Better late than never, this is what I posted at The Highway Star:
Oh my – into the fire … A can of worms. So they have basically inducted the three line ups that featured the Lord-Paice-Blackmore triumvirate, i.e. Mk I-III, and I can see the logic in that. Mk 1 was the foundation (I don’t think there would have ever been a Machine Head if “Hush” had died a death in the US charts in 1968), Mk II were the creators of a certain sound and Mk III administered MK II’s legacy and crowned it with the California Jam event. I’m happy that Nic Simper gets some credit – I’m sure it means a lot to him – and Rod Evans (if he was around), Jon has to watch from somewhere else.
My preference would have been to have later (Bolin and Turner) and current members nominated too (Morse and Airey). I’m a fan, there is no Deep Purple line up that I dislike (yup, I even think that Slaves & Masters is a worthy effort and the second Hammersmith night I saw with JLT was a good gig).
But, let’s face it, Purple are getting inducted for their past of In Rock, Machine Head and Made in Japan and possibly Burn and Perfect Strangers, not for Come Taste the Band (one of my all-time favorite Purple albums, but hardly known outside of Purple-ite circles) or Purpendicular and Now What?! (two albums I love as well, but unlike the Mk II output not riding high on the contemporary waves of public delight – back in the 70ies, almost any record-buying home would have an Mk II album somewhere). For the record: If it wasn’t for Morse and Airey, current Purple wouldn’t have any new music to play and I really like what they do for the band. [Though Airey meanwhile has a dominance live with DP that makes them sound a bit like ELP with a guest guitarist in places! ; – ) ]
Big Ian’s comments are of (still) emotional nature and, by the way, if you divorced your wife several decades ago, you should be able to sit beside her today. My wife and I are both into our second marriage and had our ex-spouses at our wedding party (and they both honored us with their presence).
