Ian Paice

Ian Paice

Ian Paice live in concert with Deep Purple at the Labatt Centre in London, Ontario, Canada (2005)
Background information
Birth name Ian Anderson Paice
Born 29 June 1948 (1948-06-29) (age 63)
Nottingham, England
Genres Hard rock, heavy metal, blues-rock, progressive rock
Occupations Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments Drums, percussion
Years active 1965–present
Associated acts Deep Purple, Green Bullfrog, Paice, Ashton & Lord, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Paul McCartney, The Velvet Underground

Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has released.

Contents

The early years

Ian Paice got his first drum kit at 15. He began his professional career in the late 50s playing drums in his father's dance band. The first band he was in was called Georgie & the Rave-Ons, which after being renamed for The Shindigs released their first single featuring 17-year old Ian Paice and George Adams.

In 1966 Paice joined The MI5, which soon changed its name to The Maze and produced a number of singles, recorded mainly in Italy and France. The band featured Rod Evans, who alongside Paice was to form the original line-up of Deep Purple in February 1968.

During this time Ian Paice was also heavily involved in doing sessions for various artists from the stable of the famous 60s producer Derek Lawrence. He is one of the few well-known left-handed drummers.

Whitesnake

After Deep Purple split, Ian Paice went on to form a new supergroup, Paice, Ashton & Lord in 1976. The band, comprising also singer/pianist Tony Ashton, organist Jon Lord, guitarist/vocalist Bernie Marsden and bassist Paul Martinez recorded one album, Malice in Wonderland and they played only five live shows. It was put on hold in 1977, halfway through recording the group's second album. They subsequently broke up, allegedly because Tony Ashton only felt at home playing live shows in little clubs.

In 1979, Ian Paice was asked by David Coverdale to join Whitesnake on the Japanese Tour for the Lovehunter album in 1979. He stayed with the band for the next three years. He appeared on the Whitesnake albums Ready an' Willing (1980), Live...in the Heart of the City (1980), Come an' Get It (1981) and Saints & Sinners (1982).

This incarnation of Whitesnake also featured Jon Lord which meant three members of the Mark III lineup of Deep Purple were in Whitesnake during this period. Following musical differences with David Coverdale, Ian Paice left Whitesnake in 1982.

Gary Moore Band

In November 1982 Ian Paice joined Gary Moore for an album date ("Corridors of Power"). It turned out so nicely that Moore's manager came up with the idea of Moore and Paice putting a band together under Moore's name, so that his management would take the business side of the project with Paice having a sizable interest in the band.

The collaboration turned out to be a successful one and produced a couple of albums and extensive tours. Ian Paice left Moore's band in April 1984 to rejoin Deep Purple, and he remains in Deep Purple to the present day.

Notable guest appearances and collaborations

1989 saw Paice drum on several songs recorded by ex-Beatle George Harrison for the soundtrack to the movie Lethal Weapon II.

In the summer of '92, Ian Paice guested at a Leukaemia Research charity concert in Oxford, with members of Bad Company and Procol Harum which included a rendition of "A Whiter Shade of Pale".

He guested on Paul McCartney's Run Devil Run (1999) album and also played at the Cavern Club with McCartney. Steve Morse said of Ian Paice: "He's like a real heavy Ringo. He's just so good on the drums, but doesn't want to make a big deal about it."[1]

Personal life

Ian Paice is married and has three children: James, Emmy and Calli. His wife, Jacky, is the twin sister of Jon Lord's wife, Vicky. Paice lives with his family in the United Kingdom.

It had been rumored (and even mentioned by former Gillan guitarist Bernie Torme in an interview) that Paice has only one lung.[2] In reality, he is only missing a portion of the lower lobe in his left lung, due to contracting a case of pneumonia when he was 6 years old that turned into tuberculosis.[3]

He is almost always seen wearing blue (or occasionally green or purple)-tinted spectacle lenses.[4][5]

Drum clinics/guest performances

Ian Paice has been touring with his drum clinics extensively since the 1980s. Additionally, he very often gives performances with Deep Purple coverbands, playing many obscure Deep Purple songs, often never played by the band itself.

1990s

2001

2002

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Equipment

Today Ian uses Pearl drumkits as his main performing drums, incorporating Paiste cymbals and Pro-mark sticks. He used Ludwig kits during the seventies and early eighties in remarkable large sizes: 26" Bassdrum, 16" Tom, an 18 & 20" Floortom and a 14 x 6,5" Supraphonic snare which was a blueprint for his signature snare from Pearl. In 1982 he switched companies, because Ludwig's development stalled, and he got a better deal from Pearl. He also prefers a single bass drum set-up, both live and in the studio . Pearl Drums produce his signature snare drum.[6]

He has also released a solo DVD which is aimed at both drummers and music fans in general.[1]

Actual setup

MMP Masters Series in Silver Sparkle

Paiste cymbals

(the cymbals are listed from right to left, because he pays a left-handed drum setup)

Hardware

Sticks

TX808LW Ian Paice wood tip

Drum technique

Paice is primarily left-handed with a left-handed drum-kit set-up and uses the matched-grip approach. He is well known for his rapid use of the foot pedal. Although using a single bass-drum setup for most of his career, he did once use a double-bass setup for the title track on the album Fireball. He is also known for perfecting the one-handed roll as demonstrated on a Drummers World video.

Recognitions

On 5 November 2007 at the Classic Rock Awards, Jacky and Ian Paice received the ChildLine award in recognition of their philanthropic work with the SunflowerJam raising money for children with cancer. Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden presented them with the award. It was the first time the award has been given.

Discography

Main articles: Deep Purple discography, Paice, Ashton & Lord, and Whitesnake discography

MI5 & The Maze

Gary Moore Band

Solo

Guest appearances

Film and TV appearances

References

  1. ^ a b Official website – Ian Paice profile
  2. ^ "July 2000 "Let it Rock" interview with Bernie Torme". Dmme.net. http://dmme.net/interviews/torme1.html. Retrieved 2011-10-23. 
  3. ^ "Q and A in Deep Purple Fan Forum". Bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com. http://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/t15175. Retrieved 2011-10-23. 
  4. ^ View Images – Ian Paice gallery
  5. ^ Ian Paice Sellout Gig – University of Glamorgan
  6. ^ Pearl Drums – Ian Paice

External links

 
Deep Purple
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation
albums
Singles
and other songs
Videography
Tours
Associated
acts
Related articles