Deep Purple-Machine Head

I am starting a new blog website. I'll summarize again that for this past Christmas, my brother-Mike got me a book titled 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You die. I have been going through the book and detailing memories I associate with the albums that I own (or owned).

As I write this, it is Holy Week 2010. The week before Easter when many Christians remember Christ's final week on Earth before his crucifixion and his resurrection. In my own tradition, I have been pulling out the original London recording of Jesus Christ Superstar which features Deep Purple vocalist - Ian Gillan singing the role of Jesus. I make a point of saying that he sings the part because Andrew Lloyd Webber originally recorded this musical first. It was later developed into a stage musical....and a movie later featuring Ted Neeley in the title role.

But, Whenever I listen to the London recording, I'm reminded of the great voice of Ian Gillan and his work with Deep Purple. So, you can usually predict about 2-3 weeks of a Deep Purple obsession. The three albums listed in the 1001 book are Deep Purple in Rock, Machine Head, and Made in Japan. For me, my ultimate favorite and example of Rock perfection is Machine Head.

I don't remember how I found out about DP. My sisters had the JC Superstar album(both the original and the movie soundtrack) and I remember reading through the libretto of the original recording. But, I had no idea that someone named Ian Gillan was singing or who he was or even what Deep Purple was.

I remember in 6th grade when our elementary music teacher wanted to do a special lesson feature on "rock music". It was kind of corny. But, at the same time, it was a nice break from the usual grade school choral arrangements. So, she decided to bring in some older "junior high" age kids to play some "Rock" tunes. I definitely remember them doing a cover of Smoke on the Water. But, after you get that riff in your head, how can you not forget it. When I bought my first drumkit, I would hook up with friends to "jam" and we would always ended up jamming to.....(you guessed it) Smoke on the Water. It would usually end up just being two drummers and one guitar player jamming to the song. But, it was a lot of fun.

So, somewhere in that time, I discovered that Deep Purple was the band who did the memorable song and "the riff heard around the world!" I am a little sketchy in my memory if I bought the cassette of Machine Head first or the 1984 reunion album Perfect Strangers first. I do know that after the 1984 (much publicized) reunion, I became completely engrossed in this band. At this time, I had become a frequent patron of the local record stores and the record departments of the local department stores like Alco, KMart and others. Funny enough, I have memories of my Saturday morning ritual of listening to Machine Head while I cleaned my room. I would put on the cassette and clean and then stop in my tracks in the middle of Lazy and think "that is the most lyrical and outstanding organ solo ever!"

For me, there is a Classic Hard Rock/Metal triumvrate of bands. Those three bands are Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. But, it seems that DP gets lost in the shuffle as some kind of oldies band when they've been making music for the past 14 years with guitarist Steve Morse.

The album starts off with Highway Star. This is a great way to start off an album. There is a commercial for the video game Rock Band with this song playing. As you listen to this in the car, I dare anyone not to speed when this is played at the appropriate volume level (i.e. LOUD). The music and instrumentation is perfect(to me). Richie Blackmore on guitar is delightfully tasteful, Jon Lord decorates the music with his signature Hammond B3 organ as Ian Paice swings those sticks with the authority that had not been seen since the big band swing era.
Next, is Maybe I'm a Leo...which at first seems rather pedestrian(at least it did in my youth). But, as I have listened over the years, it's got a certain slink to it. I really came to appreciate this song when (a few years back) Gov't Mule covered it on their Deep End album with DP's Roger Glover laying down the bass groove. From there, we come to Pictures of Home that starts with Ian Paice playing a thundering bass drum/rack tom/floor tom triplet that is incredible to behold. I have seen him play this part on the 2006 Montreux concerts and he can still execute that openly fill perfectly. What I didn't realize until seeing a live version of this from 2006(almost 34 years after originally recorded) is that bassist Roger Glover is just as amazing as the rest of his bandmates as he tackles a signature bass solo mid-song. For me, I am always raving about Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Ian Gillan's vocals and Ritchie Blackmore's guitars. But, holding it all together very well is bassist Roger Glover who has been instrumental in producing their albums too.
Never Before may seem like filler for the audiences of this era and time. But, you can't get to Smoke on the Water without listening to Never Before. ..
Side two of the album starts with the one song instantly identified with Deep Purple. Of course, it's the "jamming favorite" of many garage bands...Smoke on the Water. Of course, this song has been played by classic rock radio stations for years. Many of us are tired of it. I think I just tune it out by the time it comes on. I am as sick of hearing Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple as I am hearing Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.
The next song is just the coolest song interplay between guitar, Hammond organ, drums, bass and vocals. This is the song that made me fall in love with the sound of a Hammond B3 organ especially when it's played by Jon Lord. I'm talking about Lazy.
...and as goofy as the title of the final track sounds...Space Truckin is Rockin'. The band still performs this and it's just electrifying.

To me, Deep Purple is one of the greatest rock bands ever. I think I prefer them over Led Zeppelin some days. Maybe it's because their catalog extends from 1968 to 2005. Where Zeppelin started in 1968 and called it quits in 1980 when John Bonham died. I have really enjoyed all of their lineups from the "Mach 2" lineup with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover to the "Mach 3" featuring Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale and then later with Tommy Bolin replacing Blackmore and on to their current guitarist-Steve Morse who is a guitar player with no equal.
But, as a drummer, the one thing that holds them all together is the left-handed master drumming of Mr Ian Paice.