Deep Purple

Deep Purple formed in London in 1968, founded by singer Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice. They began as a psychedelic and progressive rock band, then turned heavier with Deep Purple in Rock in 1970. Alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are often counted among the founders of British hard rock and heavy metal. Their spinoffs include Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gillan.

The run with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, known as Mark II, produced Deep Purple in Rock, Fireball, Machine Head and Who Do We Think We Are, plus the live album Made in Japan. Burn followed in 1974 with David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. The band split in 1976, reunited in 1984 with Perfect Strangers, and have kept going since. Paice is the only original member left. They entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.