Roger Glover.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
New Delhi: He was only 10 when he first heard rock music and it changed his life, says Deep Purple guitarist Roger Glover who went on to explore Indian music and even bought a sitar and tabla before he realised just how difficult they were to play.
The 78-year-old, amongst those behind all-time classics such as Smoke on the Water and Highway Stars, counts Indian music as one of the predominant influences in his life and said he was born at the right time to see the birth of rock and roll.
"It was brilliant. I never thought about it as any particular thing other than great fun. But as you get older, of course, you get immersed in world music and, of course, Indian music plays a big part,” the guitarist said, recounting the time he heard rock music for the first time.
Glover, an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a talented musician who started playing guitar when he was 13, also has a soft spot for Indian music and instruments.
"I remember I bought a sitar and I bought a tabla before I realised how difficult they were to play. So they became ornaments. But yeah, I've loved Indian music, it's gorgeous," he told PTI in an interview.
As a member of the English rock band that pioneered heavy metal and modern hard rock and survived the many changes in the industry through the decades, Glover said he had travelled the world, something he had never imagined as a child.
He was born Brecon, Wales, and grew up in London.
"It's a real pleasure to go around the world and see where we are and compare yourself to other people and meet other cultures. It's brilliant. I wouldn't change it for the world," he said.
Asked about his India trip and whether he had any to-do list, Glover said he is not a guy who plans things 'because then you've got to fight to keep to them”.
"Life unfolds, and whatever you meet and whatever you do, you just drink it all in and make the most of it. India's a great place to visit, because the first time I went there, it completely changed my life. And of course, there's the food," he said.
Glover joined Deep Purple in 1969 but left it four years later to pursue other musical interests, reunited with his former teammates when the band reformed in 1984. He is credited with developing the title for 'Smoke on the Water' though the lyrics were written by Ian Gillan.
Deep Purple, which also includes members Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride, will perform in Bengaluru on December 16 and 17 as the headliner of BookMyShow Live's newest IP, Bandland.
With a history of over five decades and classics such as Smoke on the Water, Hush, Highway Star and Perfect Strangers under their belt, their impact in the world of rock music is massive.
Glover said their longevity as a group could be attributed to their singular focus 'on music'.
"We've actually stuck to our original intention of concentrating on the music. It's all about the music. Along the way, the digital world has invaded us, but we still record in exactly the same manner, and we still write in exactly the same manner. So that's who we are. Take it or leave it," he said.
The band recently released their 21st studio album featuring 13 tracks and collaborations with producer Bob Ezrin.
Music has changed and there is no point in looking back and trying to recreate past glory. So one must focus on “a new thing”, Glover said.
"One of the rules of life is you can never go back. Everything has its time. And the music that was made in the 50s had its time. It can't be recreated. You can do parodies of it."
“But everything has to move forward. Everything has to change. Even as you drag the past with you, because the influences are always there, it's always going to be a new thing. You can't recreate it," he added.