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Purplerizing the fantastic glut
HMP Woodworm Scrubs inmate #185273, one Roger Glover, talked to the Forbes magazine about Turning to Crime.
“Oh Well” and [Huey “Piano” Smith’s] “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu.” Plus some Freddie King in the closing medley. There’s definitely some bluesy moments on this record. Was there a concerted effort to sort of flex that muscle, showcase that element of the band?
RG: The blues is definitely there. Rock and roll is based on it. You can’t get away from it. But, no, we didn’t think of anything like that. We just picked songs that were close to us or that we liked very much. There’s some emotional moments. There’s some moments from our history.
We were all born in the 40s and 50s. So the early part of rock and roll is all a great part of it. And what happened after that, from The Beatles and Stones to west coast music, there was a huge kind of fantastic glut of brilliant songs coming out. And they get to you. Once you hear something like that, they get stuck in you – they’re in your bloodstream.
Things like [Little Feat’s] “Dixie Chicken.” And “Rockin’ Pneumonia.” All of those Love songs. I used to play Love songs before I joined Purple. Very into Love. And there’s a skiffle song there. I know in America it was by someone else, but I had heard it by Lonnie Donegan – “The Battle of New Orleans.” Which is maybe an odd pick for a rock band to play but it’s fun. Why not?
Continue reading in Forbes.
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Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
So why don’t they “cover” a few DP songs from different lineups? I’m sure I’m not the only fan who would love to hear what Gillan can do with Gettin’ Tighter, Why Didn’t Rosemary, and Fire in the Basement.
November 28th, 2021 at 04:42https://kworb.net/aww/?fbclid=IwAR0vG2qGgYJvubGU4ssbNPa2Oa8rf6M_KTUyCXnvoX22_doG8ayXdv2QHrA
November 29th, 2021 at 08:55This is very much a ladden Don Airey album.
November 29th, 2021 at 13:14Purple Mk II always had more old time rock’n’roll content than, say, Sabbath or Zeppelin. It’s where Ritchie learned his craft – and Big Ian was an Elvis buff. Starting with Speed King (an unashamed bow to the rock ‘n’ roll greats and not just lyrically), so many DP songs of even their greatest era were souped up rock’n’roll numbers: Freedom, Slow Train, Demon’s Eye, Never Before, Lazy, Space Trucking or Smooth Dancer. Purple used Little Richard’s Lucille as an encore, Gillan (the band) albums were populated with hi-speed rock’n’roll romps – remember this one here? ; – )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QQ0YUxEqws
I always thought that those numbers – beyond all the progish touches and the extended solos – made Purple accessible and sometimes even lighthearted, they weren’t a sour puss band or artsy-pretentious like others.
So, in a way, they have come full circle with this album – and I for one like the result. Turning To Crime sounds vibrant and ebullient to me – for a band of old geezers that is something to savor. Is this a compelling DP release you need to have to grasp the band as a musical phenomenon? Probably not (though TtC tells you a lot about their origins). Is it good fun to listen to? SURE !!! Old men’s rhythm got a hold of me too … Roger’s lead vocal in the first verse of The Battle of New Orleans, a true first on ANY Purple album – hey, it only took him 52 years to get there, talk about persistence! -, is worth the price of admission alone.
And when I want to feel depressed again, I’ll listen to some Porcupine Tree!
November 29th, 2021 at 22:58Currently halfway through a long journey. Got it playing in the car, for the first time…. This is just such a genuine fun album. I don’t even like old rock n roll but this is just so good. Well done chaps, I’m smiling on what is not a good day.
And let’s not forget, this album is an ‘extra’. It’s going to get played a lot.
November 30th, 2021 at 12:12