Entrevista con Don Airey (Deep Purple)

Deep Purple is going to edit a new álbum, "Infinite", What can we expect of it?

Slightly progressive, heavier than Now What, a real live sound, and some amazing vocals and lyrics courtesy of Ian and Roger.

I would to know how has been the recording sessioms of this album and where and who was produced with?

The Tracking Room in Nashville, that has a huge live room that we took full advantage of. Bob Ezrin of Alice Cooper, and The Wall fame, produced the album and played a part in the writing as well.

Purple has advanced a vídeo lyric single of song "Time for bedland", is this song a good example what I can hear in new álbum?

Its Time for Bedlam. Its a pun kinda, as Bedlam actually was a lunatic asylum situated near Marble Arch, London in the 17th and 18th centuries, where people used to gather on a

Sunday just to watch the antics of the unfortunate inmates. So this track is quite represen-tative, in that it has more than a hint of craziness about it.

You started your Deep Purple period replacing Jon Lord, one of the best keybord players in rock. How was your Purple incorporation?

Easier than you would think, as the band were very welcoming. Trouble was that there

was more to replacing Jon than just playing Hammond, and I hope that I have grown into

the role musically and otherwise as the years have progressed

You have recorded yet four albums for the band (I think). In your opinion which is

best álbum you have recorded with Deep Purple?

I have a lot of affection for my first recording sortie with the band, Bananas; I was back in LA, in a cool studio with a great producer (Michael Bradford) and everyone was really grooving. But, think the latest, InFinite, will prove it’s worth

Deep Purple has a great career, which is for you the best álbum of the band?

I love “Who do we Think we Are”. The playing, the feel and some very astute lyrics, and

wonderful melodies, all about a band breaking up

You were a good friend of Cozy Powell and participated in several projects with him. How was Cozy like musician and person?

Best bloke I never knew. A great musician, great friend, had a very soft interior, and he

knew so much about music, cars, horses, motorbikes, films, and had friends in every city we ever visited. A great loss to the music business, and to those of us who knew him

personally.

You formed for several years in Rainbow and recorded one of the best Rainbow

albums, Down to earth. How was the experience recording this album and your

relationship with Richie Blackmore and Graham Bonnet?

I got on well with Ritchie - we were of the same mind, and you can hear the results on

Down to Earth. Graham I got on well with from the minute we met, and will have dinner

and lots of laughs no doubt with him next week when I am over in LA

You also were involved in Whitesnake álbum "1987". In this album had problems in

the band and David Coverdale change the band line Up, what did happen for this?

I don’t really know the answer to this question. I know that John Sykes was playing the

best guitar I’d heard since Eddie van Halen, on the sessions, and perhaps David got

jealous of how much input was coming from John. Its a shame that that lineup, with

Aynsley and Neil, never went on the road it was truly a sensational group.

I would like to know which are your main imfluences in music?

In my youth my main influences were Newcastle Brown Ale and money. Now that I am a more mature and a seasoned musician it’s Hennessey Cognac and money.

You also worked with a great guitar player like Gary Moore, and you composed with him "Parisienne Walkways", how was the experience with Gary?

It was the greatest collaboration I ever knew in my life. He was a true genius and all one

had to do was hang on musically, make a few suggestions, usually about the arrange-ments, come up with counter melodies, that kind of thing. He was never short of inspira-tion -his memory inspires me still.

You collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber in "Variatioms", how was this experien-ce?

Interesting. He was a very unusual person for a rock band to work with but the recording went very quickly and was a lot of fun. We kind of thought nothing of it, next thing it’s no 2 in the album charts, and we are playing New York, LA and the Festival Hall in London.

I know it is very difficult yo say, but, in your opinion which is the best álbum you

have worked ever?

Either Down to Earth or Whitesnake 87

You also worked with Ozzy in "Blizzard of Ozzy" period, and you knew an awasome

guitar player like Randy Rhoads, how was to work with Ozzy and Randy?

It was great. Randy was one of the nicest people I ever knew in the business and what a

player. Ozzy was as always kind of over the top, but there was always a lot of method in

his madness. The keyboard sessions for Blizzard of Oz were a very happy time I must say.

You joined with Electric Light Orchestra in reunión tour. This was a work out of hard rock, how was to be on stage with Jeff Lynne and CIA?

I wasn’t with that band, but the Bev Bevan, Nik Kaminski, Kelly Groucutt incarnation called Orchestra 2. A good band and as nice a bunch of guys as you could ever meet.

You have a great career playimg with great bands and artists, but, if you had the

opportunity to choose to playimg with your main band in history for you, which

would be this band?

Not that they needed a keyboard player, but The Cream would be that band.