In a new interview with Greece’s RockPages, Deep Purple keyboard legend Don Airey is asked if he thinks there’s a chance that the band could bury the hatchet with Ritchie Blackmore, and perform again with the Deep Purple founding member.

“No! I doubt it,” says Airey. “I don’t think it will ever happen. Not because of any ranker… it’s just the practicalities of it. I mean we’ve got a band here that’s called Deep Purple and that’s the band. It takes enough to put all that together and having to deal with getting other guys involved, having a lot of musicians on stage. I mean there is nothing worst! It’s awful! Hahaha! When you do it… it just becomes an ordeal. Think that being in a band is the band. It takes a lot of hard work to make a band sounding good and that’s what you wanna do. We had a wonderful tour with an orchestra and the band four years ago. It really was ground breaking. The orchestra was great, the show was great, everybody had a great time, but at the end of it they were all so glad to get back to the band, just to hear how the band played. And other people coming in, no matter what connection or history they have it tends not to work. It tends to become… something you do for the wrong reasons.”

Read the full interview at a href="http://rockpages.gr/en/interviews/item/6642-deep-purple" target="_blank">RockPages.gr.

Deep Purple recently released a video for the song “Johnny’s Band”, featured on the band’s new album, inFinite, which was released on April 7th. The album entered the Top 10 album charts in 18 countries, once again smashing chart records the hard rock legends have accumulated during their magical 50 year history.

“Johnny’s Band” is an affectionate portrait of a fictional band that quickly gain success and enjoy every side that comes with it. As often happens, Johnny’s Band can’t help but lose it, and break up, only to find out later that the pleasure still to be performing live is all that matters, even when the hype, the success and the glory have long vanished. In their minds, they are still playing the sold out big venues.

The video was scripted and directed by Craig Hooper and Collin Games, known from the Deep Purple movie documentary, From Here To inFinite.

Deep Purple are currently touring in support of inFinite. The band perform next on June 22nd at Palalottomatica in Rome, Italy. Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.