Machine Head [25th Anniversary Edition]

Performer: Deep Purple
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Deep Purple: Ian Gillan (vocals); Richie Blackmore (guitar); Jon Lord (keyboards); Roger Glover (bass); Ian Paice (drums). Recorded in Montreux, Switzerland in December 1971. Deep Purple: Ian Gillan (vocals); Richie Blackmore (guitar); Jon Lord (keyboards); Roger Glover (bass); Ian Paice (drums). Recorded in Montreux, Switzerland in December 1971. This package contains the original MACHINE HEAD plus quadrophonic mixes of 2 songs on one disc, MACHINE HEAD remixed by Roger Glover in 1998, and a 28 page booklet. A probable contender for one of hard rock's "all-time most influential albums," Deep Purple's MACHINE HEAD has all the markings of a heavy classic. It was here that the band's combination of amped-up blues, progressive instrumental prowess, screaming guitars, and thunderous rhythms was crystallized for the ages, helping to lay the foundation for hard rock and heavy metal throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The lone presence of "Smoke on the Water" immediately elevates the album to essential status. The song became a long-running radio staple, and boasts one of the most instantly recognizable guitar riffs in rock history. Yet the rest of the album holds up impressively, from the adrenaline-soaked opener "Highway Star," in which organist Jon Lord and guitarist Richie Blackmore trade off dazzling solos, to the churning "Space Truckin'," another riff-driven rocker. Vocalist Ian Gillian, whose dramatic, soaring tenor set the mold for many heavy metal singers to follow, is in fine form here, as are the pyrotechnics of Blackmore and Lord. Everything from the title to the warped group photo on the album cover indicates that MACHINE HEAD will be an exercise in unabashed, brain-melting rock, and that is exactly what it delivers. It still stands in the pantheon of seminal hard rock records. A probable contender for one of hard rock's "all-time most influential albums," Deep Purple's MACHINE HEAD has all the markings of a heavy classic. It was here that the band's combination of amped-up blues, progressive instrumental prowess, screaming guitars, and thunderous rhythms was crystallized for the ages, helping to lay the foundation for hard rock and heavy metal throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The lone presence of "Smoke on the Water" immediately elevates the album to essential status. The song became a long-running radio staple, and boasts one of the most instantly recognizable guitar riffs in rock history. Yet the rest of the album holds up impressively, from the adrenaline-soaked opener "Highway Star," in which organist Jon Lord and guitarist Richie Blackmore trade off dazzling solos, to the churning "Space Truckin'," another riff-driven rocker. Vocalist Ian Gillian, whose dramatic, soaring tenor set the mold for many heavy metal singers to follow, is in fine form here, as are the pyrotechnics of Blackmore and Lord. Everything from the title to the warped group photo on the album cover indicates that MACHINE HEAD will be an exercise in unabashed, brain-melting rock, and that is exactly what it delivers. It still stands in the pantheon of seminal hard rock records. Although purists might argue otherwise, Machine Head remains the "ultimate" Deep Purple album, the one LP that everybody knows and loves and the home, of course, to one of the greatest riffs in rock history, the majestic "Smoke on the Water." Celebrating the 25th anniversary of this leviathan's original release, bassist Roger Glover completely remastered the original tapes, turning in a stunning reappraisal of an album that past CD reissues had rendered little more than a muddy puddle. The dynamic that characterized this particular lineup of the band was, after all, built so much on light and shade, that to lose that was to lose most of the album's power. Glover did not simply restore the music's inherent contrasts, he elaborated on them to create one of the best sounding CDs of the entire digital age. In keeping with Machine Head's glorious reputation, this edition was expanded across two discs. While one features the original album plus three bonus cuts -- the period B-side "When a Blind Man Cries," and quadraphonic remixes of "Maybe I'm a Leo" and "Lazy" (both of which are more-or-less dispensable) -- the second rounds up an album's worth of remixes that Glover undertook during the remastering stage. It's little more than a bonus for true aficionados, but it is intriguing to hear how the album might have sounded, had Glover himself been in charge of production at the time. Fascinating, too, are the alternate guitar solos that he drops into "Maybe I'm a Leo" and "Smoke on the Water," both of which re-stage all-too-familiar numbers in a different light. As with all the anniversary remasters, Machine Head cannot be praised too highly. Unless, of course, you believe it already has been. ~ Dave Thompson

Rolling Stone (5/25/72, p.64) - "...nothing but good, hard, socking music..." -Lester Bangs Rolling Stone (5/25/72, p.64) - "...nothing but good, hard, socking music..." -Lester Bangs Q (7/01, p.87) - Included in Q's "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time". Q (10/00, p.141) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Bettered IN ROCK, highlighted by the world's most famous rock riff in 'Smoke On The Water'..." Q (7/01, p.87) - Included in Q's "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time". Q (10/00, p.141) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Bettered IN ROCK, highlighted by the world's most famous rock riff in 'Smoke On The Water'..."

One of the longest running and most prolific of hard rock/proto-heavy-metal bands, Deep Purple appeared in the wake of the psychedelic era, sporting a harder sound than anything that had come before. The classic 1970s lineup (featuring virtuoso guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, wailing tenor Ian Gillan, and classically influenced keyboardist Jon Lord) established the template for countless metal bands that followed in their wake. They went through numerous lineup changes over the years, with singers David Coverdale and Joe Lynn Turner and guitarists Tommy Bolin and Steve Morse all passing through the ranks. Since the 1980s, sporadic reunions have found key members returning to the fold.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25