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Rating: In 1973, in Great Britain, a children's book by William Plomer enjoyed reasonable success, narrating the story of all the animals of the world determined to disregard their differences and live forever in harmony and peace under the motto "Love Is All".
A musical cartoon was the natural consequence, and for the soundtrack, after Jon Lord (keyboardist of Deep Purple) candidly refused, Roger Glover (bassist who had recently left Deep Purple) was asked, who accepted with evident enthusiasm. Indeed, although the movie never saw the light of day, what was supposed to be the soundtrack was recorded and released in 1974 complete with an animated comic as the promotional video for the single "Love Is All" marvelously sung by Ronnie James Dio (who, with the ELF bandmate, the creative pianist Mickey Lee Soule, also collaborates on writing a couple of lyrics: "Harlequin Hare" and "Together Again"). For the record, a film was produced (directed by Tony Klinger), but it was a true live concert interspersed with clips and footage narrated by the famous voice of Vincent Price. Another actor present in the cast is Twiggy (who also sings "Homeward" in place of Ronnie James Dio), very famous at the time for participating in the musical film "The Boy Friend" (1971) and the thriller "Un Thriller Per Twiggy" (1973), only to fade into a long period of anonymity interrupted (in 1993) by the invitation to participate in the horror "Body Flags (Corpi Estranei)" by the master of the genre John Carpenter.
Aside from the absence of Ronnie James Dio (ELF, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Soloist), busy with Blackmore in Rainbow, this concert held at the 'Royal Albert Hall' in October 1975, confirmed the presence of David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Soloist, Whitesnake) and Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple, Toni Iommi’s Black Sabbath, Soloist): precisely those who in Deep Purple (Mk III) replaced Gillan and Glover. Guests not present on the studio album include the already mentioned Jon Lord and Ian Gillan (singer and Glover's companion in both Episode Six and Deep Purple Mk II): the latter had the chance, later, to declare that the warm reception that evening convinced him to continue his career after the strongly polemical exit (unresolved disagreements with Blackmore) from Deep Purple.
The studio album is a true opera/collage/pop/rock titled 'THE BUTTERFLY BALL AND GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST' (after the title of the book published by Jonathan Cape Ltd. the previous year) and is dated 1974 (the remastered version from 2001 is easily available). With the orchestra conducted by David Woodcock, we find a lineup stably settled and formed by capable instrumentalists such as Ray Fenwick (Ian Gillan Band) on guitar, Les Binks (Judas Priest) on drums, Eddie Hardin (Hardin/York) on piano and organ (also co-author of the single "Love Is All"), Mo Foster (Jeff Beck) on bass, classical pianist Mike Moran and an omnipresent Roger Glover (synthesizers, piano, bass, acoustic guitar, and percussion). Among others, the collaboration of a certain Eddie Jobson on violin (Roxy Music, UK, and Jethro Tull) is invaluable. The main feature is the use of guests for every character in the story: the clear reference is to the ‘vocalists’ (professional and not) called upon by Glover. Any additional comment on the vocal performances present in this work would be an unnecessary excess: it's enough to simply invite you to listen to Glenn Hughes in "Get Ready", Mickey Lee Soule in "No Solution", David Coverdale in "Behind The Smile", Ronnie James Dio in "Sitting In A Dream", "Love Is All" and "Homeward", Eddie Hardin in "Sir Maximus Mouse", Tony Ashton in "Together Again"; John Gustafson in "Watch Out For The Bat" and John Lawton in "Little Chalk Blue".
Also not to be underestimated are the 'performances' of less known people like Helene Chappelle in "Saffron Dormouse And Lizzy Bee" and Liza Strike in "Fly Away". A separate mention, in the opinion of the writer, is deserved by "Aranea" with vocals by Judi Kuhl and "Waiting" with vocals by Jimmy Helms. Ultimately, if you find yourself listening to this record, do not forget the original project and all that surrounded it: perhaps a certain daintiness present therein will not seem so indigestible.
It is worth remembering, after all, that in this album Glover trains quite a bit for what will soon become his preference (Talent Scout) and main activity (Production): characters like David Coverdale (the two solo albums of 1977), Nazareth, Status Quo and Judas Priest, to name the most illustrious, owe him (at least) a fraction of gratitude, and even when he joins Blackmore's Rainbow and reunites Deep Purple, this small-great Welsh artist (Breacon, 1945) will not limit himself to just playing.
N.B. Recommended for those who love music without any sort of prejudice. Filippo Guzzardi
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