Seven Decades of Deep Purple – The Definitive Book Review
This is my review of Seven Decades of Deep Purple, the absolutely monumental book by Martin Popoff.
Now, some of you will remember that I recently interviewed Martin Popoff to talk in depth about this very book, so I’m not going to repeat that conversation here. What I want to do instead is give you my honest review of the finished article – what it feels like to live with this book, to read it, to reference it, and to place it on the shelf alongside a lifetime of Deep Purple listening.
And I’ll say this straight away: this is the definitive Deep Purple book.
A truly colossal achievement
First things first – this book is huge. We’re talking around 640 pages, packed with text, photographs, adverts, press clippings, interviews and analysis. Every single Deep Purple studio album is covered, every major live release is addressed, and every lineup is treated with genuine care and respect.
As I flick through it in the video, I’m deliberately going fast – not because the content isn’t worth reading, but to give you a sense of the sheer scale. Even albums that Martin himself has been openly critical of over the years receive extensive, thoughtful coverage. This isn’t about favouritism. It’s about history.
Every era, every lineup – no dark corners
One of the things I admire most about this book is its objectivity. Deep Purple fans can be… let’s say, passionate about lineups. Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, the Turner era, the Morse years, the current McBride lineup – everyone has their hill to die on.
What Martin does here is turn all the lights on.
Every era is explored in depth, from the earliest days right through to Equals One. Albums like Come Taste the Band, Slaves and Masters, Abandon, Bananas, Rapture of the Deep and Now What?! are given the same seriousness as Machine Head or In Rock. That balance is incredibly important, because it tells the full story of what Deep Purple really are: a constantly evolving band with a living, breathing DNA.
The writing, the interviews, the passion
Martin has interviewed just about everyone connected to Deep Purple over the decades – band members, producers, managers, insiders – and it shows. This book is dense with firsthand insight, not just opinion or hindsight commentary. There’s also a remarkable emotional connection running through it. Even when Martin disagrees with the music, you can feel the love for the band.
And that’s key. This is not a cold academic history. This is written by someone who genuinely cares.
Photographs you haven’t seen before
Another huge plus is the photography. Yes, there are familiar images, but there are also many photos I hadn’t seen before – and I own a lot of Deep Purple books. Combined with contemporary press adverts and detailed discography notes, it makes this book as much a visual journey as it is a literary one.
The ultimate reference book
By the time you reach the epilogue, the exhaustive discography, the interview citations and the massive index, it becomes very clear what this book really is:
the reference book for Deep Purple going forward.
If you’re new to the band, this is where you start.
If you’ve been there since the early days, this is where everything finally comes together.
When I spoke to Martin, I described this book as the equivalent of a giant Madfish-style box set – but without the CDs. And that comparison still stands. You supply the music from your own collection, streaming service, vinyl shelves or CD racks… and this book becomes the companion.
I own many Deep Purple books. I’ve reviewed several of them on the Now Spinning Magazine channel over the years. This one stands above the rest.
It’s definitive.
It’s passionate.
It’s fair.
And it earns its place as the single most complete history of Deep Purple ever published.
If you’re in the US or Canada, you can buy it directly from Martin and get a signed card. If you’re in the UK like me, it’s available from Waterstones and Amazon – and given the size and weight of this thing, that’s probably the sensible option.
This is my favourite Deep Purple book. Full stop.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF SEVEN DECADES OF DEEP PURPLE HERE
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
