“Shades of Deep Purple” is the debut studio album by the
English rock band Deep Purple, released in July 1968 on Tetragrammaton in the
United States and in September 1968 on Parlophone in the United Kingdom. The
band, initially called “Roundabout”, was the idea of former Searchers drummer
Chris Curtis, who recruited Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore before leaving the
project. The Mk. I line-up of the band was completed by vocalist/frontman Rod
Evans, along with bassist Nick Simper and drummer Ian Paice, in March 1968.
After about two months of rehearsals, “Shades of Deep Purple” was recorded in only three days in May 1968 and contains four original songs and four covers, thoroughly rearranged to include classical interludes and sound more psychedelic. Stylistically the music is close to psychedelic rock and progressive rock, two genres with an ever-growing audience in the late 1960s.
The album was not well received in the UK, where it sold very little and did not chart. In the US, on the other hand, it was a success and the single "Hush", an energetic rock track written by Joe South and originally recorded by Billy Joe Royal, became very popular at the time, reaching number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The good sales of the album and the intense radio play of the single contributed largely to the attention Deep Purple would get in their early US tours and also during the 1970s. Modern reviews of the album are generally positive and consider “Shades of Deep Purple” an important piece in the history of Deep Purple.
After about two months of rehearsals, “Shades of Deep Purple” was recorded in only three days in May 1968 and contains four original songs and four covers, thoroughly rearranged to include classical interludes and sound more psychedelic. Stylistically the music is close to psychedelic rock and progressive rock, two genres with an ever-growing audience in the late 1960s.
The album was not well received in the UK, where it sold very little and did not chart. In the US, on the other hand, it was a success and the single "Hush", an energetic rock track written by Joe South and originally recorded by Billy Joe Royal, became very popular at the time, reaching number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The good sales of the album and the intense radio play of the single contributed largely to the attention Deep Purple would get in their early US tours and also during the 1970s. Modern reviews of the album are generally positive and consider “Shades of Deep Purple” an important piece in the history of Deep Purple.
Shades of Deep Purple” este albumul de studio de debut al
trupei engleze de rock Deep Purple, lansat in iulie 1968 la Tetragrammaton in
Statele Unite si in septembrie 1969 la Parlaphone in Marea Britanie. Trupa,
numita initial ‘Roundabout”, a fost ideea lui Chris Curtis, fost baterist la
Searchers, care i-a recrutat pe Jon Lord si Ritchie Blackmore pentru proiect.
Componenta Mk I a trupei a fost completata de vocalistul Rod Evans, impreuna cu
basistul Nick Simper si bateristul Ian Paice, in martie 1968.
Dupa circa 2 luni de repetitii, “Shades of Deep Purple” a fost inregistrat in numai 3 zile in mai 1968 si contine patru piese originale si patru preluari, complet rearanjate ca sa includa interludii clasice si un sunet mai psihedelic. Stilistic muzica e mai aproape de rock-ul psihedelic si progresiv , cele doua genuri aflate in crestere la audienta spre sfarsitul anilor ’60.
Albumul nu a fost bine primit in Marea Britanie, unde vanzarile au fost foarte mici si nu a intrat in clasamente. In Statele Unite, pe de alta parte, a fost un succes si single-ul “Hush”, o piesa energica de rock scrisa de catre Joe South si initial inregistrata de Billy Joe Royal, a devenit foarte popular la acea vreme, atingand locul 4 in clasamentul Bilboard Hot 100. Vanzarile bune ale albumului si difuzarea intensa la radio a single-ului au contribuit la cresterea atentiei asupra trupei in turneele lor timpurii in Statele Unite si in anii ’70. Recenziile moderne ale albumului sunt in general pozitive si considera “Shades of Deep Purple” o piesa importanta in istoria Deep Purple.
Dupa circa 2 luni de repetitii, “Shades of Deep Purple” a fost inregistrat in numai 3 zile in mai 1968 si contine patru piese originale si patru preluari, complet rearanjate ca sa includa interludii clasice si un sunet mai psihedelic. Stilistic muzica e mai aproape de rock-ul psihedelic si progresiv , cele doua genuri aflate in crestere la audienta spre sfarsitul anilor ’60.
Albumul nu a fost bine primit in Marea Britanie, unde vanzarile au fost foarte mici si nu a intrat in clasamente. In Statele Unite, pe de alta parte, a fost un succes si single-ul “Hush”, o piesa energica de rock scrisa de catre Joe South si initial inregistrata de Billy Joe Royal, a devenit foarte popular la acea vreme, atingand locul 4 in clasamentul Bilboard Hot 100. Vanzarile bune ale albumului si difuzarea intensa la radio a single-ului au contribuit la cresterea atentiei asupra trupei in turneele lor timpurii in Statele Unite si in anii ’70. Recenziile moderne ale albumului sunt in general pozitive si considera “Shades of Deep Purple” o piesa importanta in istoria Deep Purple.
List of tracks
Side 1
1. "And
the Address" (instrumental) Ritchie
Blackmore,
Jon Lord 4:38
2. "Hush" Joe South 4:24
3. "One
More Rainy Day" Lord, Rod Evans 3:40
4. "Prelude:
Happiness/I'm So Glad" Blackmore,
Evans,
Lord, Ian Paice,
Nick
Simper/Skip James 7:19
Side 2
5. "Mandrake
Root" Blackmore, Lord, Evans 6:09
6. "Help!" John Lennon, Paul McCartney 6:01
7. "Love
Help Me" Blackmore, Evans 3:49
8. "Hey
Joe" Billy Roberts 7:33
Personnel
Deep Purple
Rod Evans – lead vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
Jon Lord – organ, backing vocals
Nick Simper – bass, backing vocals
Ian Paice – drums
Production
Derek Lawrence – producer, mixing
Barry Ainsworth – engineer
Les Weisbrich – graphic design
Peter Mew – restoring and remastering at Abbey Road
Studios, London (2000)
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