Jerry Bloom – författare

When the classic Deep Purple MKII line-up reformed in 1984 after an eleven year absence, it proved once again that this was the definitive Deep Purple and their reunion tour was a box office bonanza.Sadly by 1989 the friction between Blackmore and Gillan that had led to the spilt first time around did so again and Gillan was fired.With all eyes on the 25th anniversary of the band's 1968 inception, there was huge pressure, both from within and outside the band for Gillan to return to the fold so that the occasion could be celebrated in style.The critics said it wouldn't work — it did. And they said it wouldn't last... well they were certainly right about that! Upon Gillan's return in late 1992 they produced The Battle Rages On... album and then planned to embark on a world tour. However, the American shows were all cancelled, which left just Europe and Japan. Whilst the tensions within the band were greater than ever, Jon Lord went on to say, “the shows were done at an energy level and ability level I’ve rarely seen attained before. I think we played as well as we’ve ever played.”Indeed, for those fortunate to witness the tour most fans shared Lord's opinion. Yet, the divisions between Blackmore and Gillan grew as the tour progressed with Blackmore calling a halt to proceedings before the Japanese leg could begin.In all there would be just thirty-seven shows — the last hurrah of the ultimate Deep Purple line-up. Author Jerry Bloom caught ten of the shows and was privy to some of the shenanigans that went on, making him the ideal person to document the last MKII tour in detail. Along with the comprehensive narrative, this beautifully designed book is crammed full of never before seen photos from the tour. It includes many shots of the band both on stage as well as back stage, in hotels, on aeroplanes and relaxing as the tour wound its way across Europe culminating in Blackmore's last show with the band in Finland on 17th November 1993.

A Matter Of Fact is the perfect companion to Deep Purple's music. Full of bizarre, obscure and amazing facts that have surrounded the band throughout its career of over forty years. If you have ever had disagreements with fellow fans about various facts or want to test the biggest fan on just how good their Deep Purple knowledge is, then this is the book for you. * How did Ian Paice and Rod Evans end up supporting Deep Purple? * Why did Ritchie Blackmore's country and western guitar playing save him from a beating? * Why did Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler review a Purple gig? * Who first recorded versions of several Deep Purple songs, complete with an orchestra? * Did Deep Purple's explosive performance at Plumpton really prevent Yes from performing? * Who did Deep Purple sue for selling bootlegs? * Which big rock star did the band get in a spat with at Knebworth? * Why did the Bee Gees receive Purple's lifetime achievement award? * What was Deep Purple's involvement with a film about a sixteenth century naval explorer that never got produced? * Why were some of Deep Purple's recent gigs illegal?The answers to all these questions, and many more amazing facts are revealed in this captivating book. Based on interviews with band and road crew members, contemporary press articles, and drawing on management files, A Matter Of Fact helps to clarify the truth behind several stories. It also dispels some untruths once and for all, as well a few previously un-revealed new stories that will appeal to even the most diehard fans.

Deep Purple's story drawing on the author's interviews with Blackmore, Lord, Simper, Glover, Hughes, plus crew members and the co-operation from Deep Purple (Overseas) Ltd, that unveils new stories to explain the whys and wherefores that shaped one of Britain's greatest and most influential rock bands of all time.

The Road To Knebworth documents Deep Purple's reunion in 1984 centred around the only UK concert. Drawing on interviews and memories from the band and crew it also includes personal recollections from the photographers, the fans and much more with numerous photographs throughout.

Jon Lord will forever be immortalised as a musical pioneer. His attitude towards his art form - "It's all music" ensured that he embraced his joint passions for rock 'n' roll and orchestral music, along with other genres, throughout his career.Having initially found his feet in sixties r'n'b group The Artwoods, the formation of Deep Purple with co-conspirator Ritchie Blackmore escalated Jon to huge success with one of the biggest bands of the seventies, and again in the mid-eighties when the band reformed. In between, several years spent in Whitesnake added to his portfolio.Outside of his commitment in both these rock bands, Lord produced many albums under his own name, fusing his various musical interests, producing some sublime work in the process.Eventually deciding that his desire as a composer required more time and commitment than his day job with Deep Purple would afford, he eventually left the band he had helped to create, in 2002.For the next decade, Jon engrossed himself in his composing - producing monumental works such as Durham Concerto that became a firm favourite on Classic FM radio - and Boom Of The Tingling Strings, a four movement piano concerto. All aspects of Jon's long and illustrious career are plotted throughout this book, accompanied by numerous photos, many previously unpublished that help to emphasise the incredibly colourful career of this extraordinarily talented musician.

From 1975, through the eighties, re-activated in the nineties and a slight return in 2016-18, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow took its fans on numerous journeys from the grandiose beginnings with Ronnie James Dio to the chart busting times with Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner. And again in the nineties with Doogie White as lead vocalist, and finally stepping out for the last time in the twenty-first century for a handful of shows allowing a new generation of fans to have the opportunity of hearing Rainbow live on stage.In this hefty tome Jerry Bloom charts Rainbow’s full career with great detail and information, along with a huge raft of superb imagery that covers the entire career. Aside from band photos, the visual element is enhanced with rare memorabilia and artifacts.

Compiled by Blackmore biographer Jerry Bloom this is the perfect companion to his 2006 biography Black Knight, as it portrays Blackmore's career visually with photos and memorabilia from 1958 to the present day.Not only does it feature a large selection of photos, many of which have never been seen before but following years of research by Bloom, it also includes the most comprehensive gig list ever published, for Blackmore's pre-Deep Purple career between 1958-67 with over 400 gigs detailed from his days with The Outlaws - backing Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis; with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages; Neil Christian & The Crusaders; and even going back to his earliest bands such as The Vampires and The Condors.Augmented with memorabilia from the time, the book also plots Blackmore's career in photos, through Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore's Night along with narrative by Bloom that puts the visual elements in context.

In The Shadow Of The Wizard is a full colour, hardback, large format coffee table style book that comprehensively documents Rainbow's formative period. The recording of the first album, whilst Blackmore was still a member of Deep Purple; the first North American tour; the making of the seminal Rainbow Rising and the lengthy world tour that followed. The reader is taken on a journey gig by gig by what is regarded as the classic Rainbow line-up of Blackmore, Dio, Powell, Bain and Carey. Accompanied by photos, many previously unpublished; along with memorabilia and archive press cuttings. There is also an in-depth track by track look at the albums, and even a section detailing the short-lived Oyster Records, set up purely at Blackmore's insistence. The book also chronicles all the known recordings from the time, including full details of the many hours of rehearsal recordings made at Pirate Sound in California and a comprehensive guide to all the officially recorded live material, initially prepared for the On Stage album.

Having been formed in 1978, following two solo albums from David Coverdale, Whitesnake steadily built up its audience. By 1979, along with fellow original band members Micky Moody, Bernie Marsden and Neil Murray; Whitesnake also featured Coverdale’s former Deep Purple band mates Jon Lord and Ian Paice.1980 saw Whitesnake release the very successful Ready An’ Willing, as well as the live album Live… In The Heart Of The City.But 1981 was even more successful with the release of the band’s fourth studio album Come An’ Get It — the band’s highest placed album, reaching number two in the UK charts.‘Don't Break My Heart Again’, the single taken from the album was also a top twenty hit.1981 proved to be both a blessing and a curse for the band.With what is considered by many fans to be the classic Whitesnake line-up, it was their commercial peak at the time, as the band toured Europe, Japan and America promoting Come An’ Get It. Bernie Marsden and Jon Lord also worked on solo albums in 1981.Partly as a result of internal management issues and discontent, 1981 would also see thebreak-up of the classic line-up and for many fans things were never the same again.This unique book is based around the unpublished photos of Whitesnake in 1981 by AndyPhillips. These photos were taken on stage, off stage and backstage, with Phillips having fullaccess during the German tour.The photos are complimented by a narrative and timeline by Jerry Bloom, including album and gig reviews that charts one of the most eventful years in Whitesnake’s history.