Customer Reviews

Deep Purple - Machine Head

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am not a musical DVD lover!I like to sit in my chair and listen to the music letting my imagination go, chosing the right colour for an album, seeing in my head the musicians faces as they perform a solo,...
Machine head is my all time favourite album-or maybe Made in japan (I'm not quite sure everytime I listen to a DP album I think it's the best),anyway Machine Head being one of my favourite albums it's with a great deal of fears that I stuck the DVD in the player, ready to be dessapointed by the stories, the remarks or whathever might be shown or said.
On the contrary this DVD is exactly how I pictured the session, recording in a hotel lobby with a lot of emotions and thrilling memories.
I like the mix of old and brand new images-all interviews are very recent, I love how they show how they started a song, added a solo, where it came from,...
You can see that Machine Head still means a lot to the MARK 2 members and Martin Birch.A brilliant documentary.
Also features rare Live footages with an extraordinnary version of Smoke On the water-from solo till end.
A great sense of humour and honesty.This documentary proves they didn't cheat while recording the album and that's probably why MACHINE HEAD became one the best rock album ever released!
Phil-Nicole's husband.

I think the Classic Album dvd series has done a wonderful job with its masterful inclusion of Deep Purple's classic "Machine Head" album (actually, most of DP's albums are classics, but I digress). It is so nice to see Ritchie Blackmore & co. talk about the ins and outs of the recording process, the songs, etc. This is a very entertaining and informative dvd, fully deserving of the 5-star rating I give it. One thing, though: why was "Lazy" totally omitted, even to the point where Ian Gillan mentions every song from the album they STILL do in concert to this day...and he forgets to mention the OTHER song from the album they perform-"Lazy"-himself???
Oh, well, still---a fantastic dvd.

I've viewed almost all of the "Classic Album" series DVD's, and this is undoubtedly the best of the bunch. This fantastic look back at a very creative and original album leaves you wanting to listen to the album all over again, just to hear what you've missed. Each band member offers remarkably detailed insight into his own contribution and the contributions of bandmates. The story behind the song "Smoke On The Water" is very fun and interesting. This DVD mixes a great documentary with live music clips and wonderful interviews. The band members were interviewed separately, which probably allowed them to be more expressive about one another on film. There is no bashing here, however. It's quite evident that the individual members of Deep Purple admire each other and the contribution each made to a truly classic, epic album. If this disk is your introduction to the "Classic Album" DVD series, you may be somewhat disappointed with the other releases (although they are all quite good).

I watched the Deep Purple - Machine Head DVD tonight.It was simply fascinating.Its like a documentary about how the epic 1972 album was made and its got some very interesting stuff.The band members and their engineer (almost a 6th member of DP) talk you through all the songs except Lazy.The DVD was made in 2002 and it's good to see the guys all look back and share the experience esp Ritchie Blackmore!! (yeahh i'm a Ritchie fan).

From the burning Casino at Montreux to the Swiss Police breaking in during the master take of 'smoke on the water' to anarchy at the mixing desk!!yes Deep Purple didnt have a "producer" for MH and they decided to mix it themselves.....which led to fights with Gillan increasing his vocals only to be turned down by Ritchie!!Finally everybody would have their faders at the top!!!The interviews are much better than in Come Hell or High Water DVD where the band had just broken up and anti-Blackmore sentiment was high.

Some other interesting stuff included John Lord connecting his Hammond Organ to Marshall Stacks to get fatter sound and Ricthie showing us the right way to play Smoke riff.He plucks the notes on the original whereas countless ppl play power chords.

Now I wanna get the new Scandavanian Nights DVD which contains entire Copenhagen concert from 1972!!WOW!!

If your a DP fan like me, then this is a must DVD. A song by song analysis by each member of that classic Mark II lineup. A very insightful look as to how the process of putting together a classic studio masterpiece worked for one of Rock's best live acts of all-time. The footage of DP at Hofstra University provided the most powerful vocal live footage I've ever heard or seen of Ian Gillan. Just an awesome display by both Ian and Mr. Blackmore. It's a real bonus to get the reclusive man in black's comments on Machine Head for this DVD. Cudos to the producers. I was particularly interested in the cuts we don't hear enough about like "Pictures of Home" and the rare classic, "When a Blind Man Cries." Although I too was surprised and disapointed that "Lazy" was mysteriously omited. However, that was the only negative to this "superb" (as Ian would say) album documentary. Go get this DVD! You won't be sorry. Last thoughts; pay no attention to the half-wits that gave this effort any review less than excellent. To whomever contributed the rare Hofstra footage... How about a DVD of that entire concert???

Any Purple-addict should buy this DVD, Good Quality, very interesting new footage of the legendary recording of the Machine Head album, although the story is told over and over again, it is very nice to hear and see what happened there in Montreux back in 1973 out of their own mouth. I hear people complaining over the fact that"lazy"is missing, this might be a pitty to some of us, even me, but as you probably know very little film is available of the mark II formation. (For Example Scandinavian Nights is the ONLY full concert of the Mark II ever put on film)That's why i think this is all they've had and it's worth the buy! Enjoy it as I did, over and over again! and add it to the rest of your Deep Purple collectors Items!
Thanks; Ritchie,Ian ,Roger, Jon and (little)Ian for the greatest Rock-music ever!!

Any Deep Purple fan out there will like this dvd. Machine Head is of course their best album and this Purple line-up was the best. It's great to hear how each individual song came to be. Plus, the Space Truckin' and Smoke on the Water footage is great. I just don't get where Lazy went? Still, each member of the group shares great info on their work and it is great to hear.

I love Deep Purple. Plain and simple, this is a great inside look at a very skilled and talented band at their creative height. The photos and interviews are very informative and helpful in creating a picture of the situation they were thrown into during the recording of this album. It clearly shows that the "less is more" style of recording will always provide a better sounding album vs. all of todays advanced electronics. Even though I am a drummer and anything that was mentioned regarding Ian Paice was tremendous, it was clearly the many sections about Jon Lord and the "Beast" that were the most entertaining. The post feature interviews with Lord are incredible. To watch him turn an everyday organ into this massive and powerful again "Beast" speaks volumes as to how Deep Purple got their unique sound. It is very clear that without Jon Lord's keyboards, there is no Deep Purple! He made the sound special and individual. And man, what a player! Anyway, I think it really helps that you are at least somewhat familiar with the album for the DVD to make any sense. It is NOT a subsitute for the album and should not be viewed as one. This is the "how to" manual and the album is the finished work. As with the other reviews, what in the world happened to LAZY? To many of us Purple fans, that song ranks right next to Smoke on the Water and Space Truckin' as the most classic of Purple songs. Getting the behind the scenes look at the creation of the main riff and how it was born would have been the icing on an already tastey cake. But to not mention it at all, is very disappointing indeed. Bottom line, this is a great and informative DVD but I still am feeling the sting of life without Lazy! If your a Purple fan, buy this DVD! Peace.

I love Deep Purple, My all time favorite but I have to say Blackmore has got to be the most under rated gutairist around now.

I do collect Live Deep Purple bootlegs, Hammersmith, Live at Rainbow 73', Bremen Germany, and no one can just pull out a riff like Blackmore did, played once, only for that concert then forgotten forever...

Just for the meer fact this is to do with one of the worlds most influential Rock Bands and Albums ever to hit the face of God's green earth is enough to give it 5 stars... 'an more if amazon.com allowed for it'

I love many other bands/artists however, ironically each one of them have given heavy tribute to Deep Purple as being there biggest inspiration be it Richie Blackmore on gutair, Ian Gillian vocals, Glover on bass, Lord on keyboard or Paice on drums... Judas Priest just being one of MANY! no, Im not including coverdale being he was later then Machine Head era Mark 2 and could never fill Gillians shoes of the broad way play status Jesus Christ Super Star, ...and rod evens who? *coughs*

Enjoy a piece of essential history that eventually made giants like abc buckle to their knees years to come! B-)

This is a no brainer--If your reading this you more than likely a Deep Purple fan. This DVD will give you a priceless insight into the making of what I concider the best rock album of the early 70's--maybe ever...certianly the best Purple album. True, there is a puzzling absence of "Lazy" but that is no reason to pass up the chance of getting a one on one lesson on how to CORRECTLY play Smoke on the Water by Mr. Blackmore himself. You will come away from this DVD with a new admiration for these truly excellent musicians.