DEEP PURPLE DIGEST #42
In this issue:
CTTB For Real
CTTB Doesn't have an awful taste
Figthing Man
Graham, Cozy & Rainbow
Edited Mk3 Concerts
Ted Nugent in Alternative Mk4
Rory in Mk4, praise for Bolin
Heroes
A word from the African Antipodes...
Jimi replaces Ritchie -- Shocker!!
JC Superstar and the Gillan autobio.
More on Mk4 Alternate History
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-----Original Message-----
From: Bolinhed(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 1999 3:51 PM
Subject: CTTB For Real
Folks, to really get CTTB, you have to listen to it with new ears. Had I
heard
it in 1975 when I was eagerly expecting something that sounded just like
"Machine Head" or "Burn" I would've been shocked. However, I heard it in
1985,
when I knew enough about music to know that if on "Machine Head," the prime
songwriters were Blackers/Gillan/Glover, and none of them appeared on CTTB,
well go figure, it would sound different!! Add to that the fact that
Gillan's
vox and Blacker's git were THE primary sounds of Mark II, and again they
were
not IN Mark IV - how can people not realize it's gonna sound
different?!?!?!?
Oy!! So listen to it as a hard rock album that stands alone, not as you
listen
to, say, "Perfect Strangers." An interesting note is that mainstream
critics,
the guys putting together the Rock Encyclopedias, etc, consistently state
that
CTTB dated better than the previous few albums. I would say it sounds
better
than Stormbringer if you HAVE to compare them apples to apples. Regardless,
Bolin was better solo than he was with Deep Purple - check out TEASER. Jim
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Richardson
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 1999 5:48 PM
Subject: CTTB doesn't have an awful taste
Just because I rate Come Taste the Band a 3.3, that does not mean I
think it's a poor album. Some seem to be missing Dean's original point
when he first mentioned rating the albums. We are rating them against
Deep Purple's best work and Deep Purple's average work. We are not
rating them against music by other artists of that era or artists of
today. (Because then the worst Purple album would rate about a 9.7)
I think I remember someone rating the albums where the lowest rating was
around 8.0. That would mean there was little difference between the
band's greatest work (which is among the greatest albums of all time),
and the lowest quality of Deep Purple's work.
I would rather listen to Stormbringer than the best album by 95% of any
other band, although Stormbringer (in my opinion) is the poorest album
Purple has ever released. Come Taste the Band is over twice as good as
that album, but to me there is a big difference between CTTB and Fireball
or Machine Head.
I hold Deep Purple up to very high standards, as I should because it's an
incredible band that has turned out great work and has phenomenal
players.
Rating CTTB a 3.3 does not mean I never listen to it. But I'd rather
listen to almost any Purple album than that one. I'm just glad this band
has released so many albums of amazing quality.
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Sommer
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Thursday, January 21, 1999 5:58 AM
Subject: Fighting Man
Just a quickey to say that " Fighting Man " by Ian Gillan Band kicks
ass!!!!!
P.S - Just read that Purple are coming to Australia in April. Yay!!!!!
See Ya
Paul Sommer
sharkie59(at-a-domain-named)hotmail.com
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: John LaRocque
To: Deep Purple Digest
Date: Thursday, January 21, 1999 7:53 AM
Subject: Graham, Gozy & Rainbow
I haven't posted for a while - kind of lazy, I guess. But here goes. I'm
tossing in some album reviews of newer and older titles, with a particular
focus on Graham Bonnet and the unforgettable, irreplacable Cozy Powell (Oh
how we miss thee), along with some releases which feature Rainbow covers.
There is a strange thematic unity here, if only I could make sense of it...
NEWER ALBUMS
------------
[Apologies to list members for this first item. I know I reviewed it here
several months ago, but its repost is intended to compare it with a
similar-in-spirit tribute to Cozy I received a few weeks back.]
NIJI-DENSETSU Niji-Densetsu
(Japan Sept 1998 Pony Canyon PCCA-1230)
Now this is utterly cool. A bunch of Japanese artists, most of them unheard
of outside their native land, putting together a tribute to one of their
favorite bands. The players here are from bands such as Anthem and
Earthshaker, along with special guests (and Rainbow alumni) Joe Lynn Turner
and David Rosenthal. And what a bang-up job they did, including the vocals
by Yukio Morikawa (who sounds like a strange cross between Graham Bonnet
and
the Elfen One). Morikawa and Turner traded off vocal duties on "Spotlight
Kid", accompanied by keyboardist Rosenthal. Rosenthal also provided the
keyboard introduction to "Gates of Babylon". Turner also guested on a
second
track, "Drinking With The Devil". The acoustic parts of "Street of Dreams"
was a nice touch. This is one of the most unique tribute records I have
ever
heard, with nearly every track capturing the spirit and energy of Rainbow.
Dedicated to the memory of Cozy Powell.
1. Over The Rainbow (Harburg) - Kill The King (Blackmore/Dio/Powell)
2. Spotlight Kid (Blackmore/Glover)
3. Eyes Of The World (Blackmore/Glover)
4. Man On The Silver Mountain (Blackmore/Dio) - Mistreated
(Blackmore/Coverdale)
5. Road To Babylon (Rosenthal) - Gates Of Babylon (Blackmore/Dio)
6. All Night Long (Blackmore/Glover)
7. Starstruck (Blackmore/Dio)
8. Street Of Dreams (Blackmore/Turner)
9. Drinking With The Devil (Blackmore/Turner)
10. Lost In Hollywood (Blackmore/Glover/Powell)
11. A Light In The Black (Blackmore/Dio)
12. Over The Ranbow - Reprise (Harburg)
13. Rainbow Eyes (Blackmore/Dio)
VARIOUS ARTISTS - Cozy Powell Forever
(Japan Sept 1998 Electric Angel Records EAR-001)
This record is Munetaka Higuchi's tribute to the late great Cozy Powell,
and
features many Japanese artists, including former Loudness mate Akira
Takasaki, guesting on two tracks. The album starts out with an over the top
drum solo accompanying the classic 1812 Overture, followed by a fine
collection of material covering the Cozy legacy. There are five Rainbow
covers, along with songs by Whitesnake, Michael Schenker Group, Jeff Beck,
and instrumentals from other sources (Don Airey, ELP, Gary Moore). By
accident or design, no Cozy-era Black Sabbath covers appear ("Sabbath
Stones" would have made a good choice though). Carmine Appice and Tony
Franklin appear on the two weakest tracks - "Theme One", and "Armed and
Ready", the latter with the only poor English vocals on the record. Most
amusing moment: "Slide It In" with female vocals, from Lee Aaron
sound-alike
Keiko Terada. Along with the Japanese tribute to Rainbow (Niji-Densetsu),
one of the few decent tribute records to come out in 1998 (outclassing the
two Ozzy and one Maiden tribute by comparison).
1. Overture 1812
2. Stargazer (Blackmore/Dio)
3. Over The Top (Airey/Powell)
4. Lost In Hollywood (Blackmore/Glover/Powell)
5. The Score (Emerson/Lake)
6. Kill The King (Blackmore/Dio/Powell)
7. Theme One (Martin)
8. Ice Cream Cakes (Beck)
9. All Night Long (Blackmore/Glover)
10. Since You've Been Gone (Ballard)
11. Slide It In (Coverdale)
12. Armed And Ready (Schenker/Barden)
13. The Loner - Dedicated To Jeff Beck (Middleton/Moore)
NEWS FLASH (January 1999) - New Japanese Live tribute to Cozy Tribute is
set
to be released. No further information on artist or record label. Details
to
come. Cozy forever!
TAMAS Live In Budapest
(Japan Sept 1998 Avalon / Marquee MICY-1074)
This is album features fourteen live tracks from the Hungarian guitar
virtuoso Tamasz Szekeres. Although European, Tamas' playing is closer to
the
kind you would expect from the US label, Shrapnel Records. Ever since
"discovering" the Viking master 15 years ago, Shrapnel's Mike Varney has
been trying to give the world the next Yngwie - Tony Macalpine, James Byrd,
George Bellas etc... In his speedy, blues-inflected execution, Tamas style
is perhaps closer to a different Swede, John Norum (Shrapnel artist,
ex-Europe). But enough of Varney and Shrapnel. Tamas already has more than
a
dozen albums under his belt, including several instrumentals, some of which
are available off the German label LMP. Ian Parry, who has sung with Dutch
bands such as Elegy and Vengeance, handles vocal duties on this album. For
those who like covers, the last three tracks are a treat - "Ice Princess"
(Macalpine), "Hero with 1000 Eyes" (Steve Lukather), and the Japanese bonus
track (and Rainbow cover) "Can't Let You Go". Anyway, if you want to hear a
guitar player who is really good at his craft, check this item out.
KENZINER Timescape (Leviathan, 1998)
Magnificent Yngwie-like release from latest Leviathan wunderkind Jarno
Keskinen, who not coincidently, thanks Paganini in the liner notes.
Listening to this record, you'd swear he spent all of his time in his
basement doing his best Viking pose (along with label-mate Joe Stump). A
bit
heavy on the keyboards, with Graham Bonnet clone on the mike, in some
respects is a followup to Yngwie-era Alcatrazz, or Chris Impelliteri's
"Stand In Line" (which featured the real Graham). Deriviative, but highly
enjoyable. Recommended listening. The Japanese version supposedly features
a
bonus track.
OLDER ALBUMS
------------
GRAHAM BONNET Underground
(Japan August 1997 Victor VICP-60084)
I came across this item in a CD sale recently, one of the few pieces
missing
in my near-complete Graham Bonnet library (he of Rainbow, M.S.G., Alcatrazz
etc.). I found this LP an improvement over his work in Blackthorne's
"Afterlife" (1993), but only just barely. It's not that the songs are bad -
there's some decent material in here. It's just that Bonnet tends to shine
when working with good songs and/or great guitar players (Blackmore,
Yngwie,
Impelliteri), and there's so little of it here. I mean, this almost makes
me
want to pull out my old Forcefields. For what it's worth, you get a cover
of
"Lost in Hollywood", along with Hendrix "Wind Cries Mary". Pat Regan
(Blackmore's Night) produces.
GRAHAM BONNET Line-Up
(Japan Jan 1994 Polygram PHCR-4194)
I also picked up a Japanese reissue of Bonnet's 1981 solo LP "Line Up" the
same weekend as "Underground". This release features Whitesnake alumni Jon
Lord, Micky Moody and Cozy Powell. I first heard a version of "Night Games"
years ago on his Alcatrazz live album with Yngwie - its presence here
brought back some pleasant memories. Overall, this is a classy rock 'n'
roll
record, with each of the artists (including Bonnet) in fine form. Fast
becoming a favorite in my Bonnet collection.
IMPELLITERI, CHRIS Impelliteri s/t
(USA Relativity 1988)
No particular reason for reviewing it here, except that this is one of my
all-time favorite Bonnet albums, and comes closest to capturing the magic
of
that first Alcatrazz LP he did with Yngwie. Of all the pretenders to the
Yngwie throne back in the late 80's, Chris Impelliteri is perhaps my
favorite of the lot. His fast and furious axe-assault comes across
forcefully across such tracks as "Secret Lover" and "Goodnight and Goodbye"
(I always found it a bit strange hearing Graham singing the phrase "Lost in
Hollywood" toward the end of the latter). This LP includes a wonderfully
heavy cover of "Since You've Been Gone" (with an original guitar solo in
the
middle), and that Rainbow (and now Impelliteri) standard "Over The
Rainbow".
This is Chris' only LP with Bonnet - he is still pumping out records, with
Bob Rock on vocals. I have a great cover he did of Highway star (with Rock)
out there on bootleg somewhere. Chris regularly places (and rightfully so)
in the Burrn! top guitarist polls every year in Japan, and is supposedly on
an as yet unreleased Yngwie tribute.
John LaRocque
"Summer nights are colder now
They've taken down the fair
All the lights have died somehow
Or were they ever there."
--Rainbow Eyes (Blackmore/Dio)
John LaRocque
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Reichberg
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Thursday, January 21, 1999 9:44 AM
Subject: Edited "Final Mk III Conerts"?
Maybe this has already been discussed, but has "Final Mk III Concerts"
been edited? I mean, not the audience noises, but the songs? At least
Ritchie's solo spot on "You Fool No One" seems to have been taken
away...
Daniel
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Hatheway-SSI
To: 'dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com'
Date: Thursday, January 21, 1999 12:17 PM
Subject: Alternative History
>to Tommy Bolin. Was this true?)... Alvin Lee... Leslie West (Now THAT
would
>have made an interesting band!!!)... or possibly even somebody who was
>still up-and-coming at that time, like Brian May...
>What do you think? Send in your ideas and let the world know.
>Later,
>Dean Webb
>Grand High Poobah of the Deep Purple Digest
>mailto: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
We'll they probably would have gone with an American. So along those
lines,
I'd have to say the right person at the right time, would be Ted Nugent.
That would make a powerful lineup. Ted has a stage presence equal to
Ian's,
would have been fun!
TomH
Sunnyvale CA
{Dean "NUGENT???" Webb: NUGENT??? When I first read this one I flipped out.
Nugent in Deep Purple? The Motor City Madman in the big DP? As if DP wasn't
already having a singer controversy at the time! Ted *sings*, you know...
And then I heard two songs on the radio on my way home that made me
reconsider... "Slide It In" followed by "Wang Dang Sweet Pootang". It
reminded me that Ted didn't always have to sing his tunes (remember
Meatloaf...) and that his subject matter was right up Coverdale's alley.
Probably would've worked, although Glenn Hughes would have left *real
soon*.}
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Fallas
To: Deep Purple Digest
Date: Friday, January 22, 1999 12:31 AM
Subject: Re: Deep Purple Digest #41
Hi All
t got me wondering further... what if Bolin hadn't been picked as the
>guitarist in 1975, but the honors went to some other axeman that was free
>(or could have been made free) at the time? What other names could the
band
>have come up with and what would the resultant mix have sounded like? I
>recall an earlier thread in which Rory Gallagher got approached, but
>politely declined.
>
>So who else? Randy California... Frank Marino... Joe Walsh (I think I
>remember reading something about him getting asked and referring the asker
>to Tommy Bolin. Was this true?)... Alvin Lee... Leslie West (Now THAT
would
>have made an interesting band!!!)... or possibly even somebody who was
>still up-and-coming at that time, like Brian May...
>
>What do you think? Send in your ideas and let the world know.
>
>Later,
>
>Dean Webb
>Grand High Poobah of the Deep Purple Digest
>mailto: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
>
I recall that Rory Gallagher was also on the bands short list of guitairsts
considered to take over for Blackmore. Personally I think Tommy Bolin was
the best choice for this role. Just listen to the Live King Biscuit Cds,
Tommy rules.
Cheers
Eric
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: dull(at-a-domain-named)indigo.ie
To: Deep Purple Digest
Date: Friday, January 22, 1999 5:22 AM
Subject: Heroes?
Hello All,
As a person not given to having heroes of any kind, I have often wondered
about what it is that has made me such an avid Deep Purple fan. As a
teenager I was eager to emulate as well as listen to them, and did some
damage to my vocal chords and fingers trying to be a cross between Gillan
and Blackmore in school bands!
In retrospect I suppose that the times were a factor; music (and society
generally) was going through a blip of originality which will probably
never be repeated in our lifetime. From almost every genre of music there
were giants rising out of the mediocrity, and freedom of expression was
the order of the day. Business was still business of course, and groups
were pushed to produce album selling singles and do high yeild tours
which left many an outfit knackered.
I first became aware of Deep Purple when a friend stuck In Rock on the
turntable in his suitably darkened attic bedroom. I was aware of the
distinction between commercial sessioning and inspired musicianship, but
I had never imagined the possibility of individual AND synergistic
musicianship, energy, subtlety and creativity such as this! The enigmatic
photography of the band at the time added a sense of mystery as well. I
was hooked right up until Stormbringer. In a sense, the demise of the
band after this was a salutary lesson that there are things in nature
that just happen and can't be artificially generated.
I've been collecting all the CDs going back to Shades, and although I
know that most of the magic existed during the life of the mark 2 lineup,
I have noticed a number of fleeting samples of vocal and instrumental
phrases which became essentially what distinguished mark 2 from the rest
of music history. Obviously one needs to look at the wider picture too,
and at other innovators such as Artur Brown, Hendrix and so on, as well
as a music scene which allowed people to get out and play to hone their
skills.
My taste in music is without limits today as ever, and I enjoy a well
presented and cheeky rap song or a well crafted ballad or even a smooth
evocative slow harmonica backdrop to a film sequence. Whenever I hear
something new which I think is great though, I usually put on a CD with
either Child In Time (especially the mellow start of the solo with the
odd time signature) or Fireball (all of it!). Although individual
performers (very) occasionally pass this litmus test, no other group of
performers ever has, in over 25 years of listening carefully and without
prejudice!
Gearoid:)
dull(at-a-domain-named)indigo.ie
___________________________________________
{Dean "Editor" Webb: Our man in SA, Brian Currin, has an idea of his own
about mailing lists and I thought I'd help spread the word... community
spirit and all that...}
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Currin
To: Deep Purple Digest
Date: Saturday, January 23, 1999 5:44 AM
Subject: SA Rock Digest
Hi Dean
Inspired by your wonderful Deep Purple Digest, I embarked on a new venture:
A South African Rock Music Digest (SA Rock Digest).
The reason I'm telling you this is because I've borrowed some of your ideas
and want to give you credit for your inspiration!
Here's a copy of what I sent out - any comments welcome!
Hi SA music fan
This is an unsolicited e-mail to people who I think love South African Rock
music from all eras.
I've set up a moderated mailing list (a SA Rock Digest, if you will) where
people can air their views, add their comments, ask each other questions,
pick each others brains, go on a nostalgia trip, whatever...
I've chosen the moderated mailing list for a number of reasons:
1. I think newsgroups are a waste of time and often off topic, not to
mention all the ads that pop up
2. Chatrooms only work for the people that are there at the time - I
personally don't like them.
3. Unmoderated lists just fill up your mailbox with unnecessary stuff.
So the way it works is...
You send me an e-mail, I collect and collate them into a Digest and when
there's enough I e-mail the digest to all subscribers.
So if you're in, let me know - no need to say "subscribe" or whatever,
because every e-mail
is read by me, not by some unfeeling robot!
Your e-mail address will not appear in the "To:" section so privacy is
respected.
If you really don't care about SA rock music and/or are not interested in
subscribing, just let me know...any words like: no thanks, not for me, NO
or F*** off are acceptable non-subscription terminology. You will then
never hear from in this regard again.
Once you're in, I'll send you a confirmation e-mail and a couple of basic
rules.
Long Live SA Rock!
If you want to know more about me and my love for music visit:
http://bigfoot.rock.com/~vagabond
Cheers
Brian
------Brian Currin-----
The Vagabond Of The Website World
http://bigfoot.rock.com/~vagabond
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Tiplady
To: DP List
Date: Sunday, January 24, 1999 3:08 PM
Subject: Jimi Replaces Ritchie Shocker !!
What a great thought ! Ritchie would have been really happy for DP if Jimi
had lived on and replaced the MIB in '75 . But would it have really
happened ? I mean I think Jimi would have wanted to be in a position where
he called all the shots and I couldnt really see him playing Smoke On The
Water. Maybe the In Rock period would have suited him more. But alas we
will never know what Jimi sounded like will we ? Personally my favourite
Hendrix album is Cry Of Love . ( best track .. Freedom ) But Its really
cool to know that our own Mr Lord was lucky enough to have been involved
with the great man . Great story . Cheers !!!
___________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: IluvGillan(at-a-domain-named)aol.com
To: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
Date: Monday, January 25, 1999 9:58 AM
Subject: Re: Deep Purple Digest #41
Jesus Christ...Superstar.
I just picked up the Tim rice Album at a church thrift shop. I was
dropping
off some clothes ,
and notice some old Donny & marie ablums and figured I take a look and I
found
it lieing there infact there was two of them but I took the better looking
copy.Gillan doesn't sing too much on the ablum but when he does you know
right
away who's singing.The rest of the singers aren't too great.It was a good
find
for 50cents.I also picked up th Ian Gillan book at Barnes & Noble.It's
pretty
cool.Always in Rock..Sue Rose...................
___________________________________________
From Dean Webb: dplist(at-a-domain-named)geocities.com
More on the alternative history stuff...
I just realized, after commenting on the Nugent possibility, that most of
the guys I suggested also sang. That would not be conducive to the group
dynamic at the time. Now, Brian May didn't sing, but probably wouldn't have
run into the LA-living purple boys. Anyway, it got me wondering, who were
the American guitarists that didn't sing at the time? Just about every dang
one of the USA banjo squad also did vocals to some extent or another. Even
Esquimaux like Randy Bachman and Frank Marino sang in addition to playing
that e-lectric gee-tar. So help me out here... who played guitar, was from
the US (preferably LA area) *DIDN'T SING* and was around in 1975 to have
been picked up by DP if Bolin wasn't suggested or interested?
Side thought: what if they got Todd Rundgren? (And they thought Ritchie
Blackmore had a strong personality...)(Then again, what a producer!)
___________________________________________
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
