Deep Purple - June 30

The five piece were formed in Hertford in 1968, and had their first hit with a version of Joe South's 'Hush', soon followed by the Jon Lord-masterminded classical live album Concerto For Group and Orchestra. But it was with the arrival of vocalist Ian Gillan that the band found their form.

1970's In Rock album unveiled the superhero line up of Gillan, Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and of course guitar hero Richie Blackmore belting out tunes like 'Speed King' and 'Child In Time'. This line-up, which produced a spate of hard rock classics like Machine Head and Fireball, endured until '73 (they later reformed in 1984 and 1993, before irreconcilable differences between Blackmore and the others resulted in the guitarist’s deparure).

That said, the David Coverdale incarnation yielded the very fine Stormbringer and Burn albums, betraying something of a funkier bent. The latest line-up is one of the longest enduring ones in their revolving door history, and is as close as you’ll ever get to vintage Purple.

DID YOU KNOW?
• DP were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's loudest band.
• The band have had more than eight different personnel line ups, drummer Ian Paice being the only constant.
• Ian Gillan sang the role of Jesus in the original concept recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
• Pat Boone covered 'Smoke On the Water' on his 1997 album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, with Richie Blackmore guesting as lead guitarist.
• 'Child In Time' was used in the 1999 documentary One Day in September, about the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis. It was also featured in the 2008 film Der Baader Meinhof Komplex.