SonyBMG has recalled a live album from metal pioneers Deep Purple after the band's lead singer, Ian Gillan, said he had not approved the release and asked fans not to buy it. The singer added that the concert featured, a 1993 concert at the Birmingham NEC, was one of the band's worst, explaining that growing tensions in the band at the time had impacted on the performance, adding: "It was coming to the end, it was awful".
Confirming the recall, a spokesman for SonyBMG told reporters yesterday: "SonyBMG is not in the business of releasing albums without the knowledge of the artists. It is in our interests to work with artists, so they can promote their records and continue to work with us". That said, the label noted that the live recording had been released previously, adding that they were unclear as to why the release had caused a problem this time but not previously.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Gillan said that the bands' performances at the time were affected by his falling out with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who quit the band shortly after the recording was made. Gillan: "It was one of the lowest points of my life - all of our lives, actually. In fact, it lasted five or six shows after that Birmingham show. Then Ritchie left the band. And we've had 13 years of stability ever since then".