down to it! Legend has struck! And this is really the archetypal album to show that a band can be different in the studio and on stage.
This vinyl of mine became almost transparent as it was so worn out from having played it so often. However , I must say nowadays I look at it now a bit embarassingly! Although still an excellent album, I will never deny the man, I can see that the album is a little self-indulgent.
These lenghty jams/improvs are fighting with Allman Brother's Band for top place in complacency! I can understand where the critics from Punk fans came. But nevermind the critics this album is fun , and that is especially when Lord and Blackmore improvise, sometimes forraying into Classical themes.
Only The Mule is less interesting containing the obligatory drum solo, but even then Paicey Balck Night and a superb and kick-arse rendition of Little Richard's Lucille. Simply Posted Thursday, September 22, 2005, 04:33 EST |
metal! An unadulterated masterpiece, loud, proud and technically amazing, "Made in Japan" - after over 30 years - is still the mother of all live albums.
When it was recorded, Deep Purple were at their height of their musical form, stunning audiences into submission at every live performance. However, in their case it was no mere, dumb bludgeoning in the style of many later heavy metal bands, which thought sheer volume was the only answer. Each of the members of DP was a master of his instrument (even the underrated, but always reliable bassist Roger Glover), a vocalist at the age of 60).
Last but not least...
they had the songwriting skills to heritage. However, they are no simple renditions of the studio tracks, but rather talents. Ritchie Blackmore plays like a demon, wringing all kind of weird noises and sublime sounds from his Fender Stratocaster.
Jon Lord, the Hammond god, is his perfect foil, sometimes providing a solid background for Blackmore's improvisations, the Emersons and Wakemans of this world. Ian Paice's drumming is metronomical in its precision, and his spot on "The Mule" is a good example of a drum solo that avoids being boring. Glover pounds his bass stoically in the background: no Chris Squire- style "lead bassist", but a perfect partner for the impeccable Paice.
Then we have Ian Gillan, handsome and wild, competing with Blackmore's guitar for the highest note on "Strange Kind of Woman", screaming his heart out on the legendary, All of the tracks are extended, dilated, chock-full of improvisation and creativity. The closing "Space Truckin'" clocks in at almost 20 minutes, a lengthy jam session including pieces of other tracks, underpinned by Jon Lord's trademark buzzsaw Hammond. It may not be prog in the strictest sense, but the influences are clearly there.
Without any possible doubt, an essential listen for any lover of great rock Posted Tuesday, April 18, 2006, 15:21 EST |
"Put out that washing machine!" was my father's favorite yell when he used to enter my room while I was listening to hardrock like this legendary live album by Deep Purple. He couldn't understand that I was delighted about biting guitars, screaming vocals and furious Hammond organ runs.
This week I played the remastered version (including a bonus CD with Black Night, Speed King and Lucille) and I was stunned how incredible On The Water, the entertaining drum solo in The Mule, the unique vocals-guitar duel in Strange Kind Of Woman, the exciting guitar work in Lazy and the sensational synthesizer play in Space Truckin', it's such a powerful, dynamic, crafty, thrilling and time in my life (I am from 1960) during the Dutch Arrow Classic Rock Festival this summer! Posted Tuesday, April 18, 2006, 17:08 EST |
IMO, in the sixties and in the seventies Rock bands worked harder. They were expected to release at least one studio album per year, and a live album was almost "an obligation".
The seventies in particular was the time when great live albums were released, and they were almost always recorded and released when most of the bands were at their peak, musically speaking (with a few exceptions). This album was released in December 1972, after their "Machine Head" album. Unfortunately, by then there were "personality clashes" between the members of the band, particularly between Blackmore and Gillan, who wanted to leave the band before recording their next studio album, but was persuaded to not do it.
Unfortunately, he and Glover left the band in mid 1973, and Deep Purple was never the same without them. But fortunately, this is a very good live album which demonstrates the very good "chemistry", at least at the musical level, which this band had These live albums from the seventies also showed some excesses, very characteristic of Rock music in general in those years. The excess in this album is demonstrated by some songs which had a very long duration played in concert, IMO, but despite these excesses, almost all the songs shine, particularly "Highway Star" (more energetic than the studio Mule" (great drums solo) and "Strange Kind of Woman" (one of their best songs, IMO).
It was also another "obligation" to include dums solos in live albums then! In conclusion: one of the best Rock music live albums of all time. I only wish that many of why many young people in the present look for older albums recorded by old bands.
Bands like Coldplay are good, but they lack something in their music, like playing with more energy and feeling like the old bands did, IMO. Posted Sunday, May 28, 2006, 11:04 EST |
During the seventies I wore out my vinyl album of MIJ and had to buy it again! Then I had According to Bruse Dickinson of Iron Maiden, this is the best rock album of all time.
I would have to agree. There are no overdubs or doctoring, what you hear is what it was like! The album kicks off with "Highway Star" and from the word go, this is a fantastic live opener.
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