DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice and MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake have now been immortalized with some newly discovered ancient fossils named after them.
Named Ophiopetagno Paicei and Muldaster Haakei, the two fossils of extinct brittle stars were retrieved from 428-million-year-old rocks from the Swedish island of Gotland.
“Analyzing fossils the size of a dust grain and delving deeply into complex evolutionary patterns can be mind-wrecking,” explains Dr. Ben Thuy from the Natural History Museum Luxembourg, lead author of the study. “The music of DEEP PURPLE and MESHUGGAH really helped us blow off steam, renew inspiration and calm our minds.”
Speaking as to why the drummers from each band were specifically chosen to be honored, Prof. Mats E. Eriksson of Lund University, co-author of the study, said: “Ian Paice of DEEP PURPLE and MESHUGGAH’s Tomas Haake are two of the most prolific and influential drummers of all time.” Furthermore, Dr. Thuy is a metal drummer himself. “During the time our study was compiled, I recorded the drums for the upcoming album of Luxembourg-based metal band SLEEPERS’ GUILT, so it was an obvious choice to honor two of my idols,” he explained.
The palaeontologists also chose to honor iconic metal artwork creator Joe Petagno.
“Joe has a history of including zoological objects in his paintings and has provided artwork for some of my previous fossil discoveries,” explained Prof. Eriksson. “Naming a fossil in his honor was long overdue.”
Petagno said about the honor: “In my wildest fantasies (and I have a lot of them) I never thought I would have a fossil named after me, and a stunning brittle star over 400 million years old. Far out — way out there. I am truly honored.”
The DEEP PURPLE and MESHUGGAH drummers are not the first hard rock and heavy metal luminaries to be honored their names now permanently linked to newly uncovered fossils. Previous findings have been named after iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister, BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi and King Diamond.