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Roger Glover Biography
(for
credits, see bottom of page)
Deep Purple
bassist Roger Glover was born November 30, 1945 in Brecon, South Wales,
earning his musical education from the area bands which played his family's
pub.
During the
early 1960s he formed the popular local band the Madisons, which in time merged
with fellow Brecon favorites the Lightnings; in late 1963, the group rechristened
itself Episode Six.
A year and a half later vocalist Andy Ross left the lineup, and with new frontman
Ian Gillan in place,
Episode Six issued its debut single "Put Yourself in My Place" in early 1966;
a series of singles followed,
the pop sound of early efforts eventually giving way to psychedelia and even
prog-rock, but none generated much commercial interest and in early 1969 the
group dissolved.
Glover and
Gillan then reunited in Deep Purple, making their debut on the band's self-titled
third LP.
Gillan's powerful vocals and an ear-shattering live show soon established
Deep Purple as one of the world's most popular acts, with 1972's Machine Head
cracking the U.S. Top Ten on the strength of the AOR staple "Smoke on the
Water."
However,
personality conflicts between Glover and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore precipitated
the bassist's departure
from the group in mid-1973, and in addition to co-writing and producing material
with fellow Deep Purple refugee Gillan,
he also produced a number of hard rock acts including Judas Priest, Nazareth
and Elf, and in 1974 scored the animated feature The Butterfly Ball.
Glover's first solo LP Elements followed in the spring of 1978, and later that year he reunited with Blackmore in Rainbow; after completing the 1983 solo effort The Mask, he joined the reformed Deep Purple for their comeback album Perfect Strangers. Upon completing 1987's The House of Blue Light Glover and Gillan again exited the group, jointly recording the album Accidentally on Purpose; both rejoined Deep Purple in 1993.
This biography was written by Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide