Deep Purple

Deep Purple is a British rock band founded in 1968, regarded as one of the founders of the hard rock genre alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Over its forty years of existence, the band has always consisted of five musicians (a singer, a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, an organist) but has experienced several member changes that have determined its musical evolution. The characteristic elements of Deep Purple's sound during most of its existence are Ritchie Blackmore's Fender Stratocaster guitar and Jon Lord's Hammond organ. The arrival in 1969 of singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover gave rise to the band's most fruitful period, with the albums In Rock, featuring the hit Smoke on the Water and the live album Made in Japan.