Deep Purple

The Best of Deep Purple: The Millennium Collection
Deep Purple
Mercury

Well, this isn’t the best of Deep Purple, but at least it is the best-known lineup (Deep Purple Mark 2, as it is known by fans). Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, vocalist extreme Ian Gillian, Jon Lord, keyboards and seeming inspiration for Spinal Tap (look at the pictures on this thing…), bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice. This is the lineup that gave us “Smoke on the Water,” “Child In Time” (both included here in live versions from 1988’s Nobody’s Perfect), “Space Truckin'” and on and on. Classic hard rock, propelled by the blues-soaked guitar of Blackmore and the vocals of Ian Gillian, one of rock’s best screamers. When the band reformed in the ’80s, they released three records, and it’s material from these favorites of early MTV that this collection is drawn. A few moments of “Knocking at Your Back Door” or “Perfect Strangers” will bring back memories of video excess, but a few moments is really all you need. If you’re a fan of Purple then you already have this stuff, although “Son Of Alerik”, a ten-minute guitar noodlefest B-side is included (but not particularly necessary), and if you are looking for the “best” of one of hard rock’s founders, dig further back in the catalog. They have around 150 albums in print, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a better collection than this. Hell, just buy Made In Japan, one of the all-time great live albums, and be done with it.

Originally published Ink 19, 2002

Niacin

Deep
Niacin
Magna Carta

What appears to be an interesting idea on the surface — a trio made up of bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Dennis Chambers and John Novello on Hammond B3 — never gels into something new and rich. Instead, it sounds like a CD made up of all the “boogie” parts of prog-rock songs — ya know, the bits in Deep Purple tunes when Jon Lord would wail on the B3, giving Ritchie Blackmore time to light a smoke or something? Listening to this release brought back frightening memories of summers in high school, riding around in a beat-up car having my ears pounded by King Crimson, Zappa, and ELP. While sorta fun then (of course, beer intake may have played a part in the experience…), it only sounds old now. The only cut on the record to feature vocals (by former Deep Purple growler Glenn Hughes) and guitar (by Toto’s Steve Lukather, of all people!), “Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be,” doesn’t really add much, and all in all, you end up wishing that the three artists here had tried to perform an homage to Booker T and the MG’S instead of ’70s arena rock.

Originally published Ink 19, 2000

Steve Morse

Major Impacts
Steve Morse
Magna Carta

Now this is an interesting idea. Give major guitar-burner Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple) a roll of tape, a budget, and a concept, and let him go. The theory is simple — write music in the style of the people who influenced you. The result is very nice — 11 cuts that pay homage to the greats, such as Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and more. As Morse mentions in the liner notes, writing instrumental music in the style of bands that used a vocalist is a neat trick — one he pulls off well. The opening cut, “Derailleur Gears,” manages to capture the essence of Cream, with washing waves of guitar that does bring to mind the magic that Eric Clapton once possessed, without having to hear some of the cripplingly stupid lyrics — “White Room,” anyone? “Led On,” in the manner of Jimmy Page, is so dead-on perfect, from its simple acoustic guitar opening to the thundering riffage of a wall of guitars, it makes you wish Page could summon it up himself.

Most of the artists selected are no-brainers — most any guitarist growing up in the ’60s and ’70s would pick them. What is interesting are two cuts in the style of George Harrison (“Something Gently Weeps”) and even better, “Migration,” with its 12-string strumming and emotive melody line showcases Roger McGuinn and the Byrds. While the folk-based sound of McGuinn and company are rarely thought of in the same breath with axe-masters like Hendrix or Beck, Morse makes his case simply by creating a moving piece of music that relies on mood and tone instead of fretboard finesse, proving that good music doesn’t have to travel in the fast lane. But of course, few are better at cranking it up, speed-wise, than Morse. And if that’s what you’re after, this disc will more than suit. Steve Morse has always been a breathtaking original guitarist, daring, tasteful without being flash. With the release of Major Impacts, you get a glimpse of where he went to school.

Originally published Ink 19, 2000

Blackmore’s Night

Past Times With Good Company
Blackmore’s Night
SPV

Say what you like about Ritchie Blackmore, but you can never accuse him of half-measures. From the hard rock archetypes of Deep Purple to his latest work, the fiery guitarist gives it 110%. His last four releases have been under the Blackmore’s Night moniker, which finds Blackmore further exploring the marriage of modern rock and medieval folk he first touched upon in Rainbow. Blackmore’s Night generally shuns electronics, instead utilizing traditional instrumentation (Blackmore is credited with “electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, mandola, hurdy gurdy and Renaissance drum” on this live recording) along with drums, keyboards, violin and the heavenly vocals of Candice Night. The result? Beats the hell out of Jethro Tull, that’s for sure. Blackmore’s obvious love for, and understanding of the music of Renaissance times is apparent in every note, and thankfully, he doesn’t treat these works as museum pieces, but instead taking traditional forms and expanding them into something new. His guitar playing is as top-notch as ever, and Night is a light and airy choice on vocals, and if you close your eyes, you can almost imagine people dancing about a fire, music in the air. If that is starting to sound too precious for you, put on “16th Century Greensleeves” (from his Rainbow days) and let Blackmore remind of why he’s considered such an influential guitarist. This double live album accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, and the result is a unique and enjoyable glimpse of a time forgotten, without mothballs. Rock, elves, rock!

Originally published Ink 19, 2003