Japan’s PM tells Deep Purple: ‘You are my god’. 29 minutes ago. Čia Maja Deivis. Aplinkosaugos agentūra. Deep Purple, the British rock band, encountered a devoted longtime fan in Tokyo on Friday—none other than Japan’s prime minister. “You are my god,” declared Sanae Takaichi, a passionate hard rock fan, to drummer Ian Paice with a beaming smile as she presented him with autographed drumsticks made in Japan. An enthusiastic drummer herself, Takaichi performed in a Deep Purple cover band during her youth, having fallen for the group in elementary school. “Nowadays, when I argue with my husband, I play drums to ‘Burn’ and put a curse on him,” the 65-year-old conservative politician shared with the band during their visit to her office in Tokyo. The musicians connected with Japan’s inaugural female prime minister while touring the nation where they cut their iconic 1972 live album *Made in Japan*—widely hailed as one of rock’s all-time greatest records. “I can’t believe Deep Purple is here,” Takaichi remarked, grinning as she welcomed them. Through a translator, she added, “I hold the utmost admiration for how you keep shaping rock history by tackling fresh challenges and producing mesmerizing music even now.” She expressed hope that the tour would “delight and energize fans nationwide” while fostering cultural ties between Japan and the UK. Paice noted that Japan is always a joy to visit, describing the encounter as an “extra treat.” Reuters. In an Instagram post, the band wrote: “A lifelong fan of hard rock and heavy metal, Takaichi has frequently cited Deep Purple as one of her favorite bands. She even told the group that she bought their Machine Head album back in grade school.” Established in England in 1968, Deep Purple earned fame as part of the “unholy trinity” of British heavy metal bands, along with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Their most iconic hit, Smoke on the Water, appeared on the 1971 album Machine Head. Takaichi performed on keyboards in a Deep Purple tribute band before switching to drums at university—afterward, she often carried multiple pairs of drumsticks because she frequently snapped them in energetic shows. The visit offered a much-needed break for the prime minister, who has grappled with worsening relations with China, soaring inflation, and a faltering economy since taking office in October. Meet Japan’s drum-playing, Thatcher-admiring first female prime minister. China is striking Japan in its most vulnerable spot. Will PM Takaichi yield? Asia. Japan. Music.
