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PURPLE RECORDS 1971–1978:  THE COMPLETE UK ALBUM AND SINGLE DISCOGRAPHY

Details of every UK release on the Purple Records label from 1971 to 1978 with full colour, high quality photography throughout of labels, sleeves and inserts along with detailed analysis and identification of the crucial 1st pressing details of every album and single. Essential reading for collectors of Purple Records.

Following in the footsteps of Frank Zappa, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple’s entrepreneurial management team founded the band’s own ‘vanity’ record label in 1971.

Purple Records was the brainchild of Tony Edwards and John Coletta, and, along with additional Purple companies, served to control virtually every business and financial aspect of Deep Purple’s musical output, including the band’s management, promotion, publishing and of course recording.

Although originally intended to be the vehicle for Deep Purple albums and solo projects by the band members, the label signed a diverse range of additional artists with an eclectic mix of styles, some of which would seem to be incongruous with Deep Purple’s own ‘hard rock’ genre.

As with most of these ‘self-owned’ artist labels, the commercial success of the output was usually limited to the ‘parent’ band itself. Other artists’ work and even the band members’ solo projects were often deemed to be mere ego trips and favours to friends and colleagues in the industry.

Purple Records released a total of 33 albums in its seven year lifespan including ten LPs under the Deep Purple name; five studio albums, two live albums and three compilations. The Deep Purple musicians managed to collectively release seven solo projects, the most prolific being organist Jon Lord with four albums.

The label managed to survive three line-up changes within Deep Purple, with arguably the two biggest driving forces of Gillan and Blackmore leaving in 1973 and 1975 respectively.

The group soldiered on until 1976, with varying degrees of success, and so did the label before finally fizzling out in 1978 after the humiliating implosion of Deep Purple Mark IV two years earlier.