|
 This
is a fascinating release for any Deep Purple fan who's already
familiar with the band's early catalogue, and has questions
about the music that the individual members were involved in
just before they joined. Were elements of Purple already evident
in their work? What
would Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore have witnessed when they
first checked out Gillan and Glover in Episode Six?...did their
1969 live shows bear any relation to what was to follow in Deep
Purple?......what did David Coverdale's music sound like before
'Burn' changed his life?...These questions
and
more are answered, as well as they can be!
The
collection kicks off way back in 1965, with Ritchie Blackmore's
ultra-rare (and ultra-tinny) solo single. Musical links to Purple
are mainly to the instrumentals that so dominated their early
shows, in particular a run in 'Little Brown Jug' later jammed
around during 'Wring That Neck'.
On
to early 1967, and getting closer to the formation of Deep Purple,
we have three brilliantly quirky sixties instrumentals from
Santa Barbara Machine Head, Jon Lord's previous attempt to leave
behind the rapidly dating r&b sound of The Artwoods and
do something more interesting instead. The group comprised Jon,
Twink (Pink Fairies and Pretty Things drummer), Ronnie Wood,
and the late Kim Gardner (who ended up in another extremely
potent Hammond-driven group, Ashton Gardner & Dyke). Wood's
guitar work throughout is hilariously individual, what Ritchie
Blackmore might have sounded like with a crate of brown ale
in him. But it's still brilliant, I've never heard Wood sound
better (certainly not in the Rolling Stones).
The
Artwoods finally came to a halt at the end of 1967, after trying
their hand as a gangsta r&b combo. While Jon was jamming
with Ritchie Blackmore and Chris Curtis in his Fulham flat that
December, and probably already realising that he'd be needing
other musicians with a stronger grip on reality to do the singing
and drumming, Slough band The Maze were laying down some deeply
unpurple music. 'Cateri Cateri' and 'Easy Street' aren't their
best moments, but do show off Rod Evans' superb crooning voice,
and prove that Ian Paice could at that juncture restrain himself
during quieter numbers, though barely. (This is a full year
before he packed an album's worth of drumming into the harpsichord
ballad 'Blind').
 The
most interesting tracks for me come from mk1 producer Derek
Lawrence's archives. Even while Purple were at South Mimms trying
to sort out their line-up, including surreptitiously swapping
hapless greaser Bobby Woodman-Clarke in favour of Ian Paice,
they were being packed into cars and driven away to play on
recordings for Derek's other artists. The two Dylan tracks by
Boz are peppered with 1968 vintage Blackmore wah-wah guitar
bursts. Steadily more and more obscure are vocal duos Sundragon
(photographed on the right) and Anan. Very, very sixties psych-pop,
at times a cross between Deep Purple and The Fifth Dimension.
Sundragon's version of The Byrds' 'So You Want To Be A Rock
& Roll Star' is a highlight of the cd, with Blackmore having
a great time soloing over the backing. It's just about possible
to imagine Deep Purple Mk1 having a go at the track, and even
making it one of their more successful covers.
Were
Gillan and Glover asked to join Purple purely as musicians,
or also as a writing team? The four Episode Six tracks help
give some clues, especially the two live Gillan / Glover penned
tracks from 1969. These are what Lord and Blackmore would have
witnessed when they checked out Episode Six, having already
decided to ditch Evans and Simper. 'I Am a Cloud' and especially
'I Am The Boss' do not sound anything like mk1 or even early
mk2 compositions, or like anyone else for that matter (except
Arthur Lee's Love when the guitarist makes his presence felt),
though Syd Barrett could almost have written the lyrics for
the second track. The quality of performance is there all the
way through however, but without a real punch, indicating that
both parties could really help each other out. 'Child In Time'
was born soon after.
 David
Coverdale's group, The Government, played support for Deep Purple
Mk2 at one of their early shows. Just in case the new boy from
Episode Six didn't work out, Jon Lord took Coverdale's number.
As it was, Purple's career took off big time, and while 'In
Rock' was taking up residence in the UK album charts, The Government
were trooping into the studio purely to make souvenir recordings
for themselves. The resulting four tracks give us our only glimpse
of Coverdale's pre-Purple career. The band sound like a backing
for Otis Redding, choppy guitar and brass, San Francisco in
Sunderland. David is instantly recognisable, and it's a wonder
that he had to wait another three years before a big-time recording
contract came his way.
The
quality of music on the cd (and the sound quality) is variable
but never dull, and the collection is well worth getting hold
of, deserving a place on the cd rack alongside Deep Purple's
early catalogue.
David
Browne
|
