The interview took place on June 27, 1980, at the Hip 70 club, San Angel (Armando Blanco), at the press conference before the show in Mexico City, June 28.

Pictured l.t.r.: Moderator Norma Valdez, Jim Dandy (Black Oak Arkansas), Tony Flynn and  Javier Navarro (musica es el amistad)

Will you play something out of the repertoire that made Deep Purple famous, like Smoke on the Water?
Rod Evans: Smoke on the Water, Woman From Tokyo, Highway Star, Space Truckin'… 'Hush' is an obligation…

In which way the group Deep Purple reacted to the death of Tommy Bolin?
Tony Flynn: The group disbanded immetately and rejoined no more, until the end of 1979. So we appear now.

Can you tell us who brought Deep Purple together again?
Rod Evans: Me, Tony and keyboardist Geoff Emery, who's not here now.

Mister Evans, what happened after Captain Beyond, an excellent group, before reaching this?
Rod Evans: It was not the music leading to the split of Captain Beyond. A group is 25 percent the music, 25 percent the record company, 25 percent the advertising and 25 percent the money behind. You can be the best band in the world but the other three reasons can separate you. Thanks for the compliment.

A few months ago Tony Flynn and Emery Geoff came with Steppenwolf, what happened?
Tony Flynn: Well, we decided to leave Steppenwolf for a new reform. Then I met an old friend in San Fernando Valley, in Los Angeles, Rod Evans, a great singer and we started to think about what name we would choose for the new group. It came to our minds that he had a big name in "Deep Purple". We spoke with the people of 'Whitesnake' and 'Rainbow', and they said to have no probIem that we use the name. So we decided to choose Deep Purple.

What was the reaction of the group Deep Purple and Jim Dandy to the proposal to come to Mexico, as rumours arrived before that foreign groups are frightened of Mexico?
Rod Evans: Javier, who is a friend of Tony, came along, and he said that things went very well with Steppenwolf. There were other offers to do other concerts, but coming to Mexico was a lot of temptation. We wanted to come.

Basically it is assumed that, always when artists come to Mexico, they come in a decant plan. I want to ask Jim Dandy and Deep Purple, how or what do you feel and what have you recently done in the United States?
Rod Evans: Many groups often go to other countries when they have nothing to do in the US or England. Coming to Mexico has kept me busy, and we wondered what people expect we are going to play? But we are not in this case. We are told that 25 percent come for Deep Purple and the public expects to hear the sound that we all know. We are another group that will give a more sophisticated sound, with new sounds, new effects that we will play in our upcoming concerts. People react because we are still alive and will surely come if they like us.

Tony Flynn: I would like to say one more: Deep Purple is not coming to Mexico to earn a certain amount of money. We are strong in the United States. Believe that this is the Deep Purple that will record over the next five or six years.

How important is Mexico for rock bands of the United States?
Rod Evans: I don't want to be glamorous and say we want to see the pyramids of Moctezuma or something. It is very nice. The reasons why we come here are the same reasons why we go to other places: Business, as Jim Dandy said, come on, we're leaving. This is not tourism business.

Tony Flynn: The reason why I come to Mexico is because I like it. Before I was not here for money or this or that. I came because I felt good.

Picture: Conecte magazine No. 179, July 1980