Along with Zeppelin and Sabbath, they are considered the band that took the first step in the evolution of hard rock towards heavy metal. Their origins date back to the late 60's, when they were more influenced by the psychedelia and pop rock of Beatles, Cream and other bastions of that decade. With Rod Evans at the front they recorded “Shades Of Deep Purple”, which included that poppie version of “Hush” with the Hammond organ already showing the importance it would have within the group, and “Book Of Taliesyn”, which took them for the first time to the States as opening act for Clapton, Baker and Bruce's band. But Blackmore was already beginning to explore the unique sounds of his guitar, and set the direction of a group in which Evans did not fit.
Junto a Zeppelin y Sabbath se les considera el grupo que dio el primer paso de evolucion del rock duro hacia el heavy metal. Sus orígenes se remontan a finales de los años 60, cuando estaban mas influenciados por la psicodelia y el pop rock de Beatles, Cream y demás bastiones de aquella década. Con Rod Evans al frente grabaron “Shades Of Deep Purple”, que incluia aquella versión poppie del “Hush” con el órgano Hammond ya mostrando la importancia que tendría en el seno del grupo, y “Book Of Taliesyn”, que les llevo por primera vez a los States como teloneros del grupo de Clapton, Baker y Bruce. Pero Blackmore ya comenzaba a explorar los sonidos inigualables de su guitarra, y marco la dirección de un grupo en el que Evans no encajaba.
Ian Gillan made his triumphant entrance in the band, and after him, bassist Roger Glover. With both of them the personality of the group would settle down and would begin to give the sweet fruits that we all have tasted at some time. “In Rock” opened the decade of the seventies showing the new credentials of a group called to conquer the rock world. Gillan's infernal high-pitched voice, Paice's tremendous drumming and Roger Glover's rhythmic pounding, Jon Lord's magical keyboards, and of course, Blackmore's guitar playing, drew a group with intensity and a clear heavy background. The formation was consolidated, and their assault to the market was not going to take long to arrive. “In Rock” was a turning point in a career that from then on would give us many joys.
Ian Gillan hizo su entrada triunfal en la banda, y tras el, el bajista Roger Glover. Con ambos la personalidad del grupo se asentaría y comenzaría a dar los dulces frutos que todos hemos probado alguna vez. “In Rock” abrió la década de los setenta mostrando las nuevas credenciales de un grupo llamado a conquistar el mundo del rock. El chorro de voz de Gillan, agudo infernal, la batería tremebunda de Paice y el rítmico golpear de Roger Glover, los mágicos teclados de Jon Lord, y por supuesto, la guitarra de Blackmore abriéndose camino, dibujaron un grupo de intensidad a flor de piel, y de claro trasfondo heavy. La formación estaba consolidada, y su asalto al mercado no iba a tardar en llegar. “In Rock” supuso un punto de inflexión en una carrera que a partir de entonces iba a darnos muchas alegrías.
Tracks like “Speed King”, a very fast exercise of uncontrolled decibels, “Black Night”, the first of their songs to reach the Top Ten in their native England, and “Strange Kind Of Woman”, showed the way to follow. “Fireball”, their next release, was pure fire, abrasive vinyl that was their first number one, with a title track that was pure metal speed. And then came the magical incident. The Montreaux Casino in Switzerland burned incessantly during a Frank Zappa show, and the smoke billowed across the sky over the waters of the nearby lake.
Temas como “Speed King”, rapidísimo ejercicio de decibelios descontrolados, “Black Night”, la primera de sus canciones que alcanzo el Top Ten en su Inglaterra natal, y “Strange Kind Of Woman”, señalaban el camino a seguir. “Fireball”, su siguiente obra, era puro fuego, abrasivo vinilo que supuso su primer numero uno, con un tema –titulo que era velocidad metalica en estado puro. Y entonces se produjo el mágico incidente. El Casino de Montreaux, en Suiza, ardio incesantemente durante un show de Frank Zappa, y el humo desprendido surco el cielo sobre las aguas del lago próximo.
The Purple were watching in awe from the other side. “Smoke On The Water” was about to be born and with it, the most absolutely universal riff ever recorded. It would be the high point of their next work “Machine Head” that took them on tour to Japan, where they would capture in the grooves of another mythical album a discharge that still thrills today. “Made In Japan”, their first live album, would be a new milestone in their career, and remains for many the best live album of all time, as well as the best-selling album on the planet. But everything that rises, tends to fall, and the internal friction in the group was already quite pronounced, especially between Blackmore and Gillan, who would only record one more album together, “Who Do We Think We Are”.
Los Purple lo contemplaban asombrados desde la otra orilla. “Smoke On The Water” estaba a punto de nacer y con el, el riff mas absolutamente universal de cuantos se hayan grabado. Seria el punto álgido de su siguiente obra “Machine Head” que les llevo de gira a Japon, donde plasmarían en los surcos de otro disco mitico una descarga que todavía hoy emociona. “Made In Japan”, su primera obra en vivo, seria un nuevo hito en su carrera, y sigue siendo para muchos el mejor disco en directo de todos los tiempos, además del mas vendido en todo el planeta. Pero todo lo que sube, tiende a caer, y la friccion interna en el grupo era ya bastante acusada, especialmente entre Blackmore y Gillan, que solo grabarian un álbum mas juntos, “Who Do We Think We Are”.
Deep Purple was already a gigantic monster that walked the rock scene with absolute immunity, but it was time for a new era. Glover, engrossed in his duties as producer, also abandoned the ship. There were already candidates waiting in the wings. Glenn Hughes was the first to arrive, and although his vocal talents, still to be exploited, were difficult to surpass, he limited himself to playing bass and gurgling only when the vocal rotundity of David Coverdale, the new frontman, allowed him to do so. This stage knew how to keep the spark of the past and that is saying a lot. Coverdale and Hughes were two talents on the verge of exploding, and they did it in albums and concerts that were impressive for their strength and heartbreaking passion.
Deep Purple era ya un monstruo gigantesco que caminaba por el panorama rockero con inmunidad absoluta, pero era el momento de una nueva era. Glover, enfrascado en sus tareas de productor, también abandono el barco. Ya había candidatos esperando en la recamara. Glenn Hughes fue el primero en llegar, y aunque sus dotes vocales, aun por explotar, eran difícilmente superables, se limito a ocuparse del bajo y hacer gorgoritos solo cuando la rotundidad vocal de David Coverdale, el nuevo frontman, se lo permitia. Esta etapa supo mantener la chispa de tiempos pasados y eso es decir mucho. Coverdale y Hughes eran dos talentos a punto de estallar, y lo hicieron en discos y conciertos impresionantes por su fuerza y su desgarradora pasión.
“Burn” and ‘Stormbringer’, with the marching and bluesy side of Coverdale in the first one, and the fast and almost funky rhythm of Hughes in the second one, were consolidated as two jewels quite well received in America, after which Blackmore signed off to give free rein to the great metallic rainbow, the sensational Rainbow. Low hours for the “Deep Purple” that did not raise head with Tommy Bolin, whose premature death did not prevent him from recording “Come Taste The Band” and the live “Made In Europe”, which marked the end of the band in their golden years, the 70s. Each one went their own way until 1984 when the impossible happened, the classic line-up (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Paice and Lord) reunited, recorded two acceptable albums, and revived the past glories and gave the fans unique moments.
“Burn” y “Stormbringer”, con la vertiente marchosa y blues de Coverdale el primero, y el trepidante ritmo casi funky de Hughes el segundo, se consolidaron como dos joyas bastante bien acogidas en America, tras las que Blackmore firmo el finiquito para dar rienda suelta al gran arcoíris metalico, los sensacionales Rainbow. Horas bajas para la “Purpura Profunda” que no levanto cabeza con Tommy Bolin, cuya prematura muerte no le impidió grabar “Come Taste The Band” y el directo “Made In Europe”, que marcaron el final de la banda en sus años dorados, los 70. Cada uno siguió su camino hasta que en 1984 sucedió lo imposible, la formación clásica (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Paice y Lord) se volvió a reunir, grabo dos discos aceptables, y giro reviviendo las glorias pasadas y regalando a los fans momentos únicos.
The band disintegrated again and was rebuilt with other members due to the still latent internal rivalries. Their popularity began to be at rock bottom, and they lived their worst years in the early 90's, with Joe Lynn Turner as a fleeting frontman before Gillan's definitive return. Blackmore's ego was already running wild with no intention of reconciliation, and Joe Satriani himself would replace him in his duties until Steve Morse, guitarist from Kansas, arrived and helped the band, as he had done with his band of origin, to take flight with “Purpendicular” and “Abandon”, two studio works that revived the legendary name of Deep Purple. The consolidated line-up would enter the new millennium by reliving times long gone with an album recorded live with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
La banda volvió a desintegrarse y a rehacerse con otros miembros por las todavía latentes rivalidades internas. Su popularidad comenzó a estar por los suelos, y vivieron sus peores años en los primeros 90, con Joe Lynn Turner como fugaz frontman antes de la vuelta definitiva de Gillan. El ego de Blackmore ya andaba desbocado sin intenciones de reconciliación, y el mismísimo Joe Satriani le sustituiría en sus labores hasta que llego Steve Morse, guitarrista de Kansas, y ayudo a la banda, al igual que había hecho con su grupo de procedencia, a levantar el vuelo con “Purpendicular” y “Abandon”, dos trabajos de estudio que hicieron reavivaron el legendario nombre de Deep Purple. La formación consolidada entraría en el nuevo milenio reviviendo tiempos muy lejanos con un álbum grabado en vivo junto a la Royal Orquesta Filarmonica.
Deep Purple keep alive the flame of their beginnings, and are one of the most long-lived and unbeatable rock bands ever, with a spectacular live show that we have already enjoyed in our lands in many unforgettable occasions. Recently they have received another setback that hopefully will not detract from the legend, Jon Lord has announced that he is retiring from active music after 35 years as a professional when the group is about to enter to record their next studio work, which we do not know yet if the legendary keyboardist will record. His replacement, inaugurating mark VIII (i.e. the eighth line-up change within the band) is Don Airey (Rainbow).
Deep Purple mantienen viva la llama de sus comienzos, y son uno de los grupos mas longevos e imbatibles del rock de siempre, con un directo espectacular que ya hemos disfrutado en nuestras tierras en bastantes e inolvidables ocasiones. Recientemente han recibido otro revés que esperemos no desmerezca la leyenda, Jon Lord ha anunciado que se retira de la música en activo tras 35 años como profesional cuando el grupo se encuentra a punto de entrar a grabar su próxima obra de estudio, que no sabemos aun si registrara el mitico teclista. Su sustituto, inagurando el mark VIII (es decir, el octavo cambio de formación en el seno de la banda) es Don Airey (Rainbow).
