Former DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes spoke to Billboard.com about the band’s upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the controversy surrounding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s decision to sit out the ceremony because the current touring configuration of the band refuses to perform with the guitarist at the event.
The DEEP PURPLE members that are being inducted are: Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.
“All I know is I’m getting the award,” Hughes said. “There’s a lot of gossip and innuendo about who’s saying what. I’d love to play. I’d love to sing. And so would David [Coverdale].”He added: “A month ago, David said to me, ‘Shall I reach out to Ian Gillan to figure out what we’re gonna do?’ He came back and told me that there’s a problem that Don [Airey, current DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] and Steve [Morse, current DEEP PURPLE guitarist] aren’t getting inducted and there’s all sorts of scenarios with that and grumblings and this and that, and I said, ‘Well, I’m just gonna stay out of the way,’ and Coverdale is as well. If Ian Gillan wants to run the show on behalf of his DEEP PURPLE, that’s his business; my business is to show up and gracefully accept my award. But we’re really hoping that we will be invited to sing. I’d like to think that DEEP PURPLE can be just one big happy family on the night, y’know? Egos outside the door and be graceful in what we do.”
