vinyl

🅻🅸🆅🅴 GOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON! New Music Mania with Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 99:  Good Friday Afternoon – New Music Mania with Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal

A Good Friday tradition:  For the third time, Grab A Stack of Rock goes LIVE this afternoon with special guests and special music!  We have a ton of new music here to discuss at Grab A Stack of Rock HQ.  You’ve heard all about the new Darkness album Dreams On Toast?  Well now it’s my turn.  I have SEVEN COPIES (six physical and one digital) to get all the tracks, and I will be discussing my impressions.  I also have the new Rock N Roll Party Tonite EP by Mystique, and some vinyl from Dan Chartrand from OfftheCharts to unbox!  What could be inside?  You’ll be electrified.  Time permitting, I may also show off my massive haul from a forthcoming video on a big, BIG purchase.

We’ll see how much we can get through, because joining me will be Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal, with their own new musical scores to show off.  What could be new in southern Australia and the state of Alabama?  We’ll find out this afternoon!

The Good Friday afternoon episode is a tradition now in its third year (see below).  Sadly, Jex Russell could not be with us this time, but Ash and Johnny should be up to the task, even if the time zones make it tricky.  Remember, this episode is LIVE so join us for the fun and let us know in the comments that you’re with us!  See you this afternoon to Grab LOTS of Stacks of Rock!

Friday April 18 at 3:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 4:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

Good Fridays Past:

Good Friday Afternoon April 7 2023:  @MarriedandHeels and Jex Russell began the tradition for a special episode celebrating California music, Easter manicures, and shiny silver boots!  Our first Good Friday afternoon episode, we did it at this time slot to enable @MarriedandHeels to join us from California.  It was a fun afternoon, and look how shiny those boots are!

Good Friday Afternoon March 29 2024: Top 5 Albums From Our Birth Years with Jex Russell and Uncle Meat.  This was a special episode!  Jex and I wanted to continue the Good Friday tradition, but this was a special reunion for Meat and I, who had not done a show together in a year and a half.  Jex surprised me – and my surprise is in the thumbnail image!  A blessed good show!

NEXT WEEK:  OUR 100TH EPISODE!  A LIVE MIX TAPE WITH JEX, HARRISON AND JOHNNY METAL!

 

Friday Preview! A Massive Music Haul!

I came home from work last Friday to find not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE parcels containing new music!  Of course, if you unbox something these days, you have to do it on camera.  All of this music will receive a closer look on our annual Good Friday Afternoon Show on Grab A Stack of Rock, tomorrow!  However, nothing can top the first look at a musical surprise!

Catch my reaction as I look at:

  • Six versions of the Darkness’ Dreams On Toast album, which will be discussed in more detail on Friday.
  • A brand new EP of previously unreleased music by Mystique!
  • Killer metal from the UK.
  • A surprise gift of a Japanese import.
  • A very special gift from Blotto!

All here in this spontaneous and magical unboxing video!  Tune in tomorrow for our Good Friday show and a deep dive into all this new music, and much more!

“Hey, You Like Records!” – Grab A Stack of Free Records – Bonus Episode!

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

Special Edition Episode:  “Hey, You Like Records!” – Grab A Stack of Free Records

One day, Jen came home from bowling with a stack of records from a near-stranger!  “Hey, you like records don’t you?” said the person as he dumped all this ancient vinyl in her hands.  She knew I’d be able to make a video of them, if nothing else.  So that is what we did.

Join Harrison and I for a look at some musty records with a couple surprises.  Apparently, if you like Led Zeppelin, the Who and the Beatles, then we discovered the Canadian equivalent of those bands for the “over 25” crowd.  Please welcome…the Moms and the Dads!

Gospel, Hans Albers, Wurlitzer, Bill Haley & the Coments, songs about cats and dogs…we got it all on this weird bonus episode of Grab A Stack of Rock!

This episode is live on YouTube now!  Hit up the channel, like and subscribe!

#1174: Big Feelings & Why I’m Upset With the Arkells

RECORD STORE TALES #1174:  Big Feelings & Why I’m Upset With the Arkells

I bought my first Arkells album High Noon back in 2017, but I really fell hard for the band in 2023.  The Canadian pop rock quintet hadn’t put out any songs I disliked, but in 2023 a combination of personal drama and a need for Canadian tunes led me to dive into the band all the way.  It was May, and in less than a year I had acquired all the albums.  That is a short period of time to absorb so much new music, but I did, and I loved virtually all of it.  There are actually few bands I love as much as the Arkells, and only a handful that I fell for so quickly.

I love their lyrics, from everyman tales of not being able to pay the rent, to social discourse and critique.  Singer Max Kerman was a Poli-Sci major, and also has his finger on the pulse of the youth.  This results in some pretty cool lyrics.  As for the band, their musicianship is top notch.  Drummer Tim Oxford is in my top Canadian drummers of all time, and you know that’s an elite list.  I’m also a big fan of bassist Nick Dika, who always has deep tones and fabulous bass melodies.

Shortly after I went all-in, the band released a new album called Laundry Pile, an acoustic affair with melancholy feelings.  A bit of a slow burner, but a brilliant album.  This was followed by the 2024 all-covers LP, Disco Loadout.  I enthusiastically went bonkers for it, and got it on CD and signed vinyl.  Their eclectic set of tunes, from Abba to Whitney interpreted by the rock band, satisfied deeply.  They threw in a couple rock tunes by Springsteen and Hall & Oates, and I just liked the whole album.  Could I fall in love any more with the Arkells?

Full stop to the summer of 2024.  So soon after the Disco Loadout album, Arkells announced the release of a new single called “Big Feelings”.   “It came together quickly,” said the band. “It started with a bold drum loop that Tim made, and was quickly arranged when the band assembled for a session in February.”

A few weeks after Aaron and I visited Sonic Boom records in Toronto, the Arkells announced an appearance at the store.  They brought with them 150 copies of “Big Feelings” on 180g clear vinyl, hand cut by Red Spade Records in Calgary, Alberta.

150 copies were all that were made.  And they sold out that day.  No copies have ever shown up on Discogs.

And this is why I’m upset with the Arkells.  I had just been to Sonic Boom a few weeks earlier, and there was no way I could make it down for that store release.  Trying to get there early enough to get one of the 150 copies…being in a crowd like that…no, no thanks.

I guess you could say, “Why are you upset, Mike?  It’s on you that you didn’t go.”

Sure, that’s true.  However, I think I’m on record for despising these kinds of releases that I’ll never get my hands on physically.  Maybe I’m not mad at the band; maybe I’m mad at the practice.  However it is the band that I have taken it out on.  “Big Feelings” remains the only Arkells song I don’t have, because I refused to buy it on iTunes.  I haven’t even put a “like” on the music video. Oh sure, I’ll probably give in eventually.  It just really bugs me that a band of Arkells’ stature, with thousands of fans who value physical media, would only release 150 copies in such an exclusive way.  Some might see that as indi-cool.  I don’t.  Arkells aren’t some garage band.  They have fans, and I feel a real disservice by this release.

Call me a curmudgeon, but that’s how I feel.

REVIEW: Vollmer – It’s A Pleasure Doing Business (2024 vinyl release)

VOLLMER – It’s A Pleasure Doing Business (2024 Helix Records vinyl reissue)

In 1993, Helix released one of their best, most unsung albums:  It’s a Business Doing Pleasure.  It featured a more acoustic-based side of Brian Vollmer’s writing, who penned the majority of the tunes with Marc Ribler as a solo project.  At the same time, Helix guitarist Paul Hackman was writing his own set of tunes for the next Helix album.  When Paul was tragically killed in a 1992 tour bus accident, Brian had no choice but to use his solo album as the next Helix record.  This never sat well with the frontman, who felt it did not represent the hard rockin’ down n’ dirty core of Helix.  Brian said in his book Gimme An R, that the album was “a huge mistake on my part, and I take full credit for the blunder. The really sad thing about it all was that I was really proud of all those songs on the album and they were wasted because they did not fit under the Helix name.”

I occasionally differ with Brian Vollmer’s opinions on such things.  I loved the album in 1993 and it still sounds brilliant today, and not at all dated to the time.  While Helix’s new sound came as a surprise, it was not an unpleasant surprise.  In an age when every band was getting heavier to compete with grunge, Vollmer took the opposite tack, and I loved him for it.  It’s a Business Doing Pleasure was a brilliant album, “Helix” or not.  A rose by any other name…

I can understand why Vollmer chose to reissue this album under his own name, seeing as it was intended to be from the start.  To differentiate from the original, he changed the title to It’s A Pleasure Doing Business, which unfortunately loses the wink-and-nod cleverness of the original title.

Vollmer also chose to axe and replace two songs.  The closing duo of “Sleepin’ in the Doghouse Again” and “Mad Mad World” are lost, which is a real shame.  “Doghouse” featured Kim Mitchell on lead guitar, though it was the hardest and most Helix-like of the tracks.  “Mad Mad World” was just melodic brilliance, with whistling!  Two crucial songs.  They are replaced here by new recordings.  “Still Got that Look in Your Eyes” is a previously unheard track, featuring Helix members Fritz Hinz and Daryl Gray.  “Hung Over But Still Hanging In” is not a new version of a Helix deep cut from Vagabond Bones.  This seems to be a completely new song with the same title.

There are some serious unrecognized tunes of brilliant melodic composition here.  “That Day Is Gonna Come” remains a Helix pinnacle of sorts, a passionate callback to the golden years with that delicious acoustic backing.  “Tug ‘o War” is a ballad that Brian and Greg Fraser once performed live in the MuchMusic studios, and a strong one at that.  “Look Me Straight in the Heart” is a duet with Lee Aaron, that used to open side two of the album.   Another ballad, but one that really should have been a hit.  You’d think Lee and Helix on one big ballad would have set Canadian radio on fire.  “Wrong Side of Bed” has some kick, and funny lyrics.  Side one closer “Can’t Even Afford to Die” is actually upbeat, and features some brilliant twangy soloing by Ribler.

“Still Got that Look in Your Eyes” is a really decent 80’s-sounding pop rocker.  It is an awkward fit on the album, because though it suits the poppy direction of It’s A Pleasure Doing Business, the keyboards differentiate it.  It’s also played by different musicians, which the subconscious mind of the Helix fan can pick up on.  Brian’s voice is a little lower, since 30 years passed between songs.  Good tune though, perhaps even great!  It will take some getting used to in this running order.

“Trust the Feeling” is another shoulda-been classic from the original album.  Though a ballad, this album didn’t really feel like it had too many of them.  It just felt like everything fit.  Ribler plays some very nice slide parts here.  “Love Is a Crazy Game”, though…what a ballad!  There’s a rock version of it on another Helix album, but this fully acoustic version of it is flawless.  Vollmer was in peak voice, and peak songwriting.  His vocals just speak, the way only great singers can do it.  There’s plenty of acoustic excitement with the guitars too.  No drums.  The album may have been a stripped back affair in terms of rock, but not in arrangement.  There is plenty going on with percussion, vocals and acoustics to occupy the ear.

“Misery Loves Company” is a solid country rocker from the original album.  More rock than country, but the twang is undeniable and nothing wrong with that.  It has a shout-along chorus that would still do well today, if Helix ever decide to bring this gem onto the stage.

The other new song, “Hung Over But Still Hanging In”, closes the album.  It seems like only the title was re-used from Vagabond Bones.  This is a nice drinking ballad, with a bit of a kick compared to the rest of the ballads.  It matches very closely the vibe of the original album, featuring Helix guitarist Mark Chichkan on guitar,

Here’s where the constructive criticism comes in.  The original album title and font on the cover were better.  This new zoomed-in cover with the Vollmer logo on it feels…off.  The original was a piece Hugh Syme art, and the new version was re-created by Brent Doerner.  It’s hard to improve perfection, and that’s not Doctor Doerner’s fault.  I wish this album had a big Helix logo on the front cover.  The original album never had the classic Helix logo.  Imagine if this did!  There is also a laissez-faire approach to capitalising the song titles on the back cover, but it’s a gatefold cover at least.

For 30 years, this was a Helix album.  It just doesn’t feel right filing it under “V”.  (However it’s my collection and I’ll file as I please!)  Since it was intended as a solo album back in 1992, it’s logical to do a reissue under the Vollmer name.  It makes sense to add new material.  Shuffling the running order for a pleasing listening experience on vinyl is fine, but losing two songs is unfortunate.  This reissue could have been a 5/5 star bang-on wish fulfilled.  So close to the mark!

4/5 stars

#1156: To What Lengths? (Shelf Wear)

RECORD STORE TALES #1156: To What Lengths? (Shelf Wear)

We, as collectors in this community, generally buy our music on a physical format to listen to it, but also value its condition and cosmetic perfection.  We don’t want creases in the inner sleeve, or banged-up covers if we can avoid it.  We especially don’t like being the ones responsible for damage.  It does happen.  Sometimes it’s as simple as pulling a favourite CD or LP out of its designated filing location too many times.  Scratches and scuffs appear on the jewel case or sleeve, if not protected.  Most people protect their vinyl LPs in plastic, and a small minority of CD aficionados do as well, which mitigates damage to just those moments you remove the packaging from that sleeve: the dirt and oils in your hands, the dust in the air, the light wear from handling.

If you’re new here, this is a judgement-free place!  If you go to tremendous degrees to protect your jewel cases (I had one customer who bought them 5 at a time and insisted each one be in its own separate little bag) then I applaud you.  I wish I had your discipline, honestly.  I’ve cracked and scuffed many-a-case over my years as a fan and collector.

Another fact known to CD collectors:  Many, especially in the 1990s, came in specialised jewel cases that could not easily replaced if damaged.  The best you could hope for was a Krazy Glue solution.  Example:  Pet Shop Boys’ Very CD in 1993, which came in a unique, opaque orange case with lego-like bumps on the front and a sticker with track listing on back.  It had a matching orange tray inside.  Fortunately, these were a bargain bin perennial and if you broke you case, you could buy a replacement for under $6 bucks.  If not, you could do a reasonable repair job with glue.

Coloured jewel cases were another variation.  With collector’s allure, Alice In Chains’ self-titled CD in 1995 came in two variations.  The common one was a yellow case with a purple inlay.  The very rare reverse was purple case with yellow inlay.  So rare in fact that in my 12 years in music retail, I never saw a copy come my way without one or both components damaged.  Less rarely, Kiss’ 1996 CD You Wanted The Best, You Got the Best came in a wine-red case with yellow tray.  I may or may not have swapped some at my store with plain cases, allowing me to keep the wine-red and yellow for myself, for other Kiss releases.  Perhaps I did.

 

 

Regardless of how you acquire such packages, the ideal collection has them relatively intact for the duration of their stay at your home.  How to do ensure this to the best of your ability?  As implied, I don’t want to put every CD I own in a sleeve.  However, I do make sleeves for discs like the above.  Simple ones out of clear comic bags (for example) cut down to size.  They even make sandwich bags in the exact right size if you feel lazy.  Remember:  no judgement!

Of course, this cannot prevent breakage all the time.  If you have ever moved house with boxes of CDs, you probably endured some damage.  When I moved, I did two important things:  1) I insisted only I handled the boxes marked “CDs”, and 2) I packaged all specially-cased CDs in a special padded box, also handled by myself.

Another variation, and perhaps my favourite, is the engraved jewel case.  One of the most common is the Prince “Love Symbol” CD, fairly easy to find multiple intact copies.  My most treasured engraved case is Deep Purple’s 25th anniversary edition of In Rock.  (Now we’re over 50 years…)  I bought my copy in 1996, in Toronto, at (I think) Sunrise.  It was there or HMV, and I was present with the mighty T-Rev, who braved the streets of Toronto with no air conditioning on a hot summer day in my Plymouth Sundance.  He drove – I wouldn’t.  I cradled my precious Purple in my arms so carefully on my way home.  I could see easily that the signatures and text on the front were in the plastic of the case, and not printed on the booklet.

I made a plan, and carefully executed it.  My solution protects my CD to this day.

Using a Swiss Army knife, I carefully slit the right side of the plastic wrap, all around the entire CD, and removed this side flap.  I then carefully coaxed the CD out of its plastic home, and upon success, pushed it back in.  I had created a little sleeve that protected my new purchase upon my shelves.  It still functions today, and my copy of In Rock still looks pretty good despite hundreds of plays.

Fingers crossed!

 

REVIEW: Def Leppard – “Just Like 73″ (7” single)

DEF LEPPARD – “Just Like 73” (7″ Mercury single)

This is Def Leppard’s first 7″ single in 30 years – since “Action” in 1994!

I’m bored of Def Leppard’s glam throwback songs.  I know that seems hypocritical, given that many of their biggest hits (“Pour Some Sugar On Me”) are basically that.  “Just Like 73″ is their latest single, a standalone without an album, issued on various coloured 7” singles this year.  While we applaud Leppard for releasing new music on a physical format, the song is not one of their greatest to date.

The coolest aspect of “Just Like 73” is the surprising guitar solo by Tom Morello.  Rage Against the Machine and Def Leppard were diametrically opposed in 1993, but I suppose back in ’73, those guys were listening to a lot of the same records.  On the B-side is a version without Mr. Morello, which is valuable to the collector, but the song is lesser without him.

Sometimes Def Leppard seem bent upon recreating their past, and not always hitting that mark.  “Just Like 73” pushes those big “Hey!” vocals that are so commonly associated with Leppard.  It has the Gary Glitter kind of beats that they are so fond of.  Really, the only thing new here for Def Leppard is that Morello squonk all over the A-side.  That’s a great mix and they should collaborate further.

3/5 stars

An 8-track Holy Grail, a Marillion box set, and a Saga at its end, with Tim Durling and Aaron KMA – Grab A Stack of Rock Special Edition!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike, Aaron KMA and Tim Durling

Special Edition Episode:  An 8 Track Holy Grail & More

This video is years in the making.  More than just an “unboxing” video, this is a fun and informative episode that documents one man’s journey to collect his favourite bands on obsolete formats, and another man’s ability to find them.

About four years ago, Aaron provided Tim with a rare 8-track tape that he needed for his collection.  Another one of Aaron’s tapes went to Martin Popoff.  But there was one tape that Tim needed to “complete” a specific collection.  And this summer, Aaron found that one too.  He just has a knack for it, and it seems appropriate that it was Aaron who found this last tape.  There’s a story that goes with it, and three tapes that went to me as well!

“Complete” is in quotes, because this video is far more than just an unboxing video.  This is a philosophical (and fun) discussion about 8-track tapes, collecting, and genuine Australian bubble wrap.  We discuss breaks in the middle of tracks, altered track listings, and for good measure, a little bit about vintage Star Wars toys.  We also speculate on one tape that may still be out there, but remains unknown.

This episode is in two parts.  It begins with Aaron and I unboxing three beautiful 8-track tapes, and a number of birthday gifts.  Also inside that box was Tim’s tape, which I mailed immediately to New Brunswick.  The video cuts and picks up with Tim, ready to open his treasure in front of the cameras.

 

REVIEW: Deep Purple – =1 Access All Areas (2024) [Part Three- The DVD]

Part Three of a Three Part Series

Part 1:  =1 (the album)
Part 2:  =1 (the live album)
Part 3: =1 Access All Areas (DVD)

 

DEEP PURPLE – =1 Access All Areas (2024 Edel DVD)

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.

REVIEW: Deep Purple – =1 Live 10″ Vinyl (2024) [Part Two – The Live Album]

Part Two of a Three Part Series

Part 1:  =1 (the album)
Part 2:  =1 (the live album)
Part 3: =1 Access All Areas (DVD)

 

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”.

4/5 stars