Deep Purple on Upcoming Tour With Yes, Partying at Alice Cooper’s 75th Birthday and New Album: ‘We Can’t Stop’

The London-formed hard rock troupe has gone through the kinds of lineup changes during its 46 years that would have debilitated most bands. With Irish guitarist Simon McBride joining in two years ago to replace Steve Morse after an 18-year tenure, the Purple gang is on its Mark IXth lineup. Only drummer Ian Paice has been a fixture since 1968.

But bassist Roger Glover, who along with frontman Ian Gillan was part of the famed Mark II — i.e. Machine Head and “Smoke on the Water” — says there was never a thought of consigning Purple to the past.