Nick Simper - Latest news will be posted here

have you got any pictures of Nick or his friends? Maybe you have a

story to tell! If so, click the button on the right....


Chapter 17 : Jon Lord Receives A Telegram

Jon Lord receives a mysterious telegram, and offers Nick the chance to give up touring the flower-power circuit with the Flowerpot Men ...

Read the full story here.


Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame

Want to know what Nick thinks about Deep Purple being inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame?

Click here.


Goodbye To Old Friends

During August 2014, my lovely niece, Sophia Palombo, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Just 45 years old, she was the youngest of my late sister's four daughters, a great girl who lived life to the full, always managing to laugh in the face of the dreadful illness that finally took her life. She was a real inspiration. Since Sophie's passing I have attended five more funerals, all veteran musicians and associates who, unlike Sophie, thankfully enjoyed a reasonable lifespan, and i would like to pay tribute to each of them:

In September 2014 we said goodbye to bassist Steve Hargreaves. A pioneer of the West London scene, he will always be remembered for his work with Frankie Reid and The Casuals, amongst others. One of the gang who would hang out in Jim Marshall's Hanwell shop, Steve was a skilled electronics engineer who could always fix a duff amplifier, as well as being one of the nicest people in the business!

In October 2014 we lost another real nice guy when Mick Burt passed away. I had followed his drumming career from the Canons to Cliff Bennett's Rebel Rousers, and finally to Chas n' Dave. When Dave Peacock took time out I joined Chas and Mick in their rock n' roll trio, where it was an honour to play beside the man who many rated as England's finest rock n' roll drummer.
In early 2015 we said goodbye to one of the best guitarists that this country produced. Gerald "Ged" Peck was one of the most innovative and original players, and if there was any justice then he would be a household name! I met Ged in 1966 when we both played in the Mack Sound, the 18-strong soul outfit fromted by U.S. light-heavyweight boxing contender, Freddie Mack. Together we worked with Bilie Davis, Screaming Lord Sutch, the Flowerpot Men and Marsha Hunt, before forming Warhorse. His amazing speed made him stand out from the rest, and at that time few players could have matched him. I will always treasure the memory of being asked for Ged's name by guitarist Robert Fripp, because as he said, "He's the best guitarist I have ever seen!".
April 29th 2015 saw the departure of one rock's biggest characters, drummer Roger Pinah. Born into a family of circus performers, it was not long before young Roger became a serious drummer, and a stalwart of the Hanwell scene centred around Jim Marshall's shop. I was lucky enough to turn professional in 1964, joining up with Roger in Buddy Britten and The Regents. Buddy renamed him Roger Truth, and it was in 1966 that he and I became the rhythm section for Johnny Kidd's Pirates. Best known by the nick name 'Solly', Roger became firmly established as one of the best rock drummers in the country. For reasons best known only to himself, he turned down several offers from big-name acts, preferring to spend a couple of decades fronting small jazz combos, where he proved to be no slouch as a vocalist! Everyone who met Solly will never forget him. He was, as Pete Parks often said, the Max Miller of rock n' roll!!
Finally in May this year, 2015, we said goodbye to another simply astounding drummer, the great Mac Poole. Mac proved to be one of the bravest of them all, having been diagnosed with so-called terminal cancer about 12 years ago. Undaunted, he continued to defy the odds, and kept on playing almost until the end. In 1970, searching for a new drummer for Warhorse, I offered the job to Sweet's Mick Turner, who, saying that he was not good enough, urged me to find a bloke called Mac Poole! Finally, Mac was tracked down and agreed to join Warhorse, having missed the boat by turning down an offer from a new group called Led Zeppelin!! I had worked with many great drummers, but Mac took it to a new level, doing things that seemed impossible! In later years, Mac became a journeyman player when he should have been a superstar, but his great reputation always went ahead of him. A lovely bloke, affectionately known as 'Mac the Mouth', due to his ability to 'talk the hind leg off a donkey' he was, without doubt, one of the greatest drummers and will be sadly missed!

Well, that's the end of the obituaries, hopefully for a long time.

On a happier note, June 20th 2015 saw the return to this country of one of rock's greatest vocalists, namely James Royal - now residing in Australia. Jimmy came over and packed out the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street, with a pick-up band including myself, Pete Parks, Simon Bishop and Terry Marshall. Jimmy wowed the crowd with two hours of vocal gymnastics, proving once again that he can blow most of rock's big names clean off the planet! Well done Jim.


Nick Simper & Nasty Habits CD

The brand new studio album "De La Frog Conspiracy" by NICK SIMPER & NASTY HABITS is out now. This is Nick Simper´s first studio album in 18 years! 11 new original songs, contemporary rock in the classic line-up at its best.

Copies signed by Nick Simper for 15 Euros only available from Nasty Habits.

Send an email to nasty.habits@chello.at for more details.

To mark this historic event, Nick will be re-uniting with Nasty Habits for a gig on 16th May 2015 at Vereinshaus, 6811 Göfis, Austria.

The Flowerpot Men in Germany

Nick joins up with Jon Lord, Ged Peck and Carlo Little to form "Sundial" who manage to get a few of their own songs into the set as the Flowerpot Men tour Germany. Broken fan belts, 3-foot snowballs and lost passports ensure that it was a memorable trip!...

Read the full story here.


Photos from the Vienna date - click here.

Click here for the Nasty Habits web site, which lists all their gigs and YouTube videos, plus a potted history of how they got together with Nick back in 2005.


Photos of Nick and Nasty Habits in the recording studio, September 2012. Click on either of the pictures to see the full set.


Click on the image above to order from the Angel Air Web Site

NICK SIMPER & NASTY HABITS Live at Szene, VIENNA

Click on the image to order from the Angel Air Web Site

On 8th March 2011 playing to a sold out audience at Vienna’s legendary Rock Club “Szene” NICK SIMPER (founder member DEEP PURPLE) performed with NASTY HABITS (Austria’s finest Classic Rock band) original tracks from Nick’s period in Deep Purple (Mk 1).

With Deep Purple today only having just one original member from their MK 1 days it is highly unlikely that the band will perform these now neglected classic songs in concert.

The mantle is therefore passed to Nick and Nasty Habits to bring some long forgotten classics back to life and bring them back to life they do. They performed eleven tracks from the first three Deep Purple albums plus one new track “Slinky” from the forthcoming new album.

This release is both a CD version and an actual DVD of the concert at The Scene, Vienna.

Artist: NICK SIMPER & NASTY HABITS

Title: Live at Szene, VIENNA

2 disc set CD and DVD (Sound & Vision)

DVD5- NTSC all regions

Cat No: SJPCD386

TRACKLISTING

1. And The Address

2. The Painter

3. Mandrake Root

4. Emmaretta

5. Chasing Shadows

6. Lalena

7. Wring That Neck

8. Bird Has flown

9. Why Didn’t Rosemary

10. Slinky

11. Roadhouse Blues

12. Kentucky Women

13. Hush

MUSICIANS:NICK SIMPER, CHRISTIAN SCHMID,HELMUT PUSCHACHER,CHRISTIAN HEISSENBERGER,PETER BRKUSIC


Dr Jim Marshall OBE (July 29, 1923 – April 5, 2012)

The web master was sad to hear of the passing of the ‘Father of Loud’ last week. It was only a few weeks ago that I was over in Jim Marshall's Bletchley factory, getting my beloved JTM-60 serviced. For a brief obituary, click here. 

Savages & Flowerpot Men

Chapter 15 of Nick' Story recalls how he was almost wooed (in a business sense) by Lady Henrietta Guinness, how he braved fire and water as a member of Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, and how a call from Carlo Little resulted in him becoming one of the Flowerpot Men! Click on the picture to read more....

Pictures of Nick and Nasty Habits at their gigs in Germany and Austria during 2011, courtesy of Peter Brkusic. Click on the picture to see the whole set.

Peter has also given us a translation of an article from the ECLIPSED Magazine from Germany 11/2010:


After his leaving from D.P., Nick Simper recorded 2 great albums with "WARHORSE" and later on some mainstream projects. Together with the Austrian Band "NASTY HABITS", Simper worked on important songs from the 1st DEEP PURPLE Lineup and brought it with the Youngsters on stage.
The result is amazing, cause they performed the old songs with a lot of feeling, joy of playing and power. "Emmaretta" is steaming, "Chasing Shadows" is played with drive and a 60´s atmosphere, "Lalena" is beautifully through the lyric phrases- and "Hush" they played also of course. Believe it or not- this lineup sounds more authentic then the actual lineup from DEEP PURPLE.


Nick & Doogie White in Brazil

I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone involved with my recent trip to Brazil, especially Rodrigo Scelza, who organised everything, together with his partners, Fernando Goulart and Milton Arthur. Their hospitality and kindness was absolutely amazing!

The Brazilian musicians, Bruno (on keyboards), Fernando (guitar), Daniel (drums) and Rodrigo (bass) were first class and a great pleasure to work with.

May I also take this opportunity to thank the Brazilian people for their wonderful reception! Finally, what a joy and an honour to work with Doogie White, a lovely man, great company and one of the greatest voices in rock music!

Thanks again

Nick

October 2010

click here for some pictures of Nick & Doogie in Brazil.


Rock Pages Interview

Nick was interviewed by Sakis Nikas prior to the Nasty Habits gig in Hungary on May 7th 2010. Read the full interview at Rockpages.gr.
 


Nick & Nasty Habits

Nasty Habits Single

click on the picture below for more details

To coincide with the release of The Deep Purple MKI Songbook a single featuring a storming version of The Doors' Roadhouse Blues is also being released.
  
 
It also includes an alternative version of Hush unavailable elsewhere plus The Painter.

The Deep Purple MKI Songbook

Nick Simper & Nasty Habits

Scheduled release date: 16th August 2010

click on the picture below for more details

The first release will be a special limited edition (1,000 copies only) enhanced CD with bonus video footage including a Nick Simper interview.
 
Available to
order now


Blagards & Cowboys

Nick has recently finished an album with former pirate John Kerrison called Skulduggery by Blagards & Cowboys, with Adrian Connery, Peter Parks and Barry Parfitt. Click on the cover below to listen to sample tracks and to order the CD via PayPal.

 


Nick in Hungary

Together with the Nasty Habits, I had a very enjoyable gig in Budapest recently. I would like to thank the guys in the band Cry Free, who made sure that we received the best hospitality possible. It was a great pleasure to work with them. Their sound is the closest I've heard to the original Deep Purple - quite amazing! Check them out if you get the chance.

Nick 10th May 2010

Nick in Austria

Here's a photo of Nick and Bernie Marsden, with "Sam the drummer" after their recent gig at Spielberg in Austria. More photos and write-ups to follow soon.

Clcik to see full size image

Nick Simper - Still Rockin'

T-Shirts now available!

Specially produced official T-shirts designed to commemorate both 40 years of Deep Purple, and 50 years since Nick first entered the rock 'n' roll business. "Girl and guitar not included!" Available from Wymer UK.


 Hush - Autographed by all 5 band members!

Courtesy of Gerhard Koritnik:

"I obtained the record from Mr. David Naughton, who lives in Seattle, WA. His sister, Mary, who sadly passed away at the end of the 90´s, obtained the autographs in person near Anaheim, California (as David told me later). He wrote to me about the record: "I got it from my sister's friend in 1992. Her name was Mary and she grew up in southern California, so it could have been from any of the early southern California appearances. She didn't understand the significance of it being the original five members, she was not a major fan but just liked that record "Hush", took it to the concert and had it signed, then forgot about it for twenty years."


Birthday Greetings

Many thanks to all those who wished me a happy birthday at our recent gig at Mill Hill, and special thanks to to Reinhard and Sabrina who came all the way from Vienna to give me a delicious chocolate cake! Thank you all again!

Nick November 2009

Nick in Poland

Last week, together with the Nasty Habits, I performed a concert at Plock in Poland. This was our first visit and we were all absolutely knocked out by the warmth of our reception and the great hospitality shown to us.

I would like to take this opportunity to say once more, thank you to the Nasty Habits for a great performance and thank you to promoter Roland Bury along with Witek, Marcin and Tomasz for all their kindness and support, making it a superb evening.

Na koniec stukrotnie dziÄ™kujÄ™ wszystkim, którzy przyszli na nasz concert i stworzyli niezapomniana noc.

Nick 15th October 2009

Tomasz Slaby has posted some great photos of the day. Click here

 Message from Nick

Many thanks to Nasty Habits, Christian Schoen and all our friends in Vienna, who made the Good Ol' Boys' third visit to the Reigen so enjoyable last week, and special thanks to Wolfgang Jafaar and Wolfgang Gonaus for their great photos and support, which you can see here.

Nick met up with Bernie Marsden recently at Bernie's record store. Photo courtesy of Peter Brkusic.


Nick & Nasty Habits

More YouTube video from Peter Brkusic: "The Deep Purple Mark 1 Songbook", performed by Nick and "Nasty Habits". Here is the official promo DVD for the show, including an interview with Nick. Click here for another clip, this time of Nick and boys playing "Mandrake Root".  

A Special Message From Nick

At the end of last year, I had to cancel several shows in Austria and Germany with the Nasty Habits, where we were to perform the Deep Purple Mk I songbook. The reason for this was the sudden ill-health of my sister, Liz Palumbo. Sadly, Liz passed away on October 4th 2008, which was a huge shock to everyone that knew here. Always a lively, bubbly person, she was a lovely lady, well known in her home town of Hastings as a dance teacher and leader of a belly-dancing troupe who gigged all over the country. She was also a great Mum to her four daughters, Liz, Angelique, Sophy and Kate. Always extrovert and great company, she was a real inspiration to me. Without her enthusiasm for music I may never have played an instrument myself. Her stores and experiences certainly fired my imagination, spurring me on in the right direction. The huge crowd that gathered for her funeral was a measure of her popularity. She would have loved the performance that her belly dancers gave at her graveside, a fitting send-off for a great lady and a great personality who will be sadly missed. This web site is dedicated to her memory.

Nick

April 2009


In Austria With Nasty Habits

Many thanks to all the Deep Purple fans who attended my recent gigs withClick to see full size the Nasty Habits in Austria. It was tremendous fun to revive the Mark I act, and the enthusiasm of the audience proved that the original Purple songs still sound good, even after 40 years! The Nasty Habits were excellent, as usual. They really deserve to be recognized as one of Austria’s most original bands, writing and performing great songs. Thanks to them, I was able to play the old numbers once more, in front of some lovely people. I hope that we can do it again in the near future and I will look forward to meeting you all once more. Thanks again, and all good wishes.

Nick April 2009
 

Here is an e-mail I received from Ralph Grille shortly after the Vienna gig:

Nick Simper & Nasty Habits Live at Reigen/ Vienna 2009

The Reigen Club in Vienna is a well known location for people who have an interest in highbrow music. It is permanent venue of the Blues Spring and the Jazz Festival Vienna and a lot of famous musicians like Al Di Meola or Brian Auger for example performed there.

Click to see full sizeIt was Mr. Simper's third concert there and the Nasty Habits were once again much more than faithful accompanists. Together they celebrated the beloved, but seldom to hear live Deep Purple hits from the early years.

The Nasty Habits are a powerful Viennese rock band, specialized to support rock stars in Austria. The first part of the show contained a couple of usual Nasty Habits songs to warm up. For the second part, Nick Simper came on stage to make true a dream.

I met fans from all over Europe - Poland, Croatia, UK, Germany, Switzerland and of course, from the high mountains of Austria.

Needless to say, it was a unforgettable show, powerful, rousing, I wish they could do it one more time.

Set list: And The Address / The Painter / Mandrake Root / Emmaretta / Chasing Shadows / Lalena / Wring That Neck / Why Didn't Rosemary / Roadhouse Blues / Kentucky Woman / Hush / Gimme Some Lovin'

Thanks to Ralph and Christian for some fantastic photos of the Vienna gig - sorry it's taken so long to get them posted! You can see them all here.


Deep Purple - History, Hits & Highlights 1968-76

Deep Purple - History, Hits & Highlights 1968-76

Due for release on 1st June 2009

The ultimate package for Deep Purple fans includes many rare performances, never released before, including some that haven't even circulated amongst collectors! Essential purchase.

Pre-order now at www.wymeruk.co.uk


Blagards & Cowboys

White Horses of Lyme Bay

Nick and Pete were in the studio recently, helping out their old mate John Kerrison with a three-track sampler of country-tinged rock 'n' roll. You can listen to the tracks and see the CD cover here.

Nick recalls his 1969 departure from Deep Purple to Team Rock, July 2014


Nick interviewed by Mohsen Fayyazi for the Metal Shock (Finland) web site, June 2012


Jon Lord

(9 June 1941 - 16 July 2012)

Jon Lord and Nick, Seattle, Washington, Nov 9th 1966

During the last few years, the music business has lost some of its most seminal players, people who inspired me and many others. We said goodbye to my three favourite guitarists, the three “Micks” as I called them, namely Mick Keane, Mick Green, and Mickey King. We also lost Tony Dangerfield, Neil Christian, Jet Harris and the man who played a big part in our lives, Jim Marshall.

This week another name has been added to the list, as we learned of the death of Jon Lord.

I first met Jon, very briefly, late one night at the famous Shepherds Bush pie stall, one of the few places where food (of a kind) could be obtained during the early hours. It was the summer of 1966, and we were both, in those days, at the top of our game. I was playing with one of rock’s biggest names, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, whilst Jon was with the Artwoods, one of the country’s top R & B groups. Neither of us spoke, just exchanging nods, as Kidd spoke animatedly with the Artwood’s drummer, an old friend. Little did we know that in less than two years we would be best friends, climbing the U.S. charts together, and creating a supergroup that would still be working nearly half a century later!

Fate was to throw us together in late ’67, working with the chart-topping group the Flowerpot Men, and it was Jon who talked me into leaving this money-spinning outfit to create a new band. Together with Ritchie Blackmore, and briefly, Bobby Woodman, we sowed the seeds that became Deep Purple. Jon and I hit it off from the first day that we worked together, and for the next two years we lived together, firstly at my parents’ home, then at Deeves Hall, and finally sharing a room at the Deep Purple house in Acton, West London. On tour we always roomed together, and life was one big round of fun! He called me his best friend, and I thought of him as the brother that I never had.

Sadly, as is well documented, none of this was to last! During the next forty years we both moved in different directions, but strangely, in the last couple of years, whilst our paths did not cross, they came very close to doing so. During my recent trips to Europe with Nasty Habits, we played where Jon had been very recently, or was due to perform very soon. Several times I came across his contemporaries who would pass on “greetings from Jon”. It seemed only a matter of time before we met up again on the same bill, or in the same town. Finally it looked on the cards as we were both appearing on the same weekend at a festival at St. Veit in Austria. Sadly, Jon cancelled his appearance, and it was then that I learned of the seriousness of his illness. During our show I asked the audience to join us in sending good vibes to Jon for a speedy recovery, and the resulting roar from the crowd said it all!

Since that gig, last September, we all constantly enquired after Jon’s health, hoping for a happy outcome, but sadly it was not to be. However, his music will live on, a fitting memorial to a great musician, and the memories of those exciting, pioneering days will remain with me forever. Rest in peace Jon.

Nick Simper 18th July 2012


The Good Ol' Boys

Live At The Deep Purple Convention

Available to order from Wymer UK

Good Old Boys - Live At The Deep Purple Convention

Release: 6th July 2009
 
The convention commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the formation of Deep Purple included a unique performance by the Good Old Boys featuring original Purple bassist Nick Simper.  The band that also includes former Strawbs drummer Richard Hudson and Warhorse guitarist Peter Parks performed a powerful set that showcases their rock ‘n’ roll roots and musicianship, and included a blistering version of Hush, the song that launched Deep Purple all those years ago.   This CD comes with a 12-page booklet with full band history, behind the scenes stories and previously unpublished photos from the actual performance and soundcheck.
 
Tracks: I'm Ready / A Fool For Your Stockings / My Way / Shaky Ground / Sleepwalk / Twenty Flight Rock / Somebody To Love / Don't Worry Baby / C'mon Everybody / Shakin’ All Over / Oh Well / Hush / All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin' Over Tonight //

Price: £12.99

Listen to samples from the CD:

 Don't Worry Baby
 Hush
 Oh Well
 Shakin' All Over

Watch the Good Ol' Boys in Vienna

Hush

Don't Worry Baby

Reviews

The long time overdue release

Dear Purple bunch, may I point your attention to this: finally, the Good Old Boys have released an official Live CD.

They were playing the Deep Purple Convention on May 3rd, 2008, as THS reported, and that gig was — fortunately for all of us — captured on CD. What a smart move since this was one brilliant show. For those of you who are expecting something like a DP tribute band, please don’t read on.

Nick Simper is having way more class than that (unlike a certain Rod E. with his 1980 Purple bogus). This man has no need to rest on his past merits. He does still have the chops. Neither do his band mates have any reason to hide their individual talents behind the “big name” of Deep Purple. Every single one of them is a true master of his instrument (so is Alan with his voice) and as a band they’re tighter than a bull’s ass.

I’ve seen these guys live several times and every single time I was blown away by their performance. Now, with this release, all of you are in a great position to experience them, too. What a treat! The CD (like their shows) is starting rather “shy”, but it’s increasing and increasing until they’re reaching the state of pure power and fun. These guys are top of the notch regarding handmade, honest Rock ‘n’ Roll, always surprising the listener with another individual icing on the cake. Most of their material is based back in the early 60s. Their music has nothing to do with Deep Purple. I do understand that they felt obliged to play at least one DP song at this show (Hush) — since this was a DP convention after all — but I’m pretty confident that Nick could have easily given up on that and his arm needed to be twisted hard to do that.

So, if you’re just going for another DP tribute CD, stay away from this. But if you want to hear finest Rock ‘n’ Roll, performed by some of the best musicians around, you don’t wanna miss this on your shelf. This band does indeed know how to ROCK!!!
Axel Dauer, The Highway Star website


Rating: C+

The Good Old Boys are a sort of super group consisting of former members of Deep Purple, The Strawbs, Warhorse, Renaissance and Jo Jo Gunne. The band performed live at the Deep Purple convention and recorded their performance. The CD showcases their musical talents as the band play a hodgepodge set of standards and the Deep Purple classic "Hush" from when Simper was in the band.

While it is tempting to overlook this CD as a throwaway performance by a bunch of guys that only the diehard fans have heard of, that would be a mistake. At first glance one may even want to snicker at a bunch of old guys who used to be in bands performing at a convention, playing standards such as "Somebody to Love," "Fool For Your Stockings," "I'm Ready" and "Oh Well." If that is your attitude then it is your loss. Sure, these guys are not rock stars, and most have had careers as sidemen, or were a mainstay in a famous band years before that band hit the big time, but The Good Old Boys are a good band.

At the end of the day, this is a fun CD that proves the passion to play good, solid rock ‘n’ roll can last a lifetime. The Good Old Boys played their ass off at the Deep Purple convention, even if the set list is not so much different than a run of the mill bar band. You could do a lot worse than this CD, in fact, it is a bit infectious as once you play it all the way through, the simple grooves keep calling one back to it. A tip of the hat goes to Simper and Company as they exceeded expectations and proved that rock n roll truly will never die.

Jeb Wright, Classic Rock Revisited


A fine quality CD recorded and released on Wymer Records, produced by “The Good Old Boys” and Caroline Adcock who also mixed it, along with Executive Producer Jerry Bloom of Wymer Records. Mastering was handled by John Spence at Fairview Studios, Willerby, Hull. This band actually goes back a long way and has featured many musicians along the way, including Matthew Fisher and Carlo Little as well as several other drummers who passed through the ranks, starting out with the name “Flying Fox” so it’s about time an album from them was finally released. It features a 12 page booklet detailing their history and some striking photos shot that evening.

Deep Purple’s third bass player Glenn Hughes also performed that night and met with Nick Simper for the first time which was likely quite a thing to experience. If you were there, you know what a truly great evening it was, if you weren’t, at least you can enjoy this performance which showcases a warm sounding capture that is oh so easy on the ears and will have you kicking yourself for not attending.

The performance started off in great tradition with “I’m Ready”, a romping version that got things up and running with amazing energy. They really sounded amazing and did not lose one sliver of that energy throughout the entire performance. Then the crowd was treated to a killer version of “A Fool For Your Stockings” the “ZZ Top” classic trad blues number that I have to say tops the original by far with a highly infectious groove and sizzling hot vocals giving it a contemporary vibe. After a few more rollicking numbers, “My Way” and both “Shakey Ground” and “Sleepwalk” the Purple fans were treated to “Twenty Flight Rock” and “Somebody To Love” which obviously shows a mutual love for the great Delbert McClinton.

Next up things really peaked with what is described in the liner notes as “arguably the stand out track” and I fully agree, “Don’t Worry Baby” with piping hot dual guitar playing from “Pete Parks” and “Simon Bishop” recalled as “truly blistering!” I can’t express how hot is was, talk about momentum, this really got the performance kicking and rolling into another classic “Eddie Cochran” number “C’mon Everybody” which led into the “Johnny Kidd and The Pirates” number which can’t be denied. “Shakin’ All Over” is a classic favourite that has been well known beyond the “Kidd” factor because it was also a hit some years later by what is usually referred to these days as “Pre-Guess Who” simply because Burton Cummings did the vocals on a recording of it just prior to them forming, but it must be known to all that it was actually written by Heath and first recorded in 1960, and The Good Old Boys play it in Johnny Kidd’s memory. What a shot in the arm this CD really is! Things stay the course with the Fleetwood Mac classic “Oh Well” which always works no matter who seems to cover it and this is no exception to that.

Next up was another one of the highlights of the evening of course, Deep Purple’s 1968 US hit “Hush” was reworked and very well done, an obvious lure for the event indeed. Justice was served as they jammed through the number with ease and confidence as if it were written yesterday. They made it seem so easy, yet it’s really not such a simple task to pull off, but with “Nick Simper and The Good Old Boys” there was no way it could falter. This really is a high quality recording and fun loving performance… what a bash it really was! And in fine country tradition, which their name totally hints at with but doesn’t exactly define, because make no mistake, this IS rock and roll in classic traditional form, they hammed it up with “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” and even though this is not a country band, they make it work so well, as if it were totally cut out for them, it’s a huge compliment and well rehearsed version with a rearrangement in the title, sung as “Crazy” instead of “Rowdy.”

All in all this CD is a must buy for both record collectors and general rock fans alike. The Deep Purple fans were given a top-notch performance by these elder statesmen of British rock that night. A well-recommended document of what was truly a night the fans will never forget.

Larry Toering, The Deep Purple Hub,
http://deeppurplehub.proboards.com/index.cgi?

For news of previous Good Ol' Boys gigs, click on the "Archive" button on the left



Nick on YouTube

Danny Vaughn has a few clips of the Good Ol' Boys at the Jolly Anglers in West Drayton, Middlesex in October 1997, which you can see here. 

Meanwhile here is the Deep Purple performance on Playboy After Dark in 1968. Most of you will have seen the performance of "Hush" before, but this clip includes the intro to And The Address and a bit of Hugh Hefner mucking around on Ritchie's guitar.

Other YouTube Deep Purple clips:

And The Address
Chasing Shadows
Shield / The Painter
Photo collages with the album tracks. 

River Deep, Mountain High

Wring That Neck
Help
Kentucky Woman
Hush
Hey Joe
Mandrake Root

recently discovered videotape of Deep Purple at the Inglewood gig in October 68. The picture quality is poor but the sound is reasonable.

The performance of "Ritual" for the Beat Club session has reappeared again, and this time it's been restored to its former glory.

Pete Parks remembers: "..the Beat Club session in Bremen like it was yesterday. The German engineer walked off the set and left the production to us. Apparently the volume we were playing at was affecting the cameras. As a result were ended up with a decent rock video instead of a Euro-Pop travesty."

There is also a YouTube clip of Nick playing with the Marsha Hunt band at the Bilzen Festival in 1969, here. Deep Purple MKII also performed at that festival! Thanks to Gerhard Koritnik for the link. 




if you don't see frames around this page, click here