MACHINE HEAD - CLASSIC ALBUMS

Documentary DVDs tend to be more rewarding, (obviously) more illuminating, and often generally more interesting than concert DVDs or other band videos. This one is an excellent documentary. With a short biography of the band prior to this milestone release, and a cross between older footage and stills with newer interviews and such, the footage covers it all. The DVD is abundant in anecdotes about the sessions, concept insight, description of the album's process, and a good deal of everything you'd like to know about the album. Hearing the songs dissected, and hearing certain tracks over the others really reveals some shockers! It shapes up to be a really comprehensive and varied film, and I'm sure even know-it-all die-hard Purple fans will learn something new.

This DVD is not only a "Machine Head" story. It starts back in the early days of Mark II and covers as well (very briefly) their concerto stuff which was not really a band decision. It was actually performed more to please Jon Lord than anything else. About the early years (well the end of it) Rictchie tells us that they found their way while listening to Led Zep. This was what they wanted to do : heavy music.

Now : "Machine Head"...Lots of time dedicated to "Highway Star". This track was born in a few hours while seating on a bus during a tour. "It is the ultimate Deep Purple song" says Roger Glover. This song is the one of Ritchie and Ian (Gillan).

About "Smoke". Townsend said once to Ritchie that he had to keep it simple to keep the audience with him. The whole story available on the cover of the original album as well as on the booklet of the CD edition will be detailed. But everybody knows it by now, I guess. The whole being immortalized by the lyrics. Simple track, mythic status (dixit Roger again).

Some interesting technical explanations about it as well from Roger Glover (a great producer by the way). The band had actually to rush recording it because the Swiss police was coming to stop the session because of the noise...

"Sheer Madness" is the reaction of Roger again while talking about "Pictures Of Home". The same and valuable information about the music will be explained by the different band members even if both Ians are less interviewed. Some short (but already known) live footage as well is diplayed. I quite like this mix.

Some considearations about the need (or no need in this case) of a hit-single from "Machine Head" even if the band was not a hit machine. This fantastic album was recorded in just over three weeks. Roger tells that the "Fireball" lessons had well be remembered and Purple got back to simpler music (!).

A few words about the split (and its gestation as well which lasted for about eighteen months). At the end of the DVD, some notes of "From A Blind Man Cries" (but not explanation whatsover why it did not make the album). Not a word about "Lazy" might be the only negative remark I could find about this very good piece of documentation. A must have for any Purple Mark II fan of course.

Four stars.

Actually, this documentary shows a good perspective of this great hard rock classic, but only if you knew the album before. If you've never heard it, you'll see interviews and some (great) technical explanations of the majority of the songs from the album, but the music here is almost none, since you can only hear some bits of the songs. So, obviously it's preferable to buy the album (it's so good that I think it'd be hard to be disappointed with it). Other than that, the documentary is more than interesting, and you have all the band members talking about the album (and, yes, the Man In Black Ritchie Blackmore himself!). My biggest complaint about this is the surprising absence of ANY comentary for the song Lazy, which isn't even mentioned and it's in my opinion one of the greatest moments on the album.

So, this is a nice documentary about an all time classic, but just for die hard fans who'd like to know everything about Machine Head.

Rating: 2.5/5