Thanks to Amazon, this arrived today. Only a week late, but for free shipping I won’t complain too much. When a parcel comes packaged inside not one but two boxes, you know it’s big. And this sucker is heavy. 5 discs, with two huge books inside. I can’t wait to dig in.
Welcome back to the Week of Singles 3! Each day this week we’ll be looking at rare singles and EPs.
MONDAY: OZZY OSBOURNE – Ultimate Live Ozzy (1986 CBS picture 12″ record)
TUESDAY: BON JOVI – Livin’ On A Prayer (double 12″ EP)
WEDNESDAY: ANTHRAX – Live from Sonisphere Festival 2010 (picture disc EP)
DEEP PURPLE – “Knocking at Your Back Door” / “Perfect Strangers” (1984 Polydor 12″ single)
What a find this was. While Simon Robinson has kept Deep Purple’s catalogue largely available on CD in lavish packages, here’s an oddity that has slipped through the cracks. Granted, interviews are fairly low on my collecting priority list. When something like this falls in your lap, you still gotta bite.
I got this limited edition (#9240/????) at an old used music store in Uptown Waterloo. I cannot remember the name; perhaps a kind reader will remind me. They were technically a “Christian” store but still carried music of all varieties. This 12″ was sitting on their shelves (price long lost) and I snagged it. The A-side contains not one but two hits, and the B-side, in depth interviews with all five Deep Purple members. All was harmonious in Deep Purple, coming off the high of making the album Perfect Strangers and embarking on a successful tour. The dischord did not return until The House of Blue Light. Therefore these interviews reflected a rare time of excitement and positivity for the short-lived Deep Purple MkIIb.
First, the music: To get both awesome singles from Perfect Strangers on one 12″ is handy! These are two of MkIIb’s best tracks, if not the two best tracks, period. By the end of the A-side, my mind is already blown by the grandiose, intelligent, classic sound of Deep Purple. Of note, these are the full length tracks, not single edits.
The interview side is helmed by Tommy Vance for the Friday Rock Show. Each member is interviewed separately, which is how it should be for Deep Purple. The amiable Jon speaks for 10 minutes, recalling Deep Purple history, particularly the very early years. They also discuss Jon’s few writing credits on the new album, a potential pot-stirring question. Ritchie Blackmore then reveals he doesn’t mind giving up being “the” leader of a band (Rainbow). Ritchie claims the hardest part of being the leader of a band was “trying to find the perfect member”. He sounds excited when discussing Deep Purple’s on-stage chemistry. Meanwhile, Roger Glover sounds like he’s eating a bag of crisps. He also sheds light on the early stages of the reunion, and the things they discussed to make it work. I enjoyed Ian Paice’s interview most; he dismisses what was going on in 80’s pop music as “a fashion show”. He proclaims that his goal for the reunited Deep Purple was to bring back a little bit of class to rock and roll. In my mind there is no question that they succeeded. Finally, the singer: Ian Gillian is soft-spoken and optimistic. He too is glad to have shed the responsibilities of being the leader of a solo band.
If you’re a Deep Purple collector and you find this record sitting on a shelf for a reasonable price, do not hesitate. Tommy Vance asks probing, intelligent questions and the result is an interview disc that will enjoy listening to more than once.
5/5 stars
More Deep Purple:
DEEP PURPLE – Perfect Strangers Live (2013 Eagle Vision 2LP/2CD/1DVD deluxe edition)
Perfect Strangers Live, a new 2013 release of a 1984 recording in Sydney, proves many things but one of them is this: The proverbial “vaults” must be an endless place where this band is concerned. Year after year newly released archival recordings hit the shelves, all worthy of your hard-earned music budget dollars. Perfect Strangers Live is available in multiple formats, but I chose to go with the deluxe 180 gram vinyl set, complete with 2 CD and single DVD versions included. I bought this via the Deep Purple Appreciation Society, who I especially appreciated this time. I ordered the set and it got lost in the mail. After contacting Ann directly she posted another one right off to me which arrived safely to my delight.
It’s a beautiful beast of a package. The heavy vinyl gives the set real heft, but it’s also a triple gatefold sleeve as well. If you loved the reunion era of Deep Purple Mk II then some version of this set will be an obvious must for you. You can buy it separately as a 2 CD set, a DVD, a 3 disc set, or go hogwild like I did with the vinyl deluxe set. Hell if you’re really nuts for the band there’s a 3 LP, 2 CD Japanese version with extra goodies. As to the version I own, the only disappointment comes in the way the CDs and DVD are housed in the set. I hate spending a lot of money on a package that will absolutely scratch your CDs. No matter how careful you are, something will get scratched and that’s a bummer. So I ripped the CDs and put them away for good.
The music contained within is 100% worth your money and probably the best documentation of this era of Deep Purple. There are other collections out there, most notably the 1985 recording In the Absence of Pink (Knebworth). There was also the Highway Stars bootleg contained within the Bootleg Series box set. This one tops the rest sonically. The recording and mix are excellent. You could easily mistake it sonically for a modern recording. Everything is audible, including Gillan’s oft-buried congas.
Speaking of Gillan, the man was in absolutely stunning shape. I don’t know why the band used backing tapes (quite obviously) during the screams on “Child In Time”. Gillan’s live screams didn’t need the boost. Somehow he keeps it going all the way to the 12 minute closer “Smoke on the Water”. Gillan had just finished his stint with Black Sabbath, but he sounds infinitely better here than on any live recording I’ve heard with Black Sabbath.
It’s hard to pick a single MVP on Perfect Strangers Live, such is the dynamic of Deep Purple when firing on all five cylinders. Certainly Ritchie Blackmore is a delight, projecting intensity and playfulness at every turn. During “Strange Kind of Woman”, Blackmore treats the Australians to “Waltzing Matilda”. On “Under the Gun”, he’s mesmerizing as he tortures his Fender. Ritchie’s solo that closes a 15 minute “Space Truckin'” is among the most electrifying moments you will hear. Jon Lord is as wonderful as ever on that same song, and of course “Child In Time”. Not to go without mention are Glover and Paice. Ian Paice is the little engine that would not quit; Roger Glover the anchor.
Also important to mention are the “new” songs. Deep Purple played more than half of their new LP including both singles: “Knockin’ On Your Back Door”, “Perfect Strangers”, “Nobody’s Home”, “Under the Gun” and “A Gypsy’s Kiss” (preceded by a bluesy Blackmore jam). Purple rarely played so much off Perfect Strangers at one time, and some of these versions are just scorching! “Nobody’s Home”, possibly “Under the Gun” too, are superior to the album versions…even when Gillan forgets the words. (That’s kind of my favourite part.)
As for the DVD, it too looks and sounds amazing. I don’t know what else is out there video-wise from this period but I haven’t seen anything better than this. You know Blackmore and cameras, he’s often got his side to the camera, or he turns away just as they turn to him. That’s the man in black, that’s the enigma. It’s a great DVD, although Lord and Paice are often buried behind their instruments. Lord goes from keyboard to keyboard, extracting different sounds.
The cherry on top is a 20+ minute tour documentary. It’s a rare look at a time when Deep Purple was more or less getting along as well as they ever would!
I haven’t played the vinyl. I haven’t decided if I will. Let me know if you care enough for me to review the vinyl, and I’ll consider it as a possibility. I’ll be honest, after struggling to get the records back in the sleeve after taking the photos for this review, I’m not eager to take them out again.
4.5/5 stars
More PURPLE at mikeladano.com:
DEEP PURPLE – “Above and Beyond” (CD and 7″ singles, Edel)
DEEP PURPLE – ”All the Time in the World” (2013 Edel single)
DEEP PURPLE – The Battle Rages On… (1993 BMG)
DEEP PURPLE – Collector’s Edition: The Bootleg Series 1984-2000 (12 CD set)
DEEP PURPLE – Come Taste the Band (35th Anniversary edition)
DEEP PURPLE – Deep Purple (1969 EMI, 2000 reissue)
DEEP PURPLE – Inglewood (2002 Purple Records/Sonic Zoom)
DEEP PURPLE – Listen, Learn, Read On (6 CD box set, 2002)
DEEP PURPLE – Machine Head (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition + vinyl + In Concert ’72 vinyl)
DEEP PURPLE – NOW What?! (2013 edel)
DEEP PURPLE – Perks and Tit (2003 Purple Records/Sonic Zoom)
DEEP PURPLE – Power House (1977 Warner Bros, Japanese import)
DEEP PURPLE – Rapture of the Deep (2 CD special edition)
DEEP PURPLE – Shades 1968-1998 (4 CD Rhino 1999 box set)
DEEP PURPLE – Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition)
Bought at HMV, Stone Road Mall, Guelph ON, on import for $29.99 in 1996.
BLACK SABBATH – The Sabbath Stones (1996 IRS)
The Sabbath Stones, a record-company cash-grab, is a greatest hits compilation of Sabbath’s Tony Martin years (mostly) plus a smattering of bonus tracks. While it is not perfect, and so many great songs were omitted, it is still a really great listen from start to finish. Tony Martin is probably the most derided of all Sabbath vocalists. Having seen Sabbath live on their final tour with Martin (also including Cozy Powell and Neil Murray) I can say that I quite enjoyed that incarnation of Sabbath. Also, in 1996 when this was released, albums such as Headless Cross and The Eternal Idol were very hard to find on CD. With that in mind, read my track-by-track breakdown.
1. “Headless Cross” — This compilation is the IRS years (that’s the record label, not the government agency) and thus starts with their first IRS album, Headless Cross. The title track is one of those underground classics. The groove here is monstrous (thanks, Cozy) and the notes Martin hits in the chorus are superhuman. This track, back in 1989, was Sabbath getting back to a truly heavy evil sound. Shame that the keyboards (on all tracks by Geoff Nicholls) are mixed so high!
2. “When Death Calls” — One of my favourites from Headless. Beginning with fretless bass (by temp bassist Lawrence Cottle) and haunting vocals, you’d almost think this was a ballad. By the end, it’s breakneck, with Tony Martin singing these evil lyrics about how “your tongue will blister” when Satan says you’re to die! The guest guitar solo by Brian May will sear your soul.
3. “Devil and Daughter” — A third great track from Headless, an album loaded with great tracks. This is an uptempo one all the way through!
4. “The Sabbath Stones” — From 1990’s underrated Tyr album. I quite liked Tyr. “The Sabbath Stones” is a fast one, wicked, but muddy in sound as was all of Tyr. Once again, Martin hits inhuman high notes by the end.
5-7. “The Battle Of Tyr/Odin’s Court/Valhalla” — These three tracks are actually all bits of one long piece, on Viking mythology. Sabbath at the time were trying to get away from the “Satanic thing”, and Vikings were still evil enough to sing about. Some fans didn’t like that turn of events but I think Sabbath were well ahead of their time. “The Battle Of Tyr” is a keyboard-y bit, just an intro to get you in the mood. “Odin’s Court” is acoustic, with Iommi picking a simple melody while Martin sings about “leading us on, to the land of eternity, riding the cold cold winds of Valhalla”. That takes us into the main meat of the trilogy, the “Valhalla” portion. One of the most powerful of all Martin-era tracks, with great keyboard accents and a memorable Iommi riff, this was my favourite track off Tyr. (It’s either this one, or “Jerusalem”.)
8. “TV Crimes” — A brief departure from the Tony Martin years. In 1992, he was out and Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice were back in. The album was called Dehumanizer and even though it did not sell well, a hardcore following now consider it among the very best Sabbath albums of all time, and possibly one of the best things Dio’s ever done. Why it was underrepresented here with just one song is beyond me. There should have been at least three Dehumanizer tracks on this CD (I would have nixed “Devil and Daughter” and “The Sabbath Stones” in favour of two more with Dio singing.) Anyway, “TV Crimes” (the single) is here, and while not one of the best songs from Dehumanizer, it and “Time Machine” were the two most well-known.
9. “Virtual Death” — Tony Martin is back, with Rainbow’s Bobby Rondinelli and Geezer Butler too! That would not last long, as Geezer soon fled back to Ozzy’s solo band to record the Ozzmosis CD. “Virtual Death” is hardly one of the better songs from the Cross Purposes album, a decent record if a bit soft. Having said that, the soft tracks were really quite good and “Virtual Death” was just a grunge song. Black Sabbath influenced that whole scene, but they ended up copying Alice In Chains’ trademark vocal style on “Virtual Death”. That double tracked vocal melody could have come right off Dirt.
10. “Evil Eye” — Another puzzling Cross Purposes selection. I can’t think of a reason to include it. There was once a legend that “Evil Eye” was co-written by Eddie Van Halen, who went uncredited. The same rumour suggested that Van Halen either performed the guitar solo or wrote the solo for Iommi to play. Joe Seigler of black-sabbth.com has busted this rumour as false. My two tracks from this album would have been “I Witness” (fast one) and “Cross Of Thorns” (slow one).
11. “Kiss Of Death” — Finally we arrive at the end of the Martin years with the dreadful Forbidden album. It’s sad because it wasn’t the end that Tony Martin deserved. The album just got out of hand and next thing you know, Ozzy was back. This track was at least one of the strongest ones. A killer, slow closer with some unbelievable Cozy Powell drum fills, if it had been recorded right it would have just slammed you in the face.
12. “Guilty As Hell” — Another Forbidden track, and one of the weakest. “Can’t Get Close Enough” should have been subbed in. Just filler.
13. “Loser Gets It All” — TREASURE! The Japanese Forbidden bonus track, finally available domestically! (Please note, the Cross Purposes Japanese bonus track “What’s The Use” is still unreleased outside Japan, dangit.) This song, a shorty just over 2 minutes, is actually stronger than all the other Forbidden stuff. Good riff, good keyboards, not bad sounding. Shame it was buried on a Japanese release. Why? Who knows. Maybe Tony Martin does. Tony, drop me a line. I’d love to talk.
And that finishes the final IRS album, and the final one for Martin. He’d been replaced once before by Dio, and now finally by the once and future Ozzy, and it’s all over for him. Since then he’s taken a back seat to his more famous predecessors, although he released the strongly reviewed (by me) Scream solo album in 2005. He also did a number of albums with guitarist Dario Mollo, two of which I own but have to revisit.
There are three “bonus tracks”, songs that were included under license, from the period before the IRS years. The inclusion of these songs really make the album a fun listen.
14. “Disturbing The Priest” — My favourite incarnation of Sabbath was 1983’s Gillan/Iommi/Butler/Ward and this is my favourite song from Born Again. It’s so evil you’ll feel like you need to confess your sins after listening! I have no idea how Gillan managed such demonic screams. Brilliant selection!
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15. “Heart Like A Wheel” — I’m actually quite fond of the Glenn Hughes fronted album, Seventh Star, but this song has no place on this album. Granted Sabbath played it live on the ’86 tour with Ray Gillen subbing in for Hughes, but it’s too slow and bluesy. The title track or “In For The Kill” should have been subbed in.
16. “The Shining” — Tony Martin triumphantly ends the album with his first single with Black Sabbath. “The Shining” has a vintage Iommi riff, and more ungodly high notes. There are early demos of this song from before Tony joined the band, with other singers, as Iommi had this riff a long time before. A 1984 demo entitled “No Way Out” was recorded with Ian Gillan’s short-lived replacement singer, David “Donut” Donato. Then it was re-written and re-sung by Ray Gilllen, and this version was recently released on the Eternal Idol deluxe edition. Tony Martin’s version then is the third incarnation of the song that I have, and it’s a triumphant one. I love the way this album was bookended with Tony Martin songs.
That’s the CD: 80 MINUTES LONG! You just can’t argue with cramming that much music onto one disc. And yes, you can get 80 minutes onto a CD, and this album is the proof.
While I have argued against the inclusion of some songs, by and large this is a well-made compilation, for a record company cash-grab. Considering the Martin years have been buried, I think it is well worth owning. I listened to it all the time.
4/5 stars
It’s THE WEEK OF SINGLES! Each day this week I’ll be bringing you reviews and images of a recent CD or vinyl single acquisition. Today’s is fresh hot off the presses! I received this single on Saturday (the 16th).
Yesterday: Van Halen – “Best of Both Worlds” 7″ single
DEEP PURPLE – “Above and Beyond” (CD and 7″ singles, Edel)
This has been a banner year for Deep Purple singles! We’ve had “All the Time in the World”, “Hell To Pay”, “Vincent Price” and now “Above and Beyond” from the excellent new album NOW What?! There’s a “gold” edition of NOW What?! coming soon, and I believe most of the B-sides from these singles will be on it. Most, but not all…
“Above and Beyond” is one of two songs on the new album dedicated to Jon Lord. It’s probably the most progressive sounding of the new songs. It’s certainly one of the most epic. I think Jon would have loved it. Canadian producer extraordinaire Bob Ezrin adds his shine on “Above and Beyond”, you can really hear it in the arrangement.
The second track on the CD version is “Things I Never Said” from some editions of Rapture of the Deep. It was originally from the Japanese CD, and then the “special edition”. It’s one of the better songs from Rapture, and I’ve always liked Steve Morse’s guitar riff. I just didn’t need to buy it again on a single…
Brand new live recordings are the real bait on this single. The CD has two; I don’t believe either is going to be on the “gold” edition of NOW What?!. “Space Truckin'” (Rome, Italy 07/22/2013) doesn’t seem as peppy as other live versions I’ve heard. I suppose that’s why some versions are destined for B-sides, right? A pair of covers close the CD: Booker T. and the M.G.’s classic Hammond organ instrumental “Green Onions” and Joe South’s “Hush”. “Green Onions” serves as an intro to “Hush” essentially. It’s a great song for a band like Purple to do anyway. These come from Sweden, 08/10/2013. Gillan’s struggling a little bit on “Hush”, but Airey and Morse get playful during the solo section, and it’s very reminiscent of how Blackmore and Lord used to interact.
The exclusive bonus track on the 7″ vinyl single is a different recording of “Space Truckin'”. This one is from Majano, Italy, two days after the other version. I actually prefer this version to the one from Rome. I’m not sure why; maybe it’s just that audio illusion of warm vinyl. Maybe Morse just sounds dirtier. This single is absolutely beautiful, on purple clear vinyl complete with limited numbered stamp. Mine? #1934 of 2000. I’ll consider myself lucky. It’s kind of mind blowing to think that there’s an exclusive Deep Purple live recording out there, only 2000 copies made, and I have one of them.
4.5/5 stars
More Purple at mikeladano.com:
Live at Inglewood 1968, Deep Purple (1969), Machine Head (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition + vinyl + In Concert ’72 vinyl), Perks and Tit (Live in San Diego 1974), Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition), Come Taste the Band (35th Anniversary edition), Power House (1977), The Battle Rages On… (1993), Shades 1968-1998, Collector’s Edition: The Bootleg Series 1984-2000 (12 CD), Listen, Learn, Read On (6 CD), Rapture of the Deep (2 CD Special Edition), “All the Time in the World” (2013 CD single), NOW What?! (2013) Record Store Tales Part 32: Live In Japan, STEVE MORSE BAND – StressFest (1996), ROCK AID ARMENIA – Smoke on the Water: The Metropolis Sessions.
More Purple at mikeladano.com:
Live at Inglewood 1968, Deep Purple (1969), Machine Head (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition + vinyl + In Concert ’72 vinyl), Perks and Tit (Live in San Diego 1974), Stormbringer (35th Anniversary Edition), Come Taste the Band (35th Anniversary edition), Power House (1977), The Battle Rages On… (1993), Shades 1968-1998, Collector’s Edition: The Bootleg Series 1984-2000 (12 CD), Listen, Learn, Read On (6 CD), Rapture of the Deep (2 CD Special Edition), “All the Time in the World” (2013 CD single), Record Store Tales Part 32: Live In Japan, STEVE MORSE BAND – StressFest (1996), ROCK AID ARMENIA – Smoke on the Water: The Metropolis Sessions.
DEEP PURPLE – Now What?! (2013 edel)
Disclaimer: I am so happy with this album, Deep Purple’s latest, that I put off and put off writing a review for it. As a fan of both Deep Purple Mk VIII and Bob Ezrin, this album would either colossally astound or disappoint me. I’m happy to say that NOW What?! is my favourite album since Purpendicular back in ’96.
At first I thought NOW What?! was going to be an uncomfortably mellow album. How wrong I was. Sure, “A Simple Song” starts powerfully soft (think Purpendicular‘s “Loosen My Strings”). It then takes off into a modern Purple tangent, with groove, a chorus that kills and absolutely outstanding organ work by Don Airey. If there was ever a man to pay tribute to the legacy of Jon Lord, it is Don Airey. He does so with class, homage, and love.
I love “Weirdistan” both for the title and the song itself. It is however “Out of Hand” that is the first mind-blower for me. The strings and arrangements of Ezrin are on this song like a stamp, yet it is also blatantly no other band than Deep Purple. Even though Purple have been backed by strings many times before, Ezrin’s approach sounds like classic Ezrin. It’s hard to verbalize, but Ezrin uses the strings in a support role, yet often up front and in your face.
If none of the previous songs sounded enough like old Deep Purple to you, “Hell to Pay” is sure to satisfy. The edited version from the CD single has nothing on this. The soloing is better than the song, quite frankly, and too much of it was edited out of the single version. Musically “Hell to Pay” has that hard, slightly funky vibe that a lot of later Deep Purple possesses. As far as the solo sections, you’re hearing things that go all the way back to 1968 and “Mandrake Root”. It’s trippy. The spirit of Jon lives on.
“Body Line” is pretty good, again it’s kind of funky in that Purple-y way. Ian Paice, the only remaining member from the original 1968 Mk I version, is responsible for many of the funk vibes, aided and abetted by Morse and Airey. Actually, it’s really hard to single out any one member as MVP on most of these songs. Deep Purple Mk VIII have gelled so well as a band over the last decade, that everything is in sync. Everybody bounces off the other players in a way that is reminiscent of the classic Deep Purple years.
“Above and Beyond” (to be released as a 7″ and CD single October 25) is one of two songs dedicated to Jon Lord. This is probably the most progressive sounding of the new songs. It’s certainly one of the most epic. I think Jon would have loved it. It’s worth noting at this point that Bob Ezrin, as per his modus operandi, has a writing credit on every song. In the same way you can hear him tightening up the songwriting of artists like Kiss and Alice Cooper, you can hear his shine on “Above and Beyond”.
I’m sure it’s a coincidence since almost all the members are different, but “Blood From A Stone” begins similarly to “You Keep On Moving” from Come Taste the Band. Then it gets slinky, before Morse rips some heavy riffs on the chorus. Don Airey shines as well, classing up the place several notches more. This transitions seamlessly into the second Lord tribute, the beautiful “Uncommon Man”. Morse’s guitars are uplifting and unmistakable. I just love listening to him play because there is truly nobody else in the world who sounds like Steve Morse. (Just as there is nobody, Yngwie included, who sounds like Richie Blackmore.) Back to “Uncommon Man”, it features a similar fanfare to “Above and Beyond”, linking them thematically. It also has my favourite keyboard solo on the whole album.
“Après Vous” sounds like a Rapture of the Deep outtake, but a good outtake. Glover has a great groove going on, and there is once again a long instrumental section. When it’s a band like Deep Purple, these aren’t the sections you want to skip through. These are the highlights of a song!
I reviewed “All the Time in the World” when the single was released. Quoting myself, “I’m really fond of “All the Time in the World”. It reminds me of the laid back Purple from Bananas. The classy keys from Don Airey seal the deal for me, but how about that Steve Morse solo? Fantastic!…It might not sound like the Deep Purple of 1970, but that was a long time ago now. It does sound like a rock band staying classy well into their silver years. I don’t hear any compromise nor contrivances here.”
Uncle Meat’s favourite song on the album was “Vincent Price”, and while the whole album is excellent, “Vincent Price” is also instant. It’s really fun, and Ezrin brings his trademark sound effects back to the table. Morse’s spooky guitar line seals the deal. Gillan’s lyrics about vampires and zombies are amusing enough. (This is the kind of lyric that never would have made it past the tyrannical Blackmore.)
There are a couple bonus tracks to be had. “It’ll Be Me” is an unlikely cover, by country singer Jack Clement. Deep Purple pull it off, thanks to Gillan’s lively vocal. “First Sign of Madness” was a free download track, also later released on the “Vincent Price” CD single. It’s a lively song, but different from the album tracks. It reminds me of “Via Miama” from the Gillan/Glover album Accidentally on Purpose. It took a while to grow on me, but I quite like it now just because it doesn’t sound too much like the rest of the album. But these songs will all be on the forthcoming “tour edition”.
Deep Purple pulled off the damn near impossible and put out one of their best albums 45 years after initially forming. Most bands would dream of being able to do this. Hell, most bands don’t put out albums as good as NOW What?! during their primes. If this is a career capper (and I pray Purple have another album in them) then I couldn’t imagine a better album to finish on. The same goes for Ezrin, the guy who produced such classics as The Wall, Destroyer, and Billion Dollar Babies. If Bob retired tomorrow, he could do so having done a freaking great Deep Purple record.
5/5 stars
WHOCARES: Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi & Friends – “Holy Water” / “Out of My Mind” (2011 Edel charity single)
Remember Rock Aid Armenia? Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi, and many other friends gathered together to raise money for earthquake victims in Armenia. 21 years later, Gillan and Iommi returned to help again, by recording two more awesome songs. Joining them are Nicko McBrain, Jon Lord, Jason Newsted, and Linde Lindstrom from H.I.M.
First of all, I will just say how wonderful it is to hear Ian Gillan’s voice in front of Tony’s guitar again, first time since the Gillan’s Inn album. Even better is hearing Jon Lord’s organ with Ian. It’s just jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring. It makes you miss Jon Lord even more. It’s great that they managed to collaborate once more.
“Out Of My Mind” is a heavy-groove-sludge-monster, with some exotic sounding notes in the powerful riff. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Nicko McBrain play a groove like this before, proof that the man is one of metal’s greatest drummers; he’s versatile. The song vaguely reminded me of a more ominous “Soon Forgotten”, from Purpendicular. There’s also some face-melting guitar solos if all that wasn’t enough for you.
The second track, “Holy Water” is even more exotic. It has flute sounds and other non-rock sounding instruments. Once the song gets going though, it’s a little more upbeat than “Out Of My Mind”. The organ here is by someone named Jesse O’Brien, but once again the Hammond provides muscle.
To make this CD a little bit more worth the purchase price, they included the video for “Out Of My Mind” (made up of studio footage, much like the old Rock Aid Armenia video) and a 27 minute documentary.
I would have loved a vinyl copy. Only 1000 were made. I had it on pre-order from Amazon, but they never got it.
4/5 stars
DEEP PURPLE – Shades 1968-1998 (Rhino 1999 box set)
I was really excited about this 1999 box set when it came out, but what it came down to was this: I paid “x” amount of dollars for just two songs that I didn’t have on other recent Deep Purple CDs. One song, “Slow Down Sister” by Deep Purple Mk 5 was only available here. It’s since been reissued on the Slaves and Masters deluxe edition. The other is a very rare and very great 1971 live version of “No No No” from a compilation called Ritchie Blackmore/Rock Profile Vol. 1. So there’s your bait.
Unfortunately, the booklet and discography is loaded with errors. This was disappointing. The packaging is nice, with that sheet metal looking embossed cover. It opens kind of awkwardly though, making it hard to handle. And man, there are so many Deep Purple box sets out there now! I have Listen, Learn, Read On which is six CDs dedicated entirely to just 1968-1976. Obviously you can’t squeeze Deep Purple’s career onto just four discs. This set covers 1968-1998, which is a huge chunk. It’s almost the entire Jon Lord tenure. It skimps in some places and confounds me in others. Usually, Rhino do such a great job, but I felt this one didn’t live up to their other products.
Disc one covers 1968 to 1971 (Shades Of to Fireball). The tracks listed here as demos or rarities are from the Deep Purple remastered CDs, all except for the aforementioned “No No No” which really is awesome. If you have the great Singles A’s & B’s and the Deep Purple remasters, you have all this stuff. Except maybe the edit version of “”River Deep, Mountain High”, I’m not certain about that one. You get a good smattering of favourites on here, like “Kentucky Woman”, “Speed King”, “Child In Time” and so on, but it’s not really sequenced all that well. The slow-ish Deep Purple Mk I material fits awkwardly with the Mk II. Other songs of note include non-album singles and B-sides such as “Hallelujah” (first recording with Ian Gillan) and “The Bird Has Flown”. The version of “Speed King” included is the full UK cut, with the crazy noise intro.
Disc two is 1971 to 1972: more Fireball, and Machine Head. All these tracks can be found on Deep Purple remasters. There are some excellent tracks here, such as the rare “Painted Horse” and “Freedom”. “Painted Horse”, a personal favourite, has been available for decades on an album called Power House. I guess Blackmore didn’t like them at the time, so they languished until the band broke up before the record label released them. “I’m Alone” was rare for a long time, and “Slow Train” was completely undiscovered until the Fireball remaster. I like that “Anyone’s Daughter” is on here, a very underrated song. Of course you will hear all the big hits on this disc: The studio versions of “Smoke on the Water”, “Fireball”, Highway Star” and “Space Truckin'”. This will be many people’s favourite disc.
The third CD continues with Mk II. It starts off with the Made In Japan live version of “Smoke” which is fine, but now you’ve heard it twice. Soon, it’s “Woman From To-kay-yo”, “Mary Long”, and the scathing “Smooth Dancer”. Then Gillan and Glover are out, and in comes Coverdale and Hughes One rarity on this disc is the instrumental “Coronarias Redig”, which dates from the Burn period. It also includes some of Mk III’s most impressive work, including two of the best tunes from Come Taste The Band. Conspicuous by their absence is the epic “You Keep On Moving”, and Blackmore-era fave “Gypsy”. You will, however get “Burn”, and “Stormbringer” from Stormbringer itself.
The fourth CD is the one that ticks me off the most. This covers the reunion era, from 1984 to the then-most recent album Abandon in 1998. The hits are here, “Perfect Strangers” and “Knocking’ On Your Back Door”, as well as some singles from the Joe Lynn Turner era. What ticks me off here is the song selection. “Fire In The Basement”? What? That song kind of sucks, why not “The Cut Runs Deep”? Only one song from The Battle Rages On is included, only one from the excellent Purpendicular, and only one from the recent Abandon? And not even the best songs? That makes no sense.
To short-change the later era of Deep Purple only serves to short-change the listener. The band were revitalized and rejuventated by Steve Morse, and made some really good, well received music. I saw them live with Morse in 1996.
From The House of Blue Light era, a single edit of “Bad Attitude” is included, which is probably rare. What you won’t get is the full, 10 minute + version of the instrumental “Son Of Aleric”. This is one of the best lesser known tunes from the reunion era. Instead, you get the truncated 7″ single version. That makes the 10 minute version frustratingly hard to get. It was originally released on a 12″ single, which you may be able to find. You might have better luck finding it on the European version of Knocking at Your Back Door: The Best of Deep Purple in the 80’s. It was included there, replacing “Child In Time” from the US version. I managed to get it thanks to my mom & dad who bought it for me at an HMV store in Edinburgh (along with Restless Heart by Whitesnake).
Mick Wall’s liner notes offer the Morse years a mere mention, and end on a nostalgia note of “bring back Blackmore.” Come on. Let’s focus on the present of a band that shows no signs of slowing down, shall we? But this box set short changes the present, and by picking it up you won’t hear such awesome later songs as “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” or “Fingers to the Bone”.
I know many reviews of this set are glowing, and each reviewer has their own reasons for doing so. I can’t. This band is too important, too vital, and dammit, still alive! This box set simply doesn’t do them justice. I was ticked off when I bought it and realized I owned almost all the “rare and unreleased” material. Collectors won’t find much here worth the coin spent, and rock fans who just want a great box set of Deep Purple won’t get to hear enough Morse.
Somebody dropped the ball on this one! 2/5 stars.
: Lebrain
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DEEP PURPLE – Collector’s Edition: The Bootleg Series 1984-2000 (2000 Thames Thompson, Australia only, 12 CD set)
There are two (!) 12 CD Deep Purple bootleg collections; this is the first and best of them. Although Deep Purple’s career is chock full of live albums chronicling this period, this set does feature many treats that are hard to find or not available on official live albums. These really are bootlegs; the band decided to release their own versions of pre-existing audience bootleg albums! All artwork, errors included, are copied from the original bootleg releases.
Before you get too excited I will state right off the bat: There’s no Deep Purple Mk V or VI. No Joe Lynn Turner, or Joe Satriani. There is, however, a show from 1995 with Steve Morse, previewing tracks from the yet-to-be recorded Purpendicular album. This transitional period is very cool. You get to hear Morse perform “Anyone’s Daughter”, which was dropped from the set not long after. Since Morse and Blackmore’s styles are vastly different, it’s a cool take on a track that you don’t hear often as it is. In addition, you’ll hear Morse reinvent “Woman From Tokyo” on a bootleg from 2000.
The Bootleg Series also contains my favourite version of “The Battle Rages On” ever released. 1995, Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Ian Gillan tore the roof off with that song. In my mind I always imagined his screams directed towards Blackmore, even though he was probably furthest from Gillan’s mind. It’s a magical version, you can hear the electricity and the emotion. Just awesome.
Also a treat is a revisiting of the old In Rock classic, “Into the Fire” from 2000. This version crushes! Unfortunately, a stiff and slow version of “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” follows it. Deep Purple are that kind of band, usually they just kill it. But their history does contain rare stumbles, and this take of “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” is nothing stacked up against other versions available. On the other hand, Purple just smoke the Abandon track “’69” immediately afterwards! They extend this concise rocker to include an extended jam with a nod and wink to “Paint It, Black”.
Other highlights: Blackmore’s solo spot “Difficult to Cure”. Rarely heard 80’s-era tracks such as “Under the Gun”, “A Gypsy’s Kiss”, “Nobody’s Home”, “The Unwritten Law”, “Bad Attitude”, “Hard Lovin’ Woman”, and “Dead or Alive”. You can’t buy a live version of “The Unwritten Law” anywhere else. “Fools”, a rarely played track from Fireball, simply crushes. Holy Ian Paice, Batman! Steve puts his own slant on the guitar part in “Fools”, but it is his solo spot on “Cascades” that is truly intoxicating.
These being bootlegs, don’t expect sound quality or packaging or liner notes, unfortunately. The sound quality does improve as you go from the oldest discs to the most recent. The oldest shows have a lot of crowd noise, and poor sounding drums. By the time you get the Japan 2000 show, things sound much better although can still stray towards muddy at times. Packaging-wise, what you see is what you get: A box, six jewel cases, front covers and back covers.
This was an Australia-only release. I have no idea what it’s worth today. I haven’t seen one in years.
4/5 stars
Bootlegs:
Highway Stars (Adelaide Australia, 11/30/1984)
Third Night (Sweden, 06/16/1985)
Hungary Days (Budapest Hungary, 01/28/1987)
In Your Trousers (Stockholm Sweden, 11/13/1993)
Purple Sunshine (Ft. Lauderdale Florida, 03/04/1995)
Made In Japan 2000 (Osaka Japan 04/01/2000)
I decided that there’s no point rating these bootlegs individually. For one, it’s a set, and when it came down to splitting hairs, I like them equally. And that speaks volumes as to the consistency of this band.
DEEP PURPLE – Power House (1977 Warner Bros, Japanese import)
I have always loved listening to the Power House album, featuring the classic Deep Purple Mk II era. After Purple broke up in ’76, the market was inundated with compilations and live albums. This one, and others like Last Concert in Japan, and When We Rock We Rock… were snapped up by fans who wanted more Purple. All of these albums have been rendered redundant by superior, current Deep Purple remasters. If you’re the kind of fan who collects all of those 70’s posthumous Hendrix albums, then you’ll dig Power House, a brief but enjoyable romp through less familiar Purple. You’ll even get the original liner notes by Simon Robinson.
Power House consisted of 6 then-unreleased tracks. Here’s your complete track list:
1. “Painted Horse”. This is an outtake from the Who Do We Think We Are sessions in July 1972. This is the track that Blackmore “didn’t like”. He hated what Gillan did with the vocal, and demanded it be changed. Gillan refused, and the result was a great, unique Deep Purple rocker that remained unreleased until after the band was defunct.
2. “Hush”
3. “Wring That Neck”
4. “Child In Time”
From the Concerto for Group and Orchestra program in September 1969. The original hit LP release of the Concerto had just the three movements of that piece. Deep Purple played a standard three song set before the Concerto, and here it was released on Power House. These three versions remain among my favourite performances of these songs. “Child In Time” had yet to be recorded on album, and Jon Lord’s melodies are experimental and in development. Very cool. It’s “Hush” that really smokes, a definitive version of this cover. Gillan made it his own right there.
Today the Concerto is available remixed on two discs, with the full piece, the Deep Purple set, and the Royal Philharmonic’s rendition of Malcolm Arnold’s “Symphony No. 6”, which was also performed that night.
5. “Black Night”. Another nearly definitive version in my books! This is a B-side, recorded at the Made in Japan dates in August 1972. This is widely available today on various extended versions of the Japan shows, the Singles A’s and B’s, 24 Carat Purple, and many others.
6. “Cry Free”. Outtake from the Deep Purple In Rock sessions in January 1970. It is incredible how fertile the band were in the early 1970’s. As if In Rock wasn’t amazing enough, this kind of song doesn’t even make the album? Amazing that Deep Purple’s outtakes were so impressive. That they could throw this away speaks volumes of their confidence at the time.
Regardless of Power House being superseded in recent years by better packages, I still enjoy this album, in this sequence.
4/5 stars
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