Great Rock Albums of 1985: Giuffria

 

A band that caught mine and many other people's attention was Giuffria with their self titled debut album. The band was originally formed as a side project by keyboards player Greg Giuffria after he left his former band Angel. A band I had heard great things about back in the day but never got around to listening to. Back to Giuffria, their first single, "Call to the Heart" did get a lot of airplay and according to recorded history, number fifteen in the charts. It was one of those ballads that the ladies seemed to really like but it had some good progressive rock hooks as well as a guitar solo to grab the attention of men. If I'm honest, I liked the song but it really wasn't heavy enough for me.

Everything that Giuffria was capable of doing can be found in the opening track of the album, "Do Me Right." It starts with some classic 1970s sounding progressive rock via a great keyboard intro. Then the song carries on with some great vocals backed up by a more than capable rhythm section before guitarist Craig Goldy hammers out his best solo on the album. It's definitely my favourite track.

The two hardest tracks on the album are "Don't Tear Me Down" and "Dance" and it is probably a good thing that those two songs were back to back after the forementioned ballad. It proved to doubters that they could rock as much as anyone. Things go slightly softer and more melodic, bordering on commercial after that with the remainder of the songs, "Turn Me On" being the harder rocking exception. Goldy and Giuffria really cook with guitar and keyboard on that one. "The Awakening" is rather amusing, with the children's choir and keyboards giving it that Saturday horror film feel. Saying that, the talent of this band pulls up the quality  of each song making them more enjoyable.

No matter what you think of the songs, you can't deny that this was one talented band. David Glen Eisley had a voice that was as good as many lead singers in that day. The keyboard skills of Greg Giuffria show themselves in every song. Chuck Wright and Alan Krigger are very good rhythm section and as for the guitarist, Craig Goldy, his playing on the album leaves me to conclude that it was no wonder why he was head hunted to join Dio a year later.

Track Listing:

1. Do Me Right
2. Call to the Heart
3. Don't Tear Me Down
4. Dance
5. Lonely in Love
6. Trouble Again
7. Turn Me On
8. Line of Fire
9. The Awakening
10. Out of the Blue

[caption id="attachment_4672" align="aligncenter" width="345"] Giuffira[/caption]

David Glen Eisley- lead vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Greg Giuffria- keyboards, backing vocals

Craig Goldy- guitar

Chuck Wright- bass, backing vocals

Alan Krigger- drums, percussion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiNrtJKAaA

While doing a bit of research for the post, I had one rumour from 1985 quashed. In said year, Giuffria went on tour supporting legends Deep Purple. The rumour was that Purple kicked them off the tour because Giuffria was blowing them away every night. I have always found that hard to believe, especially as I saw Deep Purple in this year and they were superb. From what I've read, Ritchie Blackmore was a bit of an a""hole towards the band. He cut their stage time from 45 minutes nearly in half to 25, forbade them to play any guitar solos and they had to play with the arena lights on. Therefore, they left the tour on their own accord and I don't blame them. While I missed my chance to see them live, this album is a good fall back.

Next post: Don Henley- Building the Perfect Beast

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock/Metal Albums of 1984: Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers

Destiny brought them back together again. At least that was the big advertising plug for the "Perfect Strangers" album from the newly reformed Deep Purple. Back in the day, this album split opinion among many metalheads. Older ones like me, (I was 23 then), embraced this album immediately. However, there was some dissent from many teen metalheads at the time. Some even said that Deep Purple never should have reformed. To them, "Perfect Strangers" was a disappointment.

Let me add my theory to why teen metalheads might have been disappointed with the album. See, all these youngsters ever heard about in regards to Deep Purple was the classic "Smoke on the Water." For many, this was their only experience with the legends. Therefore, they expected the entire album to be like that classic and when Deep Purple showed their more progressive rock side, which they do on the album, these youngsters were put off.

My experience with Deep Purple, although late, was full on. Of course, I knew of "Smoke on the Water" but I also enjoyed their more progressive songs like, "Wring That Neck" and there's my favourite, "Woman From Tokyo" which incorporates both the prog and hard rock they were famous for. While none of the songs on "Perfect Strangers" quite match up to my fave, they do a rather good job of fusing their progressive and hard rock sounds. I think what these young people didn't understand was that the band couldn't help but add a little prog rock into their music when they had one of the best keyboard players of all time.

Deep Purple try to explain to their listeners that they had progressed from the days of "Smoke on the Water." The closing track and my pick for hidden gem, "Hungry Daze," states this clearly with the lyrics:

"We all came out to Montreax, but that's another song." 

The opening track, "Knocking At Your Back Door" pretty much shapes the entire album. You have some killer guitar work from Blackmore, great keyboard wizardry from Lord, Ian Gillan's vocals were as sharp as they had been ten years earlier and the bombarding rhythm section of Glover and Paice holding all together. It' s a great song to begin the album with. Things just go on from there with the slightly harder "Under the Gun," then the more progressive "Nobody's Home"  which shows off Jon Lord's best keyboard work and the more bluesy sounding "Mean Streak.

One of my biggest regrets after writing "Rock and Roll Children" comes with the title track. When I saw Deep Purple live in early 1985, there was a phenomenal light show accompanying the song. I loved how the lasers shot across the length of the Philadelphia Spectrum making different patters with the notes. I don't think I did it justice in the story. It was the first single and an okay song. "A Gypsy's Kiss" remind me of the old DP classic, "Burn" with Ritchie belting out a blinder of a solo as well as the trade-off with Jon Lord where guitar and keyboards go back and forth. Okay, there are two hidden gems on this album.

In regards to the other gem, I don't think "Hungry Daze" should have been the closer on the album. It's a good track but everything about the penultimate track, "Wasted Sunsets" screams closer! Just listen to the opening guitar solo and the way Gillan's voice just takes over before relinquishing again to another blazing Blackmore solo. The slower blues beat with it bears even more witness that it should be a closer. Hell, even the title suggests it! Other than this track misappropriation, "Perfect Strangers" was a good album for them to come back on.

Track Listing:

1. Knocking At Your Back Door
2. Under the Gun
3. Nobody's Home
4. Mean Streak
5. Perfect Strangers
6. A Gypsy's Kiss
7. Wasted Sunsets
8. Hungry Daze

[caption id="attachment_4515" align="aligncenter" width="330"] Deep Purple[/caption]

Ian Gillan- lead vocals

Ritchie Blackmore- guitar

Roger Glover- bass

Jon Lord- keyboards

Ian Paice- drums

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xuBw63xj00

Was 1984 the right time for Deep Purple to return? I've always thought so. I admit, "Perfect Strangers" isn't exactly "Machine Head" but it's a good album. The musicianship of the five members is outstanding, proving that there's more to them than "Smoke on the Water."

Next post: Venom- At War With Satan

To get Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: Black Sabbath- Born Again

 

The first concert I saw at the Philadelphia Spectrum after getting out of the marines was Black Sabbath. Having heard the album they were promoting on the tour, "Born Again," I already knew that former Deep Purple lead singer, Ian Gillan, would be fronting them. However, I still thought it was a bit strange that when they came out for the second encore, they played "Smoke on the Water." Actually, that strange feeling lasted only for a few seconds because the song worked as did Gillan singing some of the more classic Sabbath songs. I thought he did a particularly good job on "Heaven and Hell."

This begs the question, if Ian Gillan sounded so good for Sabbath, then why did so many of the so-called rock critics slate it and why isn't this album considered one of their best? Let me address the second point. When I hear "Born Again," I don't immediately start pining for the more classic Sabbath albums like "Paranoid" or "Heaven and Hell" but I won't put it on the same level as those more memorable albums either. It's a great album but not a classic. As for the critics, well, what do they know?

Ian Gillan's Deep Purple influence comes out immediately on the album. "Trashed" could have been a Purple song. At least until Tony Iommi goes into one of his trademark guitar solos in the middle of the song. Plus, I can say the same thing for "Disturbing the Priest," although the instrumental track in between those two, "Stonehenge" tries too hard to copy "E5150." My hypothesis here is that Tony and Geezer let Ian sing according to his style and bent their guitar and bass playing styles around the vocals. Personally, I think they do a damned fine job of it as well. This really shows through on the track "Zero the Hero." Unlike some critic, I don't find the song embarrassing, I quite like it, especially how Tony Iommi nails the guitar solo on it.

My favourite track on the album has to be "Digital Bitch." I love the way, they take Gillan's shrieks and Tony's guitar and fuse them together. The title track is a more slower bluesier number. Black Sabbath have been doing these for years except in the past, they did it with a much heavier guitar. They don't do that so much with this one except for the chorus. At the time, it was believed that this would be the closest Black Sabbath would come to a power ballad. Ian Gillan's voice suits the song well but then he is definitely if not the best, one of the best vocalists in rock or metal.

Now I haven't forgotten to mention the interesting album cover. After all, I had it on a t-shirt. I always thought it very amusing even if the American religious community didn't. Now, I wish I still had that shirt.

Track Listing:

1. Trashed
2. Stonehenge
3. Disturbing the Priest
4. The Dark
5. Zero the Hero
6. Digital Bitch
7. Born Again
8. Hot Line
9. Keep it Warm

[caption id="attachment_3547" align="aligncenter" width="299"] Black Sabbath[/caption]

Tony Iommi- guitar

Ian Gillan- vocals

Geezer Butler- bass

Bill Ward- drums

Note: Bill Ward would not tour with the band for this album. Replacing him for the tour was former ELO drummer Bev Bevan

I wonder what would have happened if Ian Gillan had stuck around with Sabbath for a few more albums. Would musical history as we know it been changed? Hard to say. As we know, Ian would leave Sabbath after this and rejoin his mates Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover from Rainbow and reform that band they were in together during the early 1970s. Ian Gillan might have only recorded one album with Black Sabbath but it is definitely one to remember.

Next post: Because they supported Black Sabbath when I saw them, I thought it right that it be Quiet Riot- Metal Health

To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at:: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1982: Gillan- Magic

The 1982 "Magic" album would be the last studio album from Gillan and this probably is why they are the best British rock/metal act not to have made it big in the US. The band would disband after this album with Ian Gillan going onto to front Black Sabbath before reforming with Deep Purple. So the million dollar question is, did they go out with a bang?

One advantage for me in answering that question is that I'm still pretty much a new comer to Gillan because they didn't make a huge impact in America. While, I have heard many of their previous albums and posted about them on here, I haven't listened to them enough to arrange them in any sort of order to preferences. Furthermore, I try not to pay attention to chart positions and don't give a crap if "Magic" didn't chart as high as "Glory Road." That makes it easier for me to judge this album on its own. I have also heard plenty of final albums from bands who disbanded after and I can say that since this is a last album from Gillan, they definitely go out on a high.

With "Magic," Gillan try to walk a fine tightrope between hard and more synthesizer rock, which they do quite well. There are some great rockers like the opener, "What's the Matter" and credit where due, Janick Gers lays down a mean guitar solo on "Bluesy Blue Sea." I didn't realise he was so capable of playing in the blues like style. Another great rocker is "Driving Me Wild." On the synthesizer side is "Caught in a Trap" and "Devil Driver" which goes way out there on a very progressive yet creative streak. That one is definitely one to have playing while contemplating the universe. Of all the tracks, the one that brings both the guitar and synthesizer sides together to make a great song is "Living for the City." It starts with the keyboard making one think that this is going to be in that vein when the guitar just steps in and takes over. Once again, Gers plays a great guitar solo and the keyboards don't disappear but continue to add to the flavour. What stops it from being a fantastic song, unfortunately, is the vocals of Ian Gillan. He tries to hard to be a screaming rock singer when he doesn't have to be. His voice is good enough without having to do that. Still, "Magic" is a great album.

Track Listing:

1. What's the Matter

2. Bluesy Blue Sea

3. Caught in a Trap

4. Long Gone

5. Driving Me Wild

6. Demon Driver

7. Living a Lie

8. You're So Right

9. Living For the City

10. Demon Driver (reprise)

[caption id="attachment_2219" align="aligncenter" width="222"] Gillan[/caption]

Ian Gillan- vocals, harmonica

Janick Gers- guitar

Colin Towns- keyboards

John McCoy- bass

Mick Underwood- drums

After "Magic," the members of Gillan would go their separate ways and move onto other things. With the person whom the band is named after, that would be left to history. It's good that unlike so many other bands whose final album isn't up to much, Gillan at least goes out with a bang with theirs.

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Gillan- Future Shock

After listening to the 1981 "Future Shock" album by Gillan, I even more regret that I never listened to them back in the day. Furthermore, this album cements my belief that Gillan were the best British act not to make it big in America. Once again, I have to thank YouTube for providing with an opportunity to listen to a great album I would have otherwise missed.

Maybe it's me but "Future Shock" seems noticeably heavier that its predecessor, "Glory Road." I mean the first four tracks on this album really rock. While the keyboards are definitely there, they play a more subordinate role in those songs but still make them sound great along with the guitar playing of Bernie Torme. But it's the track "Sacre Bleu" where Torme's talents really shine through. Then there's the cover of "New Orleans," which is very nicely done. After "Bite the Bullet," which again has a cool guitar solo compliments of Torme, the album slows down with the cool power ballad, "If I Sing Softly." I've only heard this song twice but I'm already ranking up there with some of the other great power ballads.

At first listen, I thought the album went more progressive with the last two songs but after the second listen, I am now of the opinion that I thought wrong the first time around. While the piano work Colin Towns is brilliant on the closer "For Your Dreams," it's still a rocker. Of course with all the great musicianship from the members of this band, it doesn't make anyone forget whose name is on the marquee. Through his magnificent vocals, Ian Gillan lets you know that he is the singer and further proves why he gets my vote as the greatest voice in rock and metal.

Track Listing:

1. Future Shock

2. Night Ride Out of Phoenix

3. (The Ballad Of) The Lucitania Express

4. No Laughing in Heaven

5. Sacre Bleu

6. New Orleans

7. Bite the Bullet

8. If I Sing Softly

9. Don't Want the Truth

10. For Your Dreams

[caption id="attachment_1772" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Gillan[/caption]

Ian Gillan- vocals

Bernie Torme- guitars

Colin Town- keyboards

John McCoy- bass

Mick Underwood- drums

So, we have another great album fronted by a great vocalist and a fine band behind him. It makes me wonder why I never heard any Gillan back in 1981. I can't really blame it being in the service either. But as they say, better late than never. Just to whet your appetites a bit, further along in the tour of 1981, I will be revealing who I consider to be the best American artist not to have cracked Great Britain.

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1980: Gillan- Glory Road

For my goings on about American rock and metal acts who never made it in the UK, I have concluded that Gillan is the best British rock act not to have made it in the US. I didn't learn about the existence of this band until I saw the newly reformed Deep Purple in 1985 and studied their family tree. Like many Americans, (I will probably get an onslaught of people who will say the contrary) I have always associated Ian Gillan as the lead singer of Deep Purple. The band he had during the years away from DP never came to my attention. I could blame it on being in the marines but I couldn't be sure if I would have heard of them anyway. The bottom line though is that I regret having never heard Gillan back then because I would have definitely dug albums like this one, "Glory Road."

Now that I have finally sat down and heard the album, I can safely say that it's a good one. I have always stated that keyboards can be used in hard rock and metal if done properly and Gillan do it right. Colin Towns lays down some great keyboard backing while still allowing the much underrated Bernie Torme to show what he can do on the guitar. All this supported by a strong rhythm section and of course the man who I consider the best voice in rock/metal, Ian Gillan. There is little I can say about the vocal ability of Ian Gillan that hasn't been said before.

"Glory Road" also shows the band's versatility. While I mention the keyboards as a support, the album throws in a beautiful keyboard dominated song like "Abbey of Thelema" after such great rockers as "Sleeping On the Job" and "On the Rocks." For anyone who likes a bit of variety, there is hard rock, a bit of prog rock and a little blues at times in "Glory Road." To make a long story short, this album has it all.

Track Listing:

Glory Road

1. Unchain Your Brain

2. Are You Sure

3. Time and Time Again

4. No Easy Way

5. Sleeping On the Job

6. On the Rocks

7. If You Believe Me

8. Running, White Face City Boy

9. Nervous

For Gillan Fans Only

1. Higher and Higher

2. Your Mother Was Right

3. Red Watch

4. Abbey of Thelema

5. Running to Get to You

6. Come Tomorrow

7. Dragon's Tongue

8. Post Fade Brain Damage

9. Egg Timer

10. Harry Line Theme

Gillan

Ian Gillan- vocals, harmonica

Bernie Torme- guitar. lead vocal on Come Tomorrow

Colin Towns- keyboards, flute, lead vocal on Egg Timer

John McCoy- bass

Mick Underwood- drums

If you're like me and hadn't heard this album before, I definitely suggest you have a good listen to it. I guarantee you won't regret it. I think I'll be spending some time going through the Gillan backlog.

Next post: Utopia- Adventures in Utopia

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1979: Gillan- Mr Universe

For me, after he left Deep Purple, Ian Gillian kind of dropped off my radar throughout the rest of the 1970's. This is mainly owing to the fact that none of Gillian's songs ever got played on that old AM clock radio of mine. Therefore, this is yet another album that I listened to after the fact. What I know now that I didn't know back then was that Gillian continued to rock on with his own band for the rest of the decade and was very successful in the UK.

Listening to "Mr Universe," I get the feeling there's a similar sound to the Deep Purple reunion album "Perfect Strangers." The sound is more keyboard oriented but there is nothing wrong with that on this album. However, I do like the more rockier tracks "Vengeance" and "Puget Sound" as they have more harder sound. Furthermore, the guitar work of Bernie Torme, someone I would eventually come across when I got to London in 1986, is more present on those tracks. The other tracks are in no ways weak and all together this is a fine album.

Track Listing:

1. Second Sight

2. Secret of the Dance

3. She Tears Me Down

4. Roller

5. Mr Universe

6. Vengeance

7. Puget Sound

8. Dead of the Night

9. Message in a Bottle

10. Fighting Man

Gillian

Ian Gillian- vocals, harmonica

Bernie Torme- guitar

Colin Towns- keyboards, flute

John McCoy- bass

Mick Underwood- drums

Ian Gillian has always been one of my favourite vocalists and I will forever be blown away when I heard him sing "A Child in Time" live. His vocals are no less formidable on "Mr Universe." One thing that has been said of singers who surround themselves with good musicians is that they do so to compensate for their limited vocal ability. Yeah, that's certainly true with Jedward and some say it about David Lee Roth. However, Ian Gillian is not the case and his vocals and band has me wondering why I never heard of them in the US back then.

Next post: Pat Benatar- In the Heat of the Night

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Great Metal Albums of 1978: Deep Purple- When We Rock We Rock, When We Roll We Roll

Before this album came into my life, my only experience with Deep Purple was the famous "Smoke on the Water." This album changed all that, it showed me that Deep Purple were more than just one hit wonders. In fact this album showed me what a great band they were and now in my old age, (I'm 51 on Thursday) I can fully appreciate their role as one of the founding fathers of metal. For those who have been following a long time now, you may have noticed that the past few posts have been album put out by some of the great metal influences, The Sweet and Rainbow. It could be argued here, that The Who could be included among them as well. Therefore, I thought I would continue on this vien with one of the founding fathers.

There is little more one can say about this album, as it was the first of many greatest hits albums for Deep Purple. The album contains songs from the first three DP line ups, so there is a good variety here on it, including a live performance of "Highway Star" at the very end, which is the song they opened with when I saw them in 1985. I do give an account of the concert in Rock And Roll Children.
While the whole album for me totally kicks ass, the tracks I really like, if you put a gun to my head and make me say them, are the two I've already mentioned, plus "Burn" and "Woman From Tokyo" which is the one I put on my alternative compilation CD. I really can't say anymore.

Track Listing:

1. Space Truckin'

2. Kentucky Woman

3. Hard Road (Wring That Neck)

4. Burn

5. Woman From Tokyo

6. Hush

7. Smoke on the Water

8. Highway Star

Deep Purple

Ritchie Blackmore- guitars

Ian Gillian- vocals

Roger Glover- bass

Jon Lord- keyboards

Ian Paice- drums

David Coverdale- vocals

Nick Simper- bass

Rod Evans- vocals

Glen Hughes- bass

During the Deep Purple concert in "Rock And Roll Children," the band has left the stage for the second time leaving the main characters wondering if they will return. The Mitch character answers their question when he says, "They'll be back, they haven't played "Smoke on the Water" yet." Yes, that is the song Deep Purple is most famous for and I have heard many versions of it. But it's the version on this album I like the best.

Next post: Black Sabbath- Never Say Die

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London.

 

A Different Compilation Album

Whenever a rock compilation is unleashed onto the public, you can bet that there will be a repetition of the same songs. When you buy it, you are really only buying it for a few songs you don't have, because the other songs on it will definitely be on all the other rock compilations you own. These include:

Boston- More Than a Feeling

Blue Oyster Cult- Don't Fear the Reaper

Black Sabbath- Paranoid

Deep Purple- Smoke on the Water

Rainbow- Fool For Your Loving

Whitesnake- Here I Go Again

Heart- Alone

Marillion- Kayleigh

Motorhead- Ace of Spades

There's nothing wrong with any of these songs, I like all of them. But I don't want them on every compilation I buy. Besides, there are songs from many of these artists which I like more than the ones listed here. Taking all of this into consideration, I have decided to put together my own compilation album, (not for sale) with the following songs.

1. Michael Stanley Band- My Town

2. Heart- If Looks Could Kill

3. Black Sabbath- War Pigs

4. Blue Oyster Cult-Godzilla

5. Whitesnake-  Slide it In

6. Jay Ferguson- Thunder Island

7. OPM- Heaven is a Half pipe

8. Anthrax- Make Me Laugh

9. Ted Nugent- High Heels in Motion

10. Saxon- Wheels of Steel

11. Marillion- Sugar Mice

12. Motorhead- Killed By Death

13. Night Ranger- Don't Tell Me You Love Me

14. Boston- Piece of Mind

15. Rainbow- Death Alley Driver

16. Deep Purple- Woman From Tokyo

You might like some of these or most likely you have your own suggestions for a rock compilation. If so, feel free to post your suggestions here.

Next post: 1978- They Year the Rivers Began to Overflow

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Rock And Roll Children- The CD

Book sales of Rock And Roll Children are a bit slow at the moment, so in order to jump start things, I will be now giving away a free CD with any books bought directly from me. All you have to do is email me at tobychainsaw@hotmail.com for more information. However, those lucky few who already have a copy can still get a CD by writing a review on Amazon, The Rock And Roll Children Page on Facebook or on any blog. Just alert me to it's presence.
The CD obviously features songs mentioned in the book. When compiling the list, I originally chose 61 songs to use on the CD and I could have used a few more. Some of my British friends may wonder why "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" by Night Ranger is not on it as the club we all used to go to back then played it every week. After much consideration, I eventually had to cut it down to 17.

Song List:

1. Judas Priest- You Got Another Thing Coming
2. Twisted Sister- We’re Not Gonna Take It
3. Ratt- Round and Round
4. Dio- The Last in Line
5. Krokus- Screaming in the Night
6. Iron Maiden- Two Minutes to Midnight
7. Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers
8. AC/DC- For Those About to Rock, We Salute You
9. Dio Rock And Roll Children
10. Stormtroopers of Death- Pussywhipped
11. Aerosmith- Dream On
12. Ozzy Osbourne- Shot in the Dark
13. Anthrax- Madhouse
14. Iron Maiden- Wasted Years
15. Megadeth- Peace Sells
16.  WASP- Fuck Like a Beast
17.  Kiss- Crazy Crazy Nights

 

So, if you fancy a good read and you want some kick ass jams to accompany it, then buy the book and get this great CD.

Next Post: An alternative compilation album

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Deep Purple- Machine Head

The period of 1970-71 was obviously a great year for rock as two out of the three albums mentioned so far were made then. This post makes it three out of four as I present the "Machine Head" album by Deep Purple. Again, this is another one I didn't listen to until later in life, probably because I was only nine or ten when this album was released. However, I can say that I have definitely made up for it since and I can include it among the greats of the decade.

Needless to say, the best known track on the album is the famous "Smoke on the Water," a song known by metalheads young and old. Even after 40 years, young guitar apprentices play those famous opening riffs when they first learn to play an electric guitar. The song did for Deep Purple and "Machine Head" what "Stairway to Heaven" did for Led Zepplin on their forth album. But like Led Zepplin IV, "Machine Head" has many other great tracks on it such as "Highway Star" and "Space Truckin" which can stand on their own and make this album great.

Track Listing:

1. Highway Star

2. Maybe I'm a Leo

3. Pictures of Home

4. Never Before

5. Smoke on the Water

6. Lazy

7. Space Tuckin

Deep Purple is:

Ritchie Blackmore- guitar

Ian Gillian- vocals

 Roger Glover- bass

Jon Lord- keyboards

Ian Paice- drums

In the eyes and ears of many metalheads and ageing rockers like me, "Machine Head" will go down as Deep Purple's greatest album. When I finally got to see them live in 1985, I thought it was only fitting that the first and last songs of that concert were from this album, which I sing the praises of in "Rock And Roll Children."

Next post: Peter Frampton- Frampton Comes Alive

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Also available to buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle