Deep Purple - Fireball

Another essential Deep Purple "Anniversary" edition

THE BAND: Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitars), Roger Glover (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards, organ), Ian Paice (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (1971) Originally 7 tracks clocking in at approximately 39 minutes. This "Fireball - 25th Anniversary Edition" (1996) contains 16 total tracks (coming in at just under 79 total minutes). Included with the disc is a 26-page booklet containing 11 pages of written band history, numerous band photos and memorabilia, and thank you's. This is the band's 5th studio album. Recorded In London's De Lane Lea and Olympic Studios. Originally on Warner Bros (U.S.) and Harvest (UK) labels, this "Anniversary" edition is on the HEC Enterprises / EMI label.

COMMENTS: I always remember "Fireball" as the infamous album that preceded the band's high-water mark, "Machine Head" (1972). There were some good tracks here - especially the boogey-fused and lone single "Strange Kind Of Woman", "The Mule" (with Paice's drum solo), "Fireball", and perhaps my favorite deep album track here, "No One Came" (with Lord's ultra smooth solo). As good as "Strange Kind Of Woman" and "The Mule" were in the studio, they really came alive on their live "Made In Japan" (1972) - both songs became concert staples. Interestingly, Japan and US albums contained the hit "Strange Kind Of Woman", where the European copy had "Demon Eyes" in its place - I hadn't heard this track before, and man is it cool (it's got that same bar-room boogie feel to it as "Strange Kind Of Woman"). Bonus track highlights - hard to find songs like "I'm Alone" (issued as a 45 B-Side only), 2 album outtakes that were cut from the original LP "Freedom" and "Slow Train", and the instrumental version of the title track - what a jam! "Backwards Piano" and "The Noise Abatement Society Tapes..." come off as experiments (only) and are good to hear once and can then be deemed skippable. The only song that seems out of place here is "Anyone's Daughter" (Deep Purple doing country/western just doesn't work for me). I rank "Fireball" behind the flawless "Machine Head", as well as Coverdale's "Burn", the powerful "In Rock" and perhaps the band's aptly titled 80's comeback "Perfect Strangers" - though "Fireball" still holds its weight decades later. While I don't consider this a true DP classic in the utmost sense, the package here (the original 7 songs, the extensive liner notes, the 9 bonus tracks, the remastered sound) is top notch and essential to any/all Deep Purple fans. Thank you Roger Glover for revisiting and remastering all these vintage Deep Purple albums (4.5 stars).
April 7, 2008

Blistering purple album with some quieter moments

Released in 1971, Fireball found the band sandwiched in between the scorching In Rock (1970) and the ever-popular Machine head (1972). Of these three albums, I have to say that I prefer Fireball given the combination of classic Deep Purple rockers and the more progressive elements of the band. Come to think of it, this album is also a little bit quieter too.

The lineup on this album is a personal favorite and includes Ritchie Blackmore (electric guitar); Roger Glover (Fender bass guitar); Ian Paice (drums and percussion); Jon Lord (Hammond organ); and the visceral vocal style of Ian Gillan. Overall, the performances on this album by all band members are fantastic - Ritchie turns in some great playing and Roger provides very aggressive and thoughtful lines on the bass. Ian Paice is another great, albeit criminally underappreciated drummer and his thunderous introduction on Fireball is breathtaking. Jon Lord cranks out on the Hammond organ throughout and really adds a lot to the overall Deep Purple sound.

The seven tracks range in length from 3'22" to 8'18" and provide a nice mix of riff heavy, blues-rock "scorchers" and quieter, spacey pieces that feature some relatively experimental passages. The country-ish Anyone's Daughter is one of the quieter pieces and features some dreamy slide guitar work by Ritchie and a vaguely haunting melody. Other tracks that stray off of the beaten Deep Purple path include the excellent The Mule, which features great interplay between Glover and Paice, and the lengthy tune Fool, which includes a trippy, percussion-heavy section in the middle with spacey guitar work. The album closes on a great note with the excellent rocker No One Came.

This remastered album is excellent and the liner notes are very detailed and include pictures of the band. I found the liner notes to be pretty informative. The nine bonus tracks are pretty good and are comprised of a mixture of alternate takes; remixes; and b-sides. Overall I thought the bonus tracks were OK although I was more than satisfied with the original album.

All in all, this is an excellent album by Deep Purple that finds the band becoming a bit more progressive in their approach (progressive hard rock). In combination with the hard rock pieces, this album makes for a great listening experience. Highly recommended along with In Rock (1970); Who do we think we are (1973) and a few similar sounding progressive hard rock albums by other bands including Death Walks behind You (Atomic Rooster, 1970). May 25, 2007

Heavier than it was on vinyl.

The Roger Glover remaster is worth the extra few bucks not only because it makes the tracks sound bigger and heavier than they did originally, but the bonus tracks and the booklet are also interesting. January 13, 2007

Strange Kind Of World; another forgotten masterpiece!

This Deep Purple album is a hard rock masterpiece and what makes it even better, you don`t get that "classic rock radio" burnt out feeling. It's a shame that Fireball has been forgotten about over the years, and yet, like the Rolling Stones UK "Between The Buttons," it's all fresh because you haven't heard the songs to death. So if you're just starting to obtain Deep Purple albums, this one is essential. One of the great rock albums of 1971.

Highlights: No, No, No, Anyone's Daughter, Fools and Strange Kind Of Woman (a single released around the time of the album). October 16, 2006

Fireball

Band Personnell:
Ian Gillan - Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore - Guitars
Roger Glover - Bass
Ian Paice - Drums
Jon Lord - Organs and Keyboards

The second classic album by Deep Purple, this was more progessive than "Deep Purple in Rock" but it wasn't that wild, Blackmore didn't like this album much but Gillan pick this as one of his biggest favourites, anyway this album has highlights such as the title song, "No No No", "The Mule" and "Fools".
This album may be my least favourite from the four classic albums but it's worth the prize. September 25, 2006

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