Deep Purple, one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time, will release a new album, “=1”, on July 19 via earMUSIC. The first single will be unveiled on April 30 at midnight, a taster for the full 13 tracks of pioneering and rip-roaring rock and roll.
Deep Purple continue their charge in recent years, releasing hit albums and filling arenas around the world, adding yet more layers to their 100 million album-selling legacy. The band is credited as one of the key originators of heavy rock and has constantly progressed their boundaries of music. They are fronted by the legendary Ian Gillan, whose vocals have defined generations, accompanied by the masterful bassist Roger Glover, the powerhouse drummer Ian Paice, and the maestro on keyboards Don Airey.
“=1” is the band’s first album with sensational guitarist Simon McBride, who seamlessly slotted in when longtime member Steve Morse left due to personal circumstances. Since 2022, Simon has already played to Deep Purple audiences totalling more than half a million people.
But Deep Purple is more than just their members and “=1” embodies the essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. With the legendary Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band’s classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.
The enigmatic title “=1” symbolizes the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one. Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris and Berlin in recent days.
With three consecutive No. 1 albums in their back pocket and a resurgent new energy powering them forward, this is Deep Purple at their pinnacle. “Now WHAT?!” (2013), “inFinite” (2017), and “Whoosh!” (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making Deep Purple one of the most successful rock bands currently active. The latest studio album, “Whoosh!”, reached No. 1 on the album charts in seven countries and charted in the top 10 in another 12.
“=1” will be released as a limited CD+DVD (digipak), CD (jewel case),2LP gatefold (black, 180g), Limited purple 2LP gatefold (180g), Limited crystal clear 2LP (180g) and limited box set (CD+DVD digipak, 2lp black gatefold, 3x exclusive 10″ vinyl editions feat. live recordings from Deep Purple‘s 2022 tour, exclusive collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the Deep Purple “=1 More Time” tour). All LPs include a rich 12-page vinyl-sized booklet. The bonus DVD features the approximately 60-minute documentary “Access All Areas” joining Deep Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.
Pre-order “=1” here
“=1” track listing:
1. Show Me
2. A Bit On The Side
3. Sharp Shooter
4. Portable Door
5. Old-Fangled Thing
6. If I Were You
7. Pictures Of You
8. I’m Saying Nothin’
9. Lazy Sod
10. Now You’re Talkin’
11. No Money To Burn
12. I’ll Catch You
13. Bleeding Obvious
There simply aren’t enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution Deep Purple has made to rock music. Having sold more than 100 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there’s little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the “Fifth Most Influential Band Ever”. The band was also presented the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016. Deep Purple truly are “rock royalty”.
With a body of work spanning seven decades, Deep Purple has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band’s inception. The celebrated MKII line up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, and Ritchie Blackmore were responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early 1970s, including “Made In Japan”, universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time.
Known as one of the hardest-working bands ever, Deep Purple has continued to release No. 1 albums and tour globally since forming in 1968, with little rest. In 2007 (almost 40 years after being formed), the band performed 40 dates in France to an award-winning audience, and they continue to spend much of their year on the road selling out arenas across the globe.
Deep Purple has stayed true to its musical roots taking from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today, but which in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate. The band has written and produced so many “classic”, well-known songs, that its audience range widely in age and background — something the band has readily embraced.
Deep Purple‘s recent studio album “Whoosh!” (2020) followed their worldwide chart-topping albums “inFinite” (2017) and “Now WHAT?!” (2013). 2024 sees the release of their brand-new album “=1”. On all albums, Deep Purple joined forces with producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed, and Alice Cooper.
Furthering their collaboration with Ezrin, in 2021 and during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes (normal for most bands nowadays, revolutionary for a band that records everything together in the studio),creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of “Turning To Crime”.
In 2022 came the sad news of Steve Morse‘s departure due to personal circumstances, but Deep Purple, never a band to let a setback throw them off course, sought out the masterful skills of guitarist Simon McBride and played the year out in style, exciting crowds with new energy and excitement.
Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that Deep Purple are very much here to stay.
