I was one year and seven month years old when “Machine Head” was released by EMI for Europe and Japan, respectively Warner Bros. Records for U.S.A. My mom had and spanned this record back then and those vinyls had their magic charm, trust me! My love for music came mainly because of those vinyl records, those 12-inch covers and those scratches! Not missing my mom’s soup, but my mom’s record collection!
On the 40th anniversary of releasing “Machine Head”, Eagle Records will be released on October 1 this tribute album including nine plus one bonus track album alining artists such as Chickenfoot, Metallica, The Flaming Lips, Iron Maiden, Black Label Society, Glenn Hughes with Chad Smith, Carlos Santana with Jacoby Shaddix (of Papa Roach), Jimmy Barnes, Kings of Chaos and a collaboration of Steve Vai with Glenn Hughes with Chad Smith. Not a particular fan, but still sucker for their “Burn My Eyes” album, I think Robb Flynn’s Machine Head should be definitively on this album, but, unfortunately, they aren’t. Imagine a “Highway Star” performed by Flynn’s killing machine! Not that Chickenfoot didn’t managed well the task, but…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MamCExEjkA&w=545&h=307]
And well, the most edge cutting recording, as it’s expected, came from The Flaming Lips, their “Smoke on the Water” it’s a real delicatessen.
Eagle Records last year released the “SIN-atra” – Frank Sinatra Metal tribute, which, honestly was not so tasty, but this “Re-Machined” make more sense, although I would really handle a more experimental, more bold approach. This is still a very original-devoted, conservative, classic cover oriented release. The Carlos Santana/Jacoby Shaddix’s “Smoke on the Water” sound great, but it was released in 2010 on Santana’s “Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time” album.
“When A Blind Man Cries”, a track recorded at the “Machine Head” sessions but originally released by Deep Purple as the B-side to “Never Before”, performed by Metallica it’s pretty disappointing.
Iron Maiden still kick asses and “Space Truckin'” it’s a huge banger! Hard not to jump up with your air-guitar listening this! Bruce is a rock God. No further explanations are necessary.
Steve Vai’s “Highway Star” featuring Glenn Hughes and Chad Smith it’s an excellent journey “on the speed of sound” and taking us from the very classy, respectful approach to Vai’s “screaming/talking” guitars and colorful tripping. And well, if Dickinson is a God, Glenn Hughes is a God as well, so this is (at least) a clash of Titans!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rFFgI1sL_g&w=545&h=409]
Ian Gillan, the lead singer of the band, contracted hepatitis. Cancelling a forthcoming tour of America, the band placed all their plans on hold, and Gillan was advised by his doctor to spend the next few months recuperating. Nevertheless, in December 1971, Deep Purple went to Switzerland to record their sixth studio, “Machine Head”. The album was due to be recorded at a casino in Montreux, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, but a fire during a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention gig, caused by a man firing a flare gun into the ceiling, burned down the casino. This incident famously inspired the song “Smoke on the Water”. The album was eventually recorded in a corridor at the nearby empty Grand Hotel.
“Machine Head” become one of the band’s most famous albums. 37,25 minutes of total Rock. Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice gave their best. The album reached number 1 in the UK and number 7 in the U.S., and included tracks that became live classics, such as “Highway Star”, “Space Truckin'”, “Lazy” and “Smoke on the Water”.
The supporting tour for “Machine Head” included a trip to Japan that would later become the double-live, legendary “Made in Japan” album.
Original vinyl release
Side one
No. Title Length
1. “Highway Star” 6:05
2. “Maybe I’m a Leo” 4:51
3. “Pictures of Home” 5:03
4. “Never Before” 3:56
Side two
No. Title Length
5. “Smoke on the Water” 5:40
6. “Lazy” 7:19
7. “Space Truckin'”
The 40th anniversary edition of Machine Head will be released on October 8, 2012 by EMI. This will be a 5-disc set accompanied with fully illustrated 60 page hardback booklet. Contents include: Original album 2012 remaster (CD1), Roger Glover’s 1997 mixes (CD2), Original album quad SQ stereo (2012 remaster) (CD3), In Concert ’72 from Paris Theatre, London, March 9, 1972 – 2012 mix (CD4), 2012 high resolution remaster & sourround mixes (DVD, audio only).
wow just spotted this.. here’s trip down memory lane… the Yugo version of the disk which lacked the balls of the original but none the less sounded line never never before! now where should i get it from…that is the space trucking question..
We don’t have a secret passage back to those good old days….. The world spammed away meanwhile.