n a new interview with Showsha’s Yatamanyu Narain, Ian Paice was asked how he hopes DEEP PURPLE will be remembered in 50 years. The 75-year-old drummer, the only member of the British rock figureheads to have been in the group continuously from their inception in 1968, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “That’s a tough one. I just hope people will look back at the better things we did. ‘Cause not everything you do throughout a whole career is as good as you’d want it to be. I mean, I look back at like an amazing artist like Prince. He’d make a great record, then he’d make an average record. Then he’d make a great record. It’s almost like when he ran out of money, he’d make a great record.”
He continued: “In 50 years’ time, I hope people will find things we did that they can find a connection with, even if it’s a generation that are long gone.
“I think some of those wonderful records that came out from that period of time do have that human connection,” Paice added. “And I think that goes beyond the years. I hope that is still a possibility for some of our music in the future.”
Paice suffered a minor stroke in 2016, forcing him to miss the band’s shows in Sweden and Denmark — the first time his medical condition prevented him from performing with the group.
Paice and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2016.
In July 2022, guitarist Steve Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He has since been replaced by Simon McBride.DEEP PURPLE‘s latest album, “Turning To Crime”, came out in November 2021 via earMUSIC. The LP contains DEEP PURPLE‘s versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.
