Deep Purple Family Tree
Metal Family Tree
This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.
We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.
Deep Purple have been hugely influential on metal music although they have only played a limited amount of metal songs being more rock/hard rock band. Because we don’t consider Deep Purple a metal band and because only their classic line ups have been influential to metal this list of influences will only focus on the classic line up (1970-1975). Ritchie Blackmore is one of the most influential guitar players on metal and the same can be said about John Lord on keys, Ian Paice on drums, Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes on vocals. We will not focus on David Coverdale because I haven’t seen him named as an influence by any metal bands although I will revisit this list if that becomes the case in the future. I haven’t seen Roger Glover listed as an influence by anyone but we will still look at him because he had a hand in the classic Deep Purple sound. Deep Purple have very diverse influences ranging from many style of music.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Antonio Vivaldi
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven
Frédéric Chopin
Franz Liszt
Enrico Caruso
Django Reinhardt
Les Paul
Oscar Peterson
Gene Krupa
Little Walter
Dave Brubeck
Buddy Rich
Scotty Moore
Tommy Steele
Cliff Gallup
Jimmy Smith
Big Jim Sullivan
Nero and the Gladiators
Wes Montgomery
Bob Dylan
Graham Bond
Shuggie Otis
Ritchie named a lot of country guitar players as being really good but didn’t name them as direct influences. These include Jimmy Bryant, Chet Atkins, Glen Campbell, and Buck Owens & The Buckeroos. He would do the same for blues players Peter Green with John Mayall, B.B. King and Mick Taylor who played with both John Mayall and The Rolling Stones.
Jon Lord played classical piano till he was 18. In an interview in 1989 he said he was going back to re-learn classical stuff that is noted above. I keep seeing Jimmy McGriff and Jack McDuff listed as influences but I haven’t’ seen any sources to back this up yet.
Ian Paice, besides what is noted above he is also influenced by Bobby Elliot of The Hollies.
Ian Gillan came from a musical family and was exposed to a verity of styles. He first got into rock n roll after hearing “Heartbreak Hotel.” He said he is influenced by a lot of blues singers like Sonny Boy Williamson but there are two blues singers that went by the name and he did not specify which one. Before being in Deep Purple he sung in a harmony group and is a big fan of the Beach Boys.
Roger says he is more influenced by writers than players. He said even though he has a lot of respect for someone like Jaco Pastorius he prefers good song writers even if they are not technically as proficient.
Rodger Glover’s bass influences include many motown players. He says he wrote the riff to Maybe I’m A Leo after hearing John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep”.
Bands influenced by Deep Purple!
As this project advances, bands will be added here… there are many!
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l22yOjWthGI
https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-real-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-ritchie-blackmore
https://www.newsweek.com/ritchie-blackmore-deep-purple-rainbow-blackmores-night-539420
https://guitar.com/features/ritchie-blackmore-recalls-life-deep-purple/
https://www.vintageguitar.com/32424/ritchie-blackmore-3/
https://noisecreep.com/deep-purple-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/
https://www.chrissjuicebar.com/portfolio-items/ian-gillanlead-singer-songwriter-and-lyricist-for-deep-purple-one-of-the-most-influential-artists-of-hard-rock-and-heavy-metal/
https://www.thehighwaystar.com/interviews/lord/jl19890100.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM7TidriOz4
https://www.thehighwaystar.com/interviews/paice/ip199812xx.html
https://pearldrum.com/artists/drumset-artists/ian-paice
https://www.rogerglover.com/bass-players-question-time/personal/