In 2003, the new Mark VIII line-up released Bananas, their first studio album in five years, and began touring in support. This Mark VII line-up then released a new live album Live at The Olympia ’96 in 1997. Morse’s arrival revitalised the band creatively, and in 1996 a new album titled Purpendicular was released, showing […]

A live home video of the same name was also released, covering a show in Birmingham, England, that displayed a very disgruntled Blackmore, who did not perform many of the guitar parts and who at one point threw a cup of water at a cameraman, for unknown reasons. With the tour complete, the band set […]

The title track, which opens the album and would open most concerts during the Mark III and IV eras, was a conscious effort by the band to embrace the beep beep casino progressive rock movement, which was popularised at the time by bands such as Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and Gentle […]