SCANDINAVIAN NIGHTS [AKA: LIVE AND RARE]

This live record is pretty much similar to "Live In Aachen". This is normal since they were recorded with four months interval only. The main difference resides in the sound which is far much better here and also in the fact that more "In Rock" tracks are present. Of course we cannot escpape the usual "Wring That Neck" clocking here at thirty four minutes (including the intro from Ian in which he tells the audience : the next "thing" is an instrumental piece ...).! This version is again pure improv. but more bearable than on "Live In Aachen". The same applies to "Mandrake Root" (peaking at twenty-nine minutes). Two good passages though : around minute nineteen, there is the riff from "You Really Got Me" (Kings) and even more interesting is around minute twenty : one can clearly hear what will become the intro for "Highway Star". This recording dates from 12th November 1970 : more than a year before the studio sessions for "Machine Head"! There is "Paint It, Black" with the same format than on "Aachen": an intro and closing section with heaving keys and a long drum solo in the middle (which sounds better though on this one). 100 % instrumental. Both tracks from the original "In Rock" album are also quite extended. The fabulous intro for "Speed King" is almost eliminated ! The middle session is an average rocking jam. "Child In Time" reaches over twenty minutes. In this version, on top of the fabulous guitar solo, we get a keyboard one in the middle section. This will often (but not always) be the format of "Child" live in those early days. As Ian introduces the last song "Black Night" (only released as a single by the time) he will say : we will do a last short song ... (although it lasts for about seven minutes). It is the best tracks of this album. This is a testimony of the early Purple performances but it is only for completionists. Two stars.