In a world where musical trends rise and fade with dizzying speed, the enduring appeal of bands like Deep Purple speaks volumes. Their relevance today isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about legacy, influence, and a type of authenticity that continues to resonate with listeners, young and old.
Speaking recently with São Paulo’s 89 FM A Rádio Rock, Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice reflected on the band’s cross-generational impact. Asked how it feels to serve as “a bridge between generations,” he responded with grounded clarity:
“Kids are still listening to rock roll. It doesn’t matter what sort of rock and roll. It’s all related to what we did and where we got it from, but it’s still rock and roll. You can put different names to it. The music obviously, evolves; it changes, but it’s still very closely related. So I think that’s the connection.”
That connection, Paice suggests, runs deeper than style or sound. It’s rooted in how music functioned in the lives of the band’s early fans, compared to the wider scope of options available to young people today.
“And the generation we came from, where for kids music was the only thing, not the most important thing; it was the only thing… Nobody had money, nobody had a car, no computers, no phones. Money, it was nothing. Music was your everything.”
It’s a powerful reminder of a time when music was less about algorithms and playlists and more about identity and escape. But even as the cultural landscape has shifted, Paice sees continuity.
“And I think over the last couple of generations, kids do more things – they have more wealth, they have more toys to play with. But those bands that are still here from that generation still can teach a lot of the younger musicians what’s important. And I don’t mean by sitting down and learning — just by listening and watching.”
This idea – that learning happens through immersion, not instruction – speaks directly to how younger generations still connect with the ethos of classic rock.
“And I think that’s the connection for younger musicians. They see something which, for us, was natural and for them has to be sort of learned. And the only way you learn is by watching and listening. So that’s the connection.”
The group’s new album, =1, was released in July 2024 on earMUSIC and has only further secured their longevity. Rather than a legacy band milking past glory, Deep Purple still proves that real musicianship, when founded on something real, does not evaporate – it evolves.
