Deep Purple - MACHINE HEAD (UK - Quad Mix) [SACD]

[DennisMabry]

Holy Frickin' Flashback.....Sweetspot Nirvana. Now I see what all the fuss is about.

I had this on Q8 way back when and remembered it as being a favorite. I've also had this on DVDA for a couple years now and I have always thought it was pretty good, but left still wanting. Based on the QQ recommendations I finally ordered the SACD (large price tag and all).

Poured myself a second glass of wine and put this one in. Suddenly I was 17 again with the familiar Quad mix I had come to love. What a difference these two mixes provide. The DVDA mix is centered more to the front, whereas the SACD Quad mix has the listener smack in the middle of the band. The SACD has more of a raw / jammin' sound, which is what attracted me to this music in the first place. "Smoke On The Water" seems tame on the DVDA but really jumps to life on the SACD.

I like the extras the DVDA provides with on screen videos, lyrics, and stills, but for sound,the SACD wins hands down. I agree with Bidkat that some of the old Quad mixes were not all that, but some were stunning and very well done, like this one. It gets a 10.

So if you haven't bought either one yet. Trust me, and get the SACD!

Dennis

[Chris Gerhard]

This one is quickly becoming my favorite 70's rock excess. I don't recall ever hearing the quad version. Did any of my small group of quad devotees even own it? I have never even done drugs and I can't remember but if I had heard it, I would likely have held on to my quad equipment rather than abandoning it. I asked for this for Christmas but warned her I didn't want a high priced version and I have given up finding a reasonable priced version. I don't know what her daughter paid or where she found it, but I received it. I would have accepted the DVD-A but made it clear the SACD was the version I wanted. Guys, I know this music isn't really good, I know the sound is archaic and my age group is all that even cares about this nonsense now but this is cool trip back to the early days of hard rock for me. After only two listens, a solid 10 here. Maybe DSD is the best possible way to bring these old analog recordings to the digital age, there is just something wonderful about the sound on this one. These guys aren't great singers and only so-so musicians, I am sure, so how can we rate this so highly?

Chris

[sacd user]

I started listening to the SACD stereo layer and found nothing of special interest. But then I upgraded my system to multichannel and found that the old quad recording is great, a 10.

[daved64]

These guys aren't great singers and only so-so musicians, I am sure, so how can we rate this so highly?

Chris

So So? Ritchie Blackmore So So??????

Chris, if you've ever played guitar in your life, you'd know Blackmore is not so so. He was light years ahead of his contemporaries. Ian Paice is a phenomanal drummer....I could go on and on.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you don't play any instruments.

[Chris Gerhard]

So So? Ritchie Blackmore So So??????

Chris, if you've ever played guitar in your life, you'd know Blackmore is not so so. He was light years ahead of his contemporaries. Ian Paice is a phenomanal drummer....I could go on and on.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you don't play any instruments.

Well no, not since I convinced my mother to let me drop piano lessons after a couple years and play football, basketball, golf and baseball with all my time. But I listen to musicians an awful lot, both live and recorded and have for many decades. I like this album obviously but don't find any standout performers in this group. Industry respect by peers hasn't ever been noticed either, although I am sure you can find any musician will receive accolades from friends.

My mother was right, I would have valued years of piano training far more than I value having made 21 free throws in one church league basketball game, certainly a record for that church. Being the 1981 Abilene, TX city Chess Champion hasn't amounted to much either or the fact I have played one round of golf under par in my life isn't comparable to being a skilled musician either.

I am not saying these guys are bad, average for their craft in my opinion, nothing better. Led Zeppelin had a standout drummer, Cream had one and I could name dozens I prefer. Vocalists for hard rock groups aren't a thing of beauty as a group but I sure find many that can soar above the music with more style. I gave this album a 10, I love it, it all works great for me. I just don't think these guys are going to be held in high esteem like the big named artists that continually show up as guest performers. If I could play, maybe I could pick something out that is impressive, I can't with my limited knowledge of what it takes to make loud noise resemble something coherent.

Chris

[Quadzilla]

So So? Ritchie Blackmore So So??????

Chris, if you've ever played guitar in your life, you'd know Blackmore is not so so. He was light years ahead of his contemporaries. Ian Paice is a phenomanal drummer....I could go on and on.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you don't play any instruments.

Let's not forget the vocalist whose classic scream led to lead vocals in Jesus Christ Superstar ... not to mention the song Lazy. A rock god of epic standards! Mike.

P.S. I DO play.

[Guy Robinson]

Let's not forget the vocalist whose classic scream led to lead vocals in Jesus Christ Superstar ... not to mention the song Lazy. A rock god of epic standards! Mike.

P.S. I DO play.

Yes. I agree. Ian Gillan was one of the great rock vocalists.

[timbre4]

The version of Deep Purple that recorded Machine Head was arguably the best there was. No slouches here! Blackmore's gone and Jon Lord just retired but the band is still very much with us, very ably equipped with Steve Morse and Don Airey in their slots.

Deep Purple was and is a very good band to compare later and lesser bands to. You hear a hard rock tune and reflect on it being done much better 10, 20 or 30 years previously.

Deep Purple and its fans have nothing to be ashamed of. Well, maybe Stormbringer...

[Chris Gerhard]

Yes. I agree. Ian Gillan was one of the great rock vocalists.

Wow, one of the greatest? I sure couldn't come to that conclusion and could name hundreds I would judge better, many far better but I don't consider hard rock vocalists great and believe a truly good singer can't make this kind of music work. Placido Domingo is a great singer, but wow would he suck singing Deep Purple tunes. Roger Daltry, Geoff Tate, Robert Plant are just a few I would judge far better than Ian as far as rock singers go.

Deep Purple consisting of great musicians and great singers is a tough position to defend in the historical context of recorded music in my opinion but it seems to fly on this forum.

Chris

[ChristopherLees]

Wow, one of the greatest? I sure couldn't come to that conclusion and could name hundreds I would judge better, many far better but I don't consider hard rock vocalists great and believe a truly good singer can't make this kind of music work. Placido Domingo is a great singer, but wow would he suck singing Deep Purple tunes. Roger Daltry, Geoff Tate, Robert Plant are just a few I would judge far better than Ian as far as rock singers go.

Deep Purple consisting of great musicians and great singers is a tough position to defend in the historical context of recorded music in my opinion but it seems to fly on this forum.

Chris

Ian was a great singer.....the emphasis being on was...I saw him live on tv a few years ago...not so good...no power in his voice...maybe he had a sore throat that night, but it was sad to listen to.. ...but in his heyday and especially on Machine Head he was fantastic...and also his singing as Judas on the original Jesus Christ Superstar. L.P was good....and as for the musicians on "machine head" well the guitar solo and organ solo parts on "Highway Star" are (I.M.O.) superb and original...not to mention the all time classic chord riff that starts off smoke on the water...groundbreaking stuff..instant classics..

Led Zeppelin may have invented more classic guitar riffs ...(maybe more just on Led zeppelin 1 and 2 without counting the rest of their collection)...but I think any rock group that comes up with more than 2 instant classics has got to have something going for it....

look if they all reformed and played now it might be very sad to witness...but 30 years ago they were really good....sure Roger Daltry is probably better and better preserved too...as his live aid thing with the who earlier this year was great to watch.....but Ian at his best was fantastic ...and that's why this sacd is so good, because it captures the best studio surround mix of Deep Purple at it's peak.......something never to be repeated.

[daved64]

Wow, one of the greatest? I sure couldn't come to that conclusion and could name hundreds I would judge better, many far better but I don't consider hard rock vocalists great and believe a truly good singer can't make this kind of music work. Placido Domingo is a great singer, but wow would he suck singing Deep Purple tunes. Roger Daltry, Geoff Tate, Robert Plant are just a few I would judge far better than Ian as far as rock singers go.

Chris

I'm sure Cai will clobber us in a sec, but....

Take a listen to Child In Time. Other than Tate, the other rock singers you mentioned couldn't hold a candle to Ian's range. As Casey Stengle said..."you can look it up!"

[DennisMabry]

Ian was a great singer......and also his singing as Judas on the original Jesus Christ Superstar. L.P was good

I am sure this is just a typo, but to set the record straight, Ian sang the part of Jesus, not Judas.

Also, I will agree that Ian in his day, was right up there with the best of them! I supose opinions on this would depend on how much of a Deep Purple fan you were or were not, back in the late 60s / early 70s.

[Quadzilla]

I'm sure Cai will clobber us in a sec, but....

Take a listen to Child In Time. Other than Tate, the other rock singers you mentioned couldn't hold a candle to Ian's range. As Casey Stengle said..."you can look it up!"

Perhaps he has aged, but he was one of the best, if not THE best. He is still very good. I saw them at the Molson Ampitheatre in Toronto a couple of summers ago, and the concert was fantastic. When EVERYONE in the place started singing Smoke on the Water, you coiuld tell that the band loved every second of it.

Cai, Chris, forgive us; but Deep Purple had as much of an influence on Hard Rock music than anyone ... kinda the Beatles of the power chord! Chris, CHEER UP ... it's Christmas! Mike.

[raggal62]

To me, Deep Purple and particularly Ian Gillan, were my #1 rock heros in the late sixties and early seventies. Their album "In Rock" which preceded Fireball and Machine Head, showcased Gillan's voice for the first time. I was blown away with the track "Child in Time". How could he possibly hit those notes? Ian Gillan was the ultimate rock "screamer". In my opinion, Robert Plant and Ian Gillan were the best of their generation, and far exceed the majority of todays so called rock vocalists.

[Chris Gerhard]

Perhaps he has aged, but he was one of the best, if not THE best. He is still very good. I saw them at the Molson Ampitheatre in Toronto a couple of summers ago, and the concert was fantastic. When EVERYONE in the place started singing Smoke on the Water, you coiuld tell that the band loved every second of it.

Cai, Chris, forgive us; but Deep Purple had as much of an influence on Hard Rock music than anyone ... kinda the Beatles of the power chord! Chris, CHEER UP ... it's Christmas! Mike.

I am very cheerful and was delighted to get this disc for Christmas, I love it and although requested, I didn't expect it. I have played it through three times. I still can't understand the affection Ian and the others get from members here, but that is only our subjective opinions, none of the forum discussion could ever anger or upset me, I am way too old to be bothered by that.

Chris

[timbre4]

Deep Purple earned it's place in rock history, numerous books detail their exploits through the years. And they ain't dead folks.....

What also set them apart from a number of hard rock bands was they could WRITE. Great players who can write are much harder to come by and generally prove to be more popular.

Ian Gillan had an incredible range and today has only a portion of it to use. Perpendicular (1996) shows the band still writing great material around Ian's voice as it is today.

Richie Blackmore has always been at the top of the list as influential guitarists go. Whether with Deep Purple, Rainbow or Blackmore's Night, he usually has something going on that people want to hear more of.

Today, Steve Morse's (Dixie Dregs, Kansas, etc) amazing guitar and writing skills have pushed the band even further, re-inventing the group and re-invigorating their concert classics. While Richie's more closely identified with DP, Morse is has far wider utility as a player IMHO.

Jon Lord's keyboards were the perfect foil for Richie's guitar. Their writing and arrangements took advantage of their playing skills and their telepathic live interplay was not a fluke. Jon tired of the road and now Don Airey fills this slot.

Roger Glover is a great rock bass player; always was. His choice of using a Rickenbacher 4001 bass during the Machine Head days was a smart one. It blended nicely with the guitar/keyboards interplay and stands out in a nice way, always supportive, yet distinctive tones. The irony is the bass on the back cover (four machine heads = tuners) is a Fender Precision, Machine Head would not have been the same had he used it.

Ian Paice is a great drummer no matter what the other players were doing. Check out his work all over Made In Japan (touring for Machine Head) or any live material where he could cut loose. Solid player with a rare gift; taste.

Along the way, they wrote a few classics:
Hush, Strange Kind Of Woman, Child In Time, Highway, Smoke On The Water, Space Truckin', My Woman From Tokyo, Burn, You Fool No One, Pictures Of Home, Black Night, Perfect Strangers, Speed King, Lazy, Maybe I'm A Leo

In summary, doing this type of music is difficult, because if it's done poorly, it's little more than a cliche cartoon. When done properly, it's really great. Deep Purple isn't even in my personal top 10 these days but they are undeniably on the worthwhile rock group list for all time.

[Chris Gerhard]

Along the way, they wrote a few classics:
Hush, Strange Kind Of Woman, Child In Time, Highway, Smoke On The Water, Space Truckin', My Woman From Tokyo, Burn, You Fool No One, Pictures Of Home, Black Night, Perfect Strangers, Speed King, Lazy, Maybe I'm A Leo.

I don't think they deserve writing credit for "Hush", I remember that one from prior to Deep Purple, it is a great cover and certainly a big change from the original. Joe South wrote it.

Chris

[Quadzilla]

I don't think they deserve writing credit for "Hush", I remember that one from prior to Deep Purple, it is a great cover and certainly a big change from the original. Joe South wrote it.

Chris

True, and Neil Diamond wrote Kentucky Woman; but Deep Purple's versions of both songs are still great.

I love Mistreated from the Live in Europe album. GREAT blues. I think the think I like about them is that they are so diverse ... not just heavy, and always tasteful.

To this day I still love my Rickenbacker 4001, and Deep Purple, Yes and Rush were the main reasons I bought it so many years ago. Mike.

[Chris Gerhard]

True, and Neil Diamond wrote Kentucky Woman; but Deep Purple's versions of both songs are still great.

I love Mistreated from the Live in Europe album. GREAT blues. I think the think I like about them is that they are so diverse ... not just heavy, and always tasteful.

To this day I still love my Rickenbacker 4001, and Deep Purple, Yes and Rush were the main reasons I bought it so many years ago. Mike.

I have only recently gotten into Rush, but have been a Deep Purple fan since the late 60's or early 70's. I even remember their cover of the Ike and Tina Turner song "River Deep, Mountain High" and had the album with that and "Kentucky Woman" before anybody here really knew much about the group. I got that album because I loved the Vanilla Fudge debut which covered "You Keep Me Hanging On" and thought heavy rock covers of familiar great pop and R&B songs were great to show friends.

I can see now, they changed a lot and really hit their stride with this album which is far and away the best I have heard from them. I had listened to it in the mid 70's and also their live album which was more popular with my friends but sort of dismissed them thinking Led Zeppelin was the only heavy rock worth owning. I was wrong, "Machine Head" ranks with the best of the heavy rock albums I am aware of at least in this version.

Chris

[Lucanu]

To this day I still love my Rickenbacker 4001, and Deep Purple, Yes and Rush were the main reasons I bought it so many years ago. Mike.

I WANT YOUR RICKENBACKER!!!!!!!!!

It's my favorite bass guitar, but my "sound" is more "Genesis" stuff.
Luca.

[Quadzilla]

I WANT YOUR RICKENBACKER!!!!!!!!! It's my favorite bass guitar, but my "sound" is more "Genesis" stuff.
Luca.

Hi Luca. Merry Christmas! To paraphrase how my American neighbours feel about their guns ... you can have my Rickenbacker when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

In 1978, a few months before he passed away, my grandfather (who was a fine musician) took me to the local music store and told me to pick out the bass of my dreams. I had been playing for a number of years already, and although he couldn't tell me in so many words, it was his way of telling me that I had come of age as a musician. Mike.

[winopener]

Luca, do you need a handy refrigerator?

[Lucanu]

Happy Christmas, Mike.

@winopener: your idea sounds good, but don't tell anybody here.....

[daved64]

FINALLY got this, and for only $15US!

Love the discrete mix. Nice bottom end too. Those old quad to SACD mixes (Blow By Blow, Headhunters) really have that little something over their modern mix counterparts. Must be the analog equipment they used.

Really enjoyed this. 9.

[Chris Gerhard]

FINALLY got this, and for only $15US!

Love the discrete mix. Nice bottom end too. Those old quad to SACD mixes (Blow By Blow, Headhunters) really have that little something over their modern mix counterparts. Must be the analog equipment they used.

Really enjoyed this. 9.

That was a great find, I saw it listed where you picked it up. The DVD-A of this title is also expensive and I would like to hear it, but don't guess I will ever get the chance.

Chris