Don't buy our album, beg Deep Purple

Updated Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan has refreshingly asked fans not to buy an "awful" re-released album of the band live at Birmingham's NEC, the BBC reports.

The sub-standard 1993 offering - thrillingly entitled "NEC 1993" - was, Gillan lamented, "an unfortunate reminder of one of their worst ever concerts". The singer fingered tensions within the band for the performance. He said that "he and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore were barely on speaking terms at the time of the concert", and admitted: "It was one of the lowest points of my life - all of our lives, actually."

Gillan continued: "In fact, it lasted five or six shows after that Birmingham show. Then Ritchie left the band. And we've had 13 years of stability ever since then."

Deep Purple are currently planning a new tour, and Gillan described Sony BMG's decision to inflict NEC 1993 on an unsuspecting world as "opportunistic". ®

Update

Civilisation has been spared further exposure to NEC 1993, since Sony BMG this afternoon decided to recall the album and will "investigate why Gillan was not told about its plans", as the BBC puts it.

A spokesman for the company offered: "Sony BMG is not in the business of releasing albums without the knowledge of the artists. It is in our interests to work with artists, so they can promote their records and continue to work with us."