The Boomer REport - Music Fun Facts

Deep Purple - 10 Fun Facts

  1. They Were Almost Called "Concrete God"
    Before settling on Deep Purple (inspired by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s grandmother’s favorite song), one of the names floated for the band was         “Concrete God.” Imagine that on a t-shirt!
  2. They’re in the Guinness Book of World Records
    In 1975, Deep Purple was listed in the         Guinness Book of World Records as the loudest band in the world. A 1972 concert reportedly rendered three audience members unconscious from the sound pressure.
  3. They Pioneered the “Mark” System for Lineups
    With so many lineup changes, Deep Purple fans refer to different versions as         Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, etc.—a system that’s now used by fans of other long-running bands too.
  4. “Smoke on the Water” Tells a True Story
    That famous riff comes with a true backstory: in 1971, Deep Purple was in Montreux, Switzerland, when a         Frank Zappa concert caught fire at a nearby casino. They watched it burn from their hotel and turned it into a rock anthem.
  5. They Recorded in a Mobile Studio Owned by The Rolling Stones
    The famous Machine Head album was recorded in the         Rolling Stones Mobile Studio—a custom truck turned studio that also recorded Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac.
  6. Ritchie Blackmore Was a Trained Classical Musician
    The band’s neoclassical edge came from Blackmore’s background in classical guitar. His love of Bach and Baroque music heavily influenced tracks like “Highway Star.”
  7. They Helped Invent Heavy Metal (Even If They Didn’t Like the Term)
    Deep Purple, along with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, are considered one of the         "unholy trinity" of early metal. But the band has often rejected the "metal" label, calling themselves a progressive hard rock band.
  8. They’ve Sold Over 100 Million Albums
    Despite not always getting the same media love as Zeppelin or Sabbath, Deep Purple has quietly sold over         100 million records worldwide—and they’re still adding to that number.
  9. They’ve Had More Than 14 Different Members
    Over the decades, Deep Purple has rotated through         14+ members, with legends like Joe Satriani and David Coverdale (later of Whitesnake) spending time in the band.
  10. They Were Finally Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016
    After years of fan campaigning and industry outcry, Deep Purple was inducted—    48 years after forming. The induction included members from the classic Mark II lineup.