Deep Purple Release 1987 Backstage Prank Video
Deep Purple have released a backstage clip shot during their appearance at London’s Wembley Stadium in 1987. The brief video, available above, shows the band members pranking an MTV camera crew, who are supposed to be filming them but are prevented from gaining access.
A band spokesperson wrote: “Deep Purple having a little fun with the press at their infamous 1987 Wembley show. The band were on tour supporting The House Of Blue Light album. They are being helped out by their friend, Don Bernstein from the Hard Rock Cafe. Ritchie Blackmore refused to play the encore and the band played ‘Smoke On The Water’ without him. Purple were always on the edge which gave it the excitement that we know of today. Enjoy!”
Last year, speculation emerged that Blackmore might entertain a temporary return to the band, which would mark his first appearance with them since he quit on tour in 1993. Even Steve Morse, his eventual replacement, said he supported the idea, noting: “Fans would love it. It would be nice, I think, to see closure with everybody involved, and the bad feeling put aside. I think they’d all get a kick out of it if they could get past the psychological barriers.”
However, frontman Ian Gillan later shot down the concept – and although he said there was “no great anomisity” remaining between them, he added: “Ritchie was a difficult character – there’s no denying that. Ritchie and the band got divorced. He walked out in the middle of a tour, and the rain stopped and the sun came out for the band. It was like that. Ian Paice came alive again; he was a happy guy. And Jon Lord regained his gravitas, and Roger [Glover] came out from under a rock. Everyone started being a normal person again.”
Meanwhile, the new lineup of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow just released a new track entitled “Waiting for a Sign” – you can listen to it below. The guitarist recently said: “Rainbow is part of my life, as is Deep Purple. I just got back together for a few shows because I wanted to have a blast on the Strat. That’s always good fun but it’s not something I will do all the time. I might do another couple of shows. Japan wants us and a lot of other places. Blackmore’s Night is really my main music – that’s much more challenging. It’s not so easy to play.” The CD/DVD collection Memories in Rock II arrives on Apr. 6.