Infinite and Beyond: Deep Purple 1993-2022 Paperback – 6 October 2023

Das Buch ist eine nette Ergänzung für die Sammlung. Der Erkenntnisgewinn hält sich für lebenslange Purple-Fans in Grenzen, die wissen vieles schon aus den einschlägigen Foren wie The Highway Star oder DPAS im Internet. Und andere Leute dürften solche ein Buch kaum ordern. Es erzählt die Geschichte der Band seit Blackmores Weggang 1993. Liest sich leicht und locker, der Autor ist auch meinungsfreudig, da wird mancher natürlich hier und da gaaanz anderer Meinung sein. Ich zum Beispiel finde das Cover von Purpendicular sehr gelungen ... ;-) Die Bilder sind nicht gerade erste Wahl. Manchen Einblick aber habe ich erst diesem Buch zu verdanken, insofern hat es sich für mich gelohnt, zumal es, wie gesagt, leichte und lockere Lektüre ist.

This is the author Adrian Jarvis' third book on Deep Purple related activity, this time focusing predominantly on guitar maestro Steve Morse's twenty eight year tenure with the band after the abrupt departure of Ritchie Blackmore in November 1993 and Joe Satriani's brief, albeit successful, stint with the band so they could fulfil six gigs in Japan in December of the same year. Jarvis acknowledges the complexities and challenges that Morse faced; stepping into a role that, in the eyes of many a Deep Purple fan, will be forever Blackmore, despite being the band's longest serving guitarist. It also covers the departure of founder Deep Purple member Jon Lord in September 2002 and the arrival of Don Airey, a most worthy successor. Every Morse era album is scrutinised, praising where praiseworthy and critical of several albums where the band didn't exactly cover themselves in glory; 'Bananas' and 'Turning To Crime' being prime examples. There are insightful, new interviews with Paul Mann, the conductor behind the reprised 1969 'Concerto For Group And Orchestra, this time the extravaganza that was 1999s 'In Concert with The London Symphony Orchestra' and composer, arranger and conductor Stephen Bentley-Klein, whose involvement with Deep Purple has been instrumental in the band's progression and evolution as a successful touring entity, arranging and conducting 'The Songs That Built Rock' tour with Deep Purple and orchestra in America, Europe and Scandinavia from June 2011 to December 2012. Bookended by the arrival of another virtuoso 'Banjo player' Simon McBride, Jarvis, having charted with 'Infinite' detail, the highs and lows, trials and tribulations of a band he clearly loves, leaves the door well and truly open for another exciting chapter in Deep Purple's extraordinary history.

Unsurprisingly from this writer, Infinite and Beyond is a masterclass in how to create a book in the music non-fiction genre. Infinite and Beyond chronicles the so-called 'Morse Era' of the Deep Purple's history, and follows the various changes of line-up that occurred after a disastrous gig at the NEC in Birmingham in 1993, the events of which left the band in a state of crisis. The level of factual detail throughout is the impressive result of obvious extensive research, and these facts are supported by some gently expressed views that do not diminish the reader's ability to form their own opinions about the whole debacle and subsequent events. Although Adrian Jarvis is clearly a fan of the band, he did not pull any punches when describing what happened on that disastrous night and the events leading up to it. Indeed I felt that even the most stalwart and steadfast lover of Deep Purple might like certain band members a lot less after reading this! (Certainly, my view was that while the feelings behind what happened were perhaps understandable, the behaviour that manifested those feelings impacted mainly on the fans who had paid good money and made the effort to attend a gig that Ritchie Blackmore decided to sabotage.) Although I would say this is very much a book for Deep Purple 'nerds', the writing is nonetheless engaging and imbued with enough of Jarvis's characteristic wry humour to hold the interest of anybody who likes reading about music (rock music in particular.) And let's face it- who doesn't enjoy watching a good old fashioned feud from the sidelines?!