Roger Glover shares his thoughts on Deep Purple bootlegs on Goldmine magazine's website:

"“I had a meeting with some bootleggers many years ago in Germany; we had a big discussion about bootlegs, and they said ‘Listen, bootleggers are not ripping you off; you’re not losing money because of bootleggers. The people who buy these things have already bought your albums probably two or three times already."

“It was a potent argument, and I sympathize with that.  Besides, they presented me with something I’d not heard in years, which was a recording of us doing [something] for a BBC session. It was a song that was written on the spur of the moment, just a blues, very fast, and it’s great; I love it.  But it was never formally written and recorded. That’s the only version of it, and I said, ‘Wow, it’s so wonderful to hear this; I’d forgotten all about it!’ So it’s through bootlegs — or, at least, bootleggers — that things like that even exist.”

Steve Morse isn't so keen! See the full article.

SH#7001812, photo: Martin Ashberry

Roger Glover has sent out some more information about his upcoming solo album, which he describes as a "collection of songs (which) reveals or obscures a range of emotions". As well as The Guilty Party who helped on his previous album, his daughter Gillian Glover is also on there and Mickey Lee Soule guests. There are 16 tracks including two co-written with Gillian.The title can be pre-ordered at the DPAS online store. It's due out later this month.

TS#7001811, photo: Martin Ashberry

Roger Glover is due to attend the opening of an art exhibition at the K-8 art and cultural center, Köln, Germany, on 22 October 2010. The exhibition features Roger's drawings, paintings and photographs dating from 1964 to the present day, and is to run between 25 October 2010 and 31 January 2011.

NY#700180

One of Roger Glover's most successful productions, the first Michael  Schenker Group album issued in 1980 on Chrysalis, is being issued in an expanded format in early 2009 with five demo tracks from 1979 (we don't yet know if RG also produced these). The LP reached number 8 in the charts when it first came out.

Available to order at DPASMailorder.

MR#700179

Lemon are advertising a long-awaited reissue of Glover's album Mask in November. In fact they reissued it back in 2005, and this 'new' one seems identical (right down to missing the bonus tracks off!) so quite how long-awaited it is we're not sure!

Still if you missed it, DPASMailorder has it in stock now.

SR#700178

The Design Museum in London (my fave!) is holding an exhibition of Alan Aldridge's work from Oct 10 - Jan 25 2008, including material relating to the original Butterfly Ball book on which Glover's album was based. Alan also designed the logos for the Hard Rock Cafe and The House Of Blues chain. SR

SR#700177 (photo: Simon Robinson)

Roger Glover is one of the stars on a new download only (boo!) charity single. (hurrah - see below). Roger plays bass on Lucy's Song, written and produced by David Domminney of Rogue Studios in London. The eclectic list of guests on the single also includes Gillian Glover, Dean Howard and Steve Morris (who have both played with Ian Gillan), and Gillan's favourite comedian R. Bruce. The track is available as an iTunes download from 30th June 2008. Income from the sale will go to The Linda McCartney Cancer Centre (specifically to promote their Field of Women event which takes place at Liverpool Cricket Club on July 6th 2008. ) LUCY is an acronym for Listen Up, Check Yourself and is designed to help raise awareness of breast cancer. Roger's painting 'Compassion', which was auctioned to raise funds for the centre is still available as a signed limited edition print priced £80 plus p+p. Email lmccmusic@live.co.uk for more details.

UPDATE : We have discussed this with Lesley at the charity, and they have agreed to make a number of copies of the privately pressed promo CD version available to order from the DPAS. This has a special label and press sheet. All income from the sale of this CD will go to the charity. Orders MUST be in by July 31 2008, after which we can accept no more. CDs will be sent after that date. It is on the DPASMailorder site now.

Linda McCartney Centre and Field of Women is a registered charity : Number 1047988

Photograph: Roger, volunteers and staff at the Linda McCartney Cancer Centre in April 2007 when Roger visited.

SR#7001761

Roger Glover has announced that the basic recording work on his next solo album (provisionally titled Close Up) is more or less finished, and he hopes to have this finished towards the end of the year for release next. Randall Bramblett is again on vocals, and Gillian Glover is also featured (as well as co-writing some of the material). This will be the follow-up to his last album Snapshot, released in 2002.

SR#700175 (photo: Martin Ashberry)

Prog rockers Dream Theater took a leaf from Deep Purple's book a while ago and toured a cover version of the entire Made In Japan album. In a twist to the story, a recording of the show was made and  has been mixed by Roger Glover. It will be issued in early May 2007. .

SR#700174 photo: Alexei Zaikin

Vigier Guitars in France has announced the release of an Excess Roger Glover signature bass. The model features an Excess alder body with a maple top, phosphorescent dots on the fingerboard and brand new three-band EQ electronics. Still time to change your christmas gift list... You can find out more at vigierguitars.com.

SR#700172 (thanks to Mike Garrett) photo: Manfred Stoffer

We have had a lot of requests for information on an advertised release in America only of The Butterfly Ball on DVD. We have not posted any details because we were not sure that all necessary permissions had been granted for this, and we have now been advised that there are problems which may well lead to it being cancelled.

Roger Glover has now posted a long and detailed piece about the project and the DVD on his web site. Amongst other things he says the people responsible for the DVD release have muddled him and Glenn Hughes up (Deep Purple bassist - see?) so you get a large photo of Glenn on the inside and spine! Needless to say he's not overjoyed about the release. As it's out, we assume the attempts to stop the title coming out have so far been unsucessful.   

SR#700170 (Thanks to Andreas Thul)