|
Deep
Purple History: Quite a lot. Of course,
Purple played their first two American concerts, supporting Cream,
at the Inglewood Forum. Bernt Küpper visited as many locations
as he could on a 10 day trip to the area last year...
Details: First up is "The
Whisky" on Sunset Boulevard. This is the club where Ian Paice
and Ritchie Blackmore caught a Trapeze concert in December 1972,
which lead to Glenn Hughes being asked to join Deep Purple the
following year. (see right)
The
bulk of Tommy Bolin's 'Teaser' album and some vocals and overdubs
for the 'Stormbringer' album were recorded at the Record Plant,
on North Sycamore Avenue. (see right)
"Glen Holly" is a very short street in the Hollywood Hills where
the Alphonse Mouzon / Tommy Bolin jam took place.
Alphonse
told me: "I remember playing there but I don't remember the house.
A friend of Tommy's called Philip Polimini used to live there.
There are some bootlegs called 'Mind Transplant Rehearsals'. This
is nonsense because this session was several months earlier. It
has nothing to do with 'Mind Transplant'. Tommy rang me up: 'Hi
Phonzee'. He used to call me Phonzee. 'What about jamming a bit
down in Hollywood? Let's meet and play!' That's all. I had played
with him before. Tommy played in a club in Boulder around 1973
and Larry (Coryell) and me sat in."
I drove to Glen Holly and spoke to some of the residents. One
older man said: "I don't know that guy Philip Polimini. But from
the late 60s until the mid 70s the house with number 6124 always
had musicians going in and out to jam and have parties. Some of
the Doors used to live there too." So, I'm quite optimistic that
I have taken a pic of the correct house. (see right)
Cherokee
Studios, on North Fairfax Avenue, was where Tommy Bolin recorded
his 'Private Eyes' album. Whitesnake also used Cherokee, amongst
many studios, for the 1987 album. (see right)
My
attempt to photograph 1420 Beechwood Drive (where Deep Purple
Mark 4 and Rainbow Mark 2's rehearsals took place) unfortunately
didn't work out. Beachwood Drive is an extremely long road, but
the most interesting section (for Purple Fans) is a private street
controlled by guards. It is now the location of the "Sunset Gower
Film Studios". Only members of the crew are allowed to enter the
studios.
I
also visited the location of the California Jam. The "Ontario
Motor Speedway" was closed around 1980, and the area is now covered
in huge hotels etc.
Thanks to Bernt Küpper for both the photos and the narrative,
also Tim Summers and Nigel Young for extra input.
Amendment
30/09/06: Further to the mention of Beechwood Drive,
where Deep Purple Mk 4 rehearsed in 1975, here is a contemporary
photograph taken during the period the band were in residence.
You can see the Pirate Sound Studio logo up on the wall. Also
shown is a picture of the group inside at work, which appeared
on the CD of the rehearsal tapes.
Colour
photo : Fin Costello,
courtesy Purple Records.
|
