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 backing vocals	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	lead 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	guitars backing vocals	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	lead 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	lead 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	lead vocals	Slaves and Masters (1990)

Timeline

Lineups

References

External links

• Deep Purple official website