Fireball

After its first line-up fell apart in 1969, Deep Purple decided (or more appropriately, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore decided) to stray from their obvious classical music influence and focus on shaping their music into a much more deliberate hard rock form, making a hard-edged sound which would later be rightfully described as a part of the birth of heavy metal. By straying from their previous sound ("Concerto For Group and Orchestra" and later "The Gemini Suite" were the only significant "classical" breaths from this new era), 1970's innovative "In Rock" saw new additions Ian Gillan and Roger Glover joining Blackmore, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice, making for Deep Purple's most memorable line-up, and firmly established the band's new purpose. As is always the case, a follow-up was in demand, but Deep Purple were plagued with a hectic touring schedule, thus the several start-and-stop visits to the recording studio, which certainly influenced 1971's "Fireball." Sometimes, Deep Purple pulled together musically better than they did personally, which gave their albums their luster, and the songs here are no exception. "Fireball" made one of this band's most unique traits even more obvious; it was here that DP (lyrically and musically) took the obligatory themes of fast-paced, hard-living rock and roll lifestyles, and placed them in dramatic structures that gave these seemingly cliched topics a unique perspective. 'The Mule' is the best example of this; it is a dense, heavy, and dramatic piece that features a brief but poignant and well-sung verse from Gillan, topped off most notably by Paice's disciplined and raging percussion. 'Fools' is another dramatic song which clocks in at over eight minutes and is highlighted by a lonely, melancholy solo by Blackmore (most likely using a guitar though it sounds like, and may be, a violin or cello). But it's the more traditional rockers that put "Fireball" in the same class as the other Mark II line-up albums; the title track became a radio favorite, and 'Demon's Eye' sounds as if it could have been recorded even by the later Deep Purple line-ups. The closer, 'No One Came' is on the edge of erratic, with an always clever prose by Gillan. Finally, Warner Archives and Rhino Records have given "Fireball" a well-deserved treatment; this remastered package comes with the hit single 'Strange Kind of Woman,' two songs left off the album (one of which, 'I'm Alone,' is ironically one of the best songs on this CD) and an unreleased track straight vaults ('Slow Train'). Also included is 'The Noise Abatement Society Tapes,' a hodgepodge of quirky rehearsals, not to mention a detailed booklet with abundant liner notes by Simon Robinson and contributions from Roger Glover.

How many albums can you name that are start to finish, great, "Unblemished"? This meaning that every song on the record is strong and adds something extra to the overall quality of the album. It's a very short list. Even in the very best Classic Rock, or music in any genre, the best albums almost always have a song or two that are weak, or at least flat. Maybe "Dark Side of the Moon" is an "Unblemished" album. Every track works. Perhaps you can name a few more albums like that. I can think of only a few. "Fireball" is that rarest of Classic Albums. Every song is is terrific, and every song sounds like it has to be the best one on the album, when you are listening to it. A relatively little known record in the Classic Rock canon, the record that came out the year before Purple's iconic 1972 "Machine Head" (Smoke on the Water, Highway Star etc.). "Fireball" hits on all the right notes. It has everything: Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Psychedelic, even a half comic Country & Western song (Anyone's Daughter) and some 1971 Funk-style Rock (No One Came). This album shows Deep Purple reaching the very best of their considerable ability, and a very high level of musicianship. I Can't Get Enough!!!

Hey man, dig a pony.... and then jam to this album man. There is so much obvious love here that I'm in love with all that love. Its like a giant blanket of beautiful horny LOVE while you and your pet racoon bask in a dreamy sunset! ✌🤪✌

Deep Purple's classic album Fireball has been reissued, it has been remastered & has bonus tracks. Fireball was a groundbreaking album originally released in 1971 that peaked at #32 on the charts. At this point it was the second highest chart position for a Deep Purple album; their debut, Shades of Deep Purple, had peaked at #24 but that was a very different group. That was the group that had a hit with "Hush" which had hit #4 on the singles chart. There had been several member changes by this time. The remastering on this album is excellent & this particular version is an import on the EMI International label. The original album had seven cuts: "Fireball", "No No No", "Demon's Eye", "Anyone's Daughter", "The Mule", "Fools" & No One Came". "Fireball" & "Demon's Eye" are the two outstanding tracks here. All of the remaining tracks are very good with the exception of "Anyone's Daughter". It's definitely filler & weak. It was Deep Purple's tongue-in-cheek effort at country music. There are nine bonus tracks included in the 25th Anniversary Edition of Fireball. They include "Strange Kind of Woman", an A-side single that didn't chart, it has been remixed. "I'm Alone" is a B-side from a single. Two album out-takes have been included: "Freedom" & "Slow Train". All of these are average tracks with "Slow Train" being somewhat weak. Two remixes of the original songs are included: "Demon's Eye" & No One Came". An instrumental version of "Fireball" has been included that's interesting to hear. Two unreleased tracks are included that's basically Deep Purple fooling around in the studio that was captured on tape. They are "The Noise Abatement Society Tapes" & "Backwards Piano". The first of these is the group fooling around with some classics (such as "The William Tell Overture") & not always playing in tune or on time. It's a hoot the first few time you hear it then it gets old. The second one is exactly what the title says, it's not really necessary either. The cd comes with a comprehensive booklet that has a lot of information from the period covering when this album was recorded. Photographs from the period are also included. The reissue of Fireball with remastering & bonus tracks is a good edition to one's musical library. Though not all the bonus material is necessary, it does allow us to get an insight into some of the other things that go on in the studio. It's not all business. Being a musician myself that has spent time in a recording studio I can tell you this, more goes on than what you think. I would just like to add this: Deep Purple in this version (Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover & Ian Paice) was an extremely talented group. Ian Gillan has to be one of the 5 greatest vocalists of rock. Blackmore the same for guitarists. The other three musicians would probably fit in somewhere among the 10 or 12 best at their respective instruments. A VERY talented group!

Just what I expected

ok

Brilliant album, always wanted that one

ほぼリアルタイム、ファイアーボールを友人の家で、しかもテレビのスピーカーで聞いた時、なんと体がブッ飛んだ。私は、当時スイートのブロックバスターが好きだった。ハイウェイスターも好きだが、レイジー、スペーストラッキンもいい。それから、音楽の世界が広がった。でもね、本当に好きなのは、UK港町の4人組だけどね！

Muy buen disco, favorito de Gillan, eclipsado por el anterior y el posterior pero que contiene Strange kind of woman. Con eso está todo dicho.

Ils ont secoué les naissantes 70s avec un In Rock du feu de dieu, les ex-progueux tournés hard-rockers de Deep Purple remettent le couvert sur un Fireball... Tout feu, tout flamme ! Etonnamment, les membres du Pourpre Profond ayant participé à l'album ne le considèrent pas comme un classique et pourtant, tudiou !, quelle fête ! D'ailleurs, un indice qui ne trompe pas, de nombreux albums de Fireball trouvent régulièrement leur place dans les set-lists du groupe aujourd'hui, comme toujours. Parce que ce Deep Purple là, c'est une rolls de hard rock raffiné, racé, mélodique et emporté à la fois, évidemment, avoir deux solistes de la trempe de Ritchie Blackmore et Jon Lord aide énormément, et un vocaliste aussi possédé que Ian Gillan itou (LA voix de Deep Purple, forcément), et la section rythmique que l'on n'oublie pas avec le solide Glover et le roué Paice. Mais il faut des chansons pour faire un album sinon, c'est que de l'onanisme, n'est-ce pas ? Et elles sont bien là les bougresses avec, dès le départ, un morceau titre tranchant impeccablement lancé par un Paice en mode loco-crazy, un solide riff et, évidemment les éléments décisifs décrits plus haut dont le cris suraigus de Gillan. Et puis No No No qui radoucit le ton sur une sorte de blues bien rock où Ritchie démontre toute la finesse de son travail de soliste, Demon's Eye et son bon gros shuffle bien groovy, un Anyone's Daughter tout mignonnet, comme un goût d'une Amérique fantasmée et/ou perdue, The Mule et un Paice en mode Keith-Moonien pour une chanson rampante glissant même vers l'orient notamment grâce au solo d'un Lord particulièrement inspiré, Fools en mastodonte hard rock progressif de plus de 8 minutes qu'on considèrerait presque comme accessoire s'il n'avait ces envolées des deux solistes et un Gillan au bord de la rupture, et No One Came qui enfonce encore un peu plus le clou introduisant un je-ne-sais-quoi de soul pas désagréable. Pas un classique vous disiez, messieurs les musiciens ? Hé bien si ! D'autant que la réédition nous offre le morceau qui manquait, ce hard rocker inoxydable et immédiatement identifiable qui était sur l'album US mais pas sur l'européen (jeu de chaises musicales avec Demon's Eye), Strange Kind of Woman évidemment. Et ce n'est pas tout puisque on y rajoute un bon blues rapide (I'm Alone, une face B), deux outtakes de qualité (Freedom et Slow Train), un rigolard instant musical capturé en studio (The Noise Abatement Society Tapes), et quelques autres joyeusetés moins rafraichissantes. Bref, c'est costaud ! Fireball, l'album sans ses bonus, était déjà un essentiel pour qui aime le bon hard rock des 70s, dans sa réédition, il frise l'obligatoire. Deep Purple, en 1971, c'est fort, très fort ! 1. Fireball 3:25 2. No No No 6:54 3. Demon's Eye 5:19 4. Anyone's Daughter 4:43 5. The Mule 5:23 6. Fools 8:21 7. No One Came 6:28 Bonus 8. Strange Kind of Woman (a-side remix '96) 4:07 9. I'm Alone (single b-side) 3:08 10. Freedom (album out-take) 3:37 11. Slow Train (album out-take) 5:38 12. Demon's Eye (remix '96) 6:13 13. The Noise Abatement Society Tapes (Midnight in Moscow, Robin Hood, William Tell) 4:17 14. Fireball (take 1 - instrumental) 4:09 15. Backwards Piano (Reversed piano solo at the end of "No One Came.") 0:56 16. No One Came (remix '96) 6:24 Ritchie Blackmore - guitar Jon Lord - keyboards, Hammond organ Ian Paice - drums Ian Gillan - vocals Roger Glover - bass