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MACHINE
HEAD was the subject of a 50 minute documentary in the third 'Classic
Albums' UK TV series. The shows take an album apart, interview
the musicians and producer, and tell the story behind it. All
(yes, all) members of Mk 2 took part in interviews. Blackmore
refused to play his riffs on the Strat, and did them on acoustic
guitar instead.
The TV
showing. ITV, November 27th 2002
(Isis Production)
Well
worth waiting for then - an hour which seemed to really fly past!
It was just so good to have a programme talking mostly about the
music instead of all the incidental stuff. It always seems so
much more grown up than everyone bitching about who left when
and why. Like us you probably had to just dig out the remastered
Machine Head album and give it a good blast straight after watching
the show, such was the buzz. There will be more on the show in
the new issue of DTB.
Simon
This
dvd title is available from the dpas
online store
the
origins of the clips
The DVD
The DVD contains
the 50 minute televised edition plus 34 minutes of bonus material,
comprising more interviews and contemporary clips (including two
complete vintage promo films, meaning that every Deep Purple promo,
both good and bad, is now available on DVD). Oh, and it's all
presented in 16:9 ratio widescreen format!
 The
main programme goes through Deep Purple's early career in the
opening few minutes, before getting down to talking about individual
tracks.
'Highway Star'
sets the tone. The musicians plus producer Martin Birch talk us
through the song's origin and construction, with comments thrown
in from rock journalists Chris Welch, Chris Charlesworth, and
Brad Tolinski. Lord demonstrating his solo is perhaps the main
thrill, and what a thrill!. To accompany the interview material,
there are a number of vintage mk2 clips. The researchers could
have taken the much easier option of showing reunion era performances.
Thankfully they didn't. The embryonic 'Highway Star' from Beat
Club is shown in short blasts, just as well, as the carefully
constructed organ and guitar solos mentioned here were still to
be worked out. Incongruously, Gillan's improvised lyrics (eg.
"like Steve McQueen, Mickey Mouse and Brigitte thingy..")
are played as the band praise his clever word play on the song.
Someone taking the piss?
It's not easy
to see 'Smoke On The Water' afresh, but this dvd really brings
it out looking brand new. Glover sat at the mixing desk bubbling
over with enthusiasm at Ritchie's rhythm work is a joy to behold.
And the accompanying 1973 clips from Hofstra University are superb.
The rest of
the disc is a constant pleasure... 'Pictures Of Home' with the
idea for the riff said to come from something Ritchie heard on
Bulgarian Radio (Jon Lord: "which he had built into his hat"),
and the mutual admiration expressed for each band member's contribution
to the track. Fantastic. 'Space Truckin': originating from a Blackmore
finger exercise based on the Batman theme, 'Never Before' with
Gillan's spinetingling double tracked mid section isolated in
the mix, and finally 'When A Blind Man Cries', a heartfelt omen
of the unhappiness that was building, which would soon fracture
the group.
The extra
material contains nothing below the quality standard of the
main feature; with plenty of unlisted surprises...
The bonus
track titles, plus a description of the contents:
1/ 'No
Smoke Without Fire'
Seven further minutes about 'Smoke On The Water', chiefly concerning
the origin of the title. We also get to see the last two (absolutely
sensational) minutes of the track live at Hofstra University,
with Blackmore headbanging like a wild man to Lord's organ solo.
(The track was edited for its original broadcast on ABC In Concert
in 1973, sacrificing a verse plus the guitar solo).
2/ 'The Beast'
Five minutes on Jon Lord's contribution to the band's sound, including
hair-raising demonstrations of the effects of plugging a Hammond
organ straight into a Marshall!
3/ 'Make Everything
Louder..'
Three minutes. Amusing anecdotes concerning band members surreptitiously
fiddling with the mixer controls to boost their personal contributions
to the album!
4/ 'Black
Night'
Six minutes. The story of its alcohol fuelled conception, plus
the complete 1970 de Lane Lea promo film! (not listed on
the package). It's from a scratchy old print, and the soundtrack
has glitches, but hey, result!
5/ 'Keep On
Space Truckin'
Four / five minutes. Purple heaven. The first two minutes of 'Space
Truckin' live at Hofstra University, then Lord gives a tour of
the Hammond, enthusing about the fun of playing and extending
the track.
6/ 'Maybe
Leo's Off Beat'
Two minutes on the origins of 'Maybe I'm A Leo', demonstrated
on bass by Roger Glover. (Which adds up to six out of seven tracks
mentioned. Sadly nothing on 'Lazy').
7/ 'Break
A Leg, Frank'
A short one minute clip explaining Gillan's ad lib at the end
of the remixed 'Smoke On The Water'.
8/ 'Roger's
Machine Head'
Another one minute clip, Roger talking about the origin of the
album's title.
9/ 'Never
Before' Original 1972 Promo
The full track. A frustrating yet fascinating piece of film from
early 1972, showing Deep Purple live in full flight, cut to synch
vaguely with the studio version.
And that's
yer lot. The dvd box claims that the running time is '100 minutes
approx'. In fact it clocks in at under 85 minutes. But what an
85 minutes....
In short, if you have any interest in Deep Purple mk2, buy it!
review:
David Browne
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