DEEP PURPLE’S NEW STUDIO ALBUM =1 LAUNCHES TODAY |
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Photo: Jim Rakete |
New York, NY (July 19, 2024) – Today, on July 19th, one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time, Deep Purple, release their brand-new studio album ‘=1’. With three successful singles – ‘Portable Door’, ‘Pictures of You’ and ‘Lazy Sod’ – already making waves, listeners worldwide have eagerly been awaiting Deep Purple’s 23rd studio album. ‘=1’ follows the band’s consecutive No. 1 albums ‘Whoosh!’ (2020), ‘inFinite’ (2017) and ‘NOW What?!’ (2013). With the legendary Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band’s classic sound, without relying on nostalgia. ‘=1’ embodies the essence and attitude of Deep Purple’s 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. To celebrate the new album, Deep Purple is currently on the grand =1 MORE TIME world tour. Performing in sold-out arenas and at the biggest summer rock festivals, they are bringing the new songs to millions of fans. Yesterday evening, the first fans had the chance to experience the entire album at pre-listening events in selected indie record stores worldwide. Simultaneously, the film accompanying the new album, ‘Access All Areas’, premiered in more than 70 cinemas across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Not only fans but also media outlets have highly anticipated and praised the album prior to today’s release: |
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‘=1’ is available now via earMUSIC as Ltd. CD+DVD (Digipak), CD (Jewelcase), 2LP Gatefold (black, 180g), Ltd. Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g), Ltd. Crystal Clear 2LP (180g) and Ltd. Box Set (CD+DVD Digipak, 2LP black Gatefold, 3x exclusive 10” vinyl editions featuring live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, exclusive Collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to every show on the Deep Purple ‘=1 MORE TIME’ tour). All LPs include a rich 12-page LP sized booklet – exclusively in the first print run! The bonus DVD features the approx. 60min documentary ‘Access All Areas’ joining Deep Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes. Further exclusive items are available via the official album store: Ltd. 2LP Picture Disc, Ltd. Cassette, and various bundles with exclusive and limited merchandise. =1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES Tickets are available at www.deeppurple.com. |
About Deep Purple There simply aren’t enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution Deep Purple has made to rock music. Having sold more than 100 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there’s little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the ‘5th Most Influential Band Ever’. The band were also presented the ‘Legend Award’ at the 2008 World Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Deep Purple truly are ‘rock royalty’. With a body of work spanning seven decades, Deep Purple has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band’s inception. The celebrated MKII line up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore were responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early 70’s, including ‘Made In Japan’, universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time. Known as one of the hardest working bands ever, Deep Purple has continued to release No.1 albums and tour globally since forming in 1968, with little rest. In 2007 (almost 40 years after being formed), the band performed 40 dates in France to an award-winning audience, and they continue to spend much of their year on the road selling out arenas across the globe. Deep Purple has stayed true to its musical roots taking from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today, but which in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate. The band has written and produced so many “classic,” well-known songs, that its audience range widely in age and background – something the band has readily embraced. Deep Purple’s recent studio album, ‘Whoosh!’ (2020), followed their worldwide chart-topping albums ‘inFinite’ (2017) and ’NOW What?!’ (2013). 2024 sees the release of their brand-new album ‘=1’. On all albums, Deep Purple joined forces with producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper. Furthering their collaboration with Ezrin, in 2021 and during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes (normal for most bands nowadays, revolutionary for a band that records everything together in the studio), creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of ‘Turning To Crime’. In 2022 came the sad news of Steve Morse’s departure due to personal circumstances. Moving forward, Deep Purple sought out the masterful skills of guitarist Simon McBride and played the year out in style, exciting crowds with a new energy and excitement. Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey, and Simon McBride continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that Deep Purple are very much here to stay. |