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Machine Head

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Machine Head was preceded by a period of heavy touring. Earlier albums had been recorded between concerts, and the band felt that those records did not sound as good as its live performances. It therefore chose to record outside an ordinary studio, in December 1971 in Montreux, with the Rolling Stones' mobile studio. The casino where they were due to work burned down during a Frank Zappa concert, when someone fired a flare into the ceiling. In the end the group converted the closed Grand Hotel into a recording space.

That fire became the subject of Smoke on the Water. The bassist Roger Glover woke up with the title in his head, and Ian Gillan wrote the lyrics about the events. The group had already played Highway Star and Lazy on tour. Machine Head became Deep Purple's most commercially successful record, reached number one in several countries and is regarded as an important link in the development of heavy metal.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Smoke on the Water and notice how the famous guitar riff begins alone at first and is then joined by bass and drums.

Track list

  1. 1Highway Star (Remastered)6:06Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Maybe I'm a Leo (Remastered)4:51Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Pictures of Home (Remastered)5:04Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Never Before (Remastered)3:58Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Smoke on the Water (Remastered)5:41Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Lazy (Remastered)7:23Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Space Truckin' (Remastered)4:33Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs