Why Deep Purple Stopped Performing ‘Child In Time’_ the sad story

Deep Purple’s current setlist goes back to 1968 and includes more than half of the classic ‘Machine Head’ album but one song they have not done in years is the epic ‘Child In Time’.

‘Child In Time’ was once a centrepiece of a Deep Purple concert because of Ian Gillan’s ear-piercing scream. It has been a long time since Ian could hit those notes.

“This happened quite a few years ago,” founding member Roger Glover tells Noise11.com. “He drew a line in the sand and said ‘I’m not going to sing this song anymore’. That was a personal decision. He is our singer and we have to abide by that. We wrote that song when we were 24 and at 24 you can do things a lot differently than when you are 74”.

The song was also rested at times in those early days when Ian’s voice also needed resting and that created tension with one member of the band at the time, Ritchie Blackmore. “I think Ian was also spoiled a little bit by politics in the band in the early days,” Roger says. “He said he had a cold and couldn’t do ‘Child In Time’ one night so Ritchie (Blackmore) went on and started playing the opening chords.

Of course, the audience went nuts and Ian was forced to do it. It was a bit of a cause célèbre. As he got older he tired to do it. We didn’t want to cheat. We didn’t want to have the top harmony played by a sampler or guitar. So he said “that’s it. I’m not singing that song ever again’. It’s not that he is not proud of it. It’s just that he doesn’t want to sing. This was like 10-15 years ago”.

he last time ‘Child In Time’ was performed by Deep Purple was 30 April, 2002 in Jakarta.

Watch the Noise11 interview with Roger Glover:

Deep Purple’s most recent setlist from 17 December 2023 in India was:

Highway Star (from Machine Head, 1972)
Pictures of Home (from Machine Head, 1972)
No Need to Shout (from Whoosh, 2020)
Into the Fire (from Deep Purple In Rock, 1970)
Guitar Solo
Uncommon Man (from Now What, 2013)
Lazy (from Machine Head, 1972)
When a Blind Man Cries (b-side of Never Before single, 1972)
Anya (from The Battle Rages On, 1993)
Keyboard Solo (Adam Wakeman)
Perfect Strangers (from Perfect Strangers, 1984)
Space Truckin’ (from Machine Head, 1972)
Smoke on the Water (from Machine Head, 1972)

Encore:
Hush (from Shades of Deep Purple, 1968)
Black Night (single, 1970)

Deep Purple will perform on the Pandemonum festival in Australia in April with Alice Cooper, Blondie and Placebo.

PANDEMONIUM 2024