DEEP PURPLE — which has been eligible for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for two decades now — will finally enter the Rock Hall as part of the class of 2016. The band’s first three lineups are being inducted, including drummer Ian Paice, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, late keyboardist Jon Lord, and separate teams of singers and bassists — Rod Evans and Nick Simper, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, and David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes.
Writing on his official web site, Gillan.com, Ian said about DEEP PURPLE’s 2016 Rock Hall nod: “Putting the past shenanigans to one side, the induction is not — in clear fact — for DEEP PURPLE. It is an arbitrary selection of past members, which excludes Steve Morse and Don Airey; both of whom have been with the living breathing DEEP PURPLE for a very long time.
“Obviously, this is very silly, and so my response is quite simple: ‘Thank you very much.’
