At the age of 79, drummer Mick Underwood passed away the day before yesterday, on July 28. He is best known for his collaborations with Ian Gillan, Episode Six, and Ritchie Blackmore. Mick Underwood was one of the most talented and versatile drummers in the British rock scene, with a career spanning over four decades. Born on September 5, 1945, in London, Mick began playing drums at a young age and quickly developed into an accomplished musician.
At the age of 14, he met Ritchie Blackmore in the band The Dominators, from which he was expelled for playing too loudly. From there, he moved through bands such as The Satellites and The Crescents until he found a place in the band of Jet Harris, bassist of the legendary Shadows, at the age of 16, having already left school.
His professional career began in the 1960s with the band The Outlaws, where he gained significant experience and developed his personal drumming style. Notably, during the same period, when he auditioned for the drummer’s position, the band was also looking for a guitarist, so Underwood recommended Ritchie Blackmore.
He then joined The Herd, collaborating with Peter Frampton, further enhancing his reputation. From 1968 to 1972, Mick was a member of Episode Six, where he met and worked with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, paving the way for his later collaboration with Deep Purple.
Afterward, he joined Quatermass, who released an album in 1970. Interestingly, one of the singles from that album, “Black Sheep Of The Family,” a cover of a Chris Farlow song, was the first track recorded by Rainbow. In 1979, Mick Underwood became a member of the band Gillan, founded by Ian Gillan after leaving Deep Purple. During their collaboration, they released several albums, including “Mr. Universe,” “Glory Road,” and “Future Shock.” After the dissolution of Gillan in 1983, Mick continued to play with Strapps and later with Raw Glory.
His most recent activity was a tribute band to Gillan called Glory Road.
