Name: Live in London 1974
Brand: EMI Music France
SKU: 23502349
Availability: OutOfStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes (vocals); Ritchie Blackmore (guitar); Jon Lord (keyboards); Ian Paice (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Peter Mew.
Audio Remixer: Peter Mew.
Liner Note Authors: Philip Caldwell; Bill Bass; Jeremy Stone; Phil Richardson; Simon Robinson; Adrian Smith .
Recording information: Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn, England (05/22/1974).
Photographer: David McLean.
Unknown Contributor Role: Glenn R. Hughes.
In 1974, Deep Purple were proving detractors wrong who figured that the exit of both singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover a year earlier would lead the group into an artistic tailspin. But as it turned out, newcomers David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes were worthy replacements, who contributed significantly to two more Purple classics in a single-year span, Burn and Stormbringer. And the "new look Purple" was certainly capable of delivering the goods during their live performances that year, as evidenced by the 2011 archival release, Live in London 1974. Expectedly, the track listing is comprised of then-new tunes (a red hot, set-opening reading of Burn's title track, as well as "Might Just Take Your Life," etc.), plus classics ("Smoke on the Water," "Space Truckin'," etc.). However, as was the case with quite a few arena rock acts of the era (namely Led Zeppelin), Purple was not immune to the "meandering jam bug." And as a result, only Purple's hardest of hardcore fans will have the patience to sit through a 20-minute-plus reading of "You Fool No One" and a 30-plus-minute reading of the aforementioned "Space Truckin'," both of which comprise the entire second disc of the set. Despite guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's wavering interest in the band (he'd be gone shortly after the dawn of 1975), Purple remained a potent live band at this point. And aside from the two way-too-long selections, the proof of Purple's on-stage power is contained in Live in London 1974. ~ Greg Prato