DEEP PURPLE DIGEST #3
In this issue:
Purple Passages Panned
Princeton Review
Come Taste the Band Gets an 8 out of 10
Some links from Nigel
From the desk of the DPD Grand Poobah
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-----Original Message-----
From: IluvGillan(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Thursday, August 27, 1998 9:32 PM
Subject: Purple Passages
Hi ,I just dug up the purple passages album it was my husbands his alittle
bit older then I am and really knows the stuff.I think its a best of so to
speak,all I have to say is thank godness for IG,Evans was made for Captain
Beyond,like Ozzy was made for Sabbath.I also heard that born again album I
couldn't believe how lousy that was it was like IG was trying to sound like
Ozzy.I just saw the band again recently at pnc ctr.in NJ and was going to
catch up with them again in Camden but that's another story..I couldn't
believe how great they were.I had 7th row is was like a dream the moon was
full and it was the begining of the N.E.tour and he sang like a bird.I
thought he was better now then when i saw him with Blackmore...P.S
album...Well that's my review...
Thanks for including me....
Cheers S.Rose
[Editor's response: Gee, I kinda liked "Born Again." Except this one part on
"Disturbing the Priest" where (I think) Ian is gargling razor blades. Thank
goodness he only gargles with liquids these days.]
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-----Original Message-----
From: IluvGillan(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Thursday, August 27, 1998 10:00 PM
Subject: Re: Deep Purple Digest #2
Yes T.J.My husband and I saw the concert at the Pnc ctr.in NJ the opening
day of the tour.It was the greatest show we ever saw in our lives,I my be
only 33 but my brother was in lots of bands so I been seeing concerts since
I've was 11yrs old.Ive sen Tull,Ozzy Nugent,Priest,Iron madein..Etc...I also
saw Purple with Blackmore the P.S.tour,this by far was the best.I was going
to catch up with him again at the E-ctr in Camden N.J.that's when he
Cancelled the show due to his voice and the night before at jones beach he
was not right either needless to say I was heartbroken but His in I think
Denver or Cal.and his voice is back to normal I think it was a summer cold.I
hope he will be back in the states next year cause he was the best think I
ever saw in my life....S.R.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Bolinhed(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Saturday, August 29, 1998 1:25 PM
Subject: CTTB REVIEW
Deep Purple
COME TASTE THE BAND
Warner Brothers/Purple Records
Rating: 8. I think this album stands above all of the Mark I stuff, as well
as
above "Stormbringer" and everything after "Perfect Strangers."
Put on your platform shoes and shove a sock or two down your trousers for
this one, a blast from 1975. "Come Taste The Band" (CTTB) comes from the
Tommy Bolin line-up of Deep Purple, also called DP Mark IV. This is arguably
the most controversial Purple album; perhaps "Purpindicular" may ovetake it
in terms of radical Purple switches. It is the source of much of Tommy
Bolin's fame, which is a mixed blessing, as this was not Bolin's finest hour
by a long shot, and Purple themselves were not fully behind it. However, it
is an album that had to fight the ghost of Blackmore, and many fans could
not listen to it objectively as a result.
A bit of history; one thing is that Billboard magazine cited Deep Purple as
the best selling band of 1973. Blackmore, Gillan, and Glover were the three
main songwriters at that point, and obviously a lead guitarist and singer
make or break a band’s image and sound. So, while many people were shocked
that Purple’s sound changed so drastically in 1975, it really should have
been no surprise. A completely new songwriting team had taken over, with a
very different - American - guitar player. Bolin’s background was jazz,
blues, psychedelia; none of the heavy metal or classical-tinged guitar that
was Blackmore’s forte. This was almost a new band, then; they may have drew
less criticism from die-hards had they not been called Deep Purple. Despite
his newness, Bolin wrote or co-wrote 8 of the 9 songs on the album, greatly
changing the Purple sound.
The band itself was experimenting and changing; vocalist David Coverdale (of
Whitesnake fame, alas) was having to contend with bassist Glenn Hughes’
opinion that Hughes should sing!! It was Hughes’ desire to have the band
play more in a funk/soul direction, along the lines of Stevie Wonder.
Drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Jon Lord - the only folks who have been in
Purple from start to finish - were ready to pack it in, but were excited by
Coverdale “discovering” Bolin. Tommy Bolin didn’t know Purple’s music too
well, but figured he could wing it; it was initially his philosophy that he
could play stadiums and make money with Purple and play more “arty” stuff on
his solo albums. He obviously contributed quite a deal to the band, as
witnessed not only by his immense songwriting input but also by the fact
that he played much of the bass (uncredited) while Hughes wrestled with
personal demons.
CTTB got mixed reviews; positive notes from Rolling Stone but low sales and
confusion from fans. Folks who expected to hear “Smoke On The Water” part 2
were disappointed by the exotic strains of jazz, balladry, and funk that
burbled throughout. British die-hards were appalled that an American was in
the driver’s seat. Bolin soon joined Hughes in heroin troubles, and the live
album from the tour, "Last Concert In Japan," showed the band having a tough
time with the band’s classic material. The song choice on "Last Concert In
Japan" was unfortunate; bootlegs of the show reveal that the band played the
new stuff well, but the record company included the old hits, not a lot of
the new stuff, to get the fans, and these ("Smoke On The Water," "Highway
Star") were the least impressive songs. Bolin is low in the mix as it was
felt he was not cutting it. The recent release of "King Biscuit Flower Hour
Presents Deep Purple" goes a long way toward improving opinions of Purple
Mark IV’s live shows, though it has been accurately stated (by the band
themselves) that at that point they were five egomaniacs fighting for
solos!! The arena-rock vibe is large, but it is a good show with GREAT
playing.
However, CTTB stands up rather well, especially through headphones. From a
guitar point of view, it is a huge treat with layers of subtleties; the
vocals can be grating if Misters Coverdale and Hughes don’t do it for you.
If you’re a fan of intelligent lyrics, buy a Joni Mitchell disc and shut the
&^%up.
1. Comin’ Home - begins with the big blast of noise/pick slides/cymabls
crashing that most bands END their songs with!! A brief echoplex freak-out
leads into a pulsing-piano rock’n’roll number. Coverdale’s lyrics
essentially update “Speed King” as far as being a collage of rock references
& cliches. Solid, with some familiar Bolinisms on the
fade-out guitar solo. A very American rock sound, far from the Eurorock of
Blackmore.
2. Lady Luck - Bolin brought this song over from Energy, an earlier band of
his (See the Tommy Bolin Archives "Tommy Bolin: The Energy Radio
Broadcasts"); Coverdale took the time to make the lyrics stupider. A great
slide solo, and a bass line straight outta Foghat. Classic cock rock.
3. Gettin’ Tighter - This one finds Hughes taking over on vocals, showing
surprising restraint. This perhaps hints at the direction that Hughes and
Bolin would have wanted the band to go in; about halfway through, there is a
funk breakdown straight out of P-Funk. Astonishing. You can still hear 70’s
metal heads saying “WHa...?!?!?!” Incidentally, this song is one of the
highlights of the live King Biscuit disc, where they really stretch it out.
Here, you just have to IMAGINE the audience participation routines.
4. Dealer - Dark funk. This chord progression is a Bolin recycler, though
you wouldn’t know it. Tommy gets a few seconds at the microphone. As with
many of the songs here, this is not necessarily one that hits you on first
listen, but becomes a keeper soon enough. Bolin sings a few lines, his sole
vocal contribution. I personally feel Purple should've used Bolin's vocal
talents more, but apparently they had enough trouble with Glenn and David
sparring for the mike!
5. I Need Love - Arguably the weakest cut here. A silly Coverdale pouter, it
is to this album what his “Boys Are Feeling Hot Tonight” was to the
Coverdale/Page disc. “Your body was honey I tasted a lot/But lemme tell ya
babay I need more than what chu got...” etc. More funk bubbles up though,
and the outro guitar solo is terrific.
6. Drifter - Epitome of guilty pleasure cock rock; well, most of this album
is. More stupid lyrics but you have to laugh, and the riff is a fun one, as
is
the slow lazy slide playing. The guitar lead at the beginning of the song
hits
like an icepick between the eyes; in a good way though. Like "Love Child,"
this is best played at 11.
7. Love Child - THE riff. Why Bolin does not get a guitar solo here is a
mystery; the rhythm he lays down for the keyboard solo is one he would use
for his unaccompanied solo later on live, and in fact it dates back to the
Alphonse Mouzon Mind Transplant sessions. At any rate, it is a strange
synthesizer solo that Lord plays, but is very cool after some plays, very
different sound for Lord, and the drums are loud ‘n’ ‘eavy.
8. This Time Around/Owed To G. A Glenn Hughes moment. The soul man offers
this ballad which is either the corniest thing you ever heard or a very
touching piece, depending on your medication. I have come to find it pretty,
but it took me ten years. It DOES cascade into Bolin's “Owed To G,” the most
crushingly heavy thing on the album. This instrumental coda dips into
dissonance and resolution in a way Purple never played before. It is the
most adventurous moment on the album, one that should be resurrected by the
band as it still really moves.
9. You Keep On Moving - The dramatic album closer falls in very nicely after
the brutal “Owed To G.” “You Keep On Moving” starts out with a spooky bass
line and nice vocal harmonies. A terrific Hammond organ solo by Lord is
perfect, as is the brief, layered guitar freak-out that Bolin ends it with.
Haunting, epic, perfect. It leaves the room silent after the last notes have
ended.
And so it is, and that’s all there is, unfortunately. This album and
subsequently the CD spent a lot of time being out of print except in Japan,
where all things Purple are worshipped as godlike and rightly so (will
Matchbox 20 be equally as popular over there in 20 years? Perish the
thought). The band would call it quits in the spring of 1976, and Bolin
would not survive the year. Outtakes from Bolin’s auditions and the
rehearsals for this CD have been only a rumor, but supposedly songs ranging
from “Statesboro Blues” to “I Got You Babe” were played. There is to be a
disc
of out-takes released in fall of 1998!!! The title itself comes from the
boys
sitting around the piano playing “Cabaret,” and a drunken Bolin confusing
the lyrics “Come join the band” for “Come taste the band.” Despite reuniting
in 1984, Deep Purple would not get this experimental again until Steve Morse
joined in 1993, a transition almost as altering for Deep Purple as Mark IV
was.
In the meantime, Tommy Bolin is sorely missed on this earth.
Sincerely, Jim Sheridan
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-----Original Message-----
From: NigelYoung(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Saturday, August 29, 1998 4:54 AM
Subject: DP Links
Here's some links for you:
http://members.aol.com/nigelyoung/index.htm - The Deep Purple Diary
http://members.aol.com/deepperpel/iangillan.htm - The Ian Gillan Gig List
Cheers,
Nigel Young (and, yes, that's spelt "perpel")
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From the desk of the Grand Poobah:
dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Got some slick new stuff at the website. Added the member links section to
the links page. If you got a page, I'll link it and put down your member
number! (Terje Winther just added- he's member #13 on the list, the lucky
guy.) I can keep track of all the member numbers because I'm kinda obsessive
that way...
Personal demons aside, I also added on some more pages for "Basement Tapes"
recordings that got dug up for collectors way after they were recorded, or
just other live albums that got released on off-brand labels. (No bootleg
reviews, though.) The off-the-wall live recordings are pretty much a mixed
bag and I'd really appreciate reviews on them so I know which ones to get
after.
Speaking of reviews, well done Jim Shepard! You get a stellar post for your
review! (First one, too.) Anyone else who wants to review a disc need not be
as exhaustive as Jim, but should include the 1-10 rating and some good
reasons why you saw fit to rate it thusly.
Keep posting, purple people!
(BTW: Membership now at 35! We are growing, growing, here!)(Not gone)
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Thought for the moment:
Why are they called RE-frigerators when you can put stuff in there for the
first time?
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For subscription, unsubscription, and contributions, send mail to:
dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com and I'll get around to it...
Official Deep Purple website at http://www.deep-purple.com
DP list web site at
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Balcony/8910/default.html
