Month: November 2019

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Episode #31 – The Butterfly Ball (Part 4: The Movie)

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Show Updates:

  • Comments from social media.
  • Listener Jeff Taylor writes: “Just listened to the first episode on the Butterfly Ball today. I liked the piece you played from Curved Air with Eddie Jobson so much that I went to Spotify and followed Curved Air so I can check out their music further when I have time.”
  • A lot of chatter about “Come Hell or Highwater” where Ritchie gets into an altercation with yet another cameraman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2qZJ3BHzjY
  • Ritchie’s take on the situation in a 1996 fan interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyIzI3s3Ddk
  • Nice email from Norman about fandom and the whereabouts of Rod Evans!

Thanks to Our Patrons:

Thanks to our Brothers at the Deep Dive Podcast Network:

Thanks to the Patron Saint and Archivist of The Deep Purple Podcast:

Lead Up To Album & Writing:

  • Glover: “In September 1975 I staged a concert of The Butterfly Ball at the Albert Hall, London, and as far as possible gathered together as many of the performers as I could from the recording of the original album, which was released the previous year. The event was recorded and filmed by Tony Klinger and British Lion Films and the resulting movie is what is now being re-released in DVD format by a company called MusicVideoDistributors.”
  • Glover had the idea to do a live concert of “The Butterfly Ball” as a one-off performance.  The show was scheduled at The Royal Albert Hall on October 16, 1975 and filmed. It was directed by Tony Klinger who had produced “Deep Purple Rises Over Japan” a few months after this.
  • Concert was 
  • Glover: “. . . when it was released in 1974 it was, to my relief, very well received in various countries around Europe. However, it failed to ignite a broad interest in the UK and so the idea for staging a concert at the Albert Hall came about as a means of getting some attention for it in my home country.”
  • Almost everyone from the original album was in attendance.  Dio was unable to attend due to touring with Rainbow so Glover contacted Ian Gillan who agreed to fill his place on “Sitting in a Dream.”
  • Later it would be rumored that Dio wanted to attend but was forbidden by Blackmore.
  • Gillan says in his autobiography: “. . . although I don’t feature on the album, I was glad to help him with the live production of The Butterfly Ball at the Royal Albert Hall (16 October 1974), after Ronnie Dio had to pull out at the last minute.”
  • Twiggy was also recruited and Vincent Price agreed to narrate it.  They rehearsed for a week before the concert.
  • Glover had to organize everything himself and quickly became overwhelmed. Bruce Payne eventually helped out by getting him Bob Adcock, Rainbow’s road manager, to help out at the last minute.  This seems at odds with the rumor that Dio was prevented by Blackmore.
  • This would be Gillan’s first public performance since leaving Deep Purple over two years earlier.
  • Glover: “The actual night of the concert was lovely, all the artists on the stage gave superlative performances and I felt, and still feel, indebted to every single one of them.”
  • The performance raised money for The Bud Flanagan Leukaemia Fund and Action Research for the Crippled Child

Album Art & Booklet Review

  • DVD Cover featuring Glenn Hughes.
    • Glover: “My first impression was not good; as I opened the box, I found the DVD plastered with a huge photograph of Glenn Hughes (who also features on the box’s spine). Huh? Ah, now I get it; some dolt in the art department (if there is such a department) was informed that this was the work of Deep Purple’s bass player. Now I have nothing against Glenn, he’s a fine bloke, but… this was not a good omen.”
    • Read Glover’s full thoughts on the 2006 DVD release here: https://www.rogerglover.com/writings/messages-from-roger-glover/the-dvd-release-of-the-butterfly-ball-concert/

The Movie

  1. Dreams of Sir Bedivere
    • Featuring Vincent Price
  2. Dawn
    • Featuring Vincent Price
  3. Get Ready
    • Featuring Glenn Hughes
  4. Saffron Dormouse and Lizzy Bee
    • Featuring Helen Chappelle and Barry St. John
  5. Together Again
    • Featuring Tony Ashton
  6. Old Bilnd Mole
    • Featuring Earl Jordan [wiki, discogs]
    • Originally sung by John Goodison
    • Was part of the Les Humphries Singers
    • Was on the Green Bullfrog album
    • Worked with Lucifer’s Friend
  7. Magician Moth
    • Featuring Vincent Price
  8. Watch Out For The Bat
    • Featuring John Gustafson
  9. Aranea
    • Featuring Judi Kuhl
  10. Sir Maximus Mouse
    • Featuring Eddie Hardin
  11. Behind the Smile
    • Featuring David Coverdale
  12. Little Chalk Blue
    • Featuring John Lawton
  13. Waiting
    • Featuring Al Matthews [wiki, discogs]
    • Originally sung by Jimmy Helms
    • American actor and musician
    • Known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Apone in the movie Aliens
    • Was also in Superman III and The Fifth Element
  14. Sitting in a Dream
    • Featuring Ian Gillan
    • Originally sung by Ronnie James Dio
    • Gillan’s first time on stage since leaving Deep Purple two years earlier
  15. No Solution
    • Featuring Mickey Lee Soule
  16. The Feast
    • Featuring Vincent Price
  17. Love Is All
    • Featuring John Lawton
    • Originally sung by Ronnie James Dio
  18. Homeward
    • Featuring Twiggy
    • Originally sung by Ronnie James Dio
  19. Love Is All (Encore)
    • Featuring the group

Reception and Review

  • THE DVD RELEASE OF THE BUTTERFLY BALL CONCERT
    • Talks about the joy of seeing all these wonderful talents on the same stage.
    • Mentions that Neil Lancaster’s performance of Harlequin HAre was not included in the movie for some reason.
    • Gives benefit of the doubt to the filmmaker and actors in the movie. 
    • On the release of the DVD there was a big picture of Glenn Hughes on the cover.  Gover was confused until he realised that whoever they hired to do it heard it was by the bassist for Deep Purple and found this pic to use for the cover.
    • Jon Lord’s name is spelled incorrectly on the cover.
  • Glover: “A limousine picked me up at Wessex Studios and I was delivered to the Odeon, met on a red carpet by the manager of the cinema and ushered in with a suitable degree of pomp.  Most of the performers were there, along with most of their relatives (and mine) and after a glass of wine or two we all settled down to watch the movie, my wife Judi and I being shown to especially plush and centrally located seats so that all would know we were the guests of honor.”
  • Glover: “The film of it I don’t like at all.  I‘ve never liked that. I had nothing to do with it.  But to me it was shoddily done, it was tastelessly done, it was cheaply done.  Probably the most embarrassing moment of my life was being invited to the premier of the only film that i’ve ever starred in and hating it.  I sat there in the special seat surrounded by all the people that worked on the concert and on the album and the lights went down and this thing came on and I just hated it.  I just wanted to run away. I thought about leaving the theater half way through but I thought no I’m too nice a guy for that, I’ll stick it out, I’ll say thank you when people say it was interesting.  Oh that was really . . . interesting. So I’ve got a bad memory of that.”
  • Glover: “… [I] cried angry tears on the long, silent journey back home.”
  • Glover: “The Butterfly Ball album is something that I am very proud of, and the concert was undoubtedly one of the best nights of my life, but the movie does it no justice.”
  • Glover was not happy, very difficult time dealing with being forced out of DP, going through a depression, an unhappy period.
  • Gillan from his autobiography: “I suppose it was Roger’s project that reminded me of what I’d walked away from . . .”
  • Gillan: “For me, horribly unfulfilled in my various ventures, the show was one of great emotion, surprise and joy, because I’d thought that, with the passing of time and the ongoing Deep Purple, I’d be a forgotten star.  However, that was not the case, not the case at all, because, at the announcement of my name for ‘my song’, the audience rose and gave me a standing ovation! ‘Welcome home, Ian!’ they seemed to say while Vinent Price needed to pause in his narration from a peacock chair in the organ loft, so the applause and cheering could run its very long course! As I sang from a crib sheet, the experience at The Butterfly Ball was totally overhwhelming, and I left the venue feeling good, and with warming thoughts!”
  • Hardin: We got very close, me and Roger, and we started to go through funny phases.  I just wanted to get away from everything, I was unhappy and boozing.
  • The movie gets a 1.3/10 rating on IMDB out of 2,944 votes.

In The News . . .

  • Glenn Hughes is in the studio right now recording with The Dead Daisies.  You can see what they’re up to by reading their recording diary on their website here: Recording Chapter One

This Week in Purple History . . .

November 25 through December 1

  • November 30, 1945 – Roger Glover is born
  • November 27, 1984 – Deep Purple plays their first reunion show in Perth, Australia
  • November 28, 1981 – Don Airey quits Rainbow

Thanksgiving Thoughts:

  • Thinking of how fortunate we are this year.

For Further Information:

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.
Posted on

Episode #30 – “The Butterfly Ball (Part 3: The Album)

Subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Anchor.fm, Breaker, PodBean, RadioPublic, or search in your favorite podcatcher! 

Show Updates:

  • Comments from social media.

Thanks to Our Patrons:

Thanks to our Brothers at the Deep Dive Podcast Network:

Thanks to the Patron Saint and Archivist of The Deep Purple Podcast:

Lead Up To Album & Writing:

Album Art & Booklet Review

  • Harry Wilcock’s credits include Elton John’s Captain Fantastic as well as the Judi Dench version of The Butterfly Ball and Gordon Giltrap’s The Peacock Party album which, interestingly, features John Gustafson on bass.  It also features Rod Edwards and Roger Hand who worked on the music and instrumentation on the Judi Dench version.

Credits

Notes

  • Adapted by Roger Glover for a full colour animated television series produced by British Lion Films Limited in association with Aurelia Enterprises Limited from the design and illustrations of the book “The Butterfly Ball” by Alan Aldridge first published 1973 by Jonathan Cape Limited and Times Newspapers Limited in association with Aurelia Enterprises Limited.
  • Recorded at Kingsway Recorders, London, during the summer of 1974.
  • © Copyright : Glove Music Ltd. and British Lion Music Ltd. 1974.
  • Published by British Lion Music Ltd.
  • ℗ Purple Records Inc.
  • EMI Records Ltd. Made and printed in Gt. Britain.
  • 7412 Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.
  • Illustrations © Aurelia Enterprises Ltd. 1973
  • Eddie Hardin was currently working with The Spencer Davis Group and knew Glover from when Hardin & York supported Deep Purple on tour in 1971.
  • Ray Fenwick, Mo Foster, and Les Binks of Fancy filled out the rest of the band.

The Album

  1. Dawn
    • Roger Glover on Synthesizer
    • Instrumental
  2. Get Ready
    • Glenn Hughes sings the part of Harold the Herald, arranged and conducted by Martyn Ford and John Bell
    • Based on the poem “Harold the Herald.”
    • Sung by Glenn Hughes
  3. Saffron Dormouse & Lizzie Bee
    • Helen Chappelle as Saffron, Barry St. John as Lizzy, arranged and conducted by Mike Moran
    • Based on the poems “Mrs. Doormouse” and “Lizzy Bee.”
    • Sung by Helen Chapelle & Barry St. John
  4. Harlequin Hare
    • Neil Lancaster sings the part of a one man band
    • Sung by Neil Lancaster
    • Based on the poem “Harlequin Hare.”
  5. Old Bind Mole
    • John Goodison sings about a contented mole
    • Sung by John Goodison
    • Based on the poem “Old Blind Mole.”
  6. Magician Moth
    • Roger Glover on Synthesizer
    • Instrumental
    • Based on the poem “Magician Moth.”
  7. No Solution
    • Mickey Lee Soule sings to the Toad in bed
    • Sung by Micky Lee Soule
    • Based on the poem “Toad in Bed.”
  8. Behind the Smile
    • David Coverdale warns Lilly Lizard of the Fox
    • Sung by David Coverdale
    • Based on the poem “Punchinello.”
  9. Fly Away
    • Liza Strike sings to the caterpillars
    • Sung by Liza Strike
    • Based on the poem “Esmeralda, Seraphin and Camilla.”
  10. Aranea
    • Judi Kuhl sings the part of the conceited money spider
    • Sung by Judi Kuhl
    • Based on the poem “Miss Money Spider.”
  11. Sitting in a Dream
    • Ronnie Dio sings the part of Froggy, arranged and conducted by Del Newman
    • Sung by Ronnie James Dio
    • Based on the poem “Froggy.”
  12. Waiting
    • Jimmy Helms sings the part of the Kingfisher
    • Sung by Jimmy Helms (Wikipedia, Discogs)
    • Based on the poem “Waiting for a Bite.”
  13. Sir Maximus Mouse
    • Eddie Hardin sings about the business mouse
    • Sung by Eddie Hardin
    • Based on the poem “Sir Maximus Mouse.”
  14. Dreams of Sir Bedivere
    • Arranged and conducted by Martyn Ford and John Bell
    • Instrumental
    • Based on the poem “Sir Bedivere and the Stag-Beetle.”
  15. Together Again
    • Tony Ashton sings and plays a Newt
    • Sung by Tony Ashton (Wikipedia, Discogs)
    • Based on the poem “Cheers, My Dears.”
  16. Watch Out For The Bat
  17. Little Chalk Blue
    • Not on original album.
    • Sung by John Lawton (Wikipedia, Discogs)
    • Based on the poem “The Butterflies’ Air-Lift and the Weevils v. Caterpillars Cricket Match.”
    • This had previously only been available as a single but here is added in the order it would have been performed at the Royal Albert Hall Concert.
    • Not released on the album version until the 1989 Connoisseur Collection reissue.
  18. The Feast
    • Simon Centipedes’ Time of Times
    • Instrumental
  19. Love is All
    • Ronnie Dio as Froggy sings at the Butterfly Ball
    • Documentary on the single “Love is All” from Dutch TV
    • Sung by Ronnie James Dio
    • Based on the poem “The Butterfly Ball.”
    • Roger Glover describes the feeling from hearing Dio sing it as an “all out feeling of joy.”
    • Dio: “People thought it was Roger singing the song so . . . boy that Roger Glover can really sing, can’t he?”
    • Hardin did chord projections, Glover came up with melody.
    • Hardin says they’d spend all night doing one mix. Glover was very particular and would scrap the whole mix and it would drive him mad.
    • Hardin: “Most of my songs are very melodic, Roger is very riffy.”  Says that he and Roger worked very well together for this reason.
    • Ray Fenwick added the little line at the beginning, the descending line that leads into the first verse.
    • Hardin says that after they recorded it he said it was “Sunny Afternoon” by the Kinks.  Described it as “not a conscious theft.”
    • Hardin: “To me, Ronnie made the song special.”  Eddie tried singing it and it was okay, Roger tried singing it and it was okay.  Describes Ronnie as transforming the song.
    • Dio describes it as being very Beatle-like.  Very upbeat song.
    • Glover deliberately took a Beatles-type approach in writing the song.
    • Glover wanted it to be an “All You Need is Love” type song after reading the poetry in the book.  He calls it a “parody of ‘All You Need is Love.’” or “All you need is Love part 2.”
    • Single was released in England and heavily played and promoted on the radio but didn’t catch on.  The publisher called Eddie Hardin and said it’s gone to #3 in Holland then an hour later said it went to #2 and by lunchtime it had hit #1.  Was at #1 by lunch.
    • Very successful in the rest of Europe. 
    • Glover describes it as “very hard to write a happy song without being trite.  But with a message like “love is all” it’s very close to being trite.”
    • Hardin always felt like the whole Butterfly Ball was a joint effort and when it came out it had “Roger Glover and Guests” and he felt a little instulted that he was just a guest.
    • Ronnie got his first gold record and it said “Roger Glover” on it.  “That annoyed me.” He insisted it was changed and they changed it for him which is why it says “Featuring Ronnie Dio” on it.
  20. Homeward
    • Ronnie Dio (Froggy) sings on the way home
    • Sung by Ronnie James Dio
    • Based on the poem “Homeward.”

Reception and Review

  • Chas Watkins (engineer):
    • “Kingsway had always had the problem with sound filtering upstairs into the offices of the Civil Aviation Authority.”
    • They recorded quiet music “lift music” in the day time.  After 6pm they would record rock.
    • Chas learned a lot from Martin Birch.
    • “One particular memory of Ronnie Dio: the control room looked width-ways across one end of the studio, so a camera looked down the length of the studio, with a monitor in the control room.  Ronnie was doing a vocal (can’t remember which track) sitting on a stool, and the camera was positioned on him. He said, ‘just getting a glass of water”, and went off-camera. When he returned onto camera and sat on the stool, he was completely naked!  He just didn’t say anything, just carried on singing as though nothing was unusual! Everyone in the control room was in tears! Very funny.
    • The air conditioning was very loud so they’d have to turn off the AC when they recorded quiet vocals or instruments and it would get very hot in the studio.  The switch for the AC was behind a burlap flap on the back wall. When you lifted the flap there was a picture of a naked lady so many people were eager to turn off the AC.
      • “Recording the Butterfly Ball was a wonderful experience.  All these top-notch musicians coming into the studio, and Roger producing, writing and having responsibility for the whole project.”
  • Single success.  Love Is All was Ronnie James Dio’s first gold record.
  • Glover: “The whole thing was a challenge and a joy.  It took around six months to complete and I worked with some lovely people.”
  • Glover: “I can see a couple of things that might hold it back, primarily my name.  The album can’t exactly be described as a family album but then again it’s not anything in te mould of Deep Purple.”
  • The album was not received well by rock audiences who felt it was music for kids.
  • It didn’t get a lot of exposure to a wider audience.
  • Love Is All, as stated before, did very well in the charts throughout Europe.
  • Given the lack of sales the idea of doing the live concert to give the album a boost was floated.  Glover was able to get almost everyone from the original recording with a few special guests.

In The News . . .

Primary Wave Acquiring Bob Ezrin Rights Portfolio

Catalogue includes: Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd, last two Deep Purple albums

Ian Gillan A Visual Biography 

Ian Gillan – A Visual Biography.

Publication date – 6th December 2019.

This 128 page limited edition hardback book is a wonderful collector’s item for any self-confessed Gillan fan. Housed in a custom-made presentation box with a set of prints, it is strictly limited to 1000 copies.

Order your copy now and get YOUR NAME on a dedicated fan page within the book!

Without doubt Ian Gillan has proven to be one of the greatest and most enduring rock singers of all time. From his early career in sixties pop band Episode Six, through to Deep Purple, as well as a brief period with Black Sabbath, he has continued to surprise and delight millions of fans around the world.

    Forays into unchartered territory, such as his role in the original Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as a variety of solo projects, including the jazz inspired Ian Gillan Band have proven that time and again, Ian Gillan is more than just the lead singer with Deep Purple.

    This publication plots his career from the early sixties through to the present day in a visual timeline that charts his extraordinary and colourful career. Digging deep into the archives we have managed to pull together a vast array of photos and imagery, much of which has never been seen before. This includes many previously unpublished photos from his days with Episode Six and beyond. Off stage and backstage photos from his early career, through to Deep Purple and his solo projects are all included, alongside on stage photos capturing Ian doing what he does best.

    A Visual Biography also includes many rare items of memorabilia, including a full itinerary from the Ian Gillan Band’s 1977 Japanese tour, plus posters and cuttings that help to document over fifty years as one of rock’s most iconic frontmen.

 EDITORIAL CONTROL:

This book requires total independent editorial control. It has not been authorised or approved by Ian Gillan or his management.

This Week in Purple History . . .

November 18 through November 24

  • November 18, 1974 – The Butterfly Ball is released in the UK
  • November 18, 1989 – Slip of the Tongue is released
  • November 18, 2006 – JLT forms Over the Rainbow
  • November 23, 1994 – DP plays three shows in secret in Mexico to test prospective new guitarist Steve Morse

For Further Information:

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.
Posted on

Episode #29 – The Butterfly Ball (Part 2: The Singers)

Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Anchor.fm, Breaker, PodBean, RadioPublic, or search in your favorite podcatcher! 

Show Updates:

  • Comments from social media.
  • Patron Peter Gardow catches the rainbow when he bumps into David Keith, drummer for Blackmore’s Night and Rainbow!

Thanks to Our Patrons:

Thanks to our Brothers at the Deep Dive Podcast Network:

Thanks to the Patron Saint and Archivist of The Deep Purple Podcast:

Notes From The Field:

  • John reviews his time in Miami and seeing Ace Frehley.
  • Promoting the band Thunder Mother!

The Singers:

In The News . . .

  • Martin Popoff is on the latest episode (Episode #37) of the Shockwaves Skullsessions podcast.  There he reviews the entire Rainbow catalog.  Came out the same exact day as our Rainbow episode and he seems to share a similar perspective on the album.

This Week in Purple History . . .

November 11 through November 17

  • November 16, 1974 – Stormbringer is released
  • November 17, 1975 – Tommy Bolin’s Teaser is released
  • November 11, 2010 – Tony Edwards dies

For Further Information:

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.
Posted on

Episode #28 – The Butterfly Ball (Part 1: The Musicians)

Subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Anchor.fm, Breaker, PodBean, RadioPublic, or search in your favorite podcatcher! 

Thanks to Our Patrons:

Thanks to our Brothers at the Deep Dive Podcast Network:

Thanks to the Patron Saint and Archivist of The Deep Purple Podcast:

Show Updates:

  • Comments from social media.
  • Listener Steve emails with some recollections after attending both shows of the Concerto ‘99 performance at the Royal Albert Hall:

I heard you guys talking about the Concerto ’99 shows at the Royal Albert Hall in ’99. I was there, both nights, so I reckon you might be interested in some of the things I remember.

First of all there were two nights, on the Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend. The DVD seems to all have come from the second night, as far as I can recall after 20 years.

The Albert Hall has boxes high up all around, I suspect as they were recording it that they didn’t sell the boxes until the lower seats so the place would seem full even if there were unsold tickets. On the first night I was on the floor, on the second in one of the boxes, on the right side looking towards the stage.

On night one, there was a disturbance in one of the boxes on the left side early on during the first movement. It seems like some idiots who didn’t know what they were buying tickets from were pissed off at hearing classical when they thought they were going to be getting Highway Star. The manager (at least I think that was who it was) turfed them out and gave them their money back, with a bonus earful of abuse for fucking up the recording.

Also on night one it seems they didn’t anticipate an encore. iirc they closed on Smoke, but the crowd stayed chanting for more. Eventually Ian Gillan came out to talk to us, he said Jon Lord was absolutely exhausted out back and they weren’t going to do an encore, but was very gracious and I think the crowd was more or less ok with it.  Gillan could have had an alternative career as a hostage negotiator.  It may also just have been that Lord was really pissed off with the recording being ruined, I dunno. On the second night they obviously adjusted things, and left the stage a bit earlier so they could come back on and do at least Smoke as an encore.

I think I remember Gillan introducing Steve Morris (from his solo albums) as Steve Morse, and then half-singing something like “I never get it right” as he corrected.

I always loved the concerto, I used to listen to it quite a lot to unwind after night shifts in my first job as a 17 year old, to get the chance to see it live (twice!) was wonderful for me, and the concert was just designed to perfection as it was just awesome to see all these obscure (to most people) numbers off records I love like Butterfly Ball, Pictured Within and Accidentally on Purpose. The Purple mini set was too short, but the set list was excellent, I was more interested in hearing stuff that Gillan can still sing than Highway Star or Child In Time that his voice is no longer right for.

One last memory: as I was walking out on the Sunday (you can exit straight from the boxes out on to the driveway that surrounds the Hall, rather than going through the main entrance) I came across the sight of one James Patrick Page being guided to his limo humming the riff to Smoke on the Water. (at least I think it was a limo, some black luxury car in any case.) So if anyone tries to tell you that Page hates Purple, as I have had people try to do from time to time, they are full of shit.

Good luck to you guys for your podcast!

  • Mark 1 listener poll – songs moving to the next round:
    • April
    • Chasing Shadows
    • Hush
    • Mandrake Root
    • Shield
    • Wring That Neck
  • Nate guests on the Paul or Nothing podcast to review The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” 50th Anniversary Edition.

Notes From The Field:

  • Nate reviews Deep Purple show on October 18, 2019 at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, IL.
  • Unfortunate issue with meet and greet
  • Got to meet our patron Steve!
  • Steve gave me this incredible custom made journal using the vinyl of Made in Europe!
  • Joyous Wolf
  • At the beginning of Don Airey’s keyboard solo he threw in a few bars from “Mr. Crowley.”

Origins of The Butterfly Ball:

  • Aldridge went on to create two more books based on the sequels; “The Peacock Party” and “The Lion’s Cavalcade.”
    • An animated short was made in 1974 based on the book with Roger Glover’s “Love is All” accompanying it.  This was supposed to lead up to a full length animated film.
    • This did not matter so it was released as an album.
    • William Plomer worked as an editor for Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels.
    • Plomer died just a few months after completing “The Butterfly Ball.”
  • Alan Aldridge:
    • Alan Aldridge in the British museum one day, found a poem called “Butterfly Ball” about the creatures in the woods — all put down their anger for the day and have a good time. Spent about a year doing all the pictures.
    • Alan Aldridge because it was such a success he became known as a children’s illustrator after mostly being a “Druggy” or psychadelic illustrator.   
    • At one point it was the best selling children’s book in the world.
    • Alan Aldridge thought about doing it as a movie.  He mentioned it to Pink Floyd. Roger was mentioned and Aldridge brought it to their management.
    • There’s also mention that it was originally intended to be a solo project for Jon Lord with Roger Glover as the producer.
  • Roger Glover:
    • Glover: “The Sunday times had a color supplement about the new book with illustrations.  Caught his eye. A year later he went in the management office and the book was in the office.  They asked him how he would like to put it to music.
    • “There’s a thought.  Why me?”
    • Glover was shocked as his track record was being a bass player in a hard rock band.  Glover called it “blind faith.”
    • Glover was given a list of albums to listen to by Aldridge but exactly which albums were on this list is unclear.
    • Glover specifically recruited the musicians and singers for the album.

Musicians:

  • Drums: 
    • Les Binks
      • One of first credits is Butterfly Ball
      • We’ve played Fancy before on the show
      • Fancy – “She’s Riding the Rock Machine” (1976)
      • Fancy – Touch Me (1974)
      • Got gig in Judas Priest through Roger Glover connection
      • Judas Priest – “Exciter” off of “Stained Class” album (1978)
        • Kind of reminds me of “Stormbringer” riff
      • Recorded 2 albums with Priest, Stained Class and Killing Machine
      • Left the band amicably.  They were looking for a more of a rock drummer and Binks had too much of a jazz influence and was unwilling to change his style.
      • Plays around London and currently has “Les Binks’ Priesthood” which plays Judas Priest songs
    • Michael Giles
      • Giles, Giles, and Fripp with his brother Peter and Robert Fripp
      • Released one album “The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles, and Fripp”
      • Eventually morphed into King Crimson
        • “The Court of the Crimson King” (1969)
        • We’ve discussed 21st Century Scizoid Man
  • Jack Emblow: Accordion
  • Guitar: Ray Fenwick
    • Don’t want to go too far down this path as I would love to do future episode (or episodes) about Fenwick and many of his albums
    • Started out in 1964 in a ska band called “Ray and the Devils”
    • Was also in The Syndicats, followed by a Dutch group called Tee Set 
    • He was in the Spencer Davis Group 1967-1969
    • Stateside off of “Keep America Beautiful, Get a Haircut” (1971)
    • Then recorded album with Bo Diddley called “The London Bo Diddley Sessions in 1972
    • Ian Gillan Band
    • Jon Lord’s “Windows”
    • Fancy who we’ve covered on the show in the past
  • Keyboards: Eddie Hardin
    • Hardin & York – Drinking My Wine
    • Another one we could devote several future episodes to at least
  • Violin: Eddie Jobson
  • Tabla: Chris Karan
  • Piano: Mike Moran [discogs]
    • Worked with Queen, Ozzy, George Harrison, and David Bowie in Ziggy Stardust: The Motion picture
    • Andrew Lloyd Weber
    • Keyboards of Ian Gillan Band’s “Child in Time” album
    • Played with Ted Neeley.
    • Mostly known for production
    • Mike Moran – The Pickup (1976)
    • The Driver from the album Keytronics (1978)
  • Piano: Ann Odell
    • Performed with Yvonne Elliman, Andrew Lloyd Weber, John Gustafson’s solo album “Goose Grease” and Sphincter Ensemble
    • “Swing Song” from the album “A Little Taste” (1973)
  • Bassoon: Robin Thompson
  • Saw: Nigel Watson
  • Orchestra: The Mountain Fjord Orchestra
    • Also played on Elf’s “Carolina County Ball” (love Ball-themed albums)
    • Graham Parker and the Rumor – Stick to Me
    • Elton John – Jump Up!
    • David Woodcock: Conducted Orchestra (no info available on David Woodcock)
      • Jackson Heights – Bump ‘N’ Grind ??
    • Conducted by: 
      • Martyn Ford (also known as Martyn Fjord Orchestra)
        • Did work as conductor for:
        • Ginger Baker, Elton John, the film Tommy
        • Worked with the Spencer Davis Group
        • Released albums with John Gustafson  on his 1976 album “Smoovin’”
        • In 1980s worked with Kate Bush, Phil Collins, Dave Davies
        • Official Website: http://www.martynford.co.uk/
      • Jon Bell – 
        • Mostly writing/arrangement credits, but a few early performance credits.
        • Played clarinet on the album Poet and the One Man Band (1969) featuring Albert Lee.
        • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vz54oqdtbE
        • At the 11:30 minute mark “The Days I Most Remember”, interesting stuff, reminiscent of “April”
        • “Good Evening Mr. Jones” Clarinet at 28:50 mark
      • Del Newman
        • Orchestral arrangements for:
        • Cat Stevens
        • Elton John
        • Carly Simon
        • Rod Steward
        • Also Hollywood films and musicals

In The News . . .

This Week in Purple History . . .

November 4 through November 10

  • November 10, 1940 – Screaming Lord Sutch is born
  • November 10, 1971 – Ray Fenwick releases “Keep America Beautiful, Get a Haircut
  • November 8, 1975 – Tommy Bolin’s first show with Deep Purple in Honolulu

Deep Purple Deep Track of the Week:

  • N/A

Book and/or Documentary Reviews:

  •  For future episodes.

For Further Information:

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.