Deep Purple’s legendary drummer, Ian Paice, has stated he would permit artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate his drumming, provided it is done with his explicit consent.
The 78-year-old musician, the sole member to have featured on every Deep Purple album, shared his views ahead of the release of the band’s latest LP, Splat!, this Friday.
Speaking to the Press Association, Paice clarified his position, saying: "As a business venture yeah (he would allow his drumming to be replicated by AI), but not as a gimme, it’s got to be done."
He stressed that any such use must be transparent, with the public fully aware they are not experiencing a live human performance. "Only if you knew, well, if you died, people don’t know, do they? If it’s done with the consent of the artist, or the actor, or the ballerina, or whoever, then I don’t have a problem with it, but people must know that it’s not the real deal, then it’s not a problem."
Paice warned against the dangers of hidden AI use, particularly when artists themselves are unaware. "But where that information is hidden from people, that’s a problem, and especially if it’s hidden from the artist too. I don’t have a problem, whatever I am is my right to sell or not sell, but it’s not their right to take it."
The iconic drummer, known for his work on tracks like “Smoke on the Water”, expressed concern that AI could lead the public to believe they are listening to human artists when, in reality, they are hearing "a computer algorithm".
He questioned the very essence of creativity in such a scenario: "At that point, what is art anymore? If you can’t tell the difference between a genuine artist and a computer programme, then art has no meaning, if there is no difference or you start to prefer the computer-generated product, that’s the problem."
He further argued that AI merely recreates existing ideas, lacking true invention. "If you take away any art form from humanity, you’ve lost a great deal because it’s the invention, all AI does is recreate somebody else’s idea, and suddenly if you can write a computer programme or push a button, you’re an artist."
Paice called for urgent action from global authorities: "It’s definitely a problem, but it can be solved, but it just needs the people in control of the markets in the world, governments, to start putting laws in place to protect those people who are being infringed, having their likenesses taken, their sound, their very being, their art, their genius. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing anything?"
Deep Purple, formed in London in 1968, has seen various line-up changes, with the most celebrated being the mark two iteration featuring Paice, Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, and Jon Lord.
This line-up produced seminal albums such as Deep Purple In Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), and Machine Head (1972), which are widely credited with shaping the heavy rock genre through tracks like Highway Star, Speed King, and Black Night.
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