Deep Purple’s “SPLAT!” Finds the Band Returning to Its Heavy Roots
Deep Purple have released SPLAT!, marking the iconic rock band’s 24th studio album. It teams them up again with producer Bob Ezrin, who has now worked on all of their albums since 2013’s Now What?!. Their latest effort is being hailed as the heaviest Deep Purple have sounded in years.
“I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘Lazy’ – the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73,” says singer Ian Gillan.
Those songs and that era of the band, dubbed Mark II, were anchored by bassist Roger Glover, who has been the heartbeat of the band alongside drummer Ian Paice for the majority of its existence. His bass lines are prominent across the album, including the title track, which closes the record. Although he is known lately for playing his Vigier bass, the studio has been a different story.
“When we did Now What?!, our first album (with Bob Ezrin), I started playing with the Vigier and Bob said, ‘You should try my Precision bass,'” Glover told Australian Musician. “I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Well, I think it’s going to record better.’ So he brought his Precision into the studio and it’s a legendary bass. It’s been on many of his records, Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper and Peter Gabriel and stuff. So I opened it up and the strings were dead. I said, ‘Well, I’ll give it a go. I’ll change the strings.’ He said, ‘No, no, don’t touch the strings.’ And he was right. It records beautifully. I don’t know if he’s ever changed the strings since then. He might’ve done once, probably once, but it’s become a habit and I use the Precision in all our recordings now with him.”
Hear his signature snarling tone on “Splat!”:
SPLAT! is available now on CD, limited box set and as a digital download (Apple Music, and Amazon Music).
SPLAT! Track List:
- Arrogant Boy
- Diablo
- The Rider
- The Lunatic
- The Only Horse in Town
- Sacred Land
- The Beating of Wings
- Guilt Trippin’
- Scriblin’ Gib’rish
- Jessica’s Bra
- Third Call
- My New Movie
- Splat!
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
