Japanese Prime Minister Meets Deep Purple in Tokyo
The British rock band Deep Purple encountered a devoted long-time fan in Tokyo on Friday, who was none other than the Japanese prime minister.
"You are my god,"Sanae Takaichi, an enthusiast of hard rock music, expressed to the band's drummer Ian Paice, smiling as she presented him with a pair of signed Japanese-made drumsticks.
An avid drummer herself, Takaichi had played in a Deep Purple tribute band during her youth after becoming a fan in primary school.
"These days, when I fight with my husband I drum to Burn and cast a curse on him,"the 65-year-old conservative leader shared with the musicians at her office in Tokyo on Friday.
The band met Japan's first female prime minister as they returned to tour across the country where they had recorded their 1972 live album Made in Japan—an album widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded.
"I can't believe Deep Purple are here,"Takaichi said with a smile as she welcomed the musicians.
"I have the deepest respect for the way you continue to make rock history while embracing new challenges and creating captivating music to this day,"she added through an interpreter.
The prime minister expressed hope that the tour would
"thrill and excite fans all over Japan"and foster cultural exchange between the UK and Japan.
Ian Paice remarked that visiting Japan was always a pleasure but described the meeting as an
"added bonus."
The band posted on Instagram, noting that Takaichi is a lifelong fan of hard rock and heavy metal and has often named Deep Purple as one of her favorite bands.
"She even told the group she bought their Machine Head album back in grade school."
Deep Purple's Legacy and Takaichi's Musical Background
Formed in England in 1968, Deep Purple gained recognition as part of the "unholy trinity" of British heavy metal bands, alongside Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.
One of their most famous hits, Smoke on the Water, was featured on their 1971 album Machine Head.
Takaichi played keyboard in a Deep Purple tribute band before switching to drums during university. She was known to carry multiple sets of drumsticks due to frequently breaking them during intense performances.
Context of the Meeting
This visit likely provided a welcome break for the prime minister, who has been managing increasingly strained diplomatic relations with China, rising prices, and a sluggish economy since taking office in October.
