Deep Purple have released the third single from their upcoming album =1, which will be released on July 19 via earMUSIC. Lazy Sod follows in the sonic footsteps of Pictures Of You (released last month) and Portable Door (May),
The new song comes powered by a chunky riff straight out of the early 1970s, and finds Ian Gillan pondering the perilous state of the world and his reluctance to do anything about it. "The world's on fire, and I can't get my ass out of bed / The world is on fire, there's smoke all around my head," sings Gillan, before the chorus reveals the reason: he's a lazy sod.
"Recently, a young journalist asked me how many songs I had written in my life," Gillan told Germany's Rocks magazine last month. "I replied that the last time my assistant counted, twenty years ago, it was over 500. I felt quite accomplished until she pointed out Dolly Parton's 5,000 songs, calling me a lazy sod. I couldn't help but agree and wrote down the exchange in my notebook."
Pictures Of You will be released on CD and 12” vinyl on June 28, with each format limited to 5000, hand-numbered copies. A vast array of physical formats will be available, including a limited edition box set containing the album on CD and 2LP, three live vinyl 10“ discs, a 24-page booklet, a DVD of the documentary Access All Areas, plus a t-short, an art-card and a lanyard.
One lucky purchaser will also discover a golden ticket hidden within the box set that gives the holder access to every show on the band's =1 More Time tour, excluding, one presumes, the eight that have already taken place (full dates below).
Deep Purple: One More Time tour 2024
Jul 04: Cognac Blues Passions, France
Jul 10: Rome Cavea Auditorium, Italy
Jul 11: Marostica Piazza Castello, Italy
Jul 13: Belgrade Tašmajdan Stadium, Serbia
Jul 14: Chirpan Midalidare Estate, Bulgaria
Jul 16: Innsbruck Olympiahalle, Austria
Jul 18: Salem Schloss (Castle Grounds), Germany
Jul 19: Dresdenn Elbufer, Germany
Jul 21: Winterbach Zeltspektakel, Germany
Jul 28: Gignac En Quecy, France
Jul 30: Orange Positiv Festival, France
Aug 02: Notodden Blues Festival, Norway
Aug 03: Bergen Calling, Norway
Aug 05: Furuvik Amusement Park, Sweden
Aug 06: Stockholm Grona Lund Amusement Park, Sweden
Aug 14: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL
Aug 15: Tampa Seminole Hard Rock Event Center, FL
Aug 17: The Woodlands The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Aug 18: Durant Choctaw Casino Grand Theatre, OK
Aug 19: Forth Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Aug 21: Cincinnati PNC Pavilion At Riverbend Music Center, OH
Aug 22: Sterling Heights Amphitheatre At Freedom Hill, MI
Aug 23: Tinley Park Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, IL
Aug 25: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Aug 27: Montreal Bell Centre, QC
Aug 28: Gilford Banknh Pavilion, NH
Aug 30: Camden Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, NJ
Aug 31: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Sep 01: Wantagh Northwell Health At Jones Beach Theater, NY
Sep 03: Bridgeport Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater, CT
Sep 04: Saratoga Springs Broadview Stage At Spac, NY
Sep 06: Bethel Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, NY
Sep 07: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Sep 08: Scranton The Pavilion At Montage Mountain, PA
Nov 04: Birmingham Resorts World Arena, UK
Nov 06: London The O2, UK
Nov 07: Leeds First Direct Arena, UK
Nov 09: Manchester AO Arena, UK
Nov 10: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
