Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow Plays First Show Since 1997

Deep Purple have unveiled Arrogant Boy, the first single from their forthcoming studio album SPLAT!, arriving July 3 via earMUSIC, as the band expands the concept behind their new record exploring transformation rather than apocalypse.

Deep Purple have announced the release of their 24th studio album ‘Splat!', with Ian Gillan describing the record as the band's heaviest work in years and a return to the spirit of the classic Mark II era.

Ritchie Blackmore, the co-founder of Deep Purple and architect of Rainbow and Blackmore's Night, has been honoured with the National Guitar Museum's Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising more than six decades of influence on the evolution of the electric guitar.

Legendary singer and bassist Glenn Hughes has announced the cancellation of his 2026 U.S. tour, citing a “minor health issue that requires his attention over the upcoming months.” The news was shared by Hughes on his social media accounts on Friday, with a statement confirming that ticket and VIP upgrade refunds will be available from points of purchase.

Ian Gillan has revealed that worsening eyesight may soon bring his long career with Deep Purple to a close. Gillan, now 80, continues to perform with the band he first joined in 1969, yet he admits that time is catching up. He completed a major run of shows late last year, then committed to a smaller set of dates for 2025. He described his vision as limited, with only thirty per cent remaining. He said he must now read screens through peripheral vision, which makes daily tasks difficult. He added that he adapts when needed and prefers to keep working while he can.

David Coverdale has confirmed his retirement, closing a chapter that helped shape the sound of hard rock across five decades. At 73, the Whitesnake frontman and former Deep Purple singer announced in a video message that he is stepping away from touring and recording, saying the moment had finally arrived to hang up the platform shoes and skin-tight jeans that defined so much of his stage life.

Fifty years ago, Deep Purple closed one of the most turbulent chapters in rock history with Come Taste The Band. Released 7 November 1975, the record marked the final breath of the band before their split the following year, and the lone studio outing for the short-lived Mark IV line-up with Tommy Bolin on guitar. Half a century later, the album stands as one of rock's great “what if” stories, a bold reinvention from a band determined to push forward, even as its foundations were buckling.