Deep Purple

Purple still pretty much kicks ass. Just in a different way to the way they used to. Morse and Airey are excellent additions to the band.
 
I heard a story many years ago on the radio: "Woman From Tokyo" started off as a song about something else, and the chorus lyrics were just some nonsense Gillan made up to fill the space when writing the song. Everyone realized Gillan's idea was better and the original idea was dropped.

Take this with a grain of salt, I can't remember the source.
 
If Rod Evans is in it makes absolutely no sense not to have Simper in as well. At least Simper would perhaps actually show up to the ceremonies while no one in the world knows where Evans is ;)

Taking things back to 1973 and the Who Do We Think We Are tour, this show in New York was recorded in May. Just 2 months before the whole tour ended and Gillan would step out of the band. They still play exceptionally well and put on a professional show but they had been at it pretty much since 1970 and I think it's clear that Gillan is abit tired at this point....But still sings well and doesn't phone in his performance.

 
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Burn (1974)

With Gillan leaving the band at the end of the previous tour and Glover being squeezed out by Blackmore, Deep Purple returned in 1974 with two new members on their 8th studio album. The then unknown singer David Coverdale on lead vocals and Glenn Hughes, formerly of Trapeze, on bass and vocals. Both of them young musicians who would add their own, more funky, flavor to mid 70's Deep Purple with a youthful exuberance.

The title track, Burn, opens the album in fiery fashion. This tune has all the elements of a classic Purple opener with Blackmore and Lord bringing back the magic, sharing classic solo spots. Ian Paice is again all over the drums and both Hughes and Glenn get their time to shine. A perfect song. Lay Down, Stay Down is another highlight of the album for me. Great uptempo and heavy track with some boogie leanings, great singing from Coverdale and Hughes. Blackmore brings his A game on the solo, nicely supported by some clean piano in the background by Lord. Bass-heavy and sleazy Sail Away show some of the new influences and styles they were playing with at the time. A very funky track with some tight playing by Hughes and Paice and some distorted sleaze synths by Lord. The same can be said for You Fool No One, which has the same funky rhythms but kept heavy and rocking by Paice and Blackmore.

Mistreated showcases Coverdale brilliantly and shows the newly found bluesy soul tunes they would be able to do with him at the helm. Stellar performances from everyone here from the soothing bass to the emotional solo by Blackmore. A200 is the only throwaway on this album. An instrumental track where Lord plays with sci-fi space synths. it does feel oddly tagged on after sitting through the first 7 songs.

Sometimes I do miss Gillan's distinctive voice and his primal shrieks and screams on this album but Coverdale and Hughes does a great job. Blackmore is also back in full force on this album, on Who Do We Think We Are he was very anonymous but this is definitely his album and he shines on every track. Overall a very, VERY enjoyable listen from start to finish. Top notch musicianship and quality songwriting that is a definite step up from some of their past offerings You won't find a more aptly named album as the band scorch through one song after the other leaving a burning trail in their wake...Highly recommended and one of the finest Deep Purple albums. Turn it up and let it Burn!
 
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Here is Trapeze, the band Glenn Hughes played in before joining Deep Purple for the Burn album. Also featuring in Trapeze is Dave Holland who after Trapeze would join Judas Priest and drum on classic albums such as British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance, Defenders, Priest...Live, Point of Entry...

 
That Dave Holland? Jim'll Fix It Dave Holland?

Say what you will, but I find this album a bit overrated. I love the title track (one of their best, in fact) and you can find pretty good songs here and there, but overall I prefer Stormbringer. Yes, I know I'm probably completely alone in that regard. Also, I don't like Coverdale all that much. You can't compare him with the golden-age Gillan at all, he's way too "funky" or whatever. A good album, undoubtedly, but overrated. Funny cover, too.
 
I'm looking forward to comparing this album to Stormbringer (Can't remember this album at all) and yeah like I said, sometimes I wish it was still Gillan that was laying vocals on top of the playing here. It almost feels wrong to hear someone else on top of those delightful sounds that only Paice/Lord/Blackmore can make....But then Coverdale also made it possible to do tracks such as Mistreated. But yes, his voice is very different from Gillan :D
 
I like Burn, really good album in fact. But, without Gillan singing (and his lyrics) it is just not the same band.
 
It is not the same band...which doesn't mean it is not as good! ;) There is no way I can put either this album, In Rock or Machine Head one above the others for the n°1 DP album spot. "Burn" is probably the best hard rock song ever written and I am among those who find that Coverdale sings "Mistreated" even better than Ronnie James Dio on Rainbow's On Stage. Moreover, "Sail Away" is one of my favourite songs to play on the bass. Interestingly enough, the "bassless" interpretation of this song on Whitesnake's Purple Album is very different but it is great too in my opinion.
I'm glad it is making its way back into DP-related artists' setlists:
Bottom line: a good song remains a good song, whatever its arrangement is. ;)
 
Great videos @Black Bart :)

No it's not the same band, but then again it is still Blackmore, Lord and Paice ;) The three piece that developed the Purple sound and grew stronger and stronger from the first steps on the Evans albums.....Once Blackmore leaves after Stormbringer then we're really talking about "a different band"! Still of course Gillan is also synonymous with the sound of Purple, but Burn, quality wise, is up there with Machine Head, with Fireball and with In Rock.
 
I know I'll probably sound stubborn or whatever, but to me the only Purple albums that get my blood boiling are the ones with Blackmore. (Okay, maybe with Bolin as an interesting detour). And it's no prejudice, really. Yes, I love the guy, but that notwithstanding, I just don't see them displaying a comparable amount of energy without him, whether on Purpendicular on on So What. I do enjoy Purpendicular, but even then it's not really comparable with the Blackmore era in my book, sorry. Much as I might love Lord or Gillan. Or respect Steve Morse.

What I wanted to say is that even Burn, overrated as it might be, is a great album with a huge enjoyment factor... I've already talked about the title track, but Mistreated is great too. And so is Lay Down, Stay Down. Still not comparable to Rock-Fireball-Machine, though.
 
Black Bart said:
"Burn" is probably the best hard rock song ever written
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Whoa, hold on there, sparky...

We can all stipulate that it is a good song. Even a great song. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's not even the best Purple song, nor the best Blackmore song (that would be "Stargazer," for those keeping score).
 
Cornfed Hick said:
It's not even the best Purple song, nor the best Blackmore song (that would be "Stargazer," for those keeping score).
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I think "Burn" is better than "Stargazer" because it is more varied and shorter at the same time, but at this level it is like comparing Zeus and Jupiter ;) . @Cornfed Hick What would be the best DP song in your opinion, excluding live versions of course?
 
Black Bart said:
I think "Burn" is better than "Stargazer" because it is more varied and shorter at the same time, but at this level it is like comparing Zeus and Jupiter ;) . @Cornfed Hick What would be the best DP song in your opinion, excluding live versions of course?
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"Burn" is a three-minute song stretched to fill six. "Stargazer" is just as long as it needs to be.:p

Tough to pick a best Deep Purple song, but I would rank "Speed King," "Child In Time," "Fireball," "Fools," most of Machine Head, "Rat Bat Blue," and "Perfect Strangers" above "Burn." My favorites are probably "Child In Time" and "Perfect Strangers."

I should probably add here that I prefer the first three Rainbow albums to anything Deep Purple ever did, so you can discount (or credit) my opinions accordingly.
 
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