Deep Purple's 'proggiest' tracks?

[gregory]

Anthem is prog? A pop ballad with strings interlude? Art rock maybe?

[No Pride]

Actually I think Steve Morse has brought a lot of "progginess" to Purple. Not prog per se, but a lot of, well, can't think of a better word than progginess... in terms of proggy arrangements of what would otherwise be catchy hard rock songs.

I've only heard the first one he did with them, but I don't disagree. Anything Morse is involved with (and allowed to contribute input to) is bound to have some "progginess." I'm actually interested in hearing the new one; just read an interview with Steve Morse in Guitar Player magazine and he's apparently pretty pleased with it.

[ronmac]

"April", of course!

First one I thought of. From their third and best, IMO, album.

[Ribo]

Anthem is prog? A pop ballad with strings interlude? Art rock maybe?

You might want to go back and read what I said. And I stand by what I said.

[gregory]

For me it's obvious they did some prog tracks in their prime years and afterwards. Not very much, of course, and not your definitive high standard prog, maybe, but sometimes they delivered really eclectic and adventurous stuff.

[PROGMONSTER]

Shield, listen learn read on, chasing shadows, Blind, April, hallelujah, bloodsucker, fireball, anyone's daughter, I'm alone, never before, pictures of home, when a blind man cries, rat bat blue, burn, a200, stormbringer, gypsy

[JIF]

Not for me.

Well, you're wrong.

Cool~but they also list Pink Floyd as prog

Pink Floyd are prog. Then again, I wouldn't expect the greatness of the drummer Phil Collins to know this.

[PROGMONSTER]

Most of their 68-76 stuff is prog related. Paice and Blackmore were very jazz influenced and lord very classical influenced. Most of their stuff was composed from those influences. It was mainly heavy rock and it was only boring songs like smoke in the water and demons eye which sound like hard rock. Black night was pretty much hard rock but that's a good track

[ronmac]

Their interpretation of "Hey Joe" is a great example of prog.

[gregory]

Surprized noboby mentioned their last.

[rapidfirerob]

I've only heard the first one he did with them, but I don't disagree. Anything Morse is involved with (and allowed to contribute input to) is bound to have some "progginess." I'm actually interested in hearing the new one; just read an interview with Steve Morse in Guitar Player magazine and he's apparently pretty pleased with it.

I like Now What?! There are less gtr. solos, but good compositions and Don Airey channels Lord nicely. Gillan's vocals sound as good as ever!

[rapidfirerob]

According to progarchives, they are prog.....

Progarchives or not, Dregs are fusion and fusion is not prog, to me. Even if Larry Olivier
brings out his drill ala Marathon Man, I will not relent.

[JIF]

Their interpretation of "Hey Joe" is a great example of prog.

Actually, many proggy examples on that debut. The arrangements(particularly Lord's organ work) seemed classically inspired.

[TheLoony]

Slaves and Masters. Totally a prog album.

Ok, maybe not.

For my money Fireball was their proggiest. A different album than any that lineup put out and the first three were without direction, IMO, although some would probably argue Fireball was no different. The structure of Child in Time always made me think of the type of music prog bands would do. I can't think of any tune with that type of structure. They may be mining similar territory with the last few albums but BITD one never knew what they were going to get with DP, which is sort of like a prog band.

It's too bad they couldn't get along. Who knows what they could have done if they had gotten along and had a consistent lineup for more than four albums.

[arabicadabra]

No No No from Fireball has a plethora of odd time signatures in the section coming out of the last solo and features Roger Glover's most challenging bass playing on record.

[Trane]

I've never heard the second or third albums, but Shades Of Deep Purple is a great album. I can think of few better ways to kick off a recording career than ...And The Address?. I'm still not that crazy about their ballad treatment of Help (yes, the Lennon/McCartney composition), but the rest of that album was pretty cool. Love the pseudo-classical intros on their versions of I'm So Glad and Hey Joe.

I love And The Address, personally... And I think it's one of the best introduction of a band ever... I wish the whole album was of the same ilk

You should definitely check out Taliesin & s/t .

Absolutely... All three of their Evans/Simper albums are uneven , partly due to some odd choice of covers and their treatment, but it's got tons of outstanding stuff as well... I'd evebn say that they hit the spot more oftenin that era than with the Gillan and Coverdale eras.

I'm with Steve on that! I actually lost interest after those first three, when they decided to become more of a straight ahead heavy rock band.

I'd kind of agree but In Rock and Burn are absolute gems as well.
But the Concerto is laughably bad, IMHO.

"April", of course!

Absofuckinglutely!!!!!!! Purple has never done better+

[ThomasKDye]

Slaves and Masters. Totally a prog album.

Ok, maybe not.

I'll go to my grave saying "The Cut Runs Deep" and "Wicked Ways" are cool as hell musically, though.