The Japanese prime minister, who played in a Deep Purple tribute band in middle school, called drummer Ian Paice her ‘god’
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenReutersPublished: 3:15pm, 10 Apr 2026Legendary British rock band Deep Purple made Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s day with a brief visit to their high-profile superfan on Friday as they returned to the country they first toured more than half a century ago.Takaichi’s reputation as an amateur drummer and fan of hard rock and heavy metal has been well documented, and she has referred to Deep Purple as one of her favourite bands along with the likes of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.“You are my god,” a giddy Takaichi said in English to Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice, presenting him with a set of made-in-Japan drumsticks that she signed.
After a brief photo session with lead singer Ian Gillan and the other members, Takaichi told the band she had bought their Machine Head album in grade school, which features some of the band’s biggest hits such as “Smoke on the Water” and “Highway Star”. She played keyboard in a Deep Purple tribute band in middle school and then switched to drums in university, she said.
“These days, when I fight with my husband I drum to ‘Burn’ and cast a curse on him,” she joked.
