The British band that fused hard rock with classical organ, from 'Smoke on the Water' to 'Perfect Strangers.'
If you want to hear what made them click, put on 'Child in Time' or 'Perfect Strangers.' Both songs show how the organ and guitar could build something bigger than just a rock track.
Deep Purple's sound was built on Ritchie Blackmore's heavy guitar riffs and Jon Lord's prominent organ work, a combination that gave hard rock a new kind of weight. Their 1972 album 'Machine Head' became a breakthrough with 'Smoke on the Water,' but that riff-and-organ formula ran deeper than one hit.
They formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 with Rod Evans on vocals, then found their stride with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover in what became known as the classic lineup. After splitting in 1973, they reunited in 1984 and released 'Perfect Strangers,' with the title track becoming another signature song. They've kept recording and touring with various members since, but that late-60s to mid-70s period is where their sound really took shape.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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