List of Deep Purple band members

The current lineup of Deep Purple, from left to right: Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan, Steve Morse and Don Airey.

Deep Purple are an English hard rock band from Hertford, Hertfordshire. Originally known as Roundabout, the group formed in March 1968 featuring vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Jon Lord.^[1] This first lineup of the band, known as Mark I, released three albums within the space of a year – Shades of Deep Purple, The Book of Taliesyn and Deep Purple – before Evans and Simper were fired from the band at the request of Blackmore and Lord.^[2] Mark II of Deep Purple saw Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replace Evans and Simper, respectively, in the summer of 1969.^[2] This lineup of the band has since been identified as their most successful, with their next four albums reaching the top four of the UK Albums Chart, including number-one albums Fireball and Machine Head.^[3]

After the release of seventh studio album Who Do We Think We Are in early 1973, Gillan left the group due to creative differences with Blackmore, and was followed shortly by Glover.^[1] Deep Purple, Mark III were formed later in the year with the addition of vocalist David Coverdale and bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes.^[2] This lineup released two studio albums – Burn and Stormbringer, both in 1974 – before founding member Blackmore left the band, reportedly due to the new influences of funk rock presented by Coverdale and Hughes.^[2] Mark IV of the band, featuring Tommy Bolin in place of Blackmore, released their only album Come Taste the Band in 1975, before breaking up the following year.^[2]

After almost ten years disbanded, Deep Purple reformed in 1984 with the Mark II lineup of Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Paice and Lord.^[1] However, after just two albums – 1984's Perfect Strangers and 1987's The House of Blue Light – Gillan left the band once again following tensions with Blackmore.^[2] He was briefly replaced by Joe Lynn Turner, who had performed with Blackmore in Rainbow, before returning again just a few years later.^[1][2] Blackmore departed again in 1993 and was replaced briefly by Joe Satriani, before current guitarist Steve Morse joined in his place permanently in 1994 to begin Deep Purple Mark VII.^[2] Another original member, keyboardist Lord, departed in 2002, leaving only drummer Paice as the only constant member; Lord later died of pancreatic cancer in 2012.^[1][1] Lord's replacement was Don Airey.^[1]

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Ian Paice	1968–1976 1984–present	drums percussion	all Deep Purple releases
	Roger Glover	1969–1973 1984–present	bass	all Deep Purple releases from Deep Purple in Rock (1970) to Who Do We Think We Are (1973) all Deep Purple releases from Perfect Strangers (1984) to present
	Ian Gillan	1969–1973 1984–1989 1992–present	vocals harmonica	all Deep Purple releases from Deep Purple in Rock (1970) to Who Do We Think We Are (1973) Perfect Strangers (1984) The House of Blue Light (1987) all Deep Purple releases from The Battle Rages On... (1993) to present
	Steve Morse	1994–present	guitar	all Deep Purple releases from Purpendicular (1996) to present
	Don Airey	2002–present (touring member 2001–2002)	keyboards	all Deep Purple releases from Bananas (2003) to present

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Jon Lord	1968–1976 1984–2002	keyboards backing vocals	all Deep Purple releases from Shades of Deep Purple (1968) to Abandon (1998)
	Ritchie Blackmore	1968–1975 1984–1993	guitar	all Deep Purple releases from Shades of Deep Purple (1968) to Stormbringer (1974) all Deep Purple releases from Perfect Strangers (1984) to The Battle Rages On... (1993)
	Rod Evans	1968–1969	vocals	Shades of Deep Purple (1968) The Book of Taliesyn (1968) Deep Purple (1969)
	Nick Simper	1968–1969	bass backing vocals	Shades of Deep Purple (1968) The Book of Taliesyn (1968) Deep Purple (1969)
	Glenn Hughes	1973–1976	bass vocals	Burn (1974) Stormbringer (1974) Come Taste the Band (1975)
	David Coverdale	1973–1976	vocals	Burn (1974) Stormbringer (1974) Come Taste the Band (1975)
	Tommy Bolin	1975–1976	guitar vocals	Come Taste the Band (1975)
	Joe Lynn Turner	1989–1992	vocals	Slaves and Masters (1990)
	Joe Satriani	1993–1994	guitar	none

Timeline

Lineups

Lineup	Years	Members	Studio albums
Mark I	1968–1969	Rod Evans – vocals Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Nick Simper – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Shades of Deep Purple (1968) The Book of Taliesyn (1968) Deep Purple (1969)
Mark IIa	1969–1973 (Classic lineup)	Ian Gillan – vocals, harmonica Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Deep Purple in Rock (1970) Fireball (1971) Machine Head (1972) Who Do We Think We Are (1973)
Mark III	1973–1975	David Coverdale – vocals Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Glenn Hughes – bass, vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Burn (1974) Stormbringer (1974)
Mark IV	1975–1976	David Coverdale – vocals Tommy Bolin – guitar, vocals Glenn Hughes – bass, vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Come Taste the Band (1975)
The band were on hiatus between 1976 and 1984.
Mark IIb	1984–1989	Ian Gillan – vocals Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Perfect Strangers (1984) The House of Blue Light (1987)
Mark V	1989–1992	Joe Lynn Turner – vocals Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Slaves and Masters (1990)
Mark IIc	1992–1993	Ian Gillan – vocals Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	The Battle Rages On... (1993)
Mark VI	1993–1994	Ian Gillan – vocals Joe Satriani – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	none
Mark VII	1994–2002	Ian Gillan – vocals Steve Morse – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Jon Lord – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Purpendicular (1996) Abandon (1998)
Mark VIII	2002–present	Ian Gillan – vocals Steve Morse – guitar Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals Don Airey – keyboards, backing vocals Ian Paice – drums, percussion	Bananas (2003) Rapture of the Deep (2005) Now What?! (2013)

References

1. Ankeny, Jason. "Deep Purple: Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
2. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Deep Purple Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide". Ultimate Classic Rock. Diffuser Network. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
3. "Deep Purple". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 November 2015.

External links

• Deep Purple official website