Rock & Roll Museum

Deep Purple

One of the longest-lived hard rock bands in music, Deep Purple made its influence known on metalheads and prog-rockers alike.

Formed in 1968, the British band's early lineup consisted of Rod Evans (vocals), Nick Simper (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar) and Ian Paice (drums). After the release of their debut album Shades of Deep Purple (Tetragrammaton), the band scored its first success with two covers: Joe South's "Hush" and Neil Diamond's "Kentucky Woman."

After 1970's classical-tinged Concerto for Group and Orchestra (Warner Bros.) the band's sound took a turn for the loud, dominated by Blackmore's aggressive guitar attack. With a newfound metal sound, Deep Purple saw success in 1972's Machine Head, which reached the Top 10 and produced the hit single "Smoke on the Water." However, the mid-'70s saw major shifts in the band, including the departure of Gillan, who later joined Black Sabbath. Gillan's replacement, David Coverdale, achieved fame in the '80s as a member of Whitesnake.