Ex Rainbow and MSG singer Graham Bonet will be making its first Brazilian tour in July 2009, backed by the 'Paulo Zinner Orchestra', who have apparently played alongside Ian Paice in 2003.

Shows are lined up for Santos (July 2nd), Araraquara (July 10th) and São Paulo (July 11th).

DB#700213

(with thanks to Milton Purple and www.bonnetrocks.com )

GMT, featuring ex Gillan members John McCoy and Bernie Torme along with drummer Robin Guy, are playing their first UK shows since the release of studio album 'Evil Twin' in November 2008.

For more info visit www.gmtrocks.com

TS#700211

Heaven & Hell with our Ronnie are touring in support of their new  studio album The Devil You Know during June, July and August, though just European festivals. August is USA. You can see the full date list on www.black-sabbath.com.

If you don't fancy risking the weather, Rockpalast (German TV) are filming the show in Bonn and will air this on July 13 at 00.25h. in the morning (CET).

MR#700210

The much delayed DVD of the Tony Ashton show at Abbey Road in 2000 is finally out on DVD. It has twenty two tracks, including all the PAL and Company Of Snakes performance, as well the three track Tony Ashton set, and Pete York / Eddie Hardin's set. A few of the opening acts are missing, but all the important stuff is here. It's been done as a combined DVD / CD package, so you also get the same set on a 2xCD, all in a thick digipak. Thanks to Hans Peter Jenssen for the heads up.

It's out now - apologies for the lack of warning, but there wasn't any! Anyone who has this on back-order - Ann will be contacting you right away.

(By they way that f**k ugly 'zero' logo on the front is the latest legal demand imposed on DVD makers by the German government. They came up with this useless certificate scheme a couple of years ago to make money - you can't sell a DVD in Germany without it, and have to pay for it - but at least the logo could be on the back. Now they've said it has to be bigger and placed on the front!)

SR#700209

Cozy Powell's two rare solo albums Octopuss and Tilt are out on CD in the UK for the first time later this month - as far as we know they've only been available as pricey Japanese imports before. Both albums featured an array of superstar guests - with Deep Purple connections such as Neil Murray, Bernie Marsden, and Don Airey on 1981's Tilt, and fellow Whitesnake members Jon Lord, Mel Galley and Colin Hodgkinson on Octopuss, issued in 1983. Both are straight with no bonus tracks.

Thanks to Nick Robinson.

Both can be pre-ordered from DPASMailorder.

MR#700208

Bernie Marsden is due to play a show at Le Creusot Blues Festival in Burgundy on June 26th (his first French show in twenty years). He will be performing a tribute to Rory Gallagher (Rory would have been 60 this year) , with a band including two members of Rory's last line-up - David Levy on bass, and Richard Newman on drums.

DB#700207

(Thanks to Nathalie Milliet for the news)

As previously reported, a movie version of the Joe Meek play 'Telstar' was begun in August 2007. Meek's studio and Mrs. Shenton's shop were been recreated further along Holloway Road, complete with the neighbouring bank. (see the DPAS A-Z for photos of the original premises)

Con O'Neill reprises his role as Joe Meek. The cast includes Kevin Spacey as Major Banks, Pam Ferris as Mrs. Violet Shenton, Rita Tushingham as "Essex Medium", Martine McCutcheon as "Lady Victim", Joan Hodges (wife of Chas) as Biddy Meek (Joe's mother), and David Hayler as John Peel. Chas Hodges has a cameo role as Mr. Brolin Jess, Conrad plays Larry Parnes, Carl Barat (The Libertines) plays Gene Vincent, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) plays Screaming Lord Sutch, Jon Lee (S Club 7) plays Billy Fury (The Tornados were his backing band). Robbie Duke (aka Patrick Pink), who was at 304 Holloway Road when the fatal shootings happened (over 40 years ago now), is amongst the extras. Ritchie Blackmore is played by Matthew Baynton. David Hayler played RB (with just two or three lines) in the stage version.

Nick Moran is the director and also plays Alex Meek. The two act play (based in Meek's studio) was largely comedic for the first act but with the second act being Meek's dark descent into paranoia and pils.

Telstar The Movie is due to open in UK cinemas on June 19th 2009. www.telstarthemovie.co.uk/

NY#7001952

Graham Bonnet has sung two tracks for a new Rock / Metal opera project, Lyraka, that will be released on CD in mid-2010. The tracks are Beyond the Palace, and Coronation, and are apparently in a strong Rainbow / Deep Purple vein, with Graham in top form. Graham will be singing several more tracks for the project. Beyond the Palace is available now as a rough mix mp3 at Lyraka.com. The project is also "a projected 3-d animation movie for 2010".

SR#7002061 (Thanks to Andy DiGelsomina for the news.) (photo: Simon Robinson)

The follow up studio album to Guy McCoy Torme's (GMT) debut 'Bitter & Twisted' was released in the UK on November 17th 2008. 'Evil Twin' features ten tracks, and in their own words "whether you like the Bull-in-a-China-Shop approach, or the Softly-Softly-Catchy-Bull-in-a-China-Shop approach.... Evil Twin caters for all."

In addition to John McCoy and Bernie Torme, the ex Gillan quotient is brought to three by the guest appearance of keyboard player Colin Towns.    

DB#7002021

Ex Rainbow vocalist Doogie White has joined a reformed version of NWOBHM band Tank. (once fronted by ex Damned bassist / vocalist Algy Ward). Other personnel include bassist Chris Dale, guitarists Mick Tucker and Chris Evans, and original drummer Mark Brabbs.

In addition, on December 5th Doogie played a show at the Texas Necropolis club in Athens, singing mainly Rainbow material, but also including two of the Deep Purple tracks which he performed during his Rainbow days. The full set list: - Kill The King / Wolf To The Moon / Cold Hearted Woman / When The Hammer Falls / Razor Eater / Hunting Humans / The Evil That Men Do / Mistreated / Rulers Of World / Tarot Woman / Temple Of The King / Gates Of Babylon / Ariel / Black Masquerade / Hall Of The Mountain King. Encores: Stargazer / Perfect Strangers / Burn. The show finished at 3.30am!

DB #700208 (with thanks to Stuart Hamilton and Anestis Ladopoulos)

Gillan collaborator and guitarist Steve Morris sees the third Shadowman album out now. Ghost In The Mirror is available via  dpas mailorder. Other musicians on the album include Chris Childs and Harry James from Thunder.

Review DTB 60.

MK#700207

The famous record collector's store Beanos in Croydon is closing after some thirty years. They shut their top two floors two years ago (which had a small milk shake bar and even a tiny cinema showing rock films when we last visited - and scored our 1969 Concerto programme) and rented them out to try and keep the site viable, but the downturn in sales of late has been the final straw. The store is currently having a big sale and will close at Christmas.

SR#700205 (Thanks to Vince Chong for the news) (photo: Istvanski)

Ex Rainbow vocalist has been lined up to front Deep Purple tribute act Demon's Eye for two European shows in November. As well as Deep Purple classics, they will also be performing a couple of Rainbow songs in the shows. The dates are:

2008-11-28 Demon's Eye featuring Doogie White Spirit Of 66 -http://www.spiritof66.be - Verviers - Belgium (Tickets: http://www.spiritof66.be/ticketsboo.html)

2008-11-29 Demon's Eye featuring Doogie White - Blues Garage (http://www.bluesgarage.de) - Hannover-Isernhagen - Germany (Tickets: http://www.bluesgarage.de/index.php?seite=reservierungen)

Demon's Eye have previously played shows with Ian Paice guesting on drums.

MK#700204 (with thanks to Andree Schneider)

Regular www.deep-purple.net contributor Stuart Hamilton is presenting a radio special on Atomic Rooster offshoot bands on GetReadyTo Rock radio on Sunday, November 23rd at 8pm GMT. Stuart plans to cover artists such as Bullet / Hard Stuff (featuring Ian Gillan Band bassist John Gustafson) who supported Deep Purple on their 1971UK Fireball tour and later released two albums on Purple Records, Leafhound, John McCoy, and Bernie Torme, among others.

SH/DB#700203

Issue 59 looks as if it will be another 80 page Deep Purple-fest. It includes the regular news round-up of the band and members old and new, letters, question and answer pages, and a bumper review section to catch up and log all the latest releases from the Book, CD and DVD scenes. There's a special section of Mk 1 miscellany to help celebrate the band's 40th anniversary (and they're also fittingly on the cover), along with a host of retro features, looking at (amongst other things) award and presentation discs, the Fireball sound FX, the original DPAS newsletters from 1974/5, a newly found flyer for the Mk 2 Bedford gig, David Coverdale in handcuffs (with pictures!) and loads more.

All UK copies shipped by Friday 24; EU and rest of worldcopies of DTB ship Monday 27/Tuesday 28.

"I wouldn't say the new magazine is heavy, but reader Mike Galway  says it came through his letterbox, went through the floor and cut  him a new cellar. So it's official, not only a must-have read, but  DTB also puts up the value of your property!"

Book a day or two off work now. It will be accompanied by a brand-new full DPAS Mailorder 12 page catalogue. The mail-out does take a few days, and we will let you know when all copies have been mailed. There is still time to renew subscriptions if yours has lapsed, but as the address labels have all been printed, late renewals will have to wait until the main mailing has gone.

TS/MM#7001935

The biopic of Joe Meek opens in London next month on Sat 25 October 2008 at the ODEON WEST END 1. The film covers Meek's life-story and includes scenes with Ritchie Blackmore and The Outlaws.

The biopic about producer Joe Meek, titled A Life In The Death Of Joe Meek, premiered in America at the 25th Reel Music Film Festival, January 24th 2008 in Portland, and was also screened as part of the Glasgow Film Festival on February 24th.

NY#700201

Whitesnake historians might be interested in two very rare albums by Tramline, reissued on CD later this month. This was Micky Moody's first, well regarded blues rock band, signed to Island at the same time as Free. Issued in 1968 and 1969, he was joined by Back Door bassist Colin Hodgkinson on the second (and last) album. (Colin of course later played alongside Moody in Whitesnake). Micky has been interviewed at length for the liner notes.

Both can be found at dpas mailorder.

MR#700200

The death of Ben Nisbet, Managing Director of Feldmans music publishers for many years back in the 60s and 70s, has just been announced. Nisbet was one of the people involved at an early stage in the formation of Deep Purple, as Derek Lawrence suggested he publish the band. In turn Nisbet put the embryonic team in touch with Arthur 'Artie' Mogul (who died in November 2004 - DTB57) and Roy Silver (died October 2005 - DTB 58) at Tetragrammaton. Nisbet was also important in the staging of the Concerto in 1969, bringing Malcolm Arnold into the team.

A Tribute to Ben Nisbet, by Tony Edwards new

SR#7002011

Mel Galley died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday July 1st at his home, aged 60. He'd spoken with Glenn Hughes just the week before to say his farewell. “He gave me the inspiration and foundation to a life beyond my wildest dreams - he gave me hope, laughter and wisdom. His legacy is safe with me, from Coast To Coast." The local newspaper The Express & Star covered the news and you can read a little more of this here. The paper is also hosting a tribute page linked from their article.

"Tributes flowed in today to Cannock guitarist Mel Galley, of Whitesnake and Trapeze, who has died of cancer aged 60. The former Whitesnake and Trapeze songwriter and guitar star was given only weeks to live in February, but stated his determination to enjoy life to the end and use the time to say goodbye to all his friends. “No negativity” was his watchword to anyone who appeared to him even the slightest bit saddened at his plight. Galley slipped quietly away at his home in Bank Street, Heath Hayes, nursed by his wife Annette, having said a last goodbye to his Trapeze co-star Glenn Hughes a week ago. Hughes, formerly of Deep Purple, said today: “He was my oldest, closest friend, bandmate and brother. He gave me the inspiration and foundation to a life beyond my wildest dreams - he gave me hope, laughter and wisdom. His legacy is safe with me, from Coast To Coast.” Justin Hayward, with whom Mel played in The Blue Jays, said: “Mel’s quiet, laconic humour and infectious smile brought real warmth into my life. His contribution as a musician and friend was immeasurable, as it was in the Blue Jays touring band of the mid-seventies. Bass player John Lodge, also of the Moody Blues and Blue Jays, said: “From our first recording sessions together, his enthusiasm and his passion shone through, and it was a true pleasure to be part of his life. His songwriting and his melodious rock guitar playing will be his legacy." www.expressandstar.com

SR#7002001 (click the picture above right for an extremely cool live shot of Mel with Trapeze)

Rolling Stone magazine in America has compiled a list of the 100 greatest guitar tracks of all time. And managed not to include a single one by Deep Purple. That'll teach them not to be photographed by Annie Liebovitz!

SR#700197 (Thanks to Damian Phelan)

dpas online have just added several issues of the nineties Deep Purple Forever magazine to the catalogue.

"We used to sell these many years ago, but they've not been available for ages. We came across a bundle in the warehouse recently. There are only a few of each left, but they're popular due to the great colour covers which magazine collectors will appreciate. Not all the issues are in stock. Editor Mike Eriksson has scoured his log cabin and can't find any more, so once these have gone, they're gone."

DB#700196

Original industrial metal merchants Ministry are promising an album of covers for their next release, and this will include Space Truckin'. Should be interesting!

SR#700191 (with thanks to Vince Chonf for the info)

London's Astoria Theatre, venue for Deep Purple's first show of the 2006 Rapture Of The Deep tour, is due to be demolished. The historic Victorian music-hall's demise has been confirmed, with mayor Ken Livingstone promising a 'better' replacement venue, even though there has been some sentiment expressed online that a cramped and sweaty venue is not necessarily a bad thing.

DPAS member Matthew Kean's take on the situation is that "While cramped and sweaty does have it's moments, the ridiculously tiny bar selling warm cans of lager for £4.50 a pop, the sticky floor, and the frequently indifferent sound quality all count against it. Having been there many times, I have to say it's no great loss, and that Shepherd's Bush Empire (especially) and the Forum both have a lot more going for them."

TS#700189

Sandra Ashton tells us there is a new website devoted to Tony Ashton's artwork, which includes original work for sale.

You can log on to this at www.tonyashtonart.com

DB#700185

Darker Than Blue Magazine enters the digital era big-time with an experimental download copy in January. There have been a lot of technical hurdles to overcome, but we're now testing it out. At first we'll just do one copy to see what sort of interest there is, and if it finds a market more will follow. To me there's no substitute for a printed magazine, and this will continue, but I appreciate that with the escalating postage costs, particularly abroad, some fans may find this a cost-effective solution.

You'll be able to download it to read on a computer or print out your own personal copy. You can read more about these developments here, and we'll let you know when it goes live. More...

SR#700183

The play Telstar about Joe Meek is now being turned into a film. Filming is in August in London.

NY#700189

The archives of the Deep Purple Appreciation Society are stuffed with interviews given by band members and associated personnel over forty years or more, both published and unpublished, on tape, in books and magazines. With space in Darker Than Blue magazine limited, we've decided to publish a new specialist magazine reproducing a selection of this material in its original context. It will be in black and white, approx 20 pages. There will be no attempt at topicality, just a simple aim to produce an eclectic and sometimes off the wall selection.

Issue One is almost ready and features interviews with David Coverdale, Jimmy Bain, Ritchie Blackmore, Cozy Powell, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Tommy Bolin, Jon Lord, Glenn Hughes, Steve Morse and ... Magnet. Price and publishing date will be announced in August.

SR#700189

The 40th anniversary of producer Joe Meek's death in February is being marked by a number of new CD releases. Blackmore collectors will be most interested in a new HEINZ CD: JUST LIKE EDDIE - THE ANTHOLOGY. This 2CD set includes everything Heinz ever recorded, including three previously unreleased tracks. Blackmore played on Heinz's only album included here as well. The CD is expected in February and can be ordered via dpas online.

Three other CDs include Joe Meek's Boys, The Best Of Meek's Instrumentals (which may include Blackmore tracks, we're awaiting details), and the EP Collection, with 12 CD sized reproduction EPs in their original sleeves. This includes the rare Heinz EP Live It Up (the tracks are also on the Anthology). dpas online can specially order this for those who want it. RPM are also planning a collection of Meek rarities.

MR#700175 (Thanks to Roger Dopson)