DEEPEST PURPLE - THE VERY BEST OF DEEP PURPLE

Before I ever got an actual DP album, I had three different compilations. This one was the best of the three. Here you get a longer version of "Speed King" than the US version of In Rock. However, on 24 Carat Purple(yet another compilation I never had but heard), I swear that version is even longer than this one. Deepest Purple focuses on the band's 1970-74 output. There are no songs from Come Taste The Band, and only one song each from Who Do We..., Burn and Stormbringer.

Apart from the usual suspects you would hear on classic rock radio, "Child In Time" and "Demon's Eye" are here. Originally a double-album, it's too short. They should have included "Rat Bat Blue", "Sail Away", "Hold On" and maybe "You Keep On Moving". Nonetheless, it's an easy way to get "Smoke On The Water", "Black Night", "Woman From Tokyo" and "Burn" all on one album.

If you have all the 1970-74 albums, this is only of interest to those that have the US version of In Rock(for the longer "Speed King"). If you have no Purple but want to give these guys a try, this is a good introduction. It would be great if there was a compilation spanning the 1968-88 years, but I don't think one exists. A good intro to DP but that's about it. 2 stars.