Ian Gillan of Deep Purple: 'This is definitely not going to be our last tour'

Absolutely. We’re very much looking forward to it. This tour actually started in May but we are finishing in the UK so we are definitely looking forward to it for sure then we`ll be off the road for Christmas and then I’ll get a holiday but we will be working after the tour is finished.

You’ve called it the One More Time tour. Is this really going to be your last tour or do you still intend to play select dates as and when you want?

We actually changed the name to the ‘=1 Tour’ when we realised what everyone was thinking because that’s what it sounds like but we didn’t think of it like that. We meant it more in musical terms of “let’s go again”. We had a previous tour with similar problems called ‘The Long Goodbye Tour’ so this is definitely not going to be our last tour.

Many of your peers have long since retired from the road. What is it that keeps you inspired to travel the world to play?

We’ve never stopped playing live. That’s how we started. I’ve been on the road since I was 16 years old and I’ve lived out of a suitcase since then apart from a short period in the ’70s. I can’t think of a better life. It’s very fulfilling and there’s such amazing people that we travel with, not just the band but the crew, some of who have been with us for 50 years. It’s absolutely thrilling.

There`s certain songs that it would be unthinkable for you not to play but over the years you shake up your setlist from tour to tour with vintage songs you haven’t played in years, songs from recent albums and total wildcard surprises like you did last time with ‘Anya’ from ‘The Battle Rages On’. What have you go lined-up for the current tour?

Normally when we put an album out we do a couple of new songs but it’s not just a question of picking songs from the new album, they have to be compatible with the show. The songs have to fit. On this album we have six songs that fit in absolutely brilliantly. We still do ‘Anya’ by the way as that went down so well. We`ve also been encouraged by the fans to do more new songs too. It is a question of compatibility and the show has to have balance and texture and that sort of thing but this has been the easiest tour ever to devise a setlist that pleases both the crowd and us. We`ll do six new songs alongside the classics like ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke On The Water’, ‘Space Truckin’’, ‘Lazy’, ‘Hush’ and ‘Black Night’. We also do ‘Uncommon Man’, which we just can’t leave out as we feel Jon Lord’s presence on the stage when we do that one. It was written about him so that stays.

Simon McBride replaced Steve Morse as guitarist a couple of years ago. Where did you first come across Simon?

I did a solo tour with him back in 2017 in eastern Europe with the Don Airey Orchestra and Simon was the banjo player. I only use that phrase because Kerrang magazine used to refer to guitar players as axemen so I thought guitarists needed bringing down a peg or two.

Did you give Simon a free rein to interpret the classic songs in his own way?

Yes, we did. If you play a song that you didn’t originally record you have to show respect and you can’t just destroy a performance that everybody knows. Simon is a master of doing that. You think it’s the original record but it has his own stamp on it. You want to hear what he does with ‘Hush’, it’s unreal. No previous Deep Purple guitar player has looked at ‘Hush’ the way Simon is doing it. I’m blown away. He’s revitalised the song and brought it right up to date. It’s just jaw-dropping.

You have also have a new album out ‘=1’. Are you pleased with the reaction it’s received?

The reaction has been amazing. The reviews have been incredible and the fans love the album. We’re blown away and thrilled with how it’s been received. I’ve just got an email from the manager’s office congratulating us on reaching Number One in the UK singles charts with Lazy Sod. It’s Number One. That`s amazing. Coldplay are Number Two behind us, with Stone Foundation at Number Three.

Congratulations. That`s quite an achievement for a band who is over 55 years into their recording career.

Thank you. I just can`t believe it. This is our first Number One in the UK. Wow, that`s amazing. I`m going to have a drink.

What is the meaning behind the title of your single?

I have a notebook that I carry around and write down these useful words and phrases that might come in handy when I`m writing. I was asked recently by a journalist how many songs I`d written and I think it`s around 500 songs or so. I was watching a documentary about Dolly Parton and she said she`d written over 5000 songs and he said that made a lazy sod. I thought that was hilarious. The real meaning behind the song is that I was relaxed at home in Portugal one night and it was a bit chilly so I put a couple of logs on the fire and the next thing I know the room was full of smoke and a bird`s nest was on fire. I scribbled some words down “the world`s on fire and I can`t get my arse out of bed” so it became a double play on global warming.

What are your plans for the coming months?

We have such momentum at the moment that I`m sure we`ll be going back into the writing room soon. My first plan though is to go on holiday to the Caribbean with my manager and we`ll do the accounts on the beach with a rum punch.

Deep Purple play at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on 7th November with Reef in support.

Deep Purple`s latest album, ‘=1’, is out now on earMUSIC.