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Heartbreak Hotel… and everything changed!
Now what?! promotional campaign is upon us and Big Ian spoke to Noisecreep. He talked about Bob Ezrin, garage bands, Cliff Bennett, Rock’n’Roll HoF, congregational euphoria, and his most memorable show.
Bob Ezrin, huh? Not too shabby.
Between you and me [laughs], because this is just like us sitting in a bar or something, the one weakness that Purple always had, to me, was the sound of the records. Generally, I’ve always been slightly disappointed in sound and this new album wipes away everything we’ve ever done ever. I’m thrilled and delighted with what Bob was able to do. The first monitor mixes I ever heard from these sessions I just sat back and said ‘oh my God, what he has done it’s perfect.’ Everything was so clearly defined from the guitars to the Hammond organ. The definition is just remarkable. We always had a sort of delightful sound, don’t get me wrong. But I felt we were always kind of lacking a power thing that we finally have now.
Read more in Noisecreep.
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I totally agree with Big Ian about the sound lacking power however I cannot comment on Now What?! as I haven’t heard it yet
March 19th, 2013 at 19:25So, er, the sound on In Rock wasn’t up to par? In fact, in my opinion, the sound after WDWTWA was never bettered.
March 19th, 2013 at 20:36I’m sure the new album will be so original and so new as this Gillan words are.
I’ve never heard such completely different conclusion from him before…
And I may not forget to mention that I love also the new outfits of this 5 hero’s!!!
Now I’m of to my bar…gonna enjoy DP 1993 Vorst Belgium untill the new masterpiece arrives here :8
Cheers:)
March 19th, 2013 at 20:50Sounds like the eight block piston engine is back in deep purple, rev up the old highway star……..Vavooooooom!!!!!!!
March 19th, 2013 at 22:01The sound quality and the marketing are very impressive so far. Maybe they’ll be so pleased with everything they’ll make their 20th studio album.
March 19th, 2013 at 22:42FANTASTICA ENTREVISTA.
March 19th, 2013 at 22:59“a power thing that we finally have now.”
Heh – better late than never. After 45 years it’s not that bad 🙂
March 20th, 2013 at 08:36Maybe the new album should have been called “Worth the Wait” (after one of the ’85 bootlegs)
What Deep Purple album would that be!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:53Machine Head was / is the best ever, but thanks Ian I’m with you… All The Time In The World sounds fantastic!!! I can’t wait to hear more. This is gonna be the longest month ever… Im 51 now by years, but feel like a kid again waiting for this album. Almost like waiting for Santa to come. Thanks DP!!
March 20th, 2013 at 13:27Gillan’s remarks….
“I’m thrilled and delighted with what Bob was able to do. The first monitor mixes I ever heard from these sessions I just sat back and said ‘oh my God, what he has done it’s perfect.’ Everything was so clearly defined from the guitars to the Hammond organ. The definition is just remarkable. We always had a sort of delightful sound, don’t get me wrong. But I felt we were always kind of lacking a power thing that we finally have now.”
I have to stop reading these interviews. It’s like going to see a movie that the producer praises beyond belief and walking out disappointed. I hope this isn’t the case here. IG sure does have my mouth watering here. I must admit that between the 2 instrumental snippets and the 2 radio edit tunes, even with the low quality YOUTUBE sound, it is clear that there is quite an improved full production here that if coupled with some good tunes may finally have the ‘masses’ on the same positive page after it comes out. The 2 radio edits are already getting some good feedback (yes and some negative too), but once the album is released and we get to hear the whole songs, I believe they will become quite high on the favorable scale. The “?!” is perfect for this album and they are utilizing a good format to promote it. Right now we are all experiencing impatience and wonderment “?”. Hopefully upon listening to it after its release we will all be jumping with our thumbs up “!”.
CheerZ?!
March 20th, 2013 at 14:51Now there’s a fascinating topic – Which album had the best Produced Tonal sound for each instrument???
Difficult to call, but I have to chose now the Topic’s been raised.
Drums = Fireball/Perfect Strangers
Keyboard = Fireball/In Rock/Burn
Bass = Come Taste the Band
Guitar = In Rock/MiJ/Burn
Vocals = In Rock/Purpendicular
Maybe the new CD will Rock my world?!
March 20th, 2013 at 23:07And who produced the other albums…….?? Bit awkward Ian……
March 21st, 2013 at 00:36Not really fair to call bass, three different kinds of bass players which it takes different skills and style to play. That should probably apply as well to all of them, but… I think it would be better to rank them all which albums best for each line-up. I say Fireball takes the cake with Roger by far, listen to him. From the wicked bass solo in the title track, to the thumping madness of “No No No.” It was all a step quite beyond that of InRock for him.
March 21st, 2013 at 01:57@10 I have my mouth watering too reading it! You know what I am liking more and more Hell to Pay,It is not a great song but it is very interesting,I cannot wait for the new album,but Id rather wait ! lol.Keeping my mouth shut until it is out !
March 21st, 2013 at 02:42@12: Exactly what I thought… Geez.
March 21st, 2013 at 21:59I have to agree and disagree with Ian.
Everything that Martin Birch produced is – for me – top notch sound, no matter if 1971 Fireball, 1981 Come And Get It, 1986 Somewhere In Time. That man was a genius in his unparalleled ability to combine warmth, power, kick, reverb and transparency and at the same time creating a sound identity for each band. You heard two bars and you knew who it was. Even Come Taste The Band – soundwise – is clearly identifiable as a DP album. What an achievement with all the personnel (and equipment and style) changes!!!
Whereas postreunion every single album sounds different. And most of them far worse than the seventies stuff.
The most lamentable aspects being too much bombast (the proverbial grand canyon reverbs), double (triple and quadruple) tracked vocals, an organ that sounded too tame, too distant, and a debatable guitar sound.
It got a lot better after Ritchie left, Purpendicular brought the organ back into place. Ritchie’s guitars sounded often bad, but I’m not always a fan of Steve’s “right-in-your-face-and-over-your-head” sound either.
March 30th, 2013 at 15:27And the more recent offerings have too much of a tendency to brick-wall sound. Too close, to compressed, not enough room to breathe, everything mixed down too much into the middle and therefore not enough dynamics.
Satellite radio in the states has just debuted Hell to Pay,U Euros will love it.
April 1st, 2013 at 23:06Crazy Horst @ 16 – Yes, I have to agree, Martin Birch produced Purple albums sound fine to me also. Once the 80’s arrived with new technology, albums started to sound different & some band members started experimenting with production also! Some artists nailed it, some had no idea. Certain bands trying to sound ‘bigger’ than they actually were, instead of just sounding like they should sound, normal!
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:57It happens, Gillan is probably excited to hear an album properly recorded in a long time, & when his memory of the early 70’s may be a little hazy perhaps. Although he was involved in a band with one of the worst produced records from the early 80’s, Sabbath’s Born Again.
Typical 80’s production of trying to make a band sound too big!
Martin Birch is definitely one of the best, but of course he had some incredible material to work with. It would have been hard to mess that up….
Ch-BeerZ?!
April 11th, 2013 at 17:16