Few would deny that Deep Purple were one of the most influential and popular heavy rock bands to emerge from the melting pot of the late '60s, going through several line-up changes, and stylistic shifts, before splitting up for the first time in 1976. Talismanic guitarist Ritchie Blackmore carried the spirit on in many ways when he formed Rainbow after leaving Purple in 1975, particularly with his partnership with legendary singer Ronnie James Dio. This is an exhaustive guide to the band's music, as critical opinion rubs shoulders with facts, trivia and anecdotes to provide a fascinating 'alternative history' of these revered bands . Whether you are a hardcore fan or simply want a guide through the world which lies beyond Smoke on the Water, this book is for you. AUTHOR: Steve Pilkington is a music journalist, proof-reader and broadcaster. He is Editor in Chief for the Classic Rock Society magazine Rock Society, and contributes to other publications such as Prog. Before taking on this work full-time, he spent years writing for fanzines and an Internet music review site on a part-time basis. He has recently published "Black Sabbath - Song By Song" (Fonthill, 2018) book, and has written the official biography of legendary guitarist Gordon Giltrap. In addition, he presents a weekly progressive rock radio show titled 'A Saucerful of Prog' on Firebrand Radio. He lives in St.Helens, Merseyside. 25 colour photographs
