Deep Purple’s Roger Glover talks new album, ‘=1’

Photo by Jim Rakete

Deep Purple‘s new studio album, =1 (equals one), is out now and longtime bassist Roger Glover tells ABC Audio the inspiration for the album’s title came from the “strange mind” of lead singer Ian Gillan.

Glover said Gillan once questioned how big of an equation someone could come up with where the answer would equal one, then had a mathematician friend come up with an example.

“And he showed it to me and I said, ‘You know, that could be a title,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I think so, too,’” Glover shares. Gillan then wondered if the equation itself should be the title, but Glover notes, “I said no, just ‘equals one.’” 

Deep Purple is now made up of Glover, Gillan, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride. Glover says the title’s perfect for a band that he describes as having “a long soap opera history” with so many lineup changes, because despite it all, “we’re still one band.”

The album features singles like “Portable Door,” “Pictures of You” and “Lazy Sod,” which Glover says they didn’t actually write in the traditional sense. 

“Songs evolve rather than are written,” he says of the band’s process. “And it starts with a sort of jam session for a week or so. We just have fun, play this and play that, and then pick out the ones that are most promising.”

Glover has been with Deep Purple on and off since 1969, and more than 50 years later he can’t believe he and his bandmates are still making music together.

“I’m totally amazed. Every day,” he says. “I can’t believe that I’ve had a history that I’ve had with this band,” adding, “There’s a destiny that we will survive … well, at least for a bit more.”

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