Los Angeles, May 13 (IANS)The British rock band Deep Purple has released their single ‘Arrogant Boy’, making it the first track from their upcoming studio album ‘SPLAT’ to hit the airwaves.
The song, a fast and forceful hard‑rock blast, is accompanied by an official performance video that premiered on YouTube, reports ‘Female First UK’.
The band’s frontman Ian Gillan shared that the track centres on a character named Billy, as he said, “This is the story of Billy who couldn’t read or write. He is unhappy with things, so he speaks up, and finds a way of irritating, one way or another, the elite. And I can’t think of anything more fun than irritating the elite. It would be a joyous exercise for me every morning after coffee”.
As per ‘Female First UK’, the band has confirmed that the album will be released on July 3, adding another chapter to a career that has seen Deep Purple sell more than 120 million albums since forming in 1968.
Gillan said the current line‑up feels like a modern reflection of the group’s classic era. He shared, “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies”.
The album once again pairs the band with producer Bob Ezrin, whose long list of credits includes KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper. Recorded live in the studio, the group describe the new material as their heaviest in years.
Gillan shared the songs sit naturally alongside some of their most famous work, as he said, “I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Lazy, the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73”.
At the centre of the record is a concept created by Gillan exploring the end of humanity not as destruction but as transformation, with further details expected ahead of release. The band will support the album with an extensive world tour in 2026, covering 86 shows across 28 countries.
–IANS
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