Deep Purple have shared their new single 'Lazy Sod' - inspired by a journalist who called frontman Ian Gillan just that.

The 78-year-old rocker agreed with the reporter because he has penned way less music than country music legend Dolly Parton, who is the same age as him.

Ian told ROCKS magazine: "Recently, a young journalist asked me how many songs I had written in my life. I replied that the last time my assistant counted, twenty years ago, it was over 500. I felt quite accomplished until she pointed out Dolly Parton's 5,000 songs, calling me a lazy sod. I couldn't help but agree and wrote down the exchange in my notebook."

The track is the latest from the group's upcoming studio album, '=1', and follows the singles 'Portable Door' and 'Pictures of You'.

The seminal band - best known for rock staples ‘Hush’, ‘Black Night’, ‘Speed King’, ‘Fireball’ and ‘Smoke On The Water’ - released their 22nd studio album, 'Turning to Crime', in 2021, composed entirely of covers, it marked the last record to feature guitarist Steve Morse before he left the band in July 2022; Simon McBride takes his place on the new record.

A press release notes how the new LP showcases the "essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory."

The group - completed by bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Don Airey and drummer Ian Paice - once again worked with studio wizard Bob Ezrin to continue evolving their classic sound.

As for the theme, the document teased: "The enigmatic title ‘=1’ symbolises the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one."

The band shared mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses in London, Paris, and Berlin to tease the record, which arrives on July 19.

The legendary rock band will also bring their '= 1 MORE TIME TOUR' to Birmingham, London, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, with support from indie rockers Reef, this November.

Pre-order the album now via https://deeppurple.lnk.to/equals1.

The '=1' tracklisting:

1. ‘Show Me’

2. ‘A Bit On The Side’

3. ‘Sharp Shooter’

4. ‘Portable Door’

5. ‘Old-Fangled Thing’

6. ‘If I Were You’

7. ‘Pictures Of You’

8. ‘I’m Saying Nothin’’

9. ‘Lazy Sod’

10. ‘Now You’re Talkin’’

11. ‘No Money To Burn’

12. ‘I’ll Catch You’

13. ‘Bleeding Obvious’

(c) Jim Rakete