From Classic Rock Magazine's website:

With such a rapid rise and demise, the Deep Purple Mk III saga has always had an air of unfinished business about it.

There have constantly been rumours regarding a reunion backed up with insanely lucrative offers from promoters, especially in Japan where this particular line-up never made an appearance.

In separate interviews David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord have all intimated they would be up for it, and all parties have recently been in contact with Ritchie Blackmore.

In fact the only block to the band re-forming, surprisingly enough, could be Ian Paice who as a member of the current Purple would probably find it difficult and uncomfortable to get involved.

But there is a solution in the form of Metallica’s suave sticksman, Lars Ulrich, who would be more than happy to ‘do a Grohl’ and deputise on drums for a one-off event.

A hard-core Purple fan, Ulrich was fortunate enough to see Purple Mk III at their first show, at the KB Hallen in Copenhagen in 1973.

“That was the famous gig where in a newspaper article the day after, Coverdale was talking about puking in the toilets backstage before the show, he was so fired up with nerves,” Lars recalled, laughing at the memory.

“I remember they played a lot of new songs, I was all of nine years old.”

Lars even admits to being a big fan of Stormbringer, Purple Mk III’s second and final studio album: “I think that Soldier Of Fortune and The Gypsy stand out and have aged well compared to the rest of the record.

“I hope that one day Metallica will do a version of one of those songs; James Hetfield could sing Soldier Of Fortune beautifully.”

And as for the reunion?

Ulrich: “I know there’s talk about the fact that if they got Coverdale, Hughes, Lord and Blackmore together they would have four members who aren’t in the current Deep Purple – then they just need a drummer, I’ll volunteer myself for that [laughs].

“If they need a drummer, David Coverdale has my number.”

There is no Deep Purple without Ian Gillan

Interesting. I thought Lord quit due to his health though?? I'd hope for Paice. I liked Mark 3 alot. Question to me here is can Glenn Hughes still hit the high notes?

Lord did retire, but still plays classical and blues as well. Blackmore most likely will never go back to this style of music, and Lars is a douche who has no business in Purple. Yes, Hughes can still sing like a mother, but this reunion cannot ever happen without all 5 members. Paice would probably do it if it was only for a few shows, but again I can't see Blackmore (my favorite guitar player) ever doing this again.
However, Mark III Purple is definitely Deep Purple to me, and this would kick ass.
I could tell a long, amazing story about how a guy I know (who is friends with my friend Dan) ended up in Blackmore's Night along with his brother from giving a demo tape to Rainbow's roadie at a Rainbow show in 1996. It's wild, but to cut it short, I saw that guy this summer and he told me Blackmore gets offers all the time to reunite Purple or Rainbow and really seems happy with where he is at, and has no interest. He did say, that Blackmore has no animosity towards Dio, but is not friendly with Gillan at all. My friend's friend (I'd like to call Tim a friend but I've only met him 3 times, so thus the "friend's friend" tag) also told me a hilarious tale of how when he joined the band he attended a costume party at Ritchie's house in Connecticut and had to wear Rennaisance-era clothing or he and his brother could not attend. They ende up touring with them for about a year and a half. Crazy stuff!

That's my understanding, that the main problem with DP has been clashes between Gillan & Blackmore.

Blackmore is too busy these days pretending to be Baldrick from The Black Adder and stuff : He's no longer the same guy who smashed his guitar into a camera at the California Jam.

From Jon Lord's website:

Jon Lord comments on press rumours that Deep Purple Mark 3 will reunite and tour with Metallica’s Lars Ulrich on drums:

It all seems like a lot of hot air and wild speculation to me.

I like Lars and what he has achieved with Metallica. He’s obviously always been very complementary in his comments about DP, and I love the story of his famous nine-years-old “baptism of fire” at our ‘73 concert in The KB Halle in Copenhagen, but if I was asked to be involved in a “Mark III” reunion - (which, by the way, I haven’t. All I ever said was that the idea had a few good points and a few not-so-good points.) - and I indeed considered that offer, I would not be able to even imagine it without the presence of Ian Paice.

By the way - I have NOT retired!

Love, and as peaceful a new year as possible, to all of you.

Jon

Speaking of Purple Mark III, is there a good live album from this era that anyone could recommend?

I've seen some footage recently of this lineup and am intrigued by the prospect of getting a CD from this era.

yes, Live in London is THE ONE to get. The versions of Burn & Might Just Take Your Life that start it off DESTROY the studio versions.

This reminds me of the two Yes bands that existed in the late 1980s.