March 6, 2010

DEEP PURPLE

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DEEP PURPLE

Concerto for what? Presenting five guys who made great noise together.

Arguably, the Mach II version of Deep Purple ranks with any band that emerged in the early 70s. Homer Simpson's character may have opined that rock attained perfection in 1974, though by that point this version of Purple was no more, having already made their classic LPs (they would regroup with this lneup in the early 80s).

Made In japan, culled from a series of shows that they did at the Budokan and in Osaka in August of 1972, caught the group at a live peak. Each member brought a very distinct style of playing to the table, with Ritchie Blackmore as the main instigator of long improvisational flights that the others would willingly follow. Hearing Jon Lord and Blackmore try to outdo each other while trading solos is just one of many elements that made this incarnation so thrilling as a live act. Ian Gillan topped it all with a set of the most distinctive and powerful vocal cords in the business.

"Highway Star" would be nothing without Ian Paice bouncing that high hat and Roger Glover locked in perfectly with him.

Three solid studio efforts (In Rock, Fireball and Machine Head) plus a final middling disc (Who Do We Think We Are?) were the product of three years work and all still hold up extremely well.

All apologies to anyone who expected "Slow Walkin' Walter".

Deep Purple, without a net.









7 comments:

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

Not sure they ever got the credit they deserved, but they made me happy many many nights as their music blared from my speakers in my dorm room

Perplexio said...

I'm really looking forward to Glenn Hughes new supergroup, Black Country's debut album due out either late 2010 or early 2011. It should be interesting. Glenn is also working on a remaster of Come Taste the Band (the Tommy Bolin era album) for release later this year... Would Come Taste the Band be Deep Purple Mach III?

Seano said...

Maybe I'm a Leo, Speed King, Lazy, Rat Bat Blue are some of the best rock songs ever written....Ian Gillan...One of a small handful of bands where everyone was a master of their instrument..Ian Paice..never mentioned in the same breath as Bonham, Moon...and sure as hell should be....Jon Lord, Ian Gillan...rock would not be the same w/out them.

Sean Coleman said...

Gents-Thanks for weighing in. These guys were untouchable in their prime. I think that they get passed over a lot because Blackmore was/is extremely difficult personality-wise. Buddy Rich got the same bad rap because he demanded a hell of a lot from the people he played with and rubbed people the wrong way. That's why, despite his brilliance, he always gets shunted down the list in the big book of jazz. Blackmore is no different and no less brilliant. I hand picked those clips in the hope that people would take a second look and realize that Led Zep wasn't the only heavy rock band that owned the stage in the early 70s.

Dan said...

I was only a casual listener to DP back then. Not sure why, but they just were not that high on my radar, of course with the exception of hearing Smoke on the Water all the time. I think I was more into Brownsville Station and BTO, oh yea and Grand Funk was way high on my listening list back then.

Anonymous said...

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney will be returning to the stage with his “Up and Coming” Tour. McCartney is the most successful musician and composer in popular music history with sixty plus platinum and gold records. He has sold over one hundred million songs. The tour, which kicks off March 28th in Phoenix AZ, marks his first live appearance since his 2005. The tour moves onto California two days later when McCartney will return to the Hollywood Bowl. The March 30th show is the first time McCartney has played at the venue since 1963. He performed with the Beatles the first time around.



For more on Paul McCartney and your favorite artists, visit www.illuminaallareaaccess.com

Dan said...

Macca must be hard up to pay for his divorce. He is sending people to the blogosphere to advertize.

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