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This is a really enjoyable podcast about the best rock band ever (Deep Purple if you didn’t know!) plus the entire Purple family tree. Give it a listen and you will be entertained by the music and the banter between the two hosts!
Lead up to the Album:
Tony Ashton had previously worked with Jon Lord when Ashton, Gardner, and Dyke had worked with Jon Lord on his movie soundtrack for “The Last Rebel.”
It was recorded at three studios: Air Studios, Apple Studios, and De Lane Lea, all in London.
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As a Purple fan, I have been following them since the age of 2 and listening to the Concerto 1999 at that age was something really bissare, but that was my first introduction to the band and Pictured Within has become the song in which I have gotten into music today and Purple and then 13 years later getting to go to the Albert Hall for the Jon Lord tribute concert was something I will never forget and getting to live that like the 1999 concert was something special. I first saw this podcast when I saw a review of the video version to the Butterfly Ball concert and I immediately got into it just because of how they can review all sorts of purple family tree content and I have become a huge fan of it and hopefully many more great episodes to come. I would recommend this to every Purple fan there is.
Lead up to the Album:
The album was recorded in April and May of 1979 at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire using the Rolling Stones Mobile.
Marsden says it was freezing cold during the recording. He said the cold and “soulless” nature of the castle made you work harder. He says there were enormous banquets at night with a lot of drinking.
Marsden says they put a sign up at the castle entrance saying that it was closed because John Travolta was filming a movie there. He said this was right after “Grease” was released and the people nearby went crazy trying to get in.
Chris sent us a section of his preliminary master drawing for the album artwork. The whole piece is for sale so please contact him here if interested: http://chrisachilleos.co.uk/contact/
Also, mention that you heard about it on The Deep Purple Podcast if you could!
Did illustration for Uriah Heep’s “Fallen Angel” album, Heavy Metal The Motion Picture.
It’s been reported that after designing this controversial cover he had a policy of not working with bands. Chris debunked this in a discussion with the show.
The original artwork for this album was stolen and sold to a private collector.
The official word from Chris Achilleos in discussion with The Deep Purple Podcast:
I am quite reluctant to talk about this artwork to strangers. I have been stung before in the past and don’t want it to happen again.
I just want you to know that the painting was taken from me in good faith by someone I came to trust as a friend from LA in the ’80s, together with six other important paintings and then just disappeared on me!
The Whitesnake a/w was listed to be auctioned in the ’90s by someone, but I put a stop to it when I heard about it. The painting was never returned to me by the NY auction company, in spite of me asking many times for its return. They claim that it’s somewhere in there building, but they cannot find it!
If somebody has claimed that they have it, then they got it by not legal means. The rest of the paintings turned up in NY. Somebody bought them for nothing from a street market but refuses to deal with me. The world is full of bastards!
I do still have my prelim/master drawing for it if you know of anyone who might be interested in it.
Worked with Whitesnake on a number of albums after this.
Also worked with Dr. Feelgood (the band, not the Motley Crue album).
The cover obviously caused some controversy.
Marsden says that he doesn’t remember that much push back about the cover. Marsden remembers that “Come an Get It” caused many more problems and had to have an alternate cover in America.
Whitesnake Lovehunter cover!!! Immediately after seeing that for the first time I went through the entirety of puberty in like 5 minutes and emerged with a beard and a soothing baritone.
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Album Tracks:
Side One:
Long Way from Home (Coverdale)
Was the first single issued from the album. It reached No. 55 in the British charts. B-side was “Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues.”
Marsden says that Coverdale delivered this song pretty much as is to the band and that he just dubbed guitar parts. He said David did very good demos. “Good song, very good song.”
Foreigner had had a hit in 1977 called “Long, Long Way From Home” so even though Coverdale pretty much says the same thing in this song they decided to take one Long out of the title to avoid any confusion.
Walking in the Shadow of the Blues (Coverdale, Marsden)
Marsden says this is one of the best songs they ever wrote.
Help Me Thro’ the Day (Leon Russell)
Marsden describes this as a follow up to “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City.”
Medicine Man (Coverdale)
You ‘n’ Me (Coverdale, Marsden)
This was recorded first for Bernie Marsden’s solo album “And About Time Too.”
Coverdale suggested they do it with the band as well.
Marsden: “It’s just the usual kind of rhythm and blues, girl meets boy, girl loses boy, man loses girl, kind of thing. Nothing too deal, really.”
Side Two:
Mean Business (Coverdale, Moody, Marsden, Murray, Lord, Dowle)
Marsden says this was the only time he and Coverdale had a disagreement in the studio in the early days. Bernie thought it was too heavy metal. He didn’t think it’s how the band should be sounding. He says over the years he’s realized that David was right.
Marsden says he doesn’t think there’s a heavier Whitesnake song up until the 1987 album.
Love Hunter (Coverdale, Moody, Marsden)
Martin Popoff says of this track: “It has a bit of a Kiss vibe down Gene Simmons’ side of the stage.”
Marsden says he wrote the riff and verse, Moody wrote the slide parts, and Marsden wrote some lyrics something along the lines of “looking out for your, babe.” He says David went off and came back with better lyrics and that it was recorded very quickly.
Outlaw (Coverdale, Marsden, Lord)
Coverdale calls The Allman Brothers’ first album his blueprint for Whitesnake.
Marsden says Coverdale told Bernie this was his song and Lord didn’t even want writing credits but Marsden insisted given how much impact his parts had on the song.
Sort of made it into a tradition of Marsden getting a vocal on each album.
Marsden says there’s a little Thin Lizzy in there as he always respected Phil Lynott.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Women (Coverdale, Moody)
Marsden thinks he may not play on this track and that it happened from time to time.
We Wish You Well (Coverdale)
Edited cover on the Argentinian release.
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Reception and Review
Marsden said that critics were starting to take the lyrics of the band too seriously and that they didn’t take themselves very seriously. Marsden: “Lie down, I love you; it’s not Shakespeare. You know, if somebody’s going to say that, it’s like, seriously, what do you think? No, of course I’m not being serious.”
Ian Paice joined Whitesnake so soon after recording that Coverdale wanted to have him do the drums over but management vetoed the idea for financial reasons.
Marsden says this is a transitional album. He says Lovehunter is where they started to blossom in terms of signs and performances. Marsden says the first to albums before Paice were solid but they lacked direction.
Trouser Press’s Jon Young:
When a heavy-duty macho band starts to slow down, or exhibits less than blind certainty about what it’s doing, expect trouble. The problem isn’t that Whiesnake is engaged in a rehash of boogie/Bad Co. riffs (though that is certainly the case); the fatal flaw is they sound like they’ve heard it all before. How many ways can you thump your chest and grunt?”
Moody says that the budget on the first two albums was pretty limited.
Moody and Marsden seem to credit Ian Paice with putting the band more on course to what it would inevitably become.
Marsden says they toured mostly in the UK and Europe and that they were accused of being “unfashionable.” He says that when they realized they were selling out all the venues on the tour they said, “Well, let’s carry on being unfashionable.”
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With faces for radio, and voices for podcasts, Nate and John bring an awkward enthusiasm for Deep Purple and the extended Purple family. Their banter is genuine, and even when it goes off-topic, it remains entertaining and an easy listen. I will definitely remain a patron, at least until the pandemic ends and the strip clubs re-open. Raise your glass of coffee milk, cheers to Deep Purple and the Deep Purple Podcast! This review is approved by Spike the Rock Cat.
Chlll Gill, 20/03/2021, FIVE STARS!
Deep Purple Podcast #100
I’ve just been listening to these 2 great guys- Nathan and John- on this DP podcast for short while now and love their interaction as they really feed and bounce off each other
Gone back to start and onto episode #14 while keeping up with latest episodes
Perfect Strangers was that reincarnation Mk2 for me having been fan since original Mk2 in 1969
They have great knowledge DP and what I also like is the branching into what members of band past/ present / dead or alive got up to when not in DP
Highly recommend take a listen as easy to get hooked by the format and chat and fascinating pieces info pick up each episode Keep it up guys Gill in Wales UK
A Note From Jeff Breis:
Hey Nate,
I just now finished listening to your 4 part series on Jesus Christ Superstar, an album that I only occasionally pulled out in the past four decades.
You guys did a wonderful job presenting this work.
As a Catholic up until 12th grade (38 years ago), I was inundated with these biblical stories, so I shied away from this album for many years.
I enjoyed the performances by everyone on it, but I didn’t really care about the subject matter much.
Well, you three guys brought a new light to an excellent piece of work, with Paul adding a lot to the story with his knowledge of the subject. Very well done.
Thanks for making me a fan of an album I didn’t know as well as all the other Deep Purple related music that I enjoy. I have been playing it all week.
One more thing, your friend Paul Hughes made me think of one of the voices inside the piano on Frank Zappa’s Lumpy Gravy album, and that’s a good thing.
All the best,
FOLLOW UP:
Because of your show, I ordered the JCSuperstar DVD. I have not seen it since I was a kid.
As for Paul, he sounds like the guy in the piano who seems like the leader, who tells the others about the ponies and pigs and the smoke, the big note.
Lumpy Gravy – Part Two (Paul’s vocal doppelganger starts up at the beginning of this one)
Check it out.
Personal Memories:
Paul and John backstage on the 1993 Jesus Christ Superstar tour.
John Mottola, Ted Neeley, Paul Hughes, unidentified backstage worker, and redacted.Paul Hughes, Carl Anderson, and John Mottola.John Mottola and Ted Neeley.Paul Hughes and Ted Neeley.
Personnel
Reprising roles: Yvonna Elliman, Barry Dennen
Only Barry Dennen and Josh Mostel had ever been on camera before.
Dennen suggested to Norman Jewison that he should make a movie around this album.
Norman Jewison said he was very moved listening to the record.
Barry Dennen says that they were in Yugoslavia filming Fiddler on the Roof and he approached Barry Dennen about it after discovering the album.
Jewison says he had someone else in mind but ended up going with Carl Anderson. He tested 4-5 other actors.
He was hesitant about casting Carl Anderson because he didn’t want it to come across that the black man was the traitor and the white man was the son of god. Jewison eventually decided he couldn’t do that because it would be denying him the role because of being black.
Played Judas during pre-Broadway but wasn’t given the role.
Understudied for the role of Judas but wasn’t given part on Broadway under Ben Vereen as he had more star power.
Was on Stevie Wonder’s “Song in the Key of Life” album but is not credited. Stevie performed two songs from the album at Anderson’s funeral.
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Congrats on the 100 shows. In honour of this landmark I’ve finally dipped my hand into my pocket and subscribed, which I’ve been meaning to do for ages! Loved the SBTE episode. Other highlights for me are the Rising episode and WDWTWA. Look forward to many more!
Always cool to hear other fans talking about a band you like. Great podcast with some good research and cool infos. Don’t miss it if you’re a fan of Deep Purple and its extended family.
Visit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
Album Tracks:
Side Two:
Perfect Strangers (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
Released as a single with the B-side of “Son of Alerik” which would later be released as a bonus track in later releases.
Glover said this was one of the best tracks he’d ever been involved with either in writing, producing, or playing and it was his favorite track on the album.
A Gypsy’s Kiss (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
Wasted Sunsets (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
Hungry Daze (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
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Copy of Elements with review on the cover “Mostly Mellow Jazz”
Hey guys, I thought this was funny so I had to share it. I picked up a copy of Elements on vinyl the other day. It’s a white label promo copy. The funny thing is that someone wrote “mostly mellow jazz” on the cover” it looks like someone also scratched “rock &” in between the words mellow and jazz. So it could have read as “ mostly mellow rock & jazz” if the “rock &” part had been in ink too. The picture doesn’t really show that though. I don’t think I would use those adjectives to describe this album, but okay…
Now since this was a promo copy, it makes me wonder if the person who originally owned this received a lot of promo records and marked all of them this way by writing directly on the album cover? It seems like a barbaric way to catalog something and one that would only be employed if you received so many albums that you no longer cared about them.
Anyway, I thought this was funny. It adds a bit of mystery to the ownership chain of the album if nothing else.
Picture attached.
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Reception and Review
After a few weeks of recording Ritchie and Roger flew to Hamburg to mix the album.
Ian Paice said in Tommy Vance interview that he hoped they could inject a little more thought and class into Rock and Roll. Described what was going on with pop in the mid 80s as a “fashion show.”
Ian Paice: “It’s kind of annoying because all the exciting bands seem to be coming from America at the moment and that’s not the way that God intended it.”
The CD and cassette original release contained the extra track “Not Responsible.”
The CD re-release contained the bonus track “Son of Alerik” a solo Blackmore composition which was released as a B-side to the Perfect Strangers single.
The album was a huge success. It reached #5 in the UK charts and #17 on the Billboard 200 in the US.
It was the second album to be certified platinum in the US after Machine Head.
The following tour was such a success that they had to add many additional dates as shows sold out very quickly.
Their 1985 tour was only out-grossed by Bruce Springsteen that year.
Roger Glover has said of this album, “A great moment in time, but, as an album it doesn’t quite hang together.”
Paice: “To me, it’s a natural progression from [the] earlier records, but with a ten-year growth period in between. It was a revelation to capture the spirit of the Mark II Purple once again . . . very refreshing.”
Lord: “a perfect album. IT said everything about the band that needed to be said. We weren’t trying to be a super new 1980s band, and at the same time we weren’t just a nostalgia band.”
Ritchie: “We put [Deep Purple] back together to annoy the press, basically. Give them something to btch about. That really is our No. 1 priority — to upset the critics.”
The title track comes blasting out of nowhere, like an I’m-alive-and-well message from an old friend you’d given up for dead. With its steamy vocal and genuine, if uncharacteristic, touches of wit throbbing above Deep Purple’s heavy signature sound, “Perfect Strangers” sets the tone for this venerable band’s reunion album. Lead singer Ian Gillan — who’s never been in finer, and deeper, throat — sinuously glides into lyrics that suggest these veterans have something to say about where they’ve been in the last few years (“Can you remember, remember my name … I am the echo of your past”) and have lots more to offer in the future. For a moment, you almost wonder why Purple ever faded away in the first place. Until, that is, you hear the rest of the album.
Excepting the title cut and the rambunctious but less effective “Knocking at Your Back Door,” the material consists of hastily knocked-off jams that allow guitar demigod Ritchie Blackmore to whip out his finger exercises in public. The band spent about six to eight weeks recording this comeback. (The current lineup is actually neither the original nor the final Deep Purple but the most successful — of “Smoke on the Water” fame.) It doesn’t sound as if they spent much more time thinking about it, either.
Blackmore’s Strat has such a great roar that you’re willing to just let it reverberate in your eardrums for a bit. And it’s nice to hear Jon Lord’s unsynthesized organ squalls, Ian Paice’s meaty pounding, Gillan’s howls and whispers and Roger Glover’s solid bass lines once again. Eventually, though, it’s “enough of the sound check already — where are the songs?” Instead of Glover, an outside producer might have forced the band to tighten up its licks and arrangements. Then again, did Deep Purple ever have more than one or two really good, concise numbers on an album? Maybe they’re just making the kind of record they always did, the only kind they know how to make.
So why are they doing this? To cash in on the current heavy-metal craze, in which dozens of young upstarts are making fortunes playing Purple riffs? Following a recent meet-the-press shebang promoting the album and impending world tour, the band members (minus the temperamental Blackmore, who, true to his “enigmage,” didn’t show) insisted they don’t need the dough. Perhaps the answer lies in “Wasted Sunsets,” a portrait of an aging rock star who’s got “gold and silver for the blues” but nothing to do except drink the nights away. It’s nice that Perfect Strangers got the Purples out of their respective mansions; too bad they didn’t venture farther from home.
The album hit the record stores here on October 29th, though most London stores held out for the official release date of November 2nd. The cover appalls me; looks like something a thirteen year old would carve into a school desk in a moment of boredom. The music; you know damn well that what went down at those rehearsals and in the studio must have been electric, yet the energy doesn’t always communicate itself to the listener, which is a shame. The temptation in reviewing it is to get carried away by the fact that they are back together, and rave about the goodies while playing down the more mediocre stuff. That would be wrong.
‘Knocking At Your Back Door’ effortlessly crosses the gap between commercial and hard rock in a way Rainbow tried so long to achieve… lovely chugging strings at the intro, Paicey lays into it, the Hammond swirling about, and a very typical Blackmore riff. Polished performances all round and disgustingly catchy. ‘Nobody’s Home’ is a hard rocking steal from ‘Lay Down Stay Down’ amongst others. ‘Mean Streak’ doesn’t consist of much at all – pounding bass, hi-hat and what sounds like good organ work buried in a really muddy sound. I find it hard to say a lot about the title track. It is everything Purple ever were to me, if I had to justify the reunion to anyone this cut would suffice. Ian’s vocals charged with emotion, all set over a gorgeous piece of work from the band. It belongs up there with the best of everything they’ve done before. ‘Wasted Sunsets’ is nicely predictable. It could have made a blinder, I’d have liked a quiet start, taking it up gradually to increase the power. ‘Hungry Daze’ is a bit of a let down, the best bit being the middle part – Third Stone From The Sun revisited!
The Burn album is probably the closest point of reference in terms of how I feel about the album overall. That too was recorded quickly, and showed a marked change of style. This time we’ve been prepared somewhat with Rainbow, and the shadow of that band is fairly strong. More variety in the manner of Gillan’s output over the past few years wouldn’t go amiss.
“Leaden Grandads” Record Mirror; “Some things never change, and this is one of them.” Melody Maker; “Bland and sluggish” Bury Times; “Dated plodding heavy metal” Music Week; “Old gits” NME. Great reviews for what most fans still regard as one of the best tracks of the reunion to date.
After the album’s release the band would embark upon
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Welcome, Stuart!
Dear Nate and John, thanks so much to both of you for this brilliant pocast. As a huge fan of Purple and the extended family since 1995, I’ve been spending many a really enjoyable evening over the past couple of months firstly playing my vinyl of one of the albums you’ve covered, then listening to the episode to hear the record again along with you guys with a nice couple of large whiskeys. Your chat about each track is always hugely entertaining, with excellent insight into the history and making of the albums. Many thanks and really looking forward to more great episodes. Best wishes Stuart (Hove, UK)
A journey through a man’s journey through depression, low self esteem and borderline alcoholism through to acceptance and forgiveness of himself. Using the music of Deep Purple as a reference point the book is a series of short stories explore such concepts as institutional abuse, violence, loyalty, betrayal, love, loss and death
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Spike is well versed in all genres, but for purposes of DPP, he will be known as the Rock Cat. Don’t get too excited though with the extra cash. Unless you start having scantily clad women on the show, that’s all you are going to get. Congrats on 100 episodes!
a very well made podcast. the hosts are really funny.
Lead up to the Album:
1978 event planned? Jerry Bloom’s Black Night, page 255.
For years there had been rumors of a Deep Purple Mk 2 reunion. In late 1982 it had come very close to becoming a reality.
Gillan said in his book “Child in Time” that he’d been over to Ritchie’s to meet with Bruce Payne but says he got extremely drunk and probably spoiled any chance at an ‘82 reunion.
The ‘82 attempt was discussed by Roger in an interview in the LA Times shortly after the release of “Perfect Strangers”:
“Ian came over from England to talk to Ritchie and me about re-forming Deep Purple,” Glover recalled. “He had been singing in some bands, but none had been that big. He was just about to join Black Sabbath, but what he really wanted was a Deep Purple reunion.
“We had dinner in a restaurant and Ian got totally drunk by the end of the meal. Ritchie and I looked at each other and said: ‘Do we really want to deal with this?’ The answer was no. So Ian went back to England with a terrible hangover and no Deep Purple.”
There was even a rumor of a 1982 reunion as David Coverdale was approached and reportedly turned it down.
Things weren’t going great in Rainbow. The US tour they embarked on in 1983 was one of their smallest ever. There was even talk of canceled shows due to poor ticket sales.
Colin Hart writes in his book “A Hart Life” that Ritchie Blackmore was not a fun person to be around at this time. The recent shows had included Blackmore including Deep Purple classics into the setlist to get more interest from fans. Hart says these songs were a little outside of Joe’s wheelhouse.
Bruce Payne had seen the writing on the wall and had already been in contact with Gillan.
Jon was playing with Whitesnake, Gillan with Gillan, Ritchie and Roger with Rainbow, and Ian Paice was with Gary Moore. This was right around the time Gillan had suffered vocal nodes and for whatever reason the 1982 reunion never came together.
Ian Paice was back home and enjoying his time as a highly sought after session drummer.
The five members met up in April of 1984 in Kentucky for talks. Blackmore called Jon Lord personally to ask him over.
The band members had mostly been in touch for the previous 9 years but the five of them had not been together since 1973.
In DPAS Issue 29 there was talk of a Swedish newspaper ran a story in 1983 that there was a Deep Purple reunion in the works with dates as the summer of 1984 pending Jon Lord’s agreement. This seemed to be mostly dismissed as rumor but it turns out it may have been the case.
Gillan said that Blackmore and Payne were looking to get Blackmore 50% of the writing credits for the reunion and it was up to the rest of the band how the remaining 50% was split.
Gillan, not surprisingly, didn’t go for this and they agreed on a three way split between Blackmore, Glover, and Gillan.
Gillan admits to being foggy on the financial details and says he could have asked Ian Paice if he was more interested as he seemed to be very good with the numbers.
Bruce Payne represented everyone in the band but Ian who remained represented by Phil Banfield and still does to this day.
Gillan and Glover reportedly tried to get the five way split they had in the early days but Blackmore held firm and it remained a three way songwriting split of Gillan, Glover, Blackmore. It would remain that way until Blackmore left in 1993.
Tony Edwards and John Coletta were still around, the duo who had managed Deep Purple from 1968 to 1976. They saw that Bruce Payne was in a position to take over and they were not happy with this turn of events. There were a lot of legal battles that would be fought.
Gillan also owed Virgin Records one more album.
On April 18, 1984, all five members met again at Thames Talent in New York and signed a contract to reform the band.
Colin Hart tells of picking them up and booking them separate rooms for the negotiations. He said he was worried about what they would be like but he knew he’d be able to read the expressions of Ian and Ritchie. He was worried that they’d be glum and the deal would be off but he said instead they were chatting like old school buddies.
The announcement of the reunion was made on April 27, 1984 in the Evening Standard as well as on BBC Radio One on the Tommy Vance programme. Vance had gotten the scoop from Gillan the previous day.
Bruce Payne is said to have told Joe Lynn Turner that Rainbow wasn’t disbanding but merely being put on a hiatus of sorts. It seems that he was likely hedging his bets, not sure of the longevity of the Deep Purple reunion.
Rainbow played one last gig at the Budokan in Tokyo with the band performing “Difficult to Cure” with an orchestra with the orchestrations written by David Rosenthal.
According to the DPAS magazine Tommy Vance teased it by saying he had news that a very big band from the 70s was about to reform. He said, “I’m going to play four records which featured the members of this band before the group was formed.” The first single was a Ritchie solo single and it became very clear what was happening.
Colin Hart was given instruction to find them a place in the Northeastern US to record. He booked them a place in Massachusetts called Bass Lodge. It was an ideal location but it was so isolated that they eventually decided the band would have nothing to do with their leisure time so they found a new location in Vermont which Hart was familiar with as Rainbow had rehearsed there previously.
Gillan said in his book that once they started playing together the magic was back and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.
Gillan describes the band getting together, coming in one by one and him just sitting there with a smile on his face thinking that these were the best players he’d ever worked with.
The album was recorded at “Horizons” in Stowe, Vermont with Le Mobile Studio.
A remote recording truck based in Carlsbad, California since 1984.
Used by Gwen Stefani, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Herbie Hancock.
Still in use today.
Le Mobile was unfortunately drew too much power so they had to have an electrician wire it directly to the electrical pole with extra breakers so they didn’t start a fire.
John Lord said in an interview with Tommy Vance that he arrived in Vermont with “bits and pieces” of ideas that he’d had in the back of his mind but that Ritchie arrived “bursting at the seams” with ideas and songs so Lord said he basically just threw all his stuff away.
Jon Lord also says “If it didn’t have Ritchie in it, it isn’t really Deep Purple.”
Gillan and Blackmore both said in interviews that they felt an enormous relief in not having to be the overall band leader, manager, etc. They both seemed to really like the idea that they could settle back and be a lead guitarist or a lead singer with all the other stuff being handled by other people.
Gillan cites his experience in Black Sabbath as getting a taste of that and really enjoying it.
Glover said from the beginning in the meetings that he didn’t want to be the producer. He said he wanted this to be a representation of what the band was. It turned out to go back to the old way with the band doing it. After about a week Ritchie had been asking Roger for help and against his wishes he fell into the producer role. He said he didn’t want to be a scape goat either if things didn’t go quite right.
Visit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
Album Art & Booklet Review
Ritchie Blackmore originally suggested that they title the album “At Last, the 1974 Album.” Like most things with Ritchie it’s not clear how much of this was serious and how much was a joke.
A lot of fans were looking for the follow up to “Who Do We Think We Are” but Jon Lord wanted the album to sound like 1984 not 1974.
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Album Tracks:
Side One:
Knocking at Your Back Door (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
Under the Gun (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
When asked by Tommy Vance about what his favorite solo is that he ever recorded Ritchie said he couldn’t really say but added: “I’m quite pleased with the solo work I did on this new song, ‘Under the Gun.’ That wasn’t bad.”
Nobody’s Home (Gillan, Paice, Lord, Blackmore, Glover)
Mean Streak (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover)
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Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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New Apple Podcasts Review – FROM OTHER COUNTRIES!!!
This week, a review from Australia:
FIVE STARS!
Electric_Mayhem!, 31/10/2020
One Of Rocks Best
DP as a band & their contribution is criminally underrated – this is a great podcast that shines light on the band, it’s members & their musical family tree. Great listen!
Thank you to all the listeners that we don’t hear from!
The songs!
Listener Mail/Comments
Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Disclaimer: The video used on YouTube is a byproduct of producing our audio podcast. We post it merely as a convenience to those who prefer the YouTube format. Please subscribe using one of the links below if you’d prefer a superior audio experience.
New Apple Podcasts Review – FROM OTHER COUNTRIES!!!
This week, a review from Great Britain:
FIVE STARS!
TrancaRua, 27/12/2019
Good stuff, fun to listen!
The most unlikely duo possible getting along too well and making really good things together. One of them is so quiet, an old soul (in fact as young as the most talking one) but full of catchy phrases and shows interesting knowledge of Deep Purple. Enjoying a lot, actually. Give a go!
Thank you to all the listeners that we don’t hear from!
Lead up to the Album:
Don Airey decided he was going to join Ozzy full time to work on Bark at the Moon.
Ritchie said in interviews that Don was “best friends” with Cozy and when he found out Cozy was being replaced he became furious and left the band to tour with Ozzy.
Roger Glover quit the band to just do production but was convinced to rejoin on bass by Bruce Payne.
Rosenthal joined the band straight out of Music College. He was asked to contribute with the songwriting but was told he would not get a full writing credit. Rosenthal had the foresight to get a lawyer to deal with the contract.
Rumors are the Bruce Payne wanted Rainbow to attempt to make a go of it without a keyboard player but that Ritchie wasn’t having it.
The recording took place at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Canada. The weather was exceptionally cold and snowy. It was in a beautiful 10-12 bedroom lake house with the studio at the other side of the lake. The band had two sets of equipment, one at the house for them to write and practice, and another at the studio.
Ritchie, of course, played a prank on Rosenthal but moving all the furniture out of his room and putting it in the cold and snow. The next morning Rosenthal was still freezing because he’d had to sleep in a freezing cold bed that he’d lugged back into the room himself.
Joe Lynn Turner said that Blackmore had warned him that moving more into this AOR direction was going to get him a lot of flak from the fans. Blackmore told Turner that for every one Dio fan they lost they’d pick up two new fans. Joe Lynn Turner said, “And that was the truck, literally. For example they never had any women at the concerts. So everyone loved that including the crew — it was thank God we have girls in teh audience now, we could compete . . .”
The first album with JLT where it was more cohesive, everything being done in one studio and together rather than the patchwork that was Difficult to Cure.
Ritchie admitted during this time he was more focused on song writing and was even struggling with solos.
Ritchie: “Unquestionably, we’ve turned in a more accessible direction on the last few albums. A few years ago I would have insisted that selling records means nothing. I realize now that a statement like that is made only by someone who it’s selling many records.”
Joe Lynn Turner says: “I’m an incredibly varied singer. I just grew up that way. . . . I love blues; I love ard rock and heavy metal, love country music s well. I listen to everything and just soaked it up; jazz and Etta James –I love that shit. I listen to sax players for vocal phrasings, just like guitarists do.”
JLT: “Sometimes people are surprised that I can sing R&B. I mean I grew up in a gospel church, in a black Baptist church. I’m a black man in a white man’s body –it’s unbelievable. If I really turn it on and go to the R&B side, it would just be too black. Glenn Hughes used to do that and do it real well, but he got killed for it. They used to say he’s too funky, he’s too black. You know what? He’s too gifted, so fuck you!”
Only credit on Discogs. Can only assume this is Ritchie.
Ritchie says that the album title was from when he bumped into Jeff Beck at a bar in 1967 after he’d just seen Hendrix. Jeff Beck told him that Hendrix’s playing hit him “straight between the eyes.”
Visit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
Written by Turner about route 109 in New Jersey and how it was so dangerous to drive down.
About a “drug run” in south Jersey where people would run massive amounts of cocaine and heroin.
In some interviews JLT says it’s about these drug runs, in other he says he was involved in one of the drug runs. He claims that he was friends with a guy who was a doctor who was analysing the cocaine. He tells the story of being caught up in this drug run unknowingly.
Video shot at a graveyard in Connecticut that was banned by MTV.
Stone Cold (Blackmore, Glover, Turner)
Joe Lynn Turner says this was written in the studio. He said he came up to Roger who was looking really depressed and when he asked Roger what was wrong he said, “She left me stone cold.” He was going through a difficult divorce at the time.
JLT said he heard him say that and said, “Wow, there’s a great song title!”
The part at the end with the ad libs about a “Deep freeze” etc. were done in the moment as it was recorded during a blizzard. JLT describes the mood created with giant icicles hanging in front of the windows as they looked out at the frozen lake.
Single released ahead of the album.
Reached #40 in the US and #34 in the UK.
Another video was made for this song.
Bring On The Night (Dream Chaser) (Blackmore, Glover, Turner)
Joe Lynn Turner says that he and Roger both set to write lyrics for this one and both had very different lyrics. They decided to combine the two into one song hence the parenthetical title.
Ritchie is on record as being a huge Abba fan. He would say that he was writing Abba-style songs disguised as hard rock.
Tite Squeeze (Blackmore, Glover, Turner)
A favorite of Roger Glover’s.
Turner says it wasn’t about any particular woman that he could remember.
Tearin’ Out My Heart (Blackmore, Glover, Turner)
This was about a Canadian girl that Joe was in love with.
Joe says the girl was with him while he was writing it.
Side Two:
Power (Blackmore, Glover, Turner)
JLT wanted this to be a huge arena rock anthem.
JLT claims that they were criticized because this song was too commercial.
JLT says this was an autobiographical song which came from him realizing how much personal power he had.
MISS Mistreated (Blackmore, Turner, Rosenthal)
Ritchie was talking about some girl he was interested in and Joe said, “She sounds like Miss Mistreated.”
Revolves around the question of in a breakup who really hurt who?
JLT says Ritchie told him to write it when he revealed the title and said he wanted to “shove it up Purple’s ass.” He then said, “Let them suck on that for a while.”
Rock Fever (Blackmore, Turner)
Turner says again he was aiming for an anthem.
Ritchie: “We’ve got to be more mainstream, Ritchie. We can’t just keep writing about dragons.”
Eyes Of Fire (Blackmore, Turner, Rondinelli)
Ritchie had wanted to do a track with an orchestra on it and tasked Rosenthal to write the orchestration.
Turner says he went to the bar one night and caught a glimpse of girl int he mirror behind the bar. “… her eyes were just incredible–she had that bewitching siren look. This is absolutely true. It sounds kind of sappy, but it’s really not;it’s what dreams are made of.”
“Her name was Erica Varga; I’ll never forget this girl. She was just stunning, platinum blond hair and these incredible green eyes that would turn colours, almost like red to green to brown. It was very strange; I’ve never seen a person like this before.”
JLT goes on to say that this is one of his wife’s favorite songs.
Reception and Review
In retrospect Blackmore says he remembers these albums as “fuzzy memories.” He says his main criticism is that they were so focused on making them perfect with their production that they lost a little of the more improvisational quality they’d had in previous albums.
Roger Glover: “ This is an album that should appeal to everyone. What we’ve done on this album is strike a balance between the accessibility of the last few albums and the progressivism of the earlier ones.”
The tour included the support acts: Iron Maiden, UFO, Riot, Scorpions, Krokus, 38 Special, Saxon, and Girlschool.
Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Recently we got a chance to sit down and chat with Mo Foster about his new music, The Butterfly Ball, The Wizard’s Convention, Gary Moore, and working in the business. Take a listen!
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This week: Trapeze and its German counterpart!Jeff Breis shares the Trapeze album “Hold On” and it’s German counterpart!
Lead up to the Album:
There was concern that the image Island had given IGB was not working.
Ian Gillan was very upset and Colin Towns tried to write songs that would showcase Gillan and make him appear better than he viewed himself.
Towns: “I’m going to write something which shows Ian from one extreme to the other, show he’s a good singer as well as a good screamer, and all the things in between.”
When Gillan returned to the studio Towns showed him a song he’d been demoing and Gillan really liked it.
The two decided they needed to make some changes.
Ian Gillan kept on Colin Towns after dissolving Ian Gillan Band.
Towns: “The following day he rang round the menbers of the band and said it was over. He said we’re not going to get any more out of the band, which was true. It’s a shame. If CLEAR AIR had been more successful it would have been good, but on the other hand it wasn’t any good for Ian. There was too much music for it to be the Ian Gillan Band.”
Drummer Liam Genocky (the first to be recruited) joined the band with Richard Brampton on guitar.
Genocky gave Towns a list of suggestions including John McCoy for bass.
John McCoy’s bandmate Steve Byrd was brought in to replace Brampton early on.
Towns was the primary songwriter and wrote most of the album’s material which they completed recording in August of 1978.
They played the Reading Festival on August 16, 1978 still billed as Ian Gillan Band.
The band’s policy was “no-frills” and they soon changed the name to simply Gillan.
Album was released on October 5, 1978 in Japan only. It would later be released in Australia and New Zealand but never saw release in the UK until the 1993 CD re-release. It sold well in the UK as an import.
British bass guitarist. He also plays drums, trumpet, cello, double bass, and is an independent producer.
Alises: John Renn-McDonald, Stix Hoypolloy
Played with Maldoon with Clive Maldoon and Dave Curtiss . Previously known as Maldoon Curtiss. Curtiss wasn’t happy with their album so he asked that his name be taken off.
All songs written by Ian Gillan and Colin Towns except where noted.
Side One:
Second Sight (Towns)
Secret of the Dance (Gillan, Towns)
I’m Your Man (Gillan, Towns)
Dead of Night (Gillan, Towns)
Fighting Man (Towns)
According to liner notes it was written by Colin Towns and he recorded who stayed behind with Chas Watkins and taped a vocal/piano demo. This was in the IGB days and Ian had left the studio with low morale after they’d been trying to record a few tracks.
“I’d been thinking about ‘Twin Exhausted’ and I thought sod it, I’ll write something that I think is right.”
Side Two:
Message in a Bottle (Gillan, Towns)
Not Weird Enough (Gillan, Towns)
Bringing Joanna Back (Gillan, Towns)
Abbey of Thelema (Gillan, Towns)
Back in the Game (Gillan, Towns)
Reception and Review
The new album was promised for September of 1978 (though it likely came out in October).
The tapes were sent to Japan where they where they were mixed up until hours before it needed to be shipped. The two IGB Budokan albums had done well in Japan so Gillan decided to captalize on that success.
In October they toured Japan to promote the album. When they got back to the UK there was no way to buy the album locally without going through an importer.
Gillan was a huge change of direction for Ian Gillan. The album sold well in the UK as an import despite only being released in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
The album received a good amount of positive press.
The band gigged consistently after the release and even got the attention of Ritchie Blackmore who joined them on stage at the London Marquee Club in December of 1978. Afterward he would offer Gillan the job in Rainbow which Gillan refused.
Eek. It’s good! Right from the word go it’s clear that this is a new band, and a new Gillan (or at least the old one revitalised!) Back is the raw, rough and ready sound which the IGB never had, and which Purple lost after ‘Fireball’. The band haven’t the technique or skill of Purple, but, by keeping things simple and doing straightforward songs with a minimum of solos they get away with it nicely. Compare this to ‘Long Live..’ or ‘Trouble’ and see how dated they sound.
Marquee, London. 27th December 1978 – Live Review
Blackmore also spent Christmas in Britain, probably to check out vocalists. He did take the chance to sneak down to Gillan’s opening date at The Marquee, and join in for an encore. Blackmore also asked Gillan to join Rainbow. Ian said no, but in return asked Blackmore to join his band! But Ritchie, according to Gillan, wants to start at the top, and work from America, whereas Gillan wants to begin at the bottom and work his way up. Some of you were lucky enough to be at The Marquee on the night in question (gnashes teeth!)……
“We were all at the front, crushed, waiting for an encore, when the whole place erupted. It was Blackmore. He just walked out, smelt Steve Byrd’s armpit, plugged in, and started.. He didn’t replace Byrd, just joined in. He broke into ‘Lucille’, it was total bliss.” Terry.
Genocky did not continue with Gillan as he had a previous commitment with Gerry Rafferty. A new drummer, Pete Barnacle, joined the band.
The band replaced Genocky with Mick Underwood and Byrd with Bernie Torme.
They got to work on Mr. Universe with the new lineup.
“The Japanese Album” Liner notes by Simon Robinson
Listener Mail/Comments
Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Thanks for a great site. Writing from DK I saw them at the following show in Odense on that tour and a year later in Feb 73 also in Odense. The end of MK 2 was coming.
Great memories. KB-Hallen would have about 4000+ in the audience and the other venues in DK (Odense + Aarhus) 3000-3500 at that time. We were allowed to be close, no chairs, but a lot of fun. Age between 14-18 and yes – we could smoke. KB-Hallen was a sports arena and that’s why the audience is everywhere – front and back.
I saw them in KB Hallen whenever they came and last time was 2009 there. They have since done bigger venues in CPH indoor and especially outdoor (5 coin on Amager with Morse). Nowadays they are doing bigger places (ValbyHallen 2017) and in Sept 2021 Royal Arena (?)
Even IG with Black Sabbath in KB Hallen as a guest in 1989 doing the encores SOTW and Paranoid.
The 72 show was recorded and broadcast by Danmarks Radio (DR) – the Danish national TV broadcast station – and as you notice they didn’t quite know what to film and who did what in the band (RB missing a lot!!) It was shown prior to the 73 DK tour on TV, but only Child in Time and Lazy.
I bought the same shirt as IG was wearing which you could also get in DK, even in Odense, so I guess it was pretty mainstream.
IG was the hero in the press, then RB being called the next Hendrix, then JL as the spokesperson delivering the facts.
in 72 Machine Head and Made in Japan went into the top 20 of the year in DK, even if MIJ came out in Dec 72.
The opening act was Philip Goodhand-Tait, solo piano player, never appeared again. In 73 it was ELO in DK. They surely did – still popular here and easily selling 12000 tickets in CPH.
BR Per Sorensen
Jorg says: You asked for more connections 😉 John Lawton claimed too, that he was asked to join Deep Purple in 1973… And more a Whitesnake – Uriah Heep connection: Micky Moody did a number of shows with Uriah Heep back in 2010.
Apple Podcast Reviews:
5 Stars!
BreisHeim , 01/03/2021
Heeere’s Johnny and Nate!
These guys are like the Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon of the podcast world, and I mean that as a great compliment.
Very entertaining show!
Lead up to the Album:
On December 22, 2020 a video was posted on YouTube:
The video was sent to me by Jorg within an hour of being posted.
The video purported to be the long storied performance of “When a Blind Man Cries” the only time Deep Purple did it live in the 70s when Randy California subbed in for a sick Blackmore.
There was posted by Robert Lafontaine:
This is an extremely rare audio recording of a Deep Purple show with Randy California. I recorded it all in stéréo. Sadly, at the encore , somebody knocked down one mike and I stopped recording. So… no Lucille. The recording is a bit muddy at times ’cause people who were holding the mikes didn’t keep them horizontal, but upward facing the metal roof…
Years later, I sent this recording to Randy and we chatted about music, his story, etc. He seemed to want to remix the show. In the vidéo there are many unreleased gems archives. The setlist was always wrong on a lot of websites. HERE’S THE REAL SETLIST FOR THIS RARE SHOW:
Strange kind of woman
Into the fire
Child in time
The Mule
Lazy
When a blind man cry
Space Truckin’
Lucille
Randy was called in because Deep Purple cancelled 2 shows before heading to Québec city; Ritchie was out. Some could say it’s The Saint Graal for Deep Purple fans as the songs were never played with Ritchie. Someday maybe, I’ll post the entire show. Enjoy this great archive in the meantime…
This show was never known to have a bootleg so this was big news.
There was a lot of debate as to the authenticity of the recording.
Of course fans WANT to believe but there were a lot of detractors citing the tone of Gillan’s voice, etc. But listening to it it just seemed like it must be authentic.
On December 30, 2020 part one of the full concert was posted to Robert Lafontaine’s account:
Jon Lord: “Randy was brilliant, God bless ’em, but everything had gotten to be such a bitch that we had to go home. We just couldn’t take it any longer.”
Personnel
Ian Gillan – Vocals
Roger Glover – Bass
Randy California – Guitars
Jon Lord – Organ
Ian Paice – Drums
The Show:
Articles (Translated by Ian Desrosiers):
Deep Purple, 6 avril 1972…translation :
A substitute in Québec
On April the 6th 1972, Deep Purple stopped in Québec (City) with a singular formation. This night, instead of Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, the crowd saw Randy California getting up on stage. Blackmore was sick with hepatitis and the band felt they had a chance to impose themselves in this part/territory and they tried to finish the tour even with a substitute. “At the time, Randy California’s band, Spirit, was popular, so we approached him,” tells Roger Glover. “I think we rehearsed for just a couple of hours before getting on stage. He was a good guy, but, as talented as he was, it was not the right thing to do to pursue the tour so we stopped. It pushed back our chances to be recognized in America for 6 month or a year.”
Deep Purple, 6 avril 1972…translation :
Jon Lord Interview
After the concert the wheel kept on spinning for Deep Purple. The band took a plane to New York the same night and it’s Jon Lord, harassed by the road manager, that gave us 10 minutes of his precious time.
Quite happy by the reaction of the Québec crowd, Lord is surprised to learn that some fans blame the new direction of the band on recent albums. He says that at the beginning of their career Deep Purple suffered from the “studio sickness.” The band didn’t really know what to do and what looked like a precise direction from the outside, was in fact the result of a quasi-improvisation where Lord’s classical formation took an important place. The last albums, Fireball and Machine Head, give a more precise idea of the music that the band plays on stage. Deep Purple is essentially a “rock n’ roll band” and the classical experiments will be relegated to solo output like “Gemini Suite” released last fall under Lord’s name.
This back to basics is not limited to only music, the lyrics are more simple, they could be judged as simplistic even, but Lord says that the band sees it as a way to get away from a morbid intellectual movement that plagues the world of rock. The lyrics are parodies of the first rock songs, but it’s just a gentle way to mock things that we like.
The simple stories found in Deep Purple’s lyrics translate, in a good way according to Lord, the band reality. Jon Lord doesn’t want to be seen as a demi god like some other musicians. His only responsibility on stage is to give the public what they paid for: music and good times.
People often interpret lyrics in a way to find meanings or messages, and in this way, it’s with prejudice that the band was labeled as “speed freaks.” Up until recently, the word “speed” in England did not mean amphetamine, and it’s with a great surprise that the band found that some saw in “Speed King” a drug song that contributed to making it a hit.
Lord says that drug taking is rare in English bands. The members of English groups consider themselves more like musicians than members of a big family of “smokers,” and this priority for the music is an element that helps make the English bands to be considered the best. We could not learn more; the wheel keeps on turning…
Jacques Marois,
special collaborator
Concert review
Deep Purple finally gave their concert in Québec (city), after waiting for eight months, a couple of snowstorms and lots of work.
That’s it, Deep Purple comes up on stage. Ian Gillan gets in front and says that Ritchie Blackmore is sick and will be replaced by Randy California, but nobody listens. People whistle, people scream, THEY are finally here.
The band starts with “Strange Kind Of Woman.” The sound is perfect, powerful and precise. But the musicians look hesitant (we will understand why, later after the concert, when we learn that California had only 2 days to rehearse with the band). But after “Into The Fire,” an old hit two years ago, we witness a high class of rockers and the guitar player is not here to take it easy.
Gillan announces “Child In Time,” one of the most beautiful Deep Purple songs. A quiet beginning on the organ and the band launch themselves into a fast “boogie” : hard to describe, but those who already heard a good guitar solo played on a Strat going through two Marshall amps at 400 Watts know. A police officer inside the Colisée (it’s the old hockey rink for the Quebec’s Nordiques) says to a woman watching the show “It’s catchy. I want to dance.”
Next, “The Mule.” Roger Glover (bass) and Ian Paice (drums) go crazy while Jon Lord gets some violin sounds from his organ. Ian Paice stays on stage alone and does a drum solo, that if he doesn’t dazzle by the complexity, surprises by his rapidity and energy. Paice doesn’t stop there and continues full speed into “Lazy” while Glover gives a demonstration of the way bass should serve hard rock.
Roger Glover is, with Tim Bogert (Cactus) one of the best rock bassists that played here.
Jon Lord had some problems with his organ.
The next number, “When A Blind Man Comes [sic]” is a really beautiful blues telling the story of a blind man abandoned by his mistress after knowing bliss with her. Gillan captures the atmosphere of the piece really well and shows that he’s truly a great singer knowing how to use his voice to the maximum effect in any musical genre.
Randy California ends the blues with an excellent solo helped by a volume pedal. He is, finally, the surprise of the night, playing soberly and effectively (his playing and personality on stage reminds me of Rayburn Blake, ex-Mashmakhan). It’s a real tour-de-force accomplish by California to fit in a band with whom he rehearsed for only 8 hours with: knowing the band, we could only admire the guitarist.
The concert ends with “Space Truckin’” on a rapid rhythm. Encore. “Lucille,” an old classic, and a guy dancing in front of the stage since the beginning of the concert finally finds himself on stage with Gillan.
Everyone got out of the Colisée with a smile on their lips.
Listener Mail/Comments
Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
