Former Deep Purple vocalist Joe Lynn Turner says the band are acting like children over their upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Turner – who fronted the group for three years and recorded 1990’s Slaves And Masters with the band – spoke out on a situation that sees Deep Purple’s current lineup refusing to perform with former members including Ritchie Blackmore, prompting the guitarist to pass on the April 8 event at New York’s Barclays Center.
Turner tells Rock Overdose: “If he comes, Ian Gillan and the rest of the band won’t come. If you ask me, they’re acting like children and it’s a mess and a shameful situation. It’s terrible that it happened.
“For me, it shows you exactly what is happening over there. That these people don’t know how to grow up and be friends. Just stop the bullshit. It’s a shame and it makes a circus out of the whole thing.”
Deep Purple will be inducted into the 2016 Rock Hall alongside Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Chicago and N.W.A.
Turner has a unique perspective on the situation given his years working with Blackmore in both Rainbow and Deep Purple.
Blackmore will make a rare return to the rock arena this year for three shows with a new Rainbow lineup that Turner has deemed a ‘cover band’ after his year-long effort to reunite past members of the group with the guitarist failed.
