DEEP PURPLE
"Live
in Montreux 1996" CD (Eagle Records; 2006)
"Live
in Montreux 1996" DVD (Eagle Eye Media; 2006)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Another live Deep Purple album! Jeez, how many of these things do we need?!
If they're all of the quality of this CD and
DVD, I'd say we need at least a few more. 
In this recording of a live show from July 19, 1996, the mighty Deep Purple (time Mk. 7) once again takes the stage and delivers a stunning set of timeless classics ("Fireball," "Woman From Tokyo," "Speed King" and, of course, "Smoke on the Water") and some newer tracks ("Ted the Mechanic," "Hey, Cisco," "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming"). The tracklisting is a perfect balance between the old and the new, both in number of tracks and in sequence.
Beautifully and crisply recorded, the CD's sound is crystal. And the band is in top form. Ian Gillan, still one of the best vocalists in rock'n'roll, really shines here, as does guitarist Steve Morse, who gives some of the songs their necessary crunch while giving others an ethereal atmosphere. And his leads ... oh, my, his leads. Morse's leads are jaw-dropping. Of course, the others -- bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice -- are just as important to the band's sound. Deep Purple's never been about one or two members, it's always been about the group. And this CD is another example of how that group works together to create some truly kickass rock'n'roll.
Most of the songs on this CD are from the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1996 but the final two tracks, "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" and "Fools," are from the 2000 fest.
The CD contains the entire show from that evening (which was shortened due to festival restrictions) with the exception of "Cascades," which was excised so that all the music would fit on one disc. The entire show, including "Cascades," does appear on the the DVD version, as well as five different bonus tracks from 2000 and a spoken word intro explaining the story behind the band's legendary "Smoke on the Water," which just happens to be based on an incident that took place ... in Montreux. And I'll bet the great sound of this live recording is even better in the Dolby Surround 5.1 format included on the DVD.
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan - vocals; Steve Morse - guitar; Jon Lord - keyboards; Ian Paice - drums; Roger Glover - bass.
For more information, check out www.deep-purple.com or www.thehighwaystar.com.
"Live
in California 74" DVD (Eagle Vision; 2005)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Saturday, April 6th, 1974 was the day that the California Jam took place. Headlining the show were Deep Purple and Emerson Lake & Palmer with opening acts Black Sabbath, Seals & Crofts, Black Oak Arkansas, the Eagles, Rare Earth and Earth Winde & Fire.
Probably won't see a bill like that anytime soon.
This DVD captures Deep Purple's entire performance that evening, part of their American tour in support of their then new CD, "Burn." It was a new line-up for the band, too, with David Coverdale replacing Ian Gillan on vocals and Glenn Hughes taking Roger Glover's place on bass.
As anyone who has read my earlier Deep Purple reviews will know, the Coverdale/Hughes lineup was not my favorite lineup of Deep Purple. In fact, any lineup without Ian Gillan doesn't really do much for me. That being said, the performance captured on this DVD is really a part of rock'n'roll history and you may not realize that until you sit down and watch this DVD.
There's a whole back story on this show about how the band was asked to go on an hour early and how the notoriously surly Ritchie Blackmore didn't like the idea of being told what to do. The bottom line is that they finally took the stage, with somewhat of an attitude, and did their show.
The set list was nothing to write home about at first glance. The band only performs seven songs, among them the hits "Burn," "Mistreated," "Smoke on the Water" and "Space Truckin'." Of course with a live Deep Purple show, it's not so much about the set list as the performance and the band goes all out here. Stretching four minutes songs into twenty minute extravaganzas, adding licks and riffs where none were before and basically running around like madmen, Deep Purple turned a rock'n'roll concert into an event.
Things really kick into gear on the final track, "Space Truckin'." Basically, the band gets the song out of the way in the first four minutes or so and then just starts playing whatever the hell they want. It's the kind of jam fest you'd expect to see at a madhouse. Ritchie Blackmore is especially out of control, destroying two or three guitars, dragging amps to the end of the stage and dropping them over the edge and detonating a pyrotechnic display that leaves the stage aflame and Blackmore running for his life while Ian Paice tries to keep the rhythm going in the heat of the blast.
The best moment comes when Blackmore, tired of the television cameras littering the stage, approaches one camera and starts beating it with his guitar. He smashes the light shade with the guitar neck three or four times and then stabs at the lens with the tuning head until the camera blurs out.
It's dangerous, exciting stuff. There aren't rock'n'roll shows like this anymore, I can assure you of that.
Technically, the DVD is okay at best but that's thanks to the source material. As I said above, this is the first time the entire concert has been released on video or DVD (the lost track, "Might Just Take Your Life," has finally been added back where it belongs) and the program was mastered from the original 2" tapes. If you know anything about 2" tapes, you know that a) no one uses them anymore and b) they're notorious for being sticky and, hence, unreliable. The picture quality on this DVD looks like a second generation video cassette. It's not great but it's certainly watchable. Thankfully, the sound quality has been tweaked and re-tweaked so many times, it still sounds awesome. Dolby Digital 2.0, Surround Dolby Digital 5.0 and 5.0 Surround DTS are all available.
Also included are "bonus clips" of "Burn" and "Might Just Take Your Life," which were re-edited with footage found on old U-matic tapes (another non-broadcast quality format), a photo gallery (which is interesting but annoying as hell because, once you're into it, you can't get out), and amazing Super 8 footage shot by one of the band's roadies. A four page booklet tells the fascinating story of the show and how it almost didn't happen.
Deep Purple fans will want to add this DVD to their collection because the performances captured here are wild and priceless. Even those fans who prefer the Ian Gillan / Roger Glover versions of the band should check this out. And anyone who's a fan of live rock'n'roll in general, and who misses those days of bad boys like Ritchie Blackmore, should at least rent this title. It's been a long time since you've seen anything like this, if you've ever seen it at all.
Deep Purple: Ritchie Blackmore - guitar; David Coverdale - vocals; Glenn Hughes - bass/vocals; Jon Lord - keyboards; Ian Paice - drums.
For more information, check out www.deep-purple.net.
"Rapture
of the Deep" (Eagle Records; 2005)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Unlike most other Deep Purple records, "Rapture of the Deep" took me a number of spins before I finally began to get it. I'm still not entirely sure how much of a fan I am of this particular recording, but there are moments on it that are shiningly brilliant and the musicianship and talent throughout is undeniably masterful.
Most of the songs here are bluesy, mid-tempo smokers -- rather than dead on rockers like "Smoke on the Water" and "Speed King" (or even, for that matter, "House of Pain" from the band's previous studio outing). The similar tempos are a little trying at first as you continue to anticipate the band breaking into a faster, harder pace. It happens occasionally ("Money Talks," "Wrong Man") but more often than not, the band continues to explore ever more mature subject matter both musically and lyrically (with the smile-inducing exception of "Back to Back").
Perhaps the best track on the CD is the haunting "Clearly Quite Absurd." The song starts off like one of Purple's best milder ballads and builds to a controlled but effective crescendo. Other stand out tracks include "Money Talks," "Wrong Man," the title track and the insightful "MTV."
Though he's always been terrific on previous Deep Purple records, guitarist Steve Morse really stands out here with solid rhythm and fiery lead guitar. Ian Gillan continues to amaze as a truly legendary rock vocalist and the rest of the band is as tight and spectacular as ever.
If I had to choose between this CD and the band's previous "Bananas," I think I'd go with the latter. However, "Rapture of the Deep" will get more play on my CD player than I would have guessed after my first listen. It's one of those albums that continues to grow on you with each and every listen.
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan - vocals; Steve Morse - guitar; Don Airey - keyboards; Ian Paice - drums; Roger Glover - bass.
For more information, check out www.deep-purple.com or www.thehighwaystar.com.
"Burn:
30th Anniversary Edition" (Rhino; 2005)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Although "Burn" contains one or two of the many great Deep Purple songs (the title song itself, in fact and, of course "Mistreated"), it is not one of the band's more stellar efforts. With David Coverdale replacing Ian Gillan on vocals, and the great Glenn Hughes replacing the equally great Roger Glover on bass (plus sharing vocal duties with Coverdale), the songwriting style and dynamic changed dramatically. Despite that (you should forgive the pun) hot opening track, "Burn" was just okay.
Thirty years later, Rhino Records has re-released the 1974 album, fully remastered, with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes. So, how does "Burn" hold up all these years later?
Well, about the same. It's still not a bad CD, by any measure, but it's not a great one, either. The remastering helps, making each song sound truly crystal clear, the bonus tracks are interesting if not fascinating (or 100% necessary), and the liner notes make truly insightful reading.
If I were reviewing the original "Burn" CD, I probably would have rated it with two, maybe two-and-a-half guitarsaws. The 30th Anniversary Edition rates three for its remastering and its bonus feature. Still, when compared to the original release of Deep Purple's "Machine Head" ... or the brilliant 25th Anniversary Edition of that classic CD ... well, there is no comparison.
Deep Purple: Ritchie Blackmore - lead guitar; David Coverdale - vocals; Glenn Hughes - bass, vocals; Ian Paice - drums; Jon Lord - keyboards.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
It's been five years since the last Deep Purple studio album ("Abandon, reviewed below) but time has been good to the veteran band. "Bananas" is perhaps their best studio CD since 1984's "Perfect Strangers."
In fact, "Bananas" brings to mind the cool, crisp confidence of "Perfect Strangers" with the band not only pumping out some pretty serious rockers ("House of Pain," "Silver Tongue" "Bananas"), some blues-heavy tunes ("Picture of Innocence") and some strong power ballads ("Haunted," "Walk On.")
Nothing on "Bananas" comes close to the band's heavier, earlier songs (i.e., "Speed King," "Flight of the Rat") but "Bananas" does sound a lot like the aforementioned "Perfect Strangers." The band here, of course, is a little different, with soon-to-be-legendary guitarist Steve Morse taking guitar duty and Don Airey replacing founding member Jon Lord on keyboards. Morse, who has performed on the last few Deep Purple CDs and toured extensively with the band, continues to give a new warmth to the band's sound and Airey, who has some very large shoes to step into, does exceptionally well with the keys, giving "Bananas" the full sound that Lord helped originate over three decades ago.
The CD ends with "Contact Lost," a touching instrumental tribute to astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who was lost when the space shuttle Columbia broke up in space on February 1st, 2003. Chawla was a huge fan of the band, waking up every morning to the classic "Space Truckin'" and actually maintaining e-mail contact with the band while in space. "Contact Lost" is a forlorn and haunting track that ends the CD perfectly.
Fans of Deep Purple will find plenty to go "Bananas" about on this CD. Thirty-one years after the band's legendary "Machine Head" was released (and thirty-five years since the band's first record was released), Deep Purple are still going strong.
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan - vocals; Roger Glover - bass; Ian Paice - drums; Steve Morse - guitars; Don Airey - keyboards.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"The
Soundboard Series: Australasian Tour 2001" (Thames; 2001)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Like Pearl Jam, Deep Purple have obviously found it profitable to release "official bootleg" releases of their live performances. This collection of six albums of two CDs each, contains full-length concerts from Melbourne (03/09/01), Wollongong (03/13/01), Newcastle (03/14/01), Hong Kong (03/20/01) and Tokyo (03/24/01 and 03/24/01) and consists of soundboard and DAT recordings that are about as pure a live sound as you're going to find. Sometimes, the sound is so pure you wish for just a little audience noise to enhance the "live" feeling. Most of the time that's all you get: a little audience noise.
The first four CDs consist of basically the same concert - a regular live Deep Purple concert featuring songs from the days of "Machine Head" all the way through "Purpendicular." Each of these CDs opens with "Woman From Tokyo" and each closes with "Highway Star" with almost exactly the same song list each night. Although that's understandable - live shows have to be pretty much the same so that bandmembers don't get confused - it also gets a little monotonous. Sure, there are different aspects of each live performance, but the nuances are usually so small, it's still basically the same track on a different night.
The first set, "Melbourne" also suffers from a less-than-perfect performance by vocalist Gillan, one of rock's premier singers. Gillan is either recovering from a cold or his voice needed more warming up - on "Melbourne" it simply isn't up to its usual excellent par. Throughout the remaining discs, however, Gillan is pitch-perfect and throughout all twelve discs the band is up to its usual, astonishingly artistic, magnificence. Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss guest star on the "Newcastle" and "Wollongong" CDs.
Albums 5 and 6 are recordings with a full orchestra, a la "In Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra" (see below). Again, these performances are nearly identical although both are extremely powerful and well-played. Both sets begin with the slow-motion "Pictured Within" but then morph into much livelier tunes such as the incredible "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming," rousing full-orchestra renditions of "Wring That Neck" and "Perfect Strangers" and a too-short but dynamic instrumental, "The Well-Dressed Guitar," featuring the incredible Steve Morse. Also featured on the first CD of these two "orchestra" albums is guest vocalist Ronnie James Dio who performs "Sitting in a Dream" and two of his own classics "Fever Dreams" and "Rainbow in the Dark."
The second disc of these last two collections begins with Jon Lord's classic "Concerto Mov" parts 1, 2 and 3 and unfolds into "When a Blind Man Cries." The hard rocking (but somewhat different here due to the orchestra) "Pictures of Home" and, finally - of course - the classic "Smoke on the Water."
Before you spend upwards of $100 on this impressive 12-disc collection, ask yourself how much of a Deep Purple fan you really are. If you're a completist or a rabid fan - as I am - it's worth the money to add these CDs to your shelves. If you're just a passing fan or merely interested in this wildly influential veteran group, you may want to stick with less costly options before investing in "The Soundboard Series."
DEEP PURPLE is Ian Gillan, vocals; Steve Morse, guitar; Jon Lord, organ and keyboards; Ian Paice, drums; Roger Glover, bass.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"Extended
Versions: The Encore Collection" (BMG Special Products; 2000)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this CD. There's an old photograph of the band on the cover but there's no date as to when it was recorded. The song listing was no real help. With a band like Deep Purple that have been around forever, their biggest hits tend to be their older songs. Would this be a newly remixed collection of classic Purple studio cuts? Live versions of their greatest hits given the full Deep Purple treatment? I just didn't know.
Regardless, being a big Deep Purple fan and seeing as the disc was only $5.99, I decided to give it a go. I was a little surprised at the result, as well as alternately disappointed and a little satisfied.
First, all this special "Extended Versions: Encore Collection" CD consists of is what appears to be a single Deep Purple concert circa the "Come Taste the Band" era. The good news is that that's a pretty rare era of the band and it's cool to have a live CD featuring both David Coverdale on vocals and Tommy Bolin on guitar. The bad news is that - despite both of those gentleman's unique talents - this wasn't the best Deep Purple line-up by any means. Without Ian Gillan and/or Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple just didn't gel. And that's especially obvious here in renditions of the classic Deep Purple songs - "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star" (which appears twice on the CD!).
Still, the late Tommy Bolin's fretwork here is pretty impressive and - although Coverdale really can't handle "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star," his Whitesnake pipes are in pretty good form on "Burn" and "Lady Luck." This may not be the best Deep Purple you can buy (that would be "Machine Head," of course), but - for only six bucks or so - it's certainly worth adding to your collection, especially if you're a fan of Coverdale and/or Bolin.
"In
Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra" DVD (Spitfire; 2000)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
The DVD edition of this concert with legendary Deep Purple and the equally (or perhaps even more so) legendary London Symphony Orchestra isn't exactly a companion piece to the CD of the same title. If anything, this is a case of either or.
The fact of the matter is that even the most loyal Deep Purple fan doesn't need to run out and buy both the audio CD and the DVD of this release. One or the other will do nicely. But the DVD does offer a couple of features that may make it a better choice.
First, the entire performance will fit on one DVD disc; the CD set requires two CDs. Second, you can see the performers as they were recorded at the live performance on the evenings of September 25th and 26th, 1999. This is especially helpful considering the extensive list of guest musicians, whom pop up almost at will. Finally, the DVD offers Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and/or Dolby 2.0 stereo sound and Dolby 5.1 Surround is obviously superior to digital CD stereo.
Of course, you can't play the DVD in your car stereo - at least not yet. But with the CD running about the same price as the DVD - you might as well go all the way and go with the DVD.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"In
Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra" (Spitfire; 2000)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Before Metallica were even a twinkle in Elektra Records' eye (or anybody else's eye for that matter), Deep Purple were out there making hard rock. Years before James Hetfield ever took a meeting with film composer Michael Kamen, Deep Purple had done the orchestra thing and, in fact, had recorded it and filmed it for the generations. (The recorded proof is in "The Butterfly Ball" movie and audio release).
But what sets Deep Purple's "In Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra" apart from Metallica's "S&M," is that - while Metallica's CD falls quite definitely into the rock'n'roll genre - "In Concert" does not. In fact, this CD is seriously lacking in the rock'n'roll department.
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Deep Purple are a band legendary for their musical talent, their musical diversity and their incredible songwriting. Fans of this particular band love it when Deep Purple stretch their wings. And, oh, they stretch them here. I challenge anyone who's never heard any movement of the "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" to identify the band performing as Deep Purple (and, in this case, the London Symphony Orchestra). You'll get the impression you've gone to one of those classical events at the Hollywood Bowl or the Royal Albert Hall (which is, in fact, where this CD was recorded on September 25th and 26th, 1999).
There is some rock'n'roll here, however, although none of it goes to the level of what Metallica and Michael Kamen did with "S&M." Instead, it's more like Deep Purple plays some songs while the London Symphony Orchestra plays others. There's more separation here than on "S&M." "Smoke on The Water" is the most obvious, with the orchestra and the chorus-singing audience livening things up considerably.
A few guest stars also make "In Concert" worth picking up. Appearing with Deep Purple and the LSO on this CD are Ronnie James Dio, Pete Brown, Steve Morris and many others. (And it's great to hear Dio sing a chorus or two on "Smoke on the Water").
So, if you're a fan of Deep Purple, go ahead and put this CD on your "gotta-get" list. If you're a fan of Metallica's "S&M," give this one a shot. But if you're looking for some solid, hard rock'n'roll - pick up Deep Purple's truly classic "Machine Head" instead.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"Abandon" (CMC
International; 1998)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
I know it may almost be sacrilege to say it - but I was starting to tire of the Deep Purple lineup that included Ritchie Blackmore on guitar. Now, don't get me wrong - Blackmore is one of rock's most impressive rock virtuosos - but it eventually gets tiresome listening to riffs and leads that are really difficult to play but don't sound fresh.
When Steve Morse replaced Blackmore last year and Purple released "Purpendicular" I was enthused. "Purpendicular" was a step in the right direction, an album that sounded like 90s-era Deep Purple but that had a freshness to it that wasn't present on such previous Purple releases as "The Battle Rages On." Now, the band has taken that one step further with "Abandon," a studio collection that sounds perhaps even more like the Deep Purple we know and love but gives Morse even more free reign when it comes to the guitar. It's important to note that Morse and Blackmore have completely different playing styles - Morse isn't a maestro shredder a la Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen or Joe Satriani - and that's part of what makes "Abandon" such a great CD. It's a less regimented Deep Purple, and that's really when Deep Purple sounds its best. Need I remind you that the "Smoke on the Water" riff we all know and love is only four really-close-together notes? That isn't to put down Morse's work - he is truly one of rock's great guitarists. It's just to say that high tech guitar playing isn't always necessary. Style is more important and Morse has style in spades.
As with any great Deep Purple album, it's teamwork that makes "Abandon" flow so well. With Ian Gillan - still, for our money, the best vocalist in hard rock (and one of the best lyricists) - at the microphone backed by legendary rockers Roger Glover, Ian Paice and Jon Lord - it's hard to beat "Abandon" for a classic rock sound. Stand-out songs include "Any Fule Know That," "Almost Human" and the bluesy "Don't Make Me Happy."
DEEP PURPLE is Ian Gillan, vocals; Steve Morse, guitar; Jon Lord, organ and keyboards; Ian Paice, drums; Roger Glover, bass.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"Machine
Head (25th Anniversary)" (EMI; 1998)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
When Deep Purple released "Machine Head" way, way back in 1972, I bet not a single bandmember could have predicted that the band would still be on tour in 2002, still performing "Smoke on the Water" as their encore, and still be garnering radio airplay with other legendary hits like "Woman From Tokyo," "Burn" and "Speed King" (which really seems to be everywhere these days).
Sure, the band's a little different in 2002 than it was in 1972: Steve Morse has taken over guitar duties from Ritchie Blackmore and keyboardist Jon Lord retired from the band earlier this year. But the fact remains that Deep Purple is still alive today because the music has such incredible lasting power. It's easy to joke about the simplicity of the simple-riffed "Smoke on the Water" but who can resist playing air guitar whenever that tune blares from the radio?
"Machine Head" is not only the definitive Deep Purple album but one of rock'n'roll's definitive albums. The monster hits "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star" both spawned from this record, and the other tracks are still as strong today as they were thirty years ago. The music is still hard enough, the melodies still pure enough and the talent still unsurpassed. Countless bands have been inspired by Deep Purple and countless more will still be (thanks to that continuing airplay).
This 25th Anniversary double-CD set of "Machine Head" was originally released in 1997 and contains 18 tracks, all of them gems. Disc 1 is a collection of 1997 remixes featuring different takes on all 7 tracks from the original "Machine Head" and a track that was originally deleted, "When a Blind Man Cries." If you're like me and have played your vinyl and CD copies of "Machine Head" so often that you can hold them up to the light and clearly see through them, this first CD is something to behold. With different riffs, vocal attitudes and lead guitar runs, the 1997 remix of "Machine Head" is like a whole new record.
Disc 2 starts off with a newly remastered version of this classic CD and the sound has never been clearer. This is one of my favorite records of all time and one of my favorite re-masters. Maybe it's just that I've listened to "Machine Head" so many times that I can hear every change and nuance, but this re-master is nothing short of awesome.
Finishing out Disc two are two Quadrophonic tracks, unavailable since the original album was released for that particular sound system way back when. As far as I can tell, these re-mixes aren't all that different but, then, I don't have a Quadrophonic system.
Also included is a 28-age booklet containing extensive liner notes by Roger Glover, a copy of the handwritten lyrics for "Smoke on the Water" and rare photos (including a photo of the actual fire depicted in "Smoke on the Water").
As a hard rock/heavy metal fan, you owe it to yourself to have a copy of "Machine Head" on your shelf and this is the ultimate version of that classic album. So far.
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan - vocals; Roger Glover - bass; Ritchie Blackmore - guitar; Jon Lord - keyboards; Ian Paice - drums.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"Live
at the Olympia '96" (Thames; 1997)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Deep Purple fans must be in hog heaven these days, with the band releasing tons and tons of live performances ranging from the early days with Ritchie Blackmore, through the current line-up with Steve Morse on guitar.
"Live at the Olympia '96," recorded at the Olympia in Paris on June 17th, 1996, has been available for some time, and has developed a reputation as being one of the best "official bootlegs" released by the band. With a great live sound, better than virtually any real bootleg I've ever heard, and a line-up of songs that runs the gamut of Deep Purple's lengthy history, "Olympia" is a double-CD set that any Deep Purple fan simply must add to their shelf.
The first CD begins the Purple classic "Fireball" and then burns through ten more tracks ranging from the vintage "Pictures Of Home" to the more modern "Ted The Mechanic." CD 2 starts with "Rosa's Cantina" and then morphs into a nine minute version of the legendary "Smoke on the Water," featuring simply awe-inspiring fretwork by Morse. Several other classics follow on this disc, including "Speed King," "Perfect Strangers" and Highway Star."
The band is truly at its finest here with Morse really showing his stuff. As always, Ian Gillan continues to shine as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time. And the keyboards of Jon Lord, which many have complained about in the past (much to my confusion - Lord's keyboards have always been a highlight to me) are majestic and powerful.
"Live at the Olympia '96" is a terrific live album by anyone's standards. Deep Purple continue to release discs and boxed sets of their live performances and, although I'm sure many of them will be great, it seems difficult if not impossible for them to beat the performance captured here.
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan - vocals; Jon Lord - Hammond Organ, Keyboards; Steve Morse - guitar; Ian Paice - drums; Roger Glover - bass.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
"Who
Do We Think We Are?" (Warner Bros./Rhino; 1972)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
This digitally remastered version of the classic 1972 album, the last by the famous "Mark II" lineup until "Perfect Strangers" almost a decade later, is a fascinating collection of songs for a number of reasons.
1) "Who Do We Think We Are" is a surprisingly strong album, even today. Starting out with the classic "Woman From Tokyo" and offering a handful of other Deep Purple classics ("Mary Long," "Rat Bat Blue," "Super Trouper"), the CD packs a real wallop. What's surprising is that the band were probably at the highest point of their in-fighting during the recording of this record. Who'd'a thunk it would even be cohesive, let alone be a great rock'n'roll record.
2) The remastering is incredible. The tones are clearer, richer and deeper. Material originally recorded twenty years ago sounds as though it were recorded yesterday.
3) This special edition contains seven (count 'em, seven) bonus tracks: Two remixes of "Woman From Tokyo," two additional remixes from 1999, a studio outtake entitled "Painted Horse," a writing session for the tune "Rat Bat Blue" and a terrific 11-minute instrumental jam session that really gives insight to the band's recording.
4) "Who Do We Think We Are" is a more blues-influenced album than previous Deep Purple records, especially track 6, "Place In Line," which sounds like vintage B.B. King or Buddy Guy. It's a definite change of pace from the band's heavier records, but still a granite-solid rock'n'roll album.
5) The liner notes by Simon Robinson and band member Roger Glover are extensive and fascinating, as are the rare photos included. Really, though, we could probably do without the photos of a nude Glover and Gillan in the recording studio.
Deep Purple fans who already have the original version of this CD in their collection will want to pick up this new version immediately. The sound quality alone makes it worth the price, and the extras are just icing on the cake.
For more information, check out http://www.deep-purple.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2006 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 30 Jun 2010 01:52:08 -0500.
