Deep Purple have released the first single from new album ‘Splat!’ – check out the propulsive ‘Arrogant Boy’ below.
The veteran rock band are preparing to release their 24th studio album, and the follow-up to 2024’s ‘=1’, on July 3 via earMUSIC. Pre-order/pre-save the record here.
Now, they have shared the lead single, the chunky, supercharged ‘Arrogant Boy’, which sees the band attempt to capture the speed and power of their early years.
Frontman Ian Gillan has said: “This is the story of Billy who couldn’t read or write. He is unhappy with things, so he speaks up, and finds a way of irritating, one way or another, the elite. And I can’t think of anything more fun than irritating the elite. It would be a joyous exercise for me every morning after coffee.”
Check it out here:
‘Splat!’ sees Deep Purple reuniting with the celebrated producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed), and it has been described as one of the group’s heaviest albums in several years, with the tracks having been laid down live in the studio.
According to Gillan, “where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies.”
“I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘Lazy’ – the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73. Deep Purple is in a great place right now.”
‘Splat!’ will be released as a 2LP gatefold 180g boxset, complete with 12-page booklet, a CD digisleeve, three exclusive 10” vinyl records featuring live recordings from their 2024 tour and an exclusive 7” featuring bonus track ‘GUINNESIS’.
Deep Purple are also heading out on an extensive 86-date world tour later this year, including a huge show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on November 25. See the full list of dates here, while tickets are on sale now and you can find yours here (UK/Europe) and here (North America).
Last year, Gillan revealed he was losing his eyesight and said that retirement was “not far off”. “It’s one of those things. I’ve only got 30 per cent vision,” he said. “That won’t get better. It makes life mysterious. The hardest thing is working on my laptop. I can’t see anything on the screen unless I use my peripheral vision – I pick up a line by looking at it sideways. But you find a way. You adapt.”
