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Posts tagged Ian Paice
Deep Purple – Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969) (@256)
05 Jul 2011
Request of OzOz.
(Review from allmusic, wikipedia)
Back in the early 70s, it seemed as though any British group that could was starting to utilize classical elements in their work — for some, like ELP, that meant quoting from the classics as often and loudly as possible, while for others, like Yes, it meant incorporating classical structures into their albums and songs.
In 1969, Deep Purple fell briefly into the camp of this offshoot of early progressive rock with the concerto Jon Lord composed: “Concerto for Group and Orchestra”.
It was performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on September 24th. The release was the first Deep Purple album to feature Ian Gillan on vocals and Roger Glover on bass.
For most fans, the album represented the nadir of the classic line-up of the band: minutes of orchestral meandering lead into some perfectly good hard rock jamming by the band. Ritchie Blackmore sounds great and plays his heart out, and you can tell this band is going to go somewhere, just by virtue of the energy that they put into these extended pieces.
The classical influences mostly seem drawn from movie music composers Dimitri Tiomkin and Franz Waxman (and Elmer Bernstein), with some nods to Rachmaninoff, Sibelius, and Mahler.
As a bonus, there are a pair of hard rock numbers by the group alone, “Wring That Neck” and “Child in Time” that were played at the same concert.
Line-up:
- Jon Lord / keyboards
- Ritchie Blackmore / guitar
- Ian Gillan / vocals
- Roger Glover / bass
- Ian Paice / drums
with
- Royal Philarmonic Orchestra
Track List:
01. Wring That Neck (Bonus) – 12:50
02. Child In Time (Bonus) – 12:27
03. First Movement: Moderato – Allegro – 19:05
04. Second Movement: Andante – 19:00
05. Third Movement: Vivace – Presto – 15:24
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Green Bullfrog – Green Bullfrog Sessions (1970) (@256)
10 Jun 2010
(Review from allmusic, wikipedia)
Carved firmly in the mold of the superstar jam sessions that fascinated the rock cognoscenti during the late ’60s/early ’70s, Green Bullfrog was an album resulting from a one-off studio project and recorded between February and May 1970. The album was the idea of producer Derek Lawrence who assembled a group of musicians with whom he had worked in the 1960s. For contractual reasons, the musicians were billed under pseudonyms.
A few originals (penned by Lawrence) were played, as well as many blues-inflected covers of rock songs. With Blackmore, Sullivan, and Lee involved, it is naturally a guitar-heavy event, and there’s certainly some searing playing to be found amid the good-time grooves and loose-limbed energies; the seven-minute title track is a particular tour de force.
Line-up:
- Rod Alexander (Vicar) / Guitar
- Tony Ashton (Bevy) / Keyboards
- Ritchie Blackmore (Boots) / Guitar
- Matthew Fisher (Sorry) / Keyboards
- Charles “Chas” Hodges (Sleepy) / Bass
- Earl Jordan (Jordan) / Vocals
- Albert Lee (Pinta) / Guitar
- Ian Paice (Speedy) / Drums
- Big Jim Sullivan (Boss) / Guitar
Track List:
01. Ain’t Nobody Home – 4:17
02. Bullfrog – 7:13
03. Walk A Mile In My Shoes – 3:47
04. My Baby Left Me – 3:18
05. Makin’ Time – 3:00
06. Lawdy Miss Clawdy – 3:18
07. I’m A Free Man – 4:37
08. Lovin’ You Is Good For Me Baby – 4:53
09. I Want You – 3:52
10. Louisiana Man – 4:10
11. Who Do You Love – 3:59
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Tony Ashton & Friends – Live At Abbey Road (2000) (@256)
27 Dec 2009
(Review from allmusic)
Coming together to honour and celebrate the career of Tony Ashton, musical guests from all eras of his work perform a blistering set of classics from Tony Ashton’s career, Whitesnake and Paice-Ashton-Lord.
Sound quality is top notch and energy levels are high. ‘Hey, this is live,’ comments Bernie Marsden after a slightly wobbly break, and this album really is vibrant with real live musical excellence.
The concert begins with the band Mash, followed by Johnny Johnson and Dave Williams. A Hardin and York (Eddie Hardin, Pete York) reunion follows which includes Geoff Whitehorn, Chris Barber, Jaz Lochrie. Zoot Money, and Eddie’s daughter Emma is up next. They are followed by Angel. Wrapping up the first half of the event is a short set of Rock (and Who) classics performed by John Entwistle, Zak Starkey, John Rabbit Bundrick and Gary Nuttall.
The second half opens with Tony Ashton himself, followed by a short acoustic set by Mickey Moody and Bernie Marsden. Afterward, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Neil Murray and Robert Hart joins them for a short set of Whitesnake songs. The finale is a mini Paice-Ashton-Lord reunion set, which includes Bernie Marsden and Howie Casey.
Line-up:
- Tony Ashton / Keyboards, Vocals
with
- Chris Barber / Trombone
- John “Rabbit” Bundrick / Keyboards
- Howie Casey / Saxophone
- John Entwistle / Bass
- Robert Hart / Vocals
- Jon Lord / Organ, Saxophone
- Bernie Marsden / Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals
- Micky Moody / Guitar
- Neil Murray / Bass, Saxophone
- Gary Nuttall / Guitar, Vocals
- Ian Paice / Drums, Saxophone
- Nigel Portman Smith / Bass
- Zak Starkey / Drums
- Geoff Whitehorn / Guitar
- Laurie Wisefield / Guitar
- Pete York / Drums
- Jeanette McKinley / Back Vocals
- Sheila McKinley / Back Vocals
Track List:
01. Introduction – 1:52
02. One Room Country Shack – 8:11
03. Mercy Mercy – 5:07
04. No Money Down – 6:35
05. Shake Rattle and Roll – 3:22
06. Ain’t Gonna Cry No More – 5:04
07. Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues – 4:56
08. Ready An Willing (Sweet Satisfaction) – 4:48
09. Ain’t No Love (In The Heart Of The City) – 7:56
10. Here I Go Again – 5:51
11. Ghost Story – 5:36
12. Sneaky Private Lee – 8:32
13. Resurrection Shuffle – 9:50
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Jackson Heights – Bump 'n' Grind (1973) (@256)
16 Dec 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
For their fourth and last album, the band aimed at a concept album about the lives of the ladies in a cabaret. Apparently the concept diverged into a complete extravaganza with tons of extra musicians once the label got excited about the project and over-did their part.
Starting on seagulls and piano into “I Could Be Your Orchestra” or its string-overloaded follow-up “Spaghetti Sunshine”, this album seems to be filled to the brim with the whole kettle of progressive clichés, but then again, this might be a proghead’s easiest way to get into Jackson Heights. Classically trained Brian Chatton, constantly pushed by his buddy Keith Emerson, he obviously explodes into this album, here seems to take on the lion’s share in terms of songwriting.
The band wouldn’t survive the album very long. Swiss keyboard wizard Patrick Moraz would then step in, forming the group Refugee with him.
Line-up:
- Lee Jackson / bass, guitar, vocals
- Brian Chatton / keyboards, vocals
- Michael Giles / drums
- John McBurnie / guitar, keyboards, vocals
with
- Johnny VanDerrick / violin
- Ian Paice / drums
- Ian Wallace / drums
- Chris Laurence / bass
- Bill Bell / banjo
Track List:
01. I Could Be Your Orchestra – 4:15
02. Spaghetti Sunshine – 3:32
03. Long Necked Lady – 3:46
04. Public Romance – 2:32
05. Bump and Grind – 3:26
06. Cumberland County – 3:39
07. It’s a Shame – 4:17
08. Ladies in the Chorus – 3:08
09. Whatever Happened to the Conversation – 3:45
Link in comments.
Deep Purple – Nobody's Perfect (Live 1987-88) (@256)
11 Jul 2008
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
Deep Purple’s 80s live album was recorded on their “House of Blue Light” tour during 1987/88. Recorded live on 6th September 1987 in Verona Italy, 22nd August 1987 in Oslo Norway, 23rd May 1987 in Irvine Meadows, 30th May 1987 in Phoenix and 26th February 1988 at Hook End Manor in England.
“Nobody’s Perfect” features the classic line-up with all the energy and virtuosity, not to mention personality clashes, all back in full form.
The track list borrows heavily from the legendary “Made in Japan”. “Strange kind of woman” here is adapted to include a call and response duet between Gillan and Blackmore, which leads to a burst of “Superstar” from Rice/Lloyd-Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar”. The performances of the other tracks are faithful, perhaps with hints that this line up has played them so often that they do not now require any real effort, “Lazy” being a little too close to the truth. For some reason, Blackmore’s guitar solo on “Child in time” lacks the impact of the original, sounding rather ordinary here.
The new songs are introduced by a spirited rendition of the title track from “Perfect strangers”. This wonderful Zeppelinesque song which transfers well to a live environment, concludes with a blink and you’ll miss it coda of “Gethsemene” from the aforementioned “Jesus Christ Superstar”. “Knocking At Your Back Door” had made the “Perfect Strangers” album such a pleasing return to form. The extended intro to the song here, includes some classical and ragtime piano.
It’s good to hear “Woman from Tokyo”, getting an airing, although it does end with a rather strange Buddy Holly interlude. The album concludes with a “live jam” in the studio of Joe South’s Hush, a cover of which appeared on Deep Purple’s first album. The rendition of the verses here sounds surprisingly like Aerosmith’s “Walk this way” until the familiar “Na na na” chorus cuts in.
Unfortunately the track transitions in this live album are marked by fades, much to the annoyance of many fans. Nevertheless this is an accurate live album reflecting the 80s Deep Purple. It may have its shortcomings in terms of both the tracks performed and sometimes in the performances themselves, but hey, “nobody’s perfect”.
Line-up:
- Ritchie Blackmore / Guitars
- Jon Lord / Keyboards
- Ian Paice / Drums
- Roger Glover / Bass
- Ian Gillan / Vocals, Congas, Harmonica
Track List:
01. Highway Star – 6:10
02. Strange Kind Of Woman – 7:35
03. Perfect Strangers – 6:25
04. Hard Lovin’ Woman – 5:04
05. Knocking At Your Back Door – 11:24
06. Child In Time – 10:36
07. Lazy – 5:15
08. Black Night – 6:07
09. Woman From Tokyo – 4:00
10. Smoke On The Water – 7:46
11. Hush – 3:32
Links in comments.
Bernie Marsden – Look At Me Now (1981) (@256)
10 Jun 2008
(Review from purplerecords.net)
By 1981 three quarters of Whitesnake’s material was emanating from guitarist Bernie Marsden, and in the same year he finally managed to find time to record his second solo album.
Aside from Marsden on guitar and vocals, fellow Whitesnake members Ian Paice, Neil Murray and Jon Lord were the backbone of the band for the sessions, with Simon Phillips depping as the second drummer (Marsden even persuaded Micheal Schenker to come in and supply hand-claps to the end of one song!).
The album isn’t much different in style, it is the pretty ho-hum bluesy hard rock, we’ve come to know Marsden for.
There were plans for some live shows but Whitesnake were so busy these couldn’t be sorted out. Marsden did manage to get the musicians together again in August 1981 for a radio session, two of them are included in this edition of the album as bonus tracks.
Line-up:
- Bernie Marsden / Lead Vocals, Guitars
with
- Neil Murray / Bass
- Jon Lord / Keyboards
- John Cook / Keyboards
- Don Airey / Keyboards
- Ian Paice / Drums
- Simon Philips / Drums
- Cozy Powell / Drums
Track List:
01. Look At Me Now – 3:58
02. So Far Away – 3:39
03. Who’s Fooling Who – 3:54
04. Shakey Ground – 4:04
05. Behind your Dark Eyes – 4:42
06. Bylbos Shack Pt 1 & 2 – 4:03
07. Thunder & Lightning – 4:21
08. Can You Do It? (Rock City Blues) – 4:18
09. After All the Madness – 4:04
10. Always Love You So (Bonus B-Side) – 3:41
11. Look At Me Now (Bonus Radio Live) – 4:21
12. Bylbos Shack (Bonus Radio Live) – 4:36
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Whitesnake – Saints and Sinners (1982) (@256)
15 May 2008
(Review from allmusic, hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com)
David Coverdale returned to music the next year, reforming Whitesnake and the band rushed to studio for their next album.
Their 1982 album, “Saints and Sinners” features a blend of solid instrumentation: great dual guitar lines, solid backline, and Lord’s organ all blended with Coverdale’s gritty vocals. Rowdy bursts of bluesy aggression are all over the album like in “Rough an’ Ready”, “Bloody Luxury” and the downright nasty “Young Blood.” David Coverdale also reached new heights with the astounding heavy blues of “Crying in the Rain” and the timeless power ballad “Here I Go Again”. More boogie woogie rock comes out on “Love An’ Affection” and “Rock An’ Roll Angels” with the piano prominent again in both songs.
This proved to be the last album of the “classic” line-up as Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray and Ian Paice left. Whitesnake’s line-up never stabilized ever since.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – lead vocals
* Bernie Marsden – guitars
* Mel Galley – guitars
* Micky Moody – guitars, backing vocals
* Jon Lord – keyboards
* Neil Murray – bass
* Ian Paice – drums
Track List:
01. Young Blood – 3:30
02. Rough An’ Ready – 2:52
03. Bloody Luxury – 3:23
04. Victim Of Love – 3:33
05. Crying In The Rain – 5:59
06. Here I Go Again – 5:08
07. Love An’ Affection – 3:09
08. Rock An’ Roll Angels – 4:07
09. Dancing Girls – 3:10
10. Saints An’ Sinners – 4:23
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Whitesnake – Come an Get It (1981) (@256)
14 May 2008
(Review from amazon)
Confident from the success of ‘Ready An’ Willing’, Whitesnake went into the studio, effortlessly knocking out vintage blues rock.
There are many highlights including ‘Child Of Babylon’, an epic song showing off Coverdale at his best, the grooving title track and the monolithic anthem ‘Don’t Break My Heart Again’ with its nod towards a more pop metal direction. The fun blues boogie numbers ‘Would I Lie To You’ and “Wine, Women An’ Song” were brilliantly humorous and even more fun when played live! ‘Till The Day I Die’ features a superb vocal performance from Coverdale.
As on their previous album, the Purple duo Jon Lord and Ian Paice, turns in solid professional performances. Also of note is the typically old-school guitar work from Moody/Marsden throughout the album, especially on the song ‘Hit An’ Run’ which given a bit more development in the chorus department could have been a classic. Neil Murray’s bubbling basslines can also be heard throughout to great effect.
After the release of this album, Coverdale took time off to look after his sick daughter. He decided to temporarily break up the band.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – vocals
* Micky Moody – guitar
* Bernie Marsden – guitar
* Jon Lord – keyboards
* Neil Murray – bass guitar
* Ian Paice – drums
Track List:
01. Come An’ Get It – 3:57
02. Hot Stuff – 3:22
03. Don’t Break My Heart Again – 4:01
04. Lonely Days, Lonely Nights – 4:14
05. Wine, Women An’ Song – 3:43
06. Child Of Babylon – 4:50
07. Would I Lie To You – 4:30
08. Girl – 3:54
09. Hit An’ Run – 3:21
10. Till The Day I Die – 4:27
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Whitesnake – Live in the Heart of the City (1980) (@256)
28 Nov 2007
(Review from amazon, metal-observer.com, allmusic)
“Live In The Heart of the City” was recorded over two dates in 1980 and one date in 1978 and from the much missed Hammersmith Odeon. Although Whitesnake never achieved the sales figures of Coverdale’s previous band, Deep Purple, this is still a class live-album.
Featuring some quite excellent musicianship from guitarists Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody, interlocking guitar riffs and fiery solos; the rhythm section of Lord, Paice and bassist Neil Murray is rock-steady and the exceptional vocal talents of Coverdale every single song on this live-CD is a slab of good time rock ‘n’ roll with a whole load of boogie thrown in.
Whitesnake favorites such as “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues” “Ready an’ Willing” and “Fool for Your Loving” heat up the crowd, but it’s the extended version of “Lovehunter” that gets things boiling, thanks to Micky Moody’s extended slide guitar solo. The audience participation on “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” provides another thrilling moment, but the band truly brings the house down with a last encore of Deep Purple’s “Mistreated” — a blues of monstrous proportions that becomes an 11-minute catharsis for Coverdale.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – vocals
* Micky Moody – guitar
* Bernie Marsden – guitar
* Jon Lord – keyboards
* Neil Murray – bass guitar
* Ian Paice – drums
Track List:
01. Come On – 3:38
02. Sweet Talker – 4:14
03. Walking in the Shadow of the Blues – 4:49
04. Love Hunter – 11:00
05. Fool for Your Loving – 4:50
06. Ain’t Gonna Cry No More – 6:28
07. Ready An’ Willing – 4:46
08. Take Me With You – 6:44
09. Come On – 4:01
10. Might Just Take Your Life – 5:27
11. Lie Down – 4:27
12. Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City – 6:27
13. Trouble – 4:52
14. Mistreated – 10:50
Links in comments.
Deep Purple – Live in Japan (1972) (@256)
30 Oct 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
An unadulterated masterpiece, loud, proud and technically amazing, “Made in Japan” is the mother of all live albums. When it was recorded, Deep Purple were at their height of their musical form, stunning audiences into submission at every live performance. However, in their case it was no mere, dumb bludgeoning in the style of many later heavy metal bands, which thought sheer volume was the only answer. Each of the members of Deep Purple was a master of his instrument (even the underrated, but always reliable bassist Roger Glover), and Ian Gillan was the voice that launched a thousand screamers. Last but not least… they had the songwriting skills to back up their musical proficiency – something in which many modern-day bands are sadly lacking.
The songs are no simple renditions of the studio tracks, but rather an excuse for the band to flex their collective muscles and showcase their individual talents. Ritchie Blackmore plays like a demon, wringing all kind of weird noises and sublime sounds from his Fender Stratocaster. Jon Lord, the Hammond god, is his perfect foil, sometimes providing a solid background for Blackmore’s improvisations, sometimes pulling out all the stops and showing that he was more than a match for the Emersons and Wakemans of this world. Ian Paice’s drumming is metronomical in its precision, and his spot on “The Mule” is a good example of a drum solo that avoids being boring. Glover pounds his bass stoically in the background: no Chris Squire- style “lead bassist”, but a perfect partner for the impeccable Paice. Then we have Ian Gillan, handsome and wild, competing with Blackmore’s guitar for the highest note on “Strange Kind of Woman”, screaming his heart out on the legendary, dramatic “Child in Time”.
All of the tracks are extended, dilated, chock-full of improvisation and creativity. The closing “Space Truckin’” clocks in at almost 20 minutes, a lengthy jam session including pieces of other tracks, underpinned by Jon Lord’s trademark buzzsaw Hammond.
This boxed set includes the full 3 concerts played on that 3 consecutive nights in the Japan tour from which the tracks on “Made in Japan” were selected. Not only do you get the tracks which constituted “Made In Japan” but you get alternative (and equally brilliant) takes of those tracks from the other nights they performed on that tour with the addition of “Black Night” and “Speed King” which weren’t in the original selection set.
Line-up:
* Ian Gillan – vocals, harmonica, percussion
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitar
* Roger Glover – bass
* Jon Lord – organ, keyboards
* Ian Paice – drums, percussion
Track List:
CD1 (Osaka, 1972-08-15)
01. Highway Star (7:37)
02. Child In Time (11:51)
03. Mule (9:36)
04. Strange Kind Of Woman (8:50)
05. Lazy (10:26)
06. Space Truckin’ (21:35)
07. Black Night (6:25)
CD2 (Osaka, 1972-08-16)
01. Highway Star (7:08)
02. Smoke On The Water (7:25)
03. Child In Time (12:30)
04. Mule (10:21)
05. Strange Kind Of Woman (10:35)
06. Lazy (10:21)
07. Space Truckin’ (20:13)
CD3 (Tokyo, 1972-08-17)
01. Highway Star (7:15)
02. Smoke On The Water (7:06)
03. Child In Time (11:32)
04. Strange Kind Of Woman (11:26)
05. Lazy (11:16)
06. Space Truckin’ (19:19)
07. Speed King (7:55)
Links in comments.
Deep Purple – Book of Taliesyn (1968) (@256)
27 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
It was 1968, Deep Purple was far from the success they would achieve in the early seventies. Deep Purple´s first line included Rod Evans and Nick Simper, who would participate in the great Captain Beyond and Warhorse, respectively. The band was trying to pursue a career as a psychedelic/progressive rock band. Led by the classical arrangements made by Jon Lord and Blackmore’s psychedelic guitar, besides the Evans’ lyrics, they made one of the finest progressive rock works from the late sixties, being “Book of Taliesyn” their masterpiece.
The first song is Listen, Learn, Read On, with great guitar and organ riff, along with good drumming by Paice and some spoken lyrics by Evans and a commom psychedelic chorus. There is a cosmic organ interlude and then a great distorted guitar solo. The song is very psychedelic. Some chorus in the vocals and distorted guitar noises.
The second song is Wring That Neck, which has a great organ arrangement, along with good percussion, and bass. There are different organ solos and then an extense and good slow guitar solo. Then alternates guitar and organ solos until the end of this great instrumental.
Next song is a good rocker version to Kentucky Woman, with a very psychedelic feel. Good guitar, organ riff and bass riff, along with a tambourine and good drums, mainly the combination of organ and drums in the chorus. Then a sequence of psychedelic solos, first of the guitar, then of the organ, which is the highlight of the song, a frenetic organ solo with percussion. Then the verse and chorus and some short solos in the end.
The next song is a medley: First part is Exposition, with pompous organ, drum, guitar and bass arrangement. The song is an instrumental with some classical structure. A sequence of variations over a theme, mainly in the organ. The drum orchestra-percussion-like is only impaired by B. J. Thomas from Procol Harum. The second part is a great psychedelic version to the Beatles´ We can Work it Out. This version is very good, with good guitar solo and bass riff in the main verses and a very inspired interpretation in the part “Life is very short” with organ and good singing. There is a short organ solo.
The second side of the original album is much more progressive, while the first one was more psychedelic. The psychedelic influences are evident in this side as the progressive ones are in the first side, but it is almost like a division (not on purpose).
The Shield is has a dark mood, with a great piano and bass riff, and the highlight of the song is the percussive work, including a good percussive solo after a guitar solo, that returns in the middle of the percussive solo. After some soloes, returns the main verse and chorus, and the percussive solo at the end, along with guitar and then another percussive solo with bass.
The next song is the most progressive, Anthem, which is my favourite Deep Purple´s song. The organ intro is very beautiful, along with the acoustic guitar riff and bass riff. Rod Evans singing is very beautiful. The lyrics are sad. In the bridge and chorus there are great drumming and organ chords. Then in the second verse there is a great string arrangement along with the other instruments, which is as beautiful as Beatles orchestral arrangements. After the second chorus, there is an exceptional instrumental interlude, that starts with a very beautiful organ solo, then followed by a single violin solo, then joined by others, progressively. Then the organ starts again with the strings, which accompains the guitar solo. Then returns the song with a great riff and doubled slow guitar solo connecting to the bridge and chorus again, along with the strings. In the end there is a great organ outro like the organ intro until the end.
The last song is Deep Purple´s 10-minute-version to River Deep, Mountain High. The intro is the fantastic to every symphonic progressive rock fan, with beautiful organ and orchestral-like percussion. Then a good bass and organ riff that starts slow and increases the speed, along with the drums and end with a distorted guitar solo that turns to a eastern-like solo with the bass and then the organ and orchestral-like percussion. Some organ solo until everything stops. Then Evans enters with a very pompous singing. Then the song turns to a more psychedelic rocker, with great bass and drums in the verses and a psychedelic chorus, with backing vocal chorus, organ and strong drums. Then alternates verses, chorus and there is a psychedelic guitar solo in the middle. Then the songs continues with chorus till the end.
This album, along with their first (Shades of), the next (eponymous) and the Concert for Group and Orchestra were clearly progressive rock outputs of the best quality from the late sixties.
Line-up:
* Jon Lord – organ, keyboards, vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – lead guitar
* Ian Paice – drums
* Rod Evans – vocals
* Nick Simper – bass guitar, vocals
Track List:
01. Listen, Learn, Read On – 04:04
02. Wring That Neck – 05:13
03. Kentucky Woman – 04:44
04. Exposition / We Can Work It Out – 07:07
05. Shield – 06:06
06. Anthem – 06:31
07. River Deep, Mountain High – 10:12
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Whitesnake – Ready an' Willing (1980) (@256)
06 Apr 2007
(Review from allmusic.com, amazon.com)
Back in 1980, Whitesnake guitarists Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody played big, bluesy guitar riffs and short, sparse solos, Coverdale didn’t yet dye his hair, and the music was raw and powerful.
David Coverdale and company were growing increasingly more consistent and self-assured with each record, and this album’s first half shows great progress over the previous year’s Lovehunter. Opener “Fool for Your Lovin’” was their best single yet, as well as their highest charting; with its clever combination of hit-savy chorus and authentic bluesy resignation, it set the template for subsequent triumphs. Further highlights include the live favorite “Sweet Talker” (given extra bite by Micky Moody’s expert slide guitar), the groove monster of a title track, and a set of memorable ballads in “Blindman” and “Ain’t Gonna Cry No More.”
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – vocals
* Micky Moody – guitars
* Bernie Marsden – guitars
* Jon Lord – keyboards
* Neil Murray – bass
* Ian Paice – drums
Track List:
01. Fool for Your Loving
02. Sweet Talker
03. Ready an’ Willing
04. Carry Your Load
05. Blindman
06. Ain’t Gonna Cry No More
07. Love Man
08. Black and Blue
09. She’s a Woman
Link in comments.
Paice Ashton Lord – Malice in Wonderland (1976) (@256)
08 Feb 2007
(Info from purplerecords.net)
Ashton and Lord first met in 1970, and ended up writing and playing together on a number of projects over the next few years, including the “First Of The Big Bands” album released in 1974; in many ways a prototype for the PAL project. Following Purple Mk 4’s demised in March 1976, Paice Ashton Lord emerged amidst much fanfare.
Mysterious adverts in the music papers gave some hint of what was going on: “British Band Requires British Bass Player and Lead Guitarist for formation of new rock band by three established musicians.” Paul Martinez, then in Stretch, got the bass player’s job, guitarist Bernie Marsden (then with Babe Ruth) completed the band. The line-up was made official on August 21st 1976 and by September they were in the Musicland studios, Munich, recording.
By now, Howie Casey was part of the band on saxophone, having previously played with Wings, along with a brass quartet. The horns helped give the band their unique sound. The line-up was completed by two girl singers. The band stayed at an Arabella Hotel in Munich, home to the drunken American who, in trying to pronounce Alice In Wonderland, gave Jon the idea for the album title, to which Tony provided the lyrics. There was a lot more freedom within the band for Jon, with the guitar used more as a rhythm instrument. With Martin Birch (who had been producing Purple for many years) at the helm, the album took just ten days to lay down. Ian Paice feels they’d cut a good album, “PAL was trying to do something ahead of its time, the sort of thing Level 42 became, a cross between jazz and rock”.
The post-recording period saw the construction of a large stage set at Pinewood put together by the guy who had done the stages for the “Spy Who Loved Me” movie. They also announced that a film about the band was being produced. The album release was eventually put back to March 4th 1977. “One of those rare combinations of musicians which catches fire and becomes something really exciting”, wrote Beat Instrumental. A tour of selected cities across Europe was dropped leaving just the UK dates intact.
The group made their debut on the BBC TV show “Sight & Sound In Concert” on Saturday March 19th. A week later they opened their tour at the Birmingham Odeon supported by Bandit. Musically the band were at times a force to be reckoned with, turning out some ferocious r’n b flavoured rock, with a great duel keyboard style which was very adventurous. What it needed was something to build on top of this, Tony wasn’t at all happy fronting such a large band. Once the tour was over, the group returned to Germany to begin work on their second album. This was 75% completed, when sometime in early 1978 they came to a decision to fold the band. Bernie Marsden joined David Coverdale in Whitesnake. Tony Ashton returned to his role as a producer. Paice, Lord and Martinez went off to back Maggie Bell, formerly of Stone The Crows but the project didn’t last long and the following month Jon Lord also joined Whitesnake.
Paice Ashton Lord were undoubtably overambitious but the album is one that grows on the listener. Ian Paice looks back on the band without regrets. “PAL was a brave experiment! It was an experiment that cost Jon and I a fortune but I’m glad we did it”.
Track List:
01. Ghost Story
02. Remember the Good Times
03. Arabella [Oh Tell Me]
04. Silas and Jerome
05. Dance With Me Baby
06. On the Road Again, Again
07. Sneaky Private Lee
08. I’m Gonna Stop Drinking Again
09. Malice in Wonderland
10. Ghost Story (Live) (Bonus)
11. Streamroller Blues (Live) (Bonus)
12. Ballad of Mr Giver (Live) (Bonus)
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