NOTE: My text review of Blind Rage by Accept will go up in the coming days.
Johnny Metal and John the Music Nut have been breaking down, in detail, every Accept studio album. I jumped on board with Blind Rage, the third album with Mark Tornillo. I chose this album since I had the Japanese import and I wanted the two Johns to have a chance to cover a rare bonus track on their show.
In this episode, we break down the album track by track, with a high level of agreement between us. The Music Nut then goes through the tour in detail, discussing all the songs that were played live, and how often. Some are still played live today.
If you want a sneak preview into my Blind Rage review, watch this episode, as I tried something new here: reading my review aloud (not easy). I may have even done some singing.
Check out the show, and look for my text review in a few days.
RECORD STORE TALES #1165: Zero the Hero The True Story of My Favourite Album of All Time
1984.
It wasn’t I that owned Born Again by Black Sabbath. That would have been Bob Schipper, who had all manners of metal in his cassette collection. I knew very little about Black Sabbath when I first discovered music at the end of 1984. Though Ian Gillan was not the lead singer by the time I became interested in bands like Black Sabbath, he was for all intents and purposes the lead singer to me. Magazine coverage of Black Sabbath goings-on were beyond my reach, and this would be the last Sabbath album for a few years anyway. To me, Black Sabbath were: the two guys with the moustaches, the guy with the long black hair, and the drummer…who looked completely different in the music video for “Zero The Hero” than he did on the Born Again cassette cover. How was I to know that original Sabbath drummer Bill Ward had been replaced by a guy named Bev Bevan? I was just starting out on my rock journey. I had the puzzle pieces in my hands, but no picture to guide the assembly.
It all started when Bob came over one day raving about this song called “Zero the Hero”. “You gotta hear it! It goes, ‘Whatcha gonna be, whatcha gonna be, Zero the Hero!'” Bob was right that the chorus was pretty cool and memorable. The effects on Gillan’s voice on the chorus lent it a metallic sheen. He let me borrow the tape a bit to listen. I enjoyed it. Master of Reality was another one we listened to together. He liked a song called “Children of the Grave”, especially the spooky outro. Born Again had some spooky stuff on it too. This would come in handy a little later on.
As I discovered bands, I tended to hear the stuff that most popular in my own neighborhood. W.A.S.P., Iron Maiden, Kiss, Judas Priest, Van Halen, ZZ Top. I heard some of The Police as well, but my closest friends were rockers. Metal heads. There was a serious division in music back then: Heavy Metal vs. New Wave. You couldn’t like both. To us, everything that wasn’t metal was “New Wave”. If you liked Corey Hart, you were a “Waver”. If you liked Tears For Fears, you were a “Waver”. In our neighborhood, you didn’t want to be a Waver. Basically a Waver would be a slur along the lines of “gay” or whatever the kids were saying back then. I remember “hurtin’ eunuch” was a phrase that kids like Jeff Brooks would throw around at kids like me.
Anyway, I threw myself into metal full-time and counted Black Sabbath as one of the bands I liked. I didn’t own any Black Sabbath, but I could name two songs that I liked. I think Ozzy Osbourne had something to do with the band, and that singer with the black hair was also in Deep Purple. I was learning. I didn’t know his name, and I didn’t realize that Ronnie James Dio was also in Black Sabbath (mind blown there) but I was piecing that puzzle together. I had a few of the edges together, and now I would work on the body: collecting the music.
In the mid-80s, Bob and I were too old for going trick or treating at Halloween time. Instead we gave out candy at Bob’s house. We wanted to go all out and really make a cool “haunted house”, and for that you needed sound effects. Instead of spending valuable allowance money on one of those corny Halloween tapes, we made our own. We did this by looping the scary bits of Black Sabbath songs. Bob especially liked that haunting whisper at the end of “Children of the Grave”. We made loops, maybe 10 of them, adding in our own bits via an external microphone. Then we would loop “The Dark” a few times, until the side was full. Bob would go home and eat lunch, and come back later that afternoon to work on more Halloween stuff. We were very resourceful and creative. To this day I have never used pre-made Halloween sounds. I always made my own by looping bits of songs. It worked. Kids would either go straight to our house for candy like a bee to honey…or they would run past terrified!
[Bob and I learned from this experience when a young girl cried at our house. If we saw anyone really really little approaching, we would kill the sounds and turn on the lights. It wasn’t our goal to make kids cry.]
I managed to record the music video from the Pepsi Power Hour one afternoon. I called Bob over to watch it with me. It was (and remains) one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen in my life. A Frankenstein looking guy and a Franken-Hitler guy appear to be resurrecting a dead body as…a nerd? They force fed him eggs with ketchup, while he grinned the whole way through. Then, a horse walked backwards down a flight of stairs in a mansion. Meanwhile, scenes of the band playing live were cut in, and you could hardly see Gillan’s face. It was weird…and heavy. We hated it. But I loved it.
Finally one day in highschool I said to myself, “Why the heck haven’t I taped Born Again off Bob Schipper yet?” I wanted that song “Zero the Hero”. I popped over one afternoon and borrowed it. I put it in deck “A” of my Sanyo dual deck ghetto blaster, with a Maxell blank 60 in “B”. I hit “dub” and began recording. For whatever reason (and I tried a couple times), I could not get a good copy of that tape. It wasn’t the best blaster in the world that I was using, but there was so much warble in the copies I made, I got fed up. I called Bob and asked if I could just buy the tape from him. I knew it wasn’t in regular rotation at his house. He said “OK” and I gave him $2 or $3 for it.
I was finally able to listen to Born Again properly. I liked a few songs such as “Trashed”, “Disturbing the Priest”, “Born Again” and “Keep It Warm”. It played better on my Walkman, so that’s where most of my listening happened. That meant it was often on the way to the cottage, or at the cottage, where I used my Walkman most.
I don’t know when Born Again became my favourite album of all time. I really don’t. The tape grew on me through the years, but the poor quality of that old WEA cassette made listening hard. It probably elevated to “among my favourites” when T-Rev found me a vinyl copy in 1995, a full decade since I first became acquainted with it. A decent CD reissue followed a few years later, and then it hit serious heavy rotation.
Keep it warm, rat: I love this album for all its flaws and overreaching. It brings me back to that bedroom, dubbing scary music with Bob. It brings me back to listening on my Walkman at the cottage at night. It brings me back to that place where I escaped all the bullies and teachers, and was alone with my own imagination.
Yes, Born Again is my favourite album of all time. I play it more often than I should, sometimes twice in a row. No remix or reissue could make me love this album more. I am Born Again!
RATT – Out of the Cellar (1984 Atlantic, 2024 40th Anniversary edition)
Shame, shame, shame on Ratt.
In 2020 they released a beautiful Atlantic Years box set, featuring bonus tracks including one for Out of the Cellar. In 2024, they coughed up Ratt Rarities, with a bunch of unreleased Ratt tracks. And now, mere months later, we are given another reissue of Out of the Cellar, this one featuring lenticular cover art and one more unreleased Ratt song. This song could have been released on a 7″ single on its own, but if you want that, you have to buy the vinyl album all over again. If you want the unreleased song on CD, you have to buy Out of the Cellar one more time. I believe this is my fourth or fifth copy of Out of the Cellar now. This is just exploitative of the fans. Pearcy must need another swimming pool.
Is the one song worth re-buying the album again? Fortunately the answer is yes. “Reach For the Sky” is a 1983 Cellar demo written by Stephen Pearcy, Robbin Crosby, and Marq Torien of Bulletboys. It sounds remarkably finished. The guitar harmonies feel very latter-day Thin Lizzy, upon which the guys build a pretty cool song. Though not as slick as Cellar, it sounds fully produced and ready to release. Amazing that songs like this can remain buried for 40 years, and was never resurrected for an album even though the title was used in 1988 for the album Reach For the Sky. While this one song didn’t warrant an entire album re-release, at least we got it.
The album itself remains solid four decades after the fact. Opening with cowboy themed “Wanted Man”, the five Ratt Rodents were off to a compelling start. The disorienting sound of backwards drums heralds in “Wanted Man” is an inventive way to make their introduction. A simple, slow, chomping riff is menacing enough, while Stephen Pearcy growls though various Western metaphors. “By the road, you will hang, it’s your neck from this Ratt gang.” The capable harmonies of the band and especially Juan Crocier help nail the melodies that Pearcy alone can’t. Nice solo work. A great track worthy of a multiplatinum album.
“You’re In Trouble” is a little different. Juan’s clunky bass still sounds a bit out of place, though the choruses rule. But “Round and Round”? Still a total sleaze rock triumph. A keen sense of melody, rhythm and vibe mixed together with a sweaty Stephen Pearcy. Brilliant solo work from Warren DeMartini, and perfectly layered harmonies under the production of Beau Hill. Every element punches, from the simple but memorable riff and those echoey choruses. Dated to the period, but tasty for all ages.
A nice choppy guitar bodes well on “In Your Direction”, a slinky number that serves Stephen’s style well. Decent song, but with only one trick. “She Wants Money” is more fun, a fast upbeat blast on a familiar theme, with Robbin “King” Crosby on lead guitar. It’s hard not to headbang along with the melodic fun of “She Wants Money”. That ended side one on the original record.
The second side opens “Lack of Communication”, a biting track just missing one key ingredient: a real chorus. The saw-like riff smokes, the verses are great, but it never resolves into a definitive hook. It’s basically just the riff with some words over it. “Lack of communication, back off!”
“Back For More” is a little disjointed but salvages it with a killer chorus. Screamin’ Pearcy and the rodent choir give it the final polish. Brilliant solo work here by Warren. Then, one of the best non-singles is the blazing fast “The Morning After”. It has a bit of a Quiet Riot vibe. Juan’s bass is furious while Pearcy sings it for melody. “I’m Insane” is mindless fun; just bad boy rock with the popular “I’m crazy” theme that their pal Ozzy was milking for millions. Finally the album closes on “Scene of the Crime” which has a neat guitar hook that unfortunately is all but unrelated to the rest of the song. Some cool melodies with the patented Ratt harmonies here. Still, solid enough song that if they had been looking for another single, it could have been “Scene of the Crime”.
This reissue doesn’t have any additional packaging or liner notes besides the new lenticular cover. The lenticular art is nice, but it’s not solidly anchored to the packaging. It feels like a symbol for the half-arsed nature of this reissue.
VAN HALEN – A Different Kind of Truth (2012 Universal CD/DVD set)
When this album was released in 2012, we all wanted Van Halen to win. Eddie had been through some tough times, but he finally did what the fans demanded: get back together with David Lee Roth, and record a new album. Sure, we all lamented that Michael Anthony was gone, but it was new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen that made it happen. Without Wolf, there would be no final Van Halen album. Just VHIII, and we know how most of you feel about that.
Working with new producer John Shanks in neutral territory, Van Halen managed to crank out a new album in just three years, starting with jams in 2009.
Wolf knew that Van Halen had to get back to a “classic” sound for their first new album with DLR since 1984. In addition to new music, Wolf dug back into Van Halen’s archive of unreleased material, and picked seven songs that rework and re-write. Roth called it a “collaboration with the past”, which is a good way of putting it. No, it does not sound exactly like old Van Halen; that would be impossible. It does, however sound like Van Halen with Roth.
Opener “Tattoo” was the first single and weakest track. It’s also the only one with audible keyboards (by Dave), though just for texture. Roth said the multi-layered chorus was inspired by artists such as Rhianna, but that chorus is actually the annoying part of the song. Eddie’s fills and Dave’s verses are fine and entertaining, as is Wolfie’s fuzzy bass. The chorus is the weak link, perhaps even worse than the lyrics: lines such as “tramp stamp tat” and “mousewife to momshell”. I like tattoos as much as the next guy, but I’ll never use the word “momshell” except when discussing this album.
The real banger is the second single, “She’s the Woman”, a pretty close approximation of the original Van Halen song (pre-debut album). Wolfie’s playing is monstrous, with a catchy circular bassline that proved the kid had the talent to be in this band. His dad must have loved jamming with him. Ed’s solo really brings us back to classic Van Halen, while Alex’s drums have that sound that we all missed. I hate to say it, but this rendition is probably superior to the original lineup’s version.
“You And Your Blues” has that choppy Eddie guitar we love, and those “ahh, ahh” backing vocals that scream Van Halen, even without Mike. Dave’s lower voice works well on the verses, though he is stretched out on the high notes in the chorus. A great Van Halen album-quality song. (If you’re fortunate enough to have a CD/DVD combo set, you’ll be treated to a cool acoustic version of “You And Your Blues” with loads of storytelling from Roth.)
“China Town” has some of the best shredding on album. From Wolfie’s crazy capo bass to the lightning fast tempo, all four members of Van Halen are on fire. If any song can be said to take the classic sound and launch it into orbit, it’s “China Town”, and Wolf is the star. The bass is not overly high in the mix, but when you listen to it and isolate it in your head, you realize that this guy has brought a new side to Van Halen: bass shred. Additionally, it’s a great song in every way.
Going back to 1984 and an instrumental section called “Ripley”, “Blood and Fire” was reworked in 2000 for an aborted reunion with Roth. Interestingly “Blood and Fire” actually sounds more like Hagar era Van Halen. It does contain one of Dave’s favourite concert phrases: “Well look at the all of the people here tonight!” If this track had been on 5150, it would have fit like a glove, though it would have been one of the more rocking tunes. Edward himself is the star on this one, as he rips, shreds, and tears as if it really was 1984 again.
“Bullethead” sounds new, and also goes back to the 2000 sessions. Van Halen speed and Dave “charasma” are held together by the rhythm section of Al and Wolf. It contains the lyric “Got a different kind of truth”, from which the album takes its title. Ed’s effect-laden solo is no less cool, though nobody will list “Bullethead” in their top 20 Van Halen songs. A cool album track it is, but that’s all.
One of the coolest tunes would have to be “As Is”. Opening with some Alex drum intensity, it breaks into a slow heavy riff, before finally accelerating into a powerhouse Van Halen smokeshow. That running riff sounds so classic, you could swear they injected Ed with youth serum. He sounds like a man reborn, both in terms of shred but also in fun. Ed gets to play with many different sounds and tempos on “As Is”, while Dave also gets to enjoy himself with singing and that spoken word stuff he does so well. Most of this is done very fast.
This sounds like a natural side break. “Honeybabysweetiedoll” (another 2000 track) comes across like a side two opener. Ed is experimenting with new sounds, like he used to, and you’ve never heard Ed sound or play like this before. He goes for a middle-eastern vibe, but with the kind of intensity that other bands do not have the mettle to muster. Dave’s lyrics about soccer moms don’t quite hit the spot where the music is concerned, but nobody’s listening to this song for the lyrics. It’s the guitar that makes the biggest impact here. You can imagine the Ed diehard fans just pounding their fists in celebration when they heard what Ed was up to, before they tried to figure out how he got that sound.
“The Trouble With Never” might be the only track that doesn’t seem like it goes anywhere. You also miss Michael Anthony the most on backing vocals here. It’s just a song. Not a great one, not a bad one…but with one hell of a cool bassline.
“Outta Space” originated in the mid-70’s as “Let’s Get Rockin'”. The riff is classic even though it never made an album before. Dave sings in his highest voice, which is actually cool after a lot of lower pitched songs. As you’d expect for a song originally called “Let’s Get Rockin'”, it smokes from start to finish, top speed and loaded with cool Eddie licks. It’s fun to hear the rhythm guitar drop out during his solo, just as it used to in 1978. Ed wasn’t fond of that sound, but it certainly evokes an era and a vibe. It’s like a warm sweater. Maybe Ed would appreciate that sometimes the absence of a guitar can also speak.
Dave plays acoustic guitar on the fun “Stay Frosty”, an old song that certainly recalls “Ice Cream Man” in every way. There’s one lyric that Dave liked to point out: “If you wanna be a monk, you gotta cook a lot of rice.” Hey, it’s not untrue. Let me put it this way: If you imagined a sequel to “Ice Cream Man”, it’s “Stay Frosty”. Not quite as good, but hits all the same beats that you want to hear.
“Big River” sounds like an older song. It has a cool curly guitar opening, before laying into this awesome guitar/bass groove. More a groove than a riff. Dave’s lyrics and singing are top notch on this song. Classic Van Halen. The surprise is that halfway through the song, for the solo section, it transforms into a completely different groove. This section has some of Eddie’s best playing too. It reverts back to the original riff for the last third of the song. All the while Wolfie is playing the most incredible bass fills, but never stepping on his dad’s toes. Think about that for a second. In the mix, you have the greatest guitar player in the world playing over this awesome riff, but the bass player still manages to throw a whole bunch of cool fills in there, without getting in the way. That’s a band, and that’s family, and that’s talent. If this song had been on an album like Fair Warning, people would still remember it today.
The closing song “Beat’s Workin'” starts with a cascade of Alex Van Halen drums, gone gonzo. It then breaks into a fun riff and a good time album-ender. A song called “Beats Workin'” should sound like a celebration. I get a bit of a Max Webster vibe, though heavier, along with a hint of Aerosmith. Once again the rhythm guitar drops out when Eddie goes solo, but then Wolf gets a moment in the spotlight too. His fuzz bass tone is very much unlike Michael Anthony’s. There’s a moment here when he and Alex are just playing while Ed does his thing, and it feels beautiful, especially now, knowing the family will never be reunited. But let’s not get too somber. It’s a party, after all.
The bonus DVD also includes acoustic versions of “Panama” and “Beautiful Girls”. They are alright. Valuable to have in your collection. You might not go back to listen to them very often. Another reason to own this physically is the lyric sheet, with cool sketches for each song. This is a Dave touch.
Final thoughts:
The album cover, though a cool picture of a train, just doesn’t feel like classic Van Halen. Then again, what does? They’ve had so many different kinds of covers.
The production on this album slams.
Though Eddie is the star, and we’re all listening to every note he plays, it doesn’t sound like an EVH solo album like VHIII did. It sounds like a real band album.
John Shanks and David Lee Roth did the best they could with what remains of Dave’s voice, and did a fine job of it by doing more of that speak-sing thing.
The flow on this album is excellent. There is hardly any filler, and every song works in its given slot, especially the closing trio of “Stay Frosty”, “Big River” and “Beats Workin'”.
“AOR” equals “Album Oriented Rock”, a radio format established in the 1960s that essentially means “classic rock” by today’s standards. Therefore, this Aerosmith single would be a remix aimed specifically at those kinds of radio stations. Frequently and historically, many of these remixes are barely different at all from the album version. Additionally, “F.I.N.E.” from 1989’s Pump album was not really considered a single. It wasn’t available to buy commercially, and it wasn’t made into a music video. It was a radio single only. At 4:08, this track is not edited.
“F.I.N.E.”, which was track 2 on the album, is considered one of Aerosmith finer rock moments from the Geffen years. It was always focused on a biting heavy Aero groove, a melodic Tyler vocal, and that irresistible chorus of “It’s aaaaaaaalright!” This remix is hardly different at all. If anything, the bass might be coming through more clearly.
If you have a look at the waveform file below, you can see there isn’t much difference, though some are visible. The AOR mix is at top, the original 1989 CD file at bottom.
I don’t feel there’s any point in rating a promo CD single like on a scale of 5, because what’s the point? This CD is valuable as a collectible to fans and hoarders alike. It has an exclusive remix, and whether you can hear a difference isn’t the point to a collector. Sometimes obscure AOR mixes get reissued on greatest hits or box sets, but to date, this one has not.
“Joe Perry says I’m aaaaallright!”
Thanks again to Ash from Australia for sending me this CD which I shall file with my Pump collection!
BRUCE DICKINSON – “Resurrection Men” (2024 BMG CD single)
The Mandrake Project is a dense album. It takes a lot of time to absorb and understand. The concept goes way over my head, but the songs are heavy and the direction is metal. Bruce Dickinson is nothing if not ambitious, and of course that means taking the new album on the road. His live band this time out includes the always reliable Dave Moreno on drums, and Whitenake bassist Tanya O’Callaghan. Bruce has released two singles from the album with exclusive B-sides, and the second is “Resurrection Men”.
“Resurrection Men” is long for a single, at almost six and a half minutes. It is loaded with drama, and the acoustic intro really sets a mood. Then it goes into something more western, like from a Clint Eastwood film, with interesting percussion. That soon subsides and we go full electric. This song lunges all over the place, from slow grinding verses to quiet bass-driven parts, and a powerhouse chorus. Ultimately it’s not really single material, but that’s one thing that makes this release so interesting. It’s also impressive how Bruce continues to sing with such lung power.
Live from Sao Paolo comes “Afterglow of Ragnarok“, the first single from The Mandrake Project. A song about “what happens after the end of the world,” according to Bruce. It is tight, and does not deviate far from the original cut. The live setting is unforgiving, but even without multitracked vocals, Bruce nails it. The stage energy is palpable, and Moreno kills it on drums.
The most exciting track is the very first live version of “Abduction” from Tyranny of Souls. This one absolutely smokes, with breakneck pace, lightning drum fills, and melodic guitar harmonies. A lot of solo Bruce stuff could almost be considered Iron Maiden made modern, louder and more intense. “Abduction” falls into that category. This live version has some really cool guitar solo work, very different from Roy Z’s on the album.
It is truly wonderful to see artists such as Def Leppard, Deep Purple, and Bruce Dickinson releasing physical singles with actual B-sides in 2024. Keep it up.
Here we have a simple and straightforward one hour bonus DVD. No bonus features other than subtitles, so let’s dive in and watch Deep Purple hit the road! This documentary, unlike past ones, is not about the making of the =1 album. This is about Deep Purple on tour, and is more like a fly on the wall look at the band in their environment. We seem them relax, practice, drink and work.
We begin with Steve Morse, and his sad necessity to step down from Deep Purple after 28 years in the band. Roger Glover explains that Steve came in at a time (1995) when Deep Purple needed to reinvent themselves, which is what they did. Then, we transition to Deep Purple live on stage with Simon McBride, and “No Need to Shout” from the bonus live 10″ records included in this box set. Don Airey calls it a “fresh start”, and Ian Paice contemplates on how a new member creates new energy in the Purples. Roger praises Simon’s “cool” personality. The important thing, with any new Deep Purple member, is to musically just be themselves. Don jokes that Simon “brought the average age of the band down to 74.”
Time to hit the road. Ian Gillan talks about the routine, and the tour begins (to the tune of “Hush”). Hotels, breakfasts, limousines…and security tips from Gillan! It takes about three hours to set up the stage and start checking the PA. Drums are tuned and cymbals are attached to the kit. The guitar tech talks about the adjustment from Steve Morse to Simon McBride, and a different brand of guitars. We also get a good look at Don Airey’s keyboard rig. In a cute touch, Don keeps a bobblehead of his old boss, Ozzy Osbourne, on his keys. Finally the band turns up and sound checks. Don Airey tells Ian Paice a funny story about Gary Moore messing with his keys. The band have a quiet, very English sense of humour, but they are often seen laughing and kidding around.
During soundcheck, we get to hear Purple working on a new song: “Old-Fangled Thing”, which ended up on =1. Airey says he really enjoys soundchecks because it gives them a chance to play things like bossa novas, and entertain the crew. We move on to the 02 arena with Blue Oyster Cult opening, and other gigs with Jefferson Starship, who Purple seem to get along with famously.
There is a hilarious bit in Don Airey’s keyboard solo. He takes a wooden shim, and sticks it in the keys to hold them down. As a single note plays. A waiter with a glass and bottle emerges. Don pours himself a glass of wine as he takes a brief break. It’s all so very quaint and gentlemanly funny. Don’s son is actually the band’s stage manager, and it has allowed him to see more of his dad than he ever would at home.
The documentary then jumps to another day, and the 10 minute wait before showtime. Backstage, Roger Glover takes a crack at Ritchie Blackmore’s violent aversion to cameras. Ian Paice jokes about the palpable tension in the air, as the band continue to joke around and laugh, whiling away the last minutes before stage time. Paicey picks up a pair of bananas, plays a drum roll, complains the bananas are not properly balanced, and tosses them aside. That’s the wildest party moment in the Deep Purple dressing room.
Finally the waiting is over. The whole day revolves around the 90 minutes on stage, remarks Gillan. The band take the stage while Holst’s “Mars: Bringer of War” assaults the crowd in preparation. “Highway Star” (which, incidentally, is not included on the live records in the box) rolls out the thunder, and Simon McBride brings his own style to it. The documentary runs through a few live clips to give you a taste of the set, including the beautiful ballad “Nothing At All”.
When Deep Purple hits Berlin, Ian Paice has the idea to play a bit of “Let the Good Times Roll”. A young horn section is brought in, and it sounds great to everyone. We are treated to a clip of a soundcheck of “Hush” with the horns.
Show over, it’s off to the hotel, get a tea, and into bed with a book for Ian Gillan. Paicey prefers a glass of wine after a show, “because I’m allowed”.
Though it’s never overtly stated, one can’t help but notice the contrast in this documentary to the war stories of old. We remember the tales of on-stage and backstage blowups, food trays thrown about…but not any more. Now Deep Purple is five older gents who love playing together and don’t seem to mind each other’s company too much. That’s nice to see. And it’s still entertaining enough for an hour.
As a bonus DVD in a box set, this one’s easily a 5/5.
The box also came with art prints, a lanyard, guitar picks, a nice T-shirt and more, all seen in this unboxing video below.
DEEP PURPLE – =1 Live Album – 10″ Vinyl (2024 Edel)
When you buy a Deep Purple super deluxe, you get a new live album on three 10″ records every time. These records are each 45 RPM. This wonderful Deep Purple tradition carries on with this important release, the first live album with Simon McBride to be released. Let’s have a listen to all six sides.
Record 1 was recorded in Milan 2022, the same gig that yielded the B-sides for the “Pictures of You” single (“When A Blind Man Cries” and “Uncommon Man”), though they are not included here. This record opens with Machine Head‘s “Pictures of Home”, and Ian Paice beginning the proceedings with his usual drum intro. Don Airey’s organ dominates the mix, but Simon can be heard doing justice to the original arrangement. His tasty solo is his own unique composition, combining bluesy playing with shred in a way unheard before in Deep Purple. Blackmore fans who found Steve Morse to be just too different may prefer Simon McBride.
From 2020’s Whoosh! album comes “No Need to Shout”, one of the more straightforward tracks. It has a solid “Stormbringer”-like groove, but consider that Deep Purple remain unafraid to play new songs on tour every time. Simon and Don sneak in these quick licks that add season to the sauce. The chemistry with McBride is immediately undeniable.
A set highlight is the powerful ballad “Nothing At All”, probably the best song from Whoosh! Originally this song had a trademark Steve Morse guitar lick, but Simon acquits himself very well in this tricky part. It’s not identical, but the right notes are played, if in a very slightly different style. This beautiful song is harder live, with Ian Paice really smoking those drums, and Don Airey hitting his keys with more vigor.
The first record closes with another Machine Head classic, the undeniable “Lazy”, which we have so many live versions of. I have at least 34 live versions of “Lazy”, with more residing on live albums I have yet to rip to my PC. This version is the first available with Simon, and the word to use is “refreshing”. After 52 years, it is nice to have a version with another lead soloist, bringing his own powerful, melodic twist. Ian Gillan’s vocal is a little laid-back, but this version is a delight! When Ian starts playing the harmonica, it changes into something more akin to a country jam.
Record 2 was recorded in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2022. “Strange Kind of Woman” keeps us in classic territory. Somehow I get the feeling that Airey’s organ isn’t growly enough. Of course Gillan struggles with the high notes, but that’s old news and nobody should really care anymore. Simon’s solo is, once again, a fresh twist. Then they dig back even further with “Hush” from Shades of Deep Purple. Nothing different here, just the same classic groove and a killer organ solo, followed by a playful tradeoff between Simon and Don.
Side two only has newer material, beginning with “7 and 7 Is” (by Love) from the covers album Turning To Crime. Including “Hush”, that’s two covers in a row. It is cool that they were playing Turning To Crime material live, but this is skippable for most people (except Ian Paice fans who will dig the busy drum parts). More enjoyable is “Throw My Bones” from Whoosh! Don’s synth on this track is especially fun, and Simon makes it a bit heavier in the guitars. “Time For Bedlam” from InFinite closes this side. Ian Gillan struggles with the difficult vocals, which makes it harder to enjoy, though the guitar melodies are just sublime. This is a very technical track. Roger Glover holds everything together on bass while the feature players stretch out.
We are back to Milan on the third disc. Record 3 opens with the biggest surprise: “Anya” from 1993’s The Cattle Grazes Battle Rages On. It is no secret that making the album was an unpleasant experience for the band, especially Ian Gillan, but it is really cool to see them reaching back to the early 90s. This is the first version available with Don or Simon. Just as “Anya” is the only representation of the 1990s (a decade with four Deep Purple studio albums), “Perfect Strangers” is the only track from the 80s, as it often is. This is a solid workmanlike version.
The final side closes, of course, with “Smoke on the Water” and “Black Night”, leaving us without a version of “Highway Star” with Simon. This is a real shame; we hope one will come on future inevitable live albums. Ian Paice sounds great on these, and Simon’s solo on “Black Night” is bonkers, the same way that Blackers used to be bonkers.
This is a great little late-period live album. With a band and a back catalogue this extensive, it is natural that they can’t always fit in songs from Purpendicular, Now What, or In Rock. Newer material is more valuable in a live release such as this. Still…would have been nice to get “Highway Star”.
“It all adds up to one…” Would that have made a better title? Deep Purple don’t always come out with the greatest album titles or covers, but they have produced consistently good music during the Morse era, and now beyond. In their first lineup change since Don Airey joined the band in 2003, Steve Morse has stepped down for important personal reasons, and new kid Simon McBride has picked up the plectrum.
When Mr. McBride was born in Belfast in 1979, Deep Purple weren’t even a band anymore. They were in the middle of an eight-year hiatus. The last Deep Purple compilation released was 1979’s Mk II Purple Singles when he was an infant. Deepest Purple wasn’t even out yet. Rainbow was about to release Down to Earth with Graham Bonnet. Gillan were working on the second album as a band, Mr. Universe. Into that world sprang Simon McBride. He would grow to become a solo artist who would work with Purple members Don Airey and Ian Gillan, before being asked to join temporarily and then permanently.
Retaining Bob Ezrin the producer’s chair, Deep Purple wound up with something familiar, yet slightly different. There is less double tracking on Ian’s voice, which gives it a fresher sound. The songs are slightly harder edged, and there are more of them. =1 is the first first Deep Purple without bonus tracks since InFinite, and like Whoosh, feels conceptual on some tracks. According to the band, the world is “growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one.” I don’t know about that, but that’s what =1 means to them.
At 13 songs, the album could be trimmed down to a tidy ten. Let’s break them down.
Simon gets to show off some new sounds at the start of “Show me”, a relentless groove, unlike anything from the Morse era. Ian’s speak-sing storytelling vocal is familiar and fun, a perfect way to adapt to singing in your 70s. The groove is different from past works. Wonderful solo work from Don and Simon here, with Don on synth. The back and forth is very tasteful. It’s more playing for the song, and less trying to outplay each other like Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore in the 1970s.
Track two continues that hard grooves. “A Bit on the Side” boasts a great chugging guitar part, very different for Deep Purple of any era. The chugging is almost Slash-like, circa “Locomotive”. The chug-riff is the main feature, but once again Simon’s solo is stratospheric with loads of technique. Don’s is equally cool, with a spacey vibe.
“Sharp Shooter” is one song on which Ian doesn’t sing the name in the chorus. Instead there is a memorable refrain of “Shot in the dark”. The vocals are pushing the upper limit a bit, and the song has a vibe very much like the Morse era of Deep Purple. Nice soulful female backing vocals here, which is rare in Deep Purple. Once again, Don is focusing on the synth for solos. Not a highlight, but a decent tune with a modern Purple groove.
The first video/single was “Portable Door”. Ian Gillan weaves his traditional “English as a second language” lyrical whimsy. Some favourite lines:
When it came to me one day in Jerksville Man, I was right on the edge And that jacket’s too small for a man of your size And those socks are too big for your head
I love that. Socks are too big for your head? Why not. The lyrics seem to be about tedious conversations that go in one ear and out the other.
I was trapped in a dire situation Between reason and someone-in-law
“Between reason and someone-in-law” is just brilliance. Only Ian Gillan could write that. Meanwhile, Simon hits you with a cool chord that swooshes through. “Portable Door” has a stamp like the last few albums, but the one Simon chord really sets it apart. One chord: huge impact.
“Old-Fangled Thing” has a nice lyrical reference back to “Living Wreck” from In Rock, but is not the most memorable of songs. Is “old-fangled” another Gillan-ism? This song is a little tricky, like much of the Morse era was. In the end, it’s possible that this song could have been axed, but its speed is impressive.
There are two “ballads” (or slow blues) on this album. The dramatic one is “If I Were You”. There is a memorable chorus and a mournful guitar melody that might recall things like “When A Blind Man Cries”. Either way, Purple have done some impressive ballads and slow songs during the Morse era, and now the Simon era too. His solo is a little Bonamassa at times. Also take note: there’s an orchestra on this track!
The second single “Pictures of You” is immensely memorable. A fantastic song, with a focus on vocal melody. Purple play it simpler here and the dividends pay off. There’s a bit of multi-tracked vocals on the chorus, which is essentially what this song is about: the chorus! Until we get to the outro that is, which is more Marillion than Purple.
On the single for “Pictures of You”, the song went right into “Portable Door” without a break. The effect was an exciting transition. It’s less exciting on album, leading into “I’m Saying Nothin'”. This has that herky-jerky feel of the Morse era, but is otherwise not particularly memorable. Another one that could have been cut.
What’s the story with “Lazy Sod”? Ian Gillan was asked how many songs he’d written in his life. He estimated about 500. He was then informed that Dolly Parton wrote over 5000…”you lazy sod”. Can’t argue with that, so Ian turned it into a lyric. “That’s alright because I’m a lazy sod, and I’m hot.” It’s the third single and the most “rock” of them. Very old-school Deep Purple. Could have been on Who Do We Think We Are!
“Now You’re Talkin'” is the second song with an abbreviated “in'” title instead of “ing”. (David Coverdale, were you in the room?) Very similar to “Bananas” from 21 years ago. Almost a re-write of that prior song, but with a really fun screamed part in one of the verses. Really great riff, and always a pleasure to hear Ian do a scream, whether he sounds like a 70+ year old or not! Wait til you get to the solos!
Back in the Rapture of the Deep era, Ian told us that “Money Talks” to him. Now, he has “No Money to Burn”! There is an organ-based riff, which is a nice change of pace for this album, but the song is otherwise unremarkable. The third of three songs we could cut to get down to ten.
Deep Purple are not overkilling it on ballads. “I’ll Catch You” (maybe a slow blues) is a lovely ballad, soft and bluesy like a smokey club. It is placed perfectly near the end as an ear-cleanse, before we get into one of the best Deep Purple closers in years with the very English title, “Bleeding Obvious”.
If “Bleeding Obvious” isn’t the best closer since “Bludsucker” on Abandon, then let’s hear your picks! It could also be the most progressive tune? Could that opening figure work for Dream Theater or Marillion? Or even Rush? This is an absolutely brilliant tune, mostly down to that tricky riff and melody.
And so that’s it with =1; no bonus tracks this time. There is a deluxe box set with the first official release of a concert with Simon McBride, which we’ll get into on a separate review. Aside from the length, the only real complaint here is the minimalist artwork. The inner sleeve art is far more engaging.
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.
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