), I'm a Moody Guy (Shane Fenton and the Fentones), and On The Rebound (Floyd Kramer). The famous guitarist Bert Weedon (whose son Geoff is a pupil) lends them his Selmer combo amplifier for the following night, explaining that an entire band going through a Vox AC15 sounds rather distorted. The Madisons start doing gigs in the area; parties, youth clubs, school dances, social clubs, weddings and bar mitzvahs. Buys a red Hofner bass guitar on hire purchase. The group starts wearing a stage outfit consisting of black trousers, black plastic vests, white shirts and under-the-collar bowties, only available from Cecil Gee in London. Later they graduate to suits. With Tony, he builds his own speaker enclosures, learning much about carpentry. Not enough, apparently. Listening to The Shadows, Shane Fenton and The Fentones, Floyd Kramer, Johnny Tillotson, The Ventures, etc.
1962 Amalgamates with The Lightnings, later to be called Episode Six; Tony Lander - lead guitar, Graham Dimmock - rhythm guitar, Sheila Carter - vocals keyboards, Harvey Shield - drums, Andy Tait - vocals. Love Me Do by The Beatles is a pivotal moment for RG; "If they can make it, anyone can." Sees one of the first gigs by The Rolling Stones at The Ealing R and B Club during an Alexis Korner show. Listening to The Beatles, Sonny Boy Williamson, Booker T and The MGs, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddely, Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, Cyril Davies, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Leadbelly, Joe Brown and The Bruvvers, Roy Orbison, Mose Allison, Woody Guthrie, etc.
1963 - 64 Attends Hornsey Art College, London. The first year is general studies, the second year requires pupils to specialize; takes three-dimensional studies but finds this frustrating, uses the college facilities, including the dark room, but attends few classes. The long rail journey every morning and evening enables RG to read more. Goes busking with Harvey in Brighton, sleeping rough under the pier. At one time resorts to begging in Leicester Square ("Doing that for about an hour gets you enough for beans on toast and a cup of tea.") Moves to a flat in Earls Court, London with Harvey but the £2.00 weekly rent proves too much and returns home to Ickenham (and Mum) after six weeks. Listening to Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Peter Paul and Mary, The Searchers, etc.
1965 Turns professional at Tanz-Cafe Arcadia, Frankfurt after months of debate on whether to leave college. Burst appendix leaves RG stranded in Germany for several weeks, followed by months of recuperation. Andy Tait leaves and is replaced by Ian Gillan, from local bands The Javelins and Wainright's Gentlemen. Gloria Bristow, a publicist hired by Helmut Gordon, takes over management of the band. The previous managers are, Phil Saunders, Brendan Power, and Helmut Gordon (who was The Who's first manager). Auditioning for clubs in the west end of London, they get an agent who supplies them with work, the most lucrative of which are the American air bases. First single released on Pye: Put Yourself In My Place b/w That's All I Want (1966), (RG's first published song). Listening to Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, Otis Redding, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, Dusty Springfield, Gene Chandler, Bobby Vee, etc.
1966 - 68 Episode Six continues making single records - I Hear Trumpets Blow (1966), Morning Dew (1966), Here, There and Everywhere (1966), Love-Hate-Revenge (1967), I Can See Through You (1967) (RG's first A side), Little One (1968), Lucky Sunday (1968), Mozart Versus The Rest (1969). TV debut on Top Of The Pops doing I Hear Trumpets Blow. An opening spot on The Dusty Springfield tour, along with Alan Price, extensive touring, including a nine-week engagement at the Casino Du Liban in Beirut, Lebanon in 1966. In 1967, Harvey leaves, replaced by John Kerrison, later replaced, in 1968, by Mick Underwood. Moves to a flat in Uxbridge, with sister Christine and step-sister Tina. Hangs out with Brian Connolly, lead singer of The Sweet. Listening to Holst, Prokofief, Bach, Stravinsky, The Doors, Love, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Cream, The Temptations, Moby Grape, Simon and Garfunkel, The Mommas and the Poppas, Aretha Franklin, etc.
1969 Mick Underwood's previous stint in The Outlaws with Ritchie provides an invitation to join Deep Purple (Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice), along with Ian Gillan. The band, managed by Tony Edwards and John Coletta, HEC Enterprises, had enjoyed some success in the USA with Hush (1968) and Kentucky Woman (1968). They are invited to record the DP single Hallelujah (1969), eventually leading to litigation by Gloria Bristow and the other members of Episode Six, who subsequently disband. The band Quatermas rises out of the ashes, funded by the out-of-court settlement of the case. The new line-up of Deep Purple debut at The Speakeasy, 1969. From the start, DP's music changes to a more radical sound. The first major concert, at The Albert Hall in September, is recorded live. Although very different from the sound of DP, Jon Lord's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold, becomes the first album on EMI, garnering a lot of attention. Listening to Vanilla Fudge, Led Zeppelin, The Band, Elton John, Little Feat, Procul Harem, Sly and the Family Stone, Vaughn Williams.
1970 - 72 Moves in with Ian Paice at Harbledown Rd, Fulham. After the publicity generated by the Concerto, the band concentrates on writing and playing intense hard rock. The first studio album, Deep Purple In Rock (1970), completed in between much travelling and gigging, is a huge hit, eventually staying in the UK charts for a year. The single, Black Night (1970) (not included on the album) gets to #2 establishing the band as a major force in the burgeoning hard rock scene. Martin Birch becomes their engineer. Passes driving test. Deep Purple go from strength to strength, becoming one of the world's biggest bands; Strange Kind Of Woman (1970) is the successful follow-up single, taken from Fireball (1971) which makes headway in the USA, going gold. The next single, Fireball (1971) taken from the same album is also a hit. Machine Head (1972), recorded in Montreux, Switzerland (after a massive fire, midway through a concert by Frank Zappa, destroyed the Casino - the building in which they were due to record) goes gold and eventually platinum as the album Made In Japan (1973) (also platinum) provides the band with their definitive live album.
1973 Smoke On The Water (1973) becomes one of the biggest hits of the decade. The band starts to disintigrate but manages a final album, Who Do We Think We Are (1973), containing the single Woman From Tokyo (1973). RG and Ian Gillan leave the band, for different reasons, to be replaced by Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale respectively. Buys his first house in Iver, Bucks. In a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, finds himself returning from the last Deep Purple tour to find that Nazareth are high in the charts with his production of the single Broken Down Angel (1973), taken from the album Razamanaz (1973) - the first of three albums they will make together, the next two being Loud'N'Proud (1974) and Rampant (1975). Listening to Stevie Wonder, Taj Mahal, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison, Traffic, Free. Supremes, John Lennon, Edgar Winter, George Harrison, Walter Carlos, Mountain, Paul Simon, Chicago, etc.
1974 Moves to Prentice Wood, Farnham Common, Bucks. Works for six months in the A and R department at Purple Records. Becomes a full time record producer, producing Rupert Hine, Elf (the first, eponymous, album, recorded in Atlanta, is produced in conjunction with Ian Paice in 1972 and features a then unknown Ronnie James Dio), Nazareth, David Coverdale, Status Quo, Judas Priest, Rory Gallagher, etc. Nazareth's hit singles incude Bad Bad Boy (1973) and This Flight Tonight (1974). Releases his first solo album The Butterfly Ball (1974); an ambitious musical score for a projected full length cartoon adaption of the book of the same name by Alan Aldridge and William Plomer. Love Is All (1974) the single featuring Ronnie James Dio, is a huge European hit, spending five weeks at #1 in Holland. Listening to Ry Cooder, Steve Reich, Jackson Browne, Randy Newman, JJ Cale, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, etc.
1975 Projected plans for forming a band with Ronnie James Dio end when Ritchie invites Ronnie and the rest of Elf to join him in a new venture called Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Hosts a performance of The Butterfly Ball at The Albert Hall, featuring David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Ian Gillan, John Lawton, Vincent Price and Twiggy, the recording of which becomes a movie, about which RG is less than enthusiastic. Marries Judi Kuhl at Beaconsfield Registry Office, August 1st. Listening to David Bowie, Bad Company, Queen, ABBA, Roxy Music, 10cc, Kraftwerk, Beaver and Krause, Tomita, etc.
1976 Daughter Gillian born in Windsor, December 18th. Starts working on a new solo album which won't be released for two years. He and Ritchie Blackmore meet again as they pass in Musicland Studios, Munich, Ritchie plays Stargazer for him. Disco music is everywhere.
1977 - 78 Elements (1978), RG's next solo project, is released. A mostly instrumental album featuring Simon Phillips, Mickey Lee Soule, Graham Preskett, Ronnie Aspery, Liza Strike, Helen Chappelle and Martin Birch, along with the strings of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Listening to XTC, The Clash, Sex Pistols, etc.
1979 - 83 Joins Rainbow (Cozy Powell, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey) at Ritchie Blackmore's invitation. RG's marriage breaks down. Moves to America, staying as a guest of Bruce Payne, his new manager. Moves to his own house in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1982. Divorce is finalized. Down To Earth (1979) provides the band with two hits; Since You Been Gone (1979) and All Night Long (1980). The singer Graham Bonnet leaves, replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for Difficult To Cure (1981) and the hit singles taken from it, I Surrender (1980) and Can't Happen Here (1981). Stone Cold (1982) is the single taken from Straight Between The Eyes (1982) and the final album Bent Out Of Shape (1983) has the single Street of Dreams. At various times during RG's tenure with the band, the line-up also includes Bobbi Rondinelli, Chuck Burghi, David Rosenthal.
1984 - 1988 The solo album Mask (1984) is released, featuring Chuck Burghi, Dave Gellis, David Rosenthal, Craig Brooks, Charlie Dechant, Jean Roussel, Joe Jammer, Mark Conese and Kate McGarrigle. The album is engineered by Nick Blagona, with whom RG had previously worked in Rainbow. Deep Purple reform in 1984, the so-called Mark ll line-up having spent eleven years apart. Perfect Strangers (1985) is the resulting album, featuring two hit songs, Perfect Strangers and Knocking At Your Back Door. The following tour is one of the best selling tours of the year, second only to Bruce Springsteen. However, The House of Blue Light (1986) proves a difficult album to write and record and the following tour spawns a disappointing live album, Nobody's Perfect (1988). Moves to another house in Greenwich, CT. RG and Ian Gillan release a joint solo album called Accidentally On Purpose (1988), recorded in Montserrat and New York. Marries Lesley Edmunds in Henley, July 1989, she and sons James and Paul move to America.
1989 - 1994 After more internal friction within the band, Ian Gillan leaves and is replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for Slaves And Masters (1990). It is an unhappy relationship however and eventually Ian Gillan returns and completes the album The Battle Rages On (1993). In the following tour of 1994, Ritchie Blackmore leaves, and is replaced, after an interlude with Joe Satriani, by Steve Morse.
1995 - 1998 Purpendicular (1995) is a new direction and the following tour a great success. Steve is the catalyst for a renewal of creative energy in the band. Abandon (1998) is the next studio album and precedes a period of intense touring all over the world, the band finding a welcome everywhere they go. Starts to oversee the 25th anniversay series of remastered and remixed versions of the 70s albums Deep Purple In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head and Who Do We Think We Are.
1999 After a lifetime achievement award from Nordoff-Robbins' Music Therapy the band is invited to do a special concert at the Albert Hall on behalf of the charity. The Concerto For Group and Orchestra is suggested, along with songs taken from each individual's personal career. Ronnie James Dio returns to perform two songs from The Butterfly Ball. Deep Purple and The London Symphony Orchestra Live at the Albert Hall (2000), conducted by Paul Mann, becomes a live album and DVD, followed by various tours with various orchestras throughout 2000.
2001 More tours. A special charity concert in Modena, Italy, with Luciano Pavarotti, performing Nessun Dorma and Smoke On The Water.
2002 A long period of touring sees them travelling all over the world before Jon Lord retires from the band and is replaced by Don Airey, an old friend from Rainbow days. Releases solo album Snapshot (2002), featuring Randall Bramblett, Joe Bonadio, Eran Tabib, Warren Haynes, Larry Saltzman, Gerry Leonard, Nick Moroch, Joe Mennonna, Mickey Lee Soule, Gillian Glover, Vaneese Thomas, Deena Miller.
2003 - 2004 DP go to Los Angeles to write and record Bananas (2003) with Michael Bradford producing. RG plays at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule. In June, Deep Purple are Luciano Pavarotti's guests for the second time and then commence the Bananas World Tour which will last eighteen months - they are the first world-class band to play in China. Listening to his iPod.
2005 Deep Purple record Rapture Of The Deep in Los Angeles, again Michael Bradford producing. Various tours throught the year. On July 2nd DP play Live 8 in Canada.
Recent iTunes purchases include: Bob Dylan, Mozart, Llasa de Sela, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Eno, Toots and The Maytels, Gordon Lightfoot, Jeff Beck, John Hiatt, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Tortoise, Sonny Landreth, Ry Cooder.
2006 The Rapture Tour officially starts in January at the Astoria, London. Alice Cooper is the special guest on the German tour. RG joins Ian Gillan's Band for the Tommy Vance Memorial Concert at the Albert Hall on the 31st March.
Listening to his iPod.
2007 RG in the studio with daughter Gillian Glover as she finishes her debut CD Red Handed. RG mixes Dream Theater's tribute to Made In Japan with Peter Deneberg. DP tours extensively around the world.
Listening to Satellite Radio.
2008 RG and Peter Denenberg mix Café Bertrand's The Delicate Art of Rock and Roll. After a South American tour, RG takes time off to be with his dying mother. Touring commences in July.
Listening to a wide range of Internet radio stations, particularly Radio Paradise.
Official website
1945 30th November; born at Brynllicci Farm, Bwlch, near Brecon, South Wales to Norman and Brenda Glover.
1949 Moves to rooms in The Rectory, Cantref whilst parents wait for a council house. Snapshot picture taken. Moves to Llangorse.
1950 Sister Christine born.
1954 Attends Llangorse VP School (29 pupils, total). Starts taking piano lessons. Gets a bike. Recites poetry in the local Eisteddfod. Listening to The Goon Show, Journey Into Space, Family Favourites, The Billy Cotton Band Show, etc.
1955 Moves to St Helens, Lancashire to stay with grandparents for three months while parents train as publicans in London. Attends Windlehurst Primary School. Loses Welsh accent and gains a Lancashire one. Does song and dance routine to the song Don't Worry. Continues piano lessons, passes grade one with merit. Moves to London, The Richmond Arms public house (now The Tournament), Old Brompton Rd, Kensington. Loses Lancashire accent and gets a London accent. Listening to Johnny Ray, Alma Cogan, Max Bygraves, Ann Shelton, Dickie Valentine, Frank Sinatra, etc.
1955 - 58 Attends Bousefield Primary School, then Sir Walter St. John's Grammar School for Boys, after barely scraping by the Eleven Plus. Gives up the piano. Listening to Lonnie Donegan (first record - Cumberland Gap), Vipers Skiffle Group, Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball, Terry Lightfoot, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, etc.
1958 Moves to rooms at Nevern Square, Kensington. Mesmerized by an acoustic guitar lying around there. Beatniks are everywhere with their jeans and long sweaters. Listening to blues and folk music, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Duane Eddy, etc.
1959 Moves to a flat in Rostrevor Rd, Parsons Green, Fulham. Joins All Saints Church choir, Putney, singing treble. Also in the school choir at Sir Walter St. John's (pronounced 'sinjuns') as an alto. Buddy Holly dies. Stereo music is now available and although RG doesn't own a record player he is exposed to a large amount of music. The initial explosion of rock 'n' roll turns into a plethora of pop music from America. He gets his first acoustic guitar. Listening to The Drifters, The Coasters, Sam Cooke, Freddy Cannon, Rick Nelson, Richie Valens, Dion and The Belmonts, Larry Williams, etc., etc.
1960 Moves to The Oddfellows Arms, Pinner, Middlesex. Attends Harrow County Grammar School for Boys. Whilst doing odd jobs in the pub on a Saturday morning, Apache by The Shadows comes on the radio and RG is stunned. Sees The Lightnings rehearsing Poetry In Motion in the old gymnasium, for the Christmas Entertainments held at the school every year. Vows to be in a band by next year. Listening to Eddie Cochran, Ray Charles, The Shirelles, Brenda Lee, Neil Sedaka, etc.
1961 Moves to Greenacres Avenue, Ickenham. Parents split. Joins the cadet force, first in the army and later in the RAF where he learns to fly a glider. Forms The Madisons; Tony Lander - rhythm guitar, Dave Collis - lead guitar, Mick Duvall - vocals, piano, Harvey Shield - drums. They debut at the Christmas Entertainments, performing Night Of The Vampire (The Moontrekkers), I'm a Moody Guy (Shane Fenton and the Fentones), and On The Rebound (Floyd Kramer). The famous guitarist Bert Weedon (whose son Geoff is a pupil) lends them his Selmer combo amplifier for the following night, explaining that an entire band going through a Vox AC15 sounds rather distorted. The Madisons start doing gigs in the area; parties, youth clubs, school dances, social clubs, weddings and bar mitzvahs. Buys a red Hofner bass guitar on hire purchase. The group starts wearing a stage outfit consisting of black trousers, black plastic vests, white shirts and under-the-collar bowties, only available from Cecil Gee in London. Later they graduate to suits. With Tony, he builds his own speaker enclosures, learning much about carpentry. Not enough, apparently. Listening to The Shadows, Shane Fenton and The Fentones, Floyd Kramer, Johnny Tillotson, The Ventures, etc.
1962 Amalgamates with The Lightnings, later to be called Episode Six; Tony Lander - lead guitar, Graham Dimmock - rhythm guitar, Sheila Carter - vocals keyboards, Harvey Shield - drums, Andy Tait - vocals. Love Me Do by The Beatles is a pivotal moment for RG; "If they can make it, anyone can." Sees one of the first gigs by The Rolling Stones at The Ealing R and B Club during an Alexis Korner show. Listening to The Beatles, Sonny Boy Williamson, Booker T and The MGs, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddely, Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, Cyril Davies, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Leadbelly, Joe Brown and The Bruvvers, Roy Orbison, Mose Allison, Woody Guthrie, etc.
1963 - 64 Attends Hornsey Art College, London. The first year is general studies, the second year requires pupils to specialize; takes three-dimensional studies but finds this frustrating, uses the college facilities, including the dark room, but attends few classes. The long rail journey every morning and evening enables RG to read more. Goes busking with Harvey in Brighton, sleeping rough under the pier. At one time resorts to begging in Leicester Square ("Doing that for about an hour gets you enough for beans on toast and a cup of tea.") Moves to a flat in Earls Court, London with Harvey but the £2.00 weekly rent proves too much and returns home to Ickenham (and Mum) after six weeks. Listening to Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Peter Paul and Mary, The Searchers, etc.
1965 Turns professional at Tanz-Cafe Arcadia, Frankfurt after months of debate on whether to leave college. Burst appendix leaves RG stranded in Germany for several weeks, followed by months of recuperation. Andy Tait leaves and is replaced by Ian Gillan, from local bands The Javelins and Wainright's Gentlemen. Gloria Bristow, a publicist hired by Helmut Gordon, takes over management of the band. The previous managers are, Phil Saunders, Brendan Power, and Helmut Gordon (who was The Who's first manager). Auditioning for clubs in the west end of London, they get an agent who supplies them with work, the most lucrative of which are the American air bases. First single released on Pye: Put Yourself In My Place b/w That's All I Want (1966), (RG's first published song). Listening to Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, Otis Redding, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, Dusty Springfield, Gene Chandler, Bobby Vee, etc.
1966 - 68 Episode Six continues making single records - I Hear Trumpets Blow (1966), Morning Dew (1966), Here, There and Everywhere (1966), Love-Hate-Revenge (1967), I Can See Through You (1967) (RG's first A side), Little One (1968), Lucky Sunday (1968), Mozart Versus The Rest (1969). TV debut on Top Of The Pops doing I Hear Trumpets Blow. An opening spot on The Dusty Springfield tour, along with Alan Price, extensive touring, including a nine-week engagement at the Casino Du Liban in Beirut, Lebanon in 1966. In 1967, Harvey leaves, replaced by John Kerrison, later replaced, in 1968, by Mick Underwood. Moves to a flat in Uxbridge, with sister Christine and step-sister Tina. Hangs out with Brian Connolly, lead singer of The Sweet. Listening to Holst, Prokofief, Bach, Stravinsky, The Doors, Love, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Cream, The Temptations, Moby Grape, Simon and Garfunkel, The Mommas and the Poppas, Aretha Franklin, etc.
1969 Mick Underwood's previous stint in The Outlaws with Ritchie provides an invitation to join Deep Purple (Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice), along with Ian Gillan. The band, managed by Tony Edwards and John Coletta, HEC Enterprises, had enjoyed some success in the USA with Hush (1968) and Kentucky Woman (1968). They are invited to record the DP single Hallelujah (1969), eventually leading to litigation by Gloria Bristow and the other members of Episode Six, who subsequently disband. The band Quatermas rises out of the ashes, funded by the out-of-court settlement of the case. The new line-up of Deep Purple debut at The Speakeasy, 1969. From the start, DP's music changes to a more radical sound. The first major concert, at The Albert Hall in September, is recorded live. Although very different from the sound of DP, Jon Lord's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold, becomes the first album on EMI, garnering a lot of attention. Listening to Vanilla Fudge, Led Zeppelin, The Band, Elton John, Little Feat, Procul Harem, Sly and the Family Stone, Vaughn Williams.
1970 - 72 Moves in with Ian Paice at Harbledown Rd, Fulham. After the publicity generated by the Concerto, the band concentrates on writing and playing intense hard rock. The first studio album, Deep Purple In Rock (1970), completed in between much travelling and gigging, is a huge hit, eventually staying in the UK charts for a year. The single, Black Night (1970) (not included on the album) gets to #2 establishing the band as a major force in the burgeoning hard rock scene. Martin Birch becomes their engineer. Passes driving test. Deep Purple go from strength to strength, becoming one of the world's biggest bands; Strange Kind Of Woman (1970) is the successful follow-up single, taken from Fireball (1971) which makes headway in the USA, going gold. The next single, Fireball (1971) taken from the same album is also a hit. Machine Head (1972), recorded in Montreux, Switzerland (after a massive fire, midway through a concert by Frank Zappa, destroyed the Casino - the building in which they were due to record) goes gold and eventually platinum as the album Made In Japan (1973) (also platinum) provides the band with their definitive live album.
1973 Smoke On The Water (1973) becomes one of the biggest hits of the decade. The band starts to disintigrate but manages a final album, Who Do We Think We Are (1973), containing the single Woman From Tokyo (1973). RG and Ian Gillan leave the band, for different reasons, to be replaced by Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale respectively. Buys his first house in Iver, Bucks. In a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, finds himself returning from the last Deep Purple tour to find that Nazareth are high in the charts with his production of the single Broken Down Angel (1973), taken from the album Razamanaz (1973) - the first of three albums they will make together, the next two being Loud'N'Proud (1974) and Rampant (1975). Listening to Stevie Wonder, Taj Mahal, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison, Traffic, Free. Supremes, John Lennon, Edgar Winter, George Harrison, Walter Carlos, Mountain, Paul Simon, Chicago, etc.
1974 Moves to Prentice Wood, Farnham Common, Bucks. Works for six months in the A and R department at Purple Records. Becomes a full time record producer, producing Rupert Hine, Elf (the first, eponymous, album, recorded in Atlanta, is produced in conjunction with Ian Paice in 1972 and features a then unknown Ronnie James Dio), Nazareth, David Coverdale, Status Quo, Judas Priest, Rory Gallagher, etc. Nazareth's hit singles incude Bad Bad Boy (1973) and This Flight Tonight (1974). Releases his first solo album The Butterfly Ball (1974); an ambitious musical score for a projected full length cartoon adaption of the book of the same name by Alan Aldridge and William Plomer. Love Is All (1974) the single featuring Ronnie James Dio, is a huge European hit, spending five weeks at #1 in Holland. Listening to Ry Cooder, Steve Reich, Jackson Browne, Randy Newman, JJ Cale, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, etc.
1975 Projected plans for forming a band with Ronnie James Dio end when Ritchie invites Ronnie and the rest of Elf to join him in a new venture called Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Hosts a performance of The Butterfly Ball at The Albert Hall, featuring David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Ian Gillan, John Lawton, Vincent Price and Twiggy, the recording of which becomes a movie, about which RG is less than enthusiastic. Marries Judi Kuhl at Beaconsfield Registry Office, August 1st. Listening to David Bowie, Bad Company, Queen, ABBA, Roxy Music, 10cc, Kraftwerk, Beaver and Krause, Tomita, etc.
1976 Daughter Gillian born in Windsor, December 18th. Starts working on a new solo album which won't be released for two years. He and Ritchie Blackmore meet again as they pass in Musicland Studios, Munich, Ritchie plays Stargazer for him. Disco music is everywhere.
1977 - 78 Elements (1978), RG's next solo project, is released. A mostly instrumental album featuring Simon Phillips, Mickey Lee Soule, Graham Preskett, Ronnie Aspery, Liza Strike, Helen Chappelle and Martin Birch, along with the strings of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Listening to XTC, The Clash, Sex Pistols, etc.
1979 - 83 Joins Rainbow (Cozy Powell, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey) at Ritchie Blackmore's invitation. RG's marriage breaks down. Moves to America, staying as a guest of Bruce Payne, his new manager. Moves to his own house in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1982. Divorce is finalized. Down To Earth (1979) provides the band with two hits; Since You Been Gone (1979) and All Night Long (1980). The singer Graham Bonnet leaves, replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for Difficult To Cure (1981) and the hit singles taken from it, I Surrender (1980) and Can't Happen Here (1981). Stone Cold (1982) is the single taken from Straight Between The Eyes (1982) and the final album Bent Out Of Shape (1983) has the single Street of Dreams. At various times during RG's tenure with the band, the line-up also includes Bobbi Rondinelli, Chuck Burghi, David Rosenthal.
1984 - 1988 The solo album Mask (1984) is released, featuring Chuck Burghi, Dave Gellis, David Rosenthal, Craig Brooks, Charlie Dechant, Jean Roussel, Joe Jammer, Mark Conese and Kate McGarrigle. The album is engineered by Nick Blagona, with whom RG had previously worked in Rainbow. Deep Purple reform in 1984, the so-called Mark ll line-up having spent eleven years apart. Perfect Strangers (1985) is the resulting album, featuring two hit songs, Perfect Strangers and Knocking At Your Back Door. The following tour is one of the best selling tours of the year, second only to Bruce Springsteen. However, The House of Blue Light (1986) proves a difficult album to write and record and the following tour spawns a disappointing live album, Nobody's Perfect (1988). Moves to another house in Greenwich, CT. RG and Ian Gillan release a joint solo album called Accidentally On Purpose (1988), recorded in Montserrat and New York. Marries Lesley Edmunds in Henley, July 1989, she and sons James and Paul move to America.
1989 - 1994 After more internal friction within the band, Ian Gillan leaves and is replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for Slaves And Masters (1990). It is an unhappy relationship however and eventually Ian Gillan returns and completes the album The Battle Rages On (1993). In the following tour of 1994, Ritchie Blackmore leaves, and is replaced, after an interlude with Joe Satriani, by Steve Morse.
1995 - 1998 Purpendicular (1995) is a new direction and the following tour a great success. Steve is the catalyst for a renewal of creative energy in the band. Abandon (1998) is the next studio album and precedes a period of intense touring all over the world, the band finding a welcome everywhere they go. Starts to oversee the 25th anniversay series of remastered and remixed versions of the 70s albums Deep Purple In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head and Who Do We Think We Are.
1999 After a lifetime achievement award from Nordoff-Robbins' Music Therapy the band is invited to do a special concert at the Albert Hall on behalf of the charity. The Concerto For Group and Orchestra is suggested, along with songs taken from each individual's personal career. Ronnie James Dio returns to perform two songs from The Butterfly Ball. Deep Purple and The London Symphony Orchestra Live at the Albert Hall (2000), conducted by Paul Mann, becomes a live album and DVD, followed by various tours with various orchestras throughout 2000.
2001 More tours. A special charity concert in Modena, Italy, with Luciano Pavarotti, performing Nessun Dorma and Smoke On The Water.
2002 A long period of touring sees them travelling all over the world before Jon Lord retires from the band and is replaced by Don Airey, an old friend from Rainbow days. Releases solo album Snapshot (2002), featuring Randall Bramblett, Joe Bonadio, Eran Tabib, Warren Haynes, Larry Saltzman, Gerry Leonard, Nick Moroch, Joe Mennonna, Mickey Lee Soule, Gillian Glover, Vaneese Thomas, Deena Miller.
2003 - 2004 DP go to Los Angeles to write and record Bananas (2003) with Michael Bradford producing. RG plays at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule. In June, Deep Purple are Luciano Pavarotti's guests for the second time and then commence the Bananas World Tour which will last eighteen months - they are the first world-class band to play in China. Listening to his iPod.
2005 Deep Purple record Rapture Of The Deep in Los Angeles, again Michael Bradford producing. Various tours throught the year. On July 2nd DP play Live 8 in Canada.
Recent iTunes purchases include: Bob Dylan, Mozart, Llasa de Sela, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Eno, Toots and The Maytels, Gordon Lightfoot, Jeff Beck, John Hiatt, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Tortoise, Sonny Landreth, Ry Cooder.
2006 The Rapture Tour officially starts in January at the Astoria, London. Alice Cooper is the special guest on the German tour. RG joins Ian Gillan's Band for the Tommy Vance Memorial Concert at the Albert Hall on the 31st March.
Listening to his iPod.
2007 RG in the studio with daughter Gillian Glover as she finishes her debut CD Red Handed. RG mixes Dream Theater's tribute to Made In Japan with Peter Deneberg. DP tours extensively around the world.
Listening to Satellite Radio.
2008 RG and Peter Denenberg mix Café Bertrand's The Delicate Art of Rock and Roll. After a South American tour, RG takes time off to be with his dying mother. Touring commences in July.
Listening to a wide range of Internet radio stations, particularly Radio Paradise.