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Rating: Introduction: why, dear Deep-Frenk, do you insist on reviewing the most unknown live performances of Deep Purple? I mean, why should we care about the concert played in Frattaminore in 1971? We don't think it went down in history. Nonsense! Let me reply with the standard phrase all Deep Purple fans use: "Every live makes history! Every live is an independent story!" End of introduction
In 1993, things weren't that rosy (quote) for the British group. Not a moment went by without Gillan and Blackmore fighting: "How dare you use the same toilet I used five minutes ago, huh, shabby singer!"; "This man claims he can drain pasta when he can't even hold a guitar properly!" and things like that. In short, the idyll had ended a while ago, since around 1973, but the passion for music, as we know (ahahahahah), warms hearts and closes the gap, and thus here are Deep Purple once again riding the stages across Europe.
The album reviewed here was released just three years ago and is the testimony of the tour of the last album recorded by the so-called Mark II: "The Battle Rages On..."
Overall, the concerts went well, despite Blackmore sometimes enjoying pulling pranks on his bandmates, such as getting stuck in the dressing room for half the concert, or leaving the group during the tour. Apart from these playful antics, though, the musical result was always of great quality.
In "Live in Stuttgart", however, Ritchie doesn't get into any trouble, on the contrary, he plays divinely. Leaving behind the cacophonous sounds of the '80s (proof that decade was so awful it even made him play badly), the English guitarist returns to playing with mastery, bringing together all the various musical styles expressed during his career into a unique synthesis.
The setlist is well-provided for a concert that exceeds two hours in duration. The majority of the "classics" are present, starting with the opener track Highway Star, going through Black Night and Lazy, up to Speed King and Smoke On The Water (which closes the concert). Songs like Anyone's Daughter (directly from "Fireball") and Hush (re-adapted in "Nobody's Perfect") are dusted off. The performances are always signature, despite the age and Child In Time is the proof: Ian Gillan still manages to surprise and interpret the song magically with his famous screams (even if age shows through). Blackmore and Lord pass the baton of improvisation several times, accompanied by the relentless speed of Ian Paice. There is also time for a tasty medley of Space Truckin' (with an intro of The Hall Of The Mountain King by Edvard Grieg, Ritchie's idea)-Woman From Tokyo and Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones (complete with Lord's solo).
Directly from the '80s come Perfect Strangers and Knocking At Your Backdoor, and Blackmore borrows from Rainbow Difficult To Cure, well interpreted on the drumming front by Ian Paice, then leaving the stage to the usual Jon Lord who offers a lesson in Music applied to the Hammond.
Tracks from "The Battle Rages On..." are also present: Twist In The Tale, Talk About Love, Anya, and the title track. The album was supposed to be interpreted by Joe Lynn Turner, but he didn't have time to record it before he was booted by all the Deep Purple members (except Blackmore) and replaced by yet another return of Gillan, whose voice does not suit AOR and Epic sounds. However, the result is excellent regarding Anya and The Battle Rages On...: the first performance is full of passion and Blackmore's improvisation is divine; the second, on the other hand, is more powerful and impressive than ever, and despite the worn vocal cords, Gillan gives us a beautiful performance, showing that he can still hold his own (but not for much longer).
Perhaps Stuttgart and the Teutonic atmosphere are good for Ritchie (who had a son in Germany in 1964, Jurgen, also a guitarist), the fact is that this concert goes as smooth as silk. A precious testimony of one of the last great performances of the English group.
Tracklist and Lyrics
05 Perfect Strangers (06:57)
Can you remember remember my name
As I flow through your life
A thousand oceans I have flown
And cold, cold spirits of ice
All my life
I am the echo of your past
I am returning the echo of a point in time
and distant faces shine
A thousand warriors I have known
And laughing as the spirits appear
All your life
Shadows of another day
And if you hear me talking on the wind
You've got to understand
We must remain
Perfect strangers
I know I must remain inside this silent well of sorrow
A strand of silver hanging through the sky
Touching more than you see
The voice of ages in your mind
Is aching with the dead of the night
Precious life, your tears are lost in falling rain
And if you hear me talking on the wind
You've got to understand
We must remain
Perfect strangers
06 The Mule (02:20)
No one sees the things you do
Because I stand in front of you
But you drive me all the time
Put the evil in my mind
Used to sing and say my prayers
Live my life without a care
Now I have become a fool
Because I listened to the mule
How can I change when my mind is a friend of a Lucifer hid in the ground
Just another slave for the mule
08 Knocking at Your Back Door (09:41)
Sweet Lucy was a dancer
But none of us would chance her
Because she was a Samurai
She made electric shadows
Beyond our fingertips
And none of us could reach that high
She came on like a teaser
I had to touch and please her
Enjoy a little paradise
The log was in my pocket
When Lucy met the Rockett
And she never knew the reason why
I can't deny it
With that smile on her face
It's not the kill
It's the thrill of the chase
Feel it coming
It's knocking at the door
You know it's no good running
It's not against the law
The point of no return
And now you know the score
And now you're learning
What's knockin' at your back door
Sweet Nancy was so fancy
To get into her pantry
Had to be the aristocracy
The members that she toyed with
At her city club
Were something in diplomacy
So we put her on the hit list
Of a common cunning linguist
A master of many tongues
And now she eases gently
From her Austin to her Bentley
Suddenly she feels so young
09 Anyone's Daughter (04:17)
While I stood under your bedroom window
Throwin' up a brick
No one came, I threw one more
That really did the trick
Your daddy came and banged my head
He said what kind of man,
Is this that's hangin' round my girl?
Huh, he threw me in the can
You're a farmer's daughter
You're a farmer's daughter
Why do I always get
The kinda girl I didn't ought to get
I won't get no more
Eggs and water
Now I've laid the farmer's daughter
Imagine I was a full grown man
And I could talk just right
Could I come and see you here
And do this every night?
Wham!
The door comes crashing down
Your daddy's face all pale
Says "come with me you hairy bum"
"I'll put you in my jail"
You're a judge's daughter
You're a judge's daughter
Why do I always get the kinda girl
I didn't ought to get
Now I'm getting
Jail and torture
'Cause I made
The judge's daughter
(Yes I did)
(It was nice)
Seems they're screaming
Law and order
When I go with anyone's daughter
Woman I should like some pease
And daddy hold your tongue
I think you're gonna die of fright
When I tell you what I've done
I can hear your tales and lies
You say I'm dumb and scraggy
But man this dumb and scraggy
Is your daughter's baby's daddy
She's a lucky daughter
Such a lucky daughter
Why did I always get
The kinda girl I didn't wanna get
Now I've got what I always fought for
'Cause I married a rich man's daughter
(What do you think of that?)
10 Child in Time (11:10)
Sweet child in time you'll see the line
The line that's drawn between the good and the bad
See the BLIND man shooting at the world
Bullets flying taking toll
If you've been bad, Lord I bet you have
And you've not been hit by flying lead
You'd better close your eyes and bow your head
And wait for the ricochet
11 Anya (12:14)
I'm so far away
From everything you know
Your name is carried on the wind
Your ice blue waters Anya
Where do they flow
Where have they been
Where have they been
A hidden passion
Touching a spark
Flame of revolution
Burning wild in your gypsy heart
Your gypsy heart
Anya - The spirit of freedom
Anya - Oh Anya
The light of freedom buried
Deep within your soul
Across the puszta plain to see
The rhapsody of angels
Refuse to dance alone
What do they mean
What do they mean
Your jewel flashing
Across the dark
Forbidding distance
I love your gypsy heart
Your gypsy heart
Anya
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