JERRY BLOOM – Deep Purple – A Matter of Fact

Let me start by saying that I love and cherish Deep Purple, especially the Coverdale/Hughes era, but in no way do I consider myself an authority on the band’s nearly 50 year long history. I was therefore very much looking forward to reading author Jerry Bloom’s upcoming book entitled "Deep Purple – A Matter of Fact" in which all manner of facts, weird happenings, strange encounters, and other phenomena relating to Deep Purple are presented and elaborated on. Granted, the book is mostly aimed at those who have some insight and knowledge of Deep Purple and not necessarily brand new fans who discovered "Smoke on the Water" yesterday. However, that does not change the fact that we are dealing with one hell of a fun and interesting account of every obscure thing you can think of in relation to DP.

First of all, there is a certain charm and warmth to the way in which Bloom relates all the stories and anecdotes contained in the book, and there were so many times that I started laughing out loud while reading it as certain things were just so…well, absurd and surreal, I suppose. I do not want to give away any details as I think the fans of the band out there ought to discover and experience this book themselves, but so many of the stories are presented in a light and humorous way. I also love the ironic and somewhat sarcastic remarks by Bloom that appear from time to time. In other words, the book is actually way more interesting and captivating than it says on the cover, and it never really gets boring. The amount of research conducted by Bloom is simply mindblowing. A lot of untruths surrounding Deep Purple are also dispelled with, which is cool.

One particular thing that I really dug about this book was the chapters devoted to the "Slaves and Masters"-era when Joe Lynn Turner fronted the band. I have always loved that album and find it extremely underrated. That probably sounds somewhat perverted to most DP fans out there, but that is nevertheless the truth. It was awesome reading about those years (1989-1992), and I salute Bloom for including that in his book. Given that I also love "Come Taste the Band" I would have loved to read some more about all the amazing and bizarre stories and facts relating to that particular line-up featuring Tommy Bolin, but in no way is that period glossed over by Bloom and we do get to read a lot about that rather chaotic era. I just wish that there was more of it, but that is just me being selfish.

"Deep Purple – A Matter of Fact" is by no means an ordinary biography, but that only adds to its appeal and makes for a terrific, fun, and entertaining book on the legendary band. I dare say that even the most hardcore fans of Deep Purple will stumble on truths and facts uncovered by Bloom that will both surprise and shock them. Highly recommended to all lovers of Deep Purple, be they young or old, but keep in mind that you will probably not find it that amazing unless you have at least some knowledge of the band. It certainly changed my perspective on a lot of things, and for that I am grateful.

Pre-order the book here and note the text below:
http://www.wymeruk.co.uk/Store/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1421
ALL ORDERS FROM THIS SITE WILL INCLUDE A FREE COLOUR BOOKLET OF PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED DEEP PURPLE PHOTOS (WHILE STOCKS LAST).