Deep Purple

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions: Ep. 551: Deep Purple (=1 review) [VIDEO]

Deep Purple albums take time to absorb, especially in the current “Ezrin era”.  The records are not lazy with simple songs (puns intended)!  Tim and I attempted to break down the new album =1, track by track.  We tended to agree on a lot of the songs.

What’s with the artwork?  Is Simon a new Blackmore?  What the heck is Ian Gillan singing about?  Find out in this excellent episode of Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, out today.

My written review of the album will follow tomorrow morning, with the deluxe edition live discs getting the written review treatment in the coming weeks.

VIDEO: Deep Purple =1 Super Deluxe Box Set Unboxed by Mike and the Mad Metal Man

Here it is: One of the biggest rock album events of the summer! We have the Deep Purple =1 Super Deluxe Box Set in hand, and we go through all its contents. Have a watch.

REVIEW: Deep Purple – “Pictures of You” (2024 CD single from new album =1)

DEEP PURPLE – “Pictures of You” (2024 EARmusic)

Deep Purple’s first new album with Simon McBride on guitar will be out July 19.  Called =1 (“equals one”), the music seems to heading into a riffy direction.  The band have just released a new CD single, something of a tradition for them during the Bob Ezrin era in this late part of their career.  This single includes two tracks from the album, including the recently released “Portable Door”, and two live tracks with Simon recorded in 2022.  Let’s have a listen and hear what the Purples have in store.

Track one, “Pictures of You” has a pretty cool and weighty riff.  Backed by Don Airey’s organ, it’s one of Purple’s catchiest riffs in recent years.  The chorus follows the riff melody.  “These pictures of you are too good to be true,” sings Ian Gillan.  Ian’s voice is pushed to its current limits, which is often the thing you hear people moaning about the most, but it’s really no issue.  Simon comes in with a wicked catchy solo, before the whole song detours into a dainty Don Airey piano part with Simon doing volume swells overtop.  Though only 3:50 long, “Pictures of You” packs a lot into a short time.

Without a gap, the band breaks into something completely different, ominous and heavy:  “Portable Door”.  Ian Paice is the backbone, always smooth, always identifiable, infallible. With Ian Paice on drums, Deep Purple will always sound like Deep Purple.  Don Airey’s organ really dominates the solo section, as it should, and Simon’s guitar work is sublime.  As for the tune itself?  Top notch.

The live tracks were recorded October 17 2022 in Milan, Italy.  These tracks will not be on the deluxe box set version of =1, and are exclusive to the single.  First up is the classic blues “When A Blind Man Cries”, and we get to hear Simon do what Simon does.  Perhaps more interesting though, the arrangement includes a new lounge-y into with piano.  “Blind Man” feels slower than usual, but Ian Gillan is in fine voice.  Simon takes center stage on the guitar solo, and it’s so phenomenal that you can hear the audience break into applause at its conclusion.  It’s slow and passionate until he lets rip.  Having Don Airey follow is almost anti-climax.  Welcome to Deep Purple, Simon McBride!

The more recent “Uncommon Man” closes the disc, with a beautiful guitar solo backed by heavenly keyboards.  As one of Purple’s more regal songs, it sounds great on stage.  Roger Glover gets a little bit of the spotlight just before Simon’s solo, but this is a pretty faithful version.  Most importantly, it is good to see that Deep Purple do not drop songs from the latter part of their career out of the setlist.  (There are three other live versions of this song with Steve Morse available on other releases:  Celebrating Jon Lord the Rock Legend, To the Rising Sun in Tokyo, and the Now What?! Live Tapes Vol. 2)

With only 5000 copies worldwide, this is sure to be a collector’s item.

4.5/5 stars

Rock Daydream Nation: Deep Purple – Desert Island Steve Morse Albums

This is a show I was made for! Spoiler alert: Regular readers already know my favourite Steve Morse era Deep Purple album.  I was already trying to kickstart a Purple collection when he joined the band in 1995.  His addition made me a completist – had to get every album.  And, within a few years of his joining, I achieved and maintained that.  Morse’s additional made me a superfan.  I just love when a band has a significant lineup change that actually works.  Deep Purple was transformed into something a little different, but just as good.  Just new flavours in the soup.  A new freedom to experiment and stretch out.  It wouldn’t have worked if the band couldn’t write new songs with the new axeman, but their chemistry flourished over seven studio original studio albums.

Now that Steve is gone from the band, and they are carrying on with another new ingredient in Simon McBride, it is a perfect time to look back upon the Morse era.  Joining myself and Peter Kerr on Rock Daydream Nation is “Music Swami” Pete Jones.  Together, we passionately discuss three favourite albums, and the key tracks that you need to check out for yourself.  We don’t just shower praise, but we break down and analyze.

Here’s what Mr. Kerr has to say:

Rock Daydream Nation is joined by Peter Jones (The Contrarians) and Mike Ladano (Grab a Stack of Rock) to choose their desert island Deep Purple album featuring Steve Morse….Are any of these albums better than Deep Purple Ritchie Blackmore?
Check out the show!

Rock Daydream Nation: Deep Purple – Stormbringer – Did this album push Blackmore to leave Purple?

I need to remember for fortunate I am.  Some time in 2023, I was approached by an Australian man named Peter Kerr to do a show on the Vinnie Vincent Invasion for his channel, Rock Daydream Nation.  He had seen me around on social media, and we hit it off immediately.  Meeting Peter has led to some of the best shows I’ve done, including a couple on Grab A Stack of Rock.  This week on Rock Daydream Nation, Peter and I went back to one of our core deep love bands:  the Purples.  Deep Purple Mk III in fact, and the sometimes maligned Stormbringer LP.

As per the deep dive format, we begin with first impressions.  Mine begin with a cheap cassette copy bought at Encore Records in Kitchener Ontario.  We then go track by track through the whole album, side A and side B.  By the time we offer our final thoughts, it is plenty obvious that we love Stormbringer.  Blackmore may have disliked the funk, but we like when he plays funky.  We touch on Rainbow,  Whitesnake and much more.

We drive into some Deep Purple history here, so grab a coffee and enjoy this deep dive!

REVIEW: Deep Purple – “Portable Door” (2024 single from new album =1)

DEEP PURPLE – “Portable Door” (2024 EARmusic)

Deep Purple’s first new album with Simon McBride on guitar will be out July 19.  Called =1 (“equals one”), it is largely a mystery what the album will sound like.  Many predicted a return to “hard rock” after the last three more progressive albums.  The first single “Portable Door” is not all that different from the Steve Morse era.  Don Airey’s organ really dominates the solo section, as it should be.  Simon’s guitar work is sublime but not showcased as some had hoped.  He has this one cool lick in the riff that is really electrifying, but we want more Simon!

Ian Gillan? Reliable as ever, his voice has worn in like suede. He can still sing the hooks.  Haters call him “over and done” – fans don’t care. Ian Paice is the backbone, always smooth, always identifiable, infallible. With Ian Paice on drums, Deep Purple will always sound like Deep Purple. His work here is busier than the we’ve become used to…which is just fine!

How does “Portable Door” stack up against recent Purple singles?  It doesn’t have that instant “wham!” of “Vincent Price”, and it doesn’t have the hooks of “Johnny’s Band”.  It’s a strong, workmanlike latter day Deep Purple single that will grow with increasing listens.

Let’s just hope for more Simon next time.

4/5 stars

Too Much Music? Grab A Stack of Mike’s CD Collection

How much music constitutes too much music?  This was a question I asked rhetorically during the recording of this 50 minute episode of Grab A Stack of Rock.  It is clear, whatever the number is, I have hit it and then some.

We had an interesting show and tell tonight, including the below:

  • Stir of Echoes, a 2008 band of Ray D’Auria’s (Mystique)
  • A Harem Scarem box set
  • A Max Webster box set
  • A defective Black Sabbath CD
  • An Iron Maiden bootleg with Blaze Bayley
  • Some gifts from Rob Daniels
  • White Snake
  • A Def Leppard bootleg
  • Some Rush and some jazz
  • Japanese import Deep Purple
  • Promo DLR
  • Deluxe Foo Fighters
  • Alice Cooper
  • Greta Van Fleet
  • A gift from Kevin Simister
  • A lot, lot, lot, of sealed Marillion
  • An avalanche!

This pre-recorded episode was an experiment and I think it went very well.  I was able to interact via the comments on YouTube and we had a lively discussion on the side.

While I will always prefer going live, these shorter solo shows will offer an alternative way of making it through the cold snowy winter together.  Thanks for watching and dropping the comments.  This was fun!

Next week will be a re-run, but Mike and the Mad Metal Man will be back on January 26 with John Snow and Tim Durling to show off music DVDs.  Then, on February 2, Marco D’Auria will be back to talk about the new 95 minute version of the Mystique movie that has been getting glowing accolades at festivals.  These will both be live shows and I hope you can join us!

Too Much Music? Grab A Stack of Mike’s CD Collection Tonight!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man

Episode 47:  Too Much Music?

A must-watch for fans of Harem Scarem, Marillion, Deep Purple/Whitesnake, and the CD format!

Trying something different tonight.  Regular viewers know the original concept of the show (courtesy of Uncle Meat) was to just “grab a stack of rock” and talk about it.  Strangely enough, we never really just grabbed a random stack of discs from my collection to go through them.   So that’s what I did this time!  Instead of going live, I recorded this episode ahead of time.  It took 45 minutes to go through a stack and a half of neglected CDs from my collection.  It’s my first solo show in a couple years.

What may shock and appall you is how many discs from these stacks are unplayed and unopened.  Too much music?  I believe this episode makes a case for that.

I also unboxed a surprise care package from Marco D’Auria (The Contrarians) and what a cool surprise it was.

Tune in tonight at 7:00 PM at the regular places!

Friday January 12 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

Christmas 2023 scores: Arkells CD collection complete!

Thanks to Jen, Dr. K, my parents and my Aunt Lynda for a wonderful Christmas haul this year.

Music:

  • Arkells – Blink Twice, completing my Arkells CD collection!
  • Black Sabbath – Live Evil super deluxe box set
  • Deep Purple – Tokyo, Japan 2001/03/24-25

Jen spoiled me with junk food and treats.  Canadians of a certain age remember a drink called Tahiti Treat that doesn’t exist anymore.  Jen found something called Tahitian Treat fruit punch that I hope will be similar.  This was quite a nice batch of sugary snacks.

There were other assorted cool things too, such as comic books, funky socks, a hat with a light, and sardines!  I also received Moby-Dick and look forward to the reading challenge.

For those curious, yes I did sabotage my mom’s Christmas village one more time.

Unfortunately, we also received the call this morning that Grandma has Covid again, which means we won’t be seeing her tonight.  She’s none too happy but we will see when she’s well again.  This is round two for her.

This Christmas I want to express gratitude to everyone who is in my life.  This was a great Christmas.  I even got a toilet light!

REVIEW: Elf – Carolina County Ball (1974)

ELF – Carolina County Ball (1974 Line Records)

Before the Rainbow there was Elf.  It was basically the same band – Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals, Mickey Lee Soule on keys, Gary Driscoll on drums, and Craig Gruber on bass.  The one and only difference was Steve Edwards on guitar, who would have no place when Richie Blackmore came knocking a year later.  Their second album, Carolina County Ball, was produced by Deep Purple’s Roger Glover.  It’s fair to say that Dio hadn’t found his niche yet.  With Mickey Lee Soule, Ronnie co-wrote every song, but was seeking a bouncier Guess Who direction at this point in time.

It sounds like Mardi Gras on the opening title track, with clarinets, trombones and trumpets accompanying the band on this “boogie-woogie Friday night”.  Soule shines, ticking the keys with delicate intent.  Heavy metal, this is not not!  Not even close.  There’s a guitar solo but it’s a secondary feature.  Only at the end does the song pick up the pace.  It’s actually a great tune, but anyone expecting dungeons and dragons had better head back to their gamesmaster for a new dice roll.  Expect boogie.

“L.A. 59” opens like an old bar room, with a piano taking up all the space.  The opening figure sounds like it’s emulating a train, which is probably a good guess.  “Get me back to L.A., 59!” sings Ronnie, sounding a bit more like the mighty mite he would become.  “Hello, hello sunshine!”  Upbeat, with the guitar taking up more of the song this time.  A great upbeat tune to start your day.

A little bit of a funky swing emerges on “Ain’t It All Amusing”, demonstrating the talents of the rhythm section in particular.  Driscoll was no slouch and Gruber had no issue filling the bottom end with interesting vibes.  This fun song really is about rhythm with a pinch of funk.  It sounds a lot like Deep Purple Mk I, especially with the long percussion break that ends it.

“Happy”, which is ironically anything but, is a bit filler-ish.  It’s Elf playing in a smokey nightclub and it’s all a bit repetitive.  “Annie New Orleans” picks it up, with another Elf piano boogie-woogie.  Whitesnake have also done songs of this nature in their early days.  Then the awkwardly titled “Rocking Chair Rock ‘N’ Roll Blues”, which is a ballad more or less.  It boasts a nice guitar solo and a laid back sound, but it’s going to have some reaching for the skip button.  They shouldn’t, because three minutes in, a new riff arrives and transforms the song into another rockin’ boogie-woogie.  Listen for some of Driscoll’s fun cowbell work on the back end too.

The one title that grabs everyone’s eye is “Rainbow”.  Don’t get too excited.  It doesn’t sound anything like Blackmore’s Rainbow; more like a a third rate tribute to The Band.  The boogie-woogie is starting to wear a little thin, and same-samey now.  “Do the Same Thing” is more like it.  It sounds like a prototype to Rainbow’s “If You Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll”.  This allows the players to shine a bit more.

The album goes out on a cringey ballad called “Blanche”, with Dio singing about “Rainy days, rainy days” in a voice quite unlike the power he would later master.  This is little more than a silly album outro; nothing to be taken seriously.

Every album and every band will have its defenders, but Elf was the least of Dio’s four main bands over the decades (counting Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell as one band).  Carolina County Ball lacks focus, and Glover doesn’t provide any punch in the stale production.  The album rests on the songs and performances alone.  Fortunately the band could play, though they seemed uncertain about who they wanted to be.

3/5 stars