Shades of Deep Purple
Encyclopedia
Shades of Deep Purple is the debut album by English
hard rock
band Deep Purple
, released in 1968 on Parlophone
in the United Kingdom and Tetragrammaton
in the United States.
It was released without much attention in the UK, where it did not perform sales-wise. In the US on the other hand, it was a massive success, contributing largely to the attention Deep Purple would get there and also eventually also over to the UK. Sound-wise, it is more leaned on psychedelia and progressive rock.
", which Blackmore had written earlier that year. (Mandrake Root was also the name of an earlier band that Blackmore had been trying to form in Germany when the call came from Deep Purple's management.)
Their previous test-singer, Chris Curtis had been wanting to add a cover of a Beatles song to an eventual album and therefore the first proper song that was set in motion turned out to be "Help!"
. "Mandrake Root" was given lyrics, so the album would feature only one instrumental. Then, with those three well inducted, the band started to think on "I'm So Glad", a song by Skip James
, which had earlier been covered by Cream
. Ian Paice and Rod Evans had also recorded the song earlier, with their band The Maze.
It was to be proven typical with Deep Purple in these early years that all the cover songs recorded were considerably longer and more grandiose than the originals. "I'm So Glad" was certainly no exception. When the track was recorded, the first movement of Scheherazade
was added before the actual song began.
The next song added to the rehearsals was "Hey Joe", a song originally, but disputably, written by Billy Roberts and mistakenly credited to "Deep Purple" on original releases of the Shades album. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
had recorded a version of this song in late 1966 and this was used as the main inspiration. But as well as "I'm So Glad", the song was heavily blown up and stretched in length. Joe South
had written a song for Billy Joe Royal
the previous year, called "Hush" and this song was also picked up by the band.
. Lawrence had seen some of their sessions and was very impressed with what he saw.
Deep Purple's employer, HEC, was set in contact with American record-label, Tetragrammaton. The Americans were looking for a British band to work with on their new label. HEC set their talented deployers in full action and arranged for the band to cut some demos in between March and April. Two of their previously developed songs, "Hush" and "Help" were recorded for this purpose, as well as two newcomers: "Love Help Me" and "Shadows", both written by the band. "Help" was previewed for EMI, who had offered them a deal concerning distribution in Europe. The demos (except "Shadows", which was dropped) were previewed by Tetragrammaton, who after careful consideration chose "Hush" as their commitment.
. The band name was also the developed at this time. "Deep Purple" was suggested by Blackmore, as it was also the name of his grandmother's favourite song
. When they returned to England, the cable containing Tetragrammaton's decision to sign them had arrived. The request had apparently resulted in an agreement for a green-light and the band was now supported by a label overseas. This was a saving grace, as the budget provided by HEC was nearly spent. Good gear and promotion had not gone without some cost.
With the band on promotion-tour, some studio time had been successfully booked and on Saturday, 11 May 1968, Deep Purple went into Pye studios at ATV House in London. There, with aforementioned Derek Lawrence producing and Barry Ainsworth acting as engineer, they reworked and improved the material they had rehearsed and recorded before. "And The Address" and "Hey Joe" were cut first, followed by "Hush" and "Help" later that day. On Sunday, "Love Help Me", "I'm So Glad" (with the Scheherazade-prelude entitled "Happiness") and "Mandrake Root" were recorded. The latter required a large amount of mixing, with sound-effects being provided by the BBC. Finally, on Monday, 13 May, "One More Rainy Day" was cut, completing the recording of their debut album. The final finesses were made and the band concluded their duties in studio later the same day.
The "Hush" single was released overseas by Tetragrammaton and it turned out to be a huge success, peaking at #4 on the US charts, #2 on the Canadian charts, and garnering the band considerable attention. The label's reluctance to release "Help" as the promotional single and instead go for "Hush", proved ingenious. Widely distributed and hyped, the song was played on radios all over the US, particularly the West Coast and the band was well noticed thanks to this. The album was released in the United States in July, 1968 and raced up the Billboard Pop Chart, ultimately peaking at #24. This was more than anyone could hope for back in England and probably more than the label itself had envisioned.
The single was released in the UK as well, but it was, not surprisingly, overlooked as their European label chose to promote "Help" more heavily there. Ian Paice had this to say about success in the US versus the lack of success back home, in an interview for Melody Maker:
Then, the band did some promotional gigs for the BBC, but otherwise, England in general was not very prioritised. They did some gigs in local pubs and festivals, but the crowd didn't seem that interested. As Jon Lord reflected it to Beat Instrumental Magazine:
Ian Paice's explanation for their lack of touring and promotion in England, reflected to Melody Maker:
The album was released in the United Kingdom
in September 1968 and just as Lord states, the whole thing was not really noticed in the musical environment there. By October, Deep Purple set off to the States, where they were to tour. When they arrived and played their first gigs, attention that was completely in contrast to what they had been given in England, was blasting their way. The success of the "Hush" single was a giant boost in America. The band played at many different locations, including festivals, bars and even at the Playboy Mansion
, alongside Hugh Hefner
and a bunch of dancing women. The album was from then on a success. If they hadn't been taken seriously in the UK, they certainly were in The States.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, released in 1968 on Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
in the United Kingdom and Tetragrammaton
Tetragrammaton Records
Tetragrammaton Records was an American record label, founded by artist manager Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, and comedian Bill Cosby in the late 1960s. The name references a term for the un-nameable name of God....
in the United States.
It was released without much attention in the UK, where it did not perform sales-wise. In the US on the other hand, it was a massive success, contributing largely to the attention Deep Purple would get there and also eventually also over to the UK. Sound-wise, it is more leaned on psychedelia and progressive rock.
Early days of development
Rehearsing began in February, after Nick Simper, Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Paice (as of yet without an appropriate drum kit) had hired Rod Evans to sing after some auditions. Their first rehearsals (Paice having now gotten his favoured drum kit) involved mostly jamming and some occasional glimpses with the instrumentals "And The Address" and "Mandrake RootMandrake Root
"Mandrake Root" is a song by Deep Purple that is featured on their debut album Shades of Deep Purple. The title is in reference to the hallucinogenic mandrake plant, but is also the name of a pre-Purple band that Blackmore was trying to form in Germany when he got the call from Deep Purple's...
", which Blackmore had written earlier that year. (Mandrake Root was also the name of an earlier band that Blackmore had been trying to form in Germany when the call came from Deep Purple's management.)
Their previous test-singer, Chris Curtis had been wanting to add a cover of a Beatles song to an eventual album and therefore the first proper song that was set in motion turned out to be "Help!"
Help! (song)
"Help!" is a song by The Beatles that served as the title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album. It was also released as a single, and was number one for three weeks in both the United States and the United Kingdom....
. "Mandrake Root" was given lyrics, so the album would feature only one instrumental. Then, with those three well inducted, the band started to think on "I'm So Glad", a song by Skip James
Skip James
Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter, born in Bentonia, Mississippi, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, which had earlier been covered by Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
. Ian Paice and Rod Evans had also recorded the song earlier, with their band The Maze.
It was to be proven typical with Deep Purple in these early years that all the cover songs recorded were considerably longer and more grandiose than the originals. "I'm So Glad" was certainly no exception. When the track was recorded, the first movement of Scheherazade
Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Sheherazade , Op. 35, is a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888. Based on One Thousand and One Nights, sometimes known as The Arabian Nights, this orchestral work combines two features common to Russian music and of Rimsky-Korsakov in particular: dazzling, colourful...
was added before the actual song began.
The next song added to the rehearsals was "Hey Joe", a song originally, but disputably, written by Billy Roberts and mistakenly credited to "Deep Purple" on original releases of the Shades album. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
had recorded a version of this song in late 1966 and this was used as the main inspiration. But as well as "I'm So Glad", the song was heavily blown up and stretched in length. Joe South
Joe South
Joe South is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Career:...
had written a song for Billy Joe Royal
Billy Joe Royal
Billy Joe Royal is an American singer.-Biography:Born in Valdosta and raised in Marietta in 1942, Royal became a local star at Savannah, Georgia's Bamboo Ranch in the 1950s and 1960s...
the previous year, called "Hush" and this song was also picked up by the band.
The later rehearsals and demo recordings
After an agreed set list, the band began the finesse-rehearsals. Ritchie Blackmore convinced a friend of his, Derek Lawrence, to produce. He and Blackmore had cooperated some years before. Lawrence ran an independent production company that recorded singles and sold the results over to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Lawrence had seen some of their sessions and was very impressed with what he saw.
Deep Purple's employer, HEC, was set in contact with American record-label, Tetragrammaton. The Americans were looking for a British band to work with on their new label. HEC set their talented deployers in full action and arranged for the band to cut some demos in between March and April. Two of their previously developed songs, "Hush" and "Help" were recorded for this purpose, as well as two newcomers: "Love Help Me" and "Shadows", both written by the band. "Help" was previewed for EMI, who had offered them a deal concerning distribution in Europe. The demos (except "Shadows", which was dropped) were previewed by Tetragrammaton, who after careful consideration chose "Hush" as their commitment.
The album-recording and promotions
The demos were followed by promotions of the finished album, which first earned them some gigs in ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. The band name was also the developed at this time. "Deep Purple" was suggested by Blackmore, as it was also the name of his grandmother's favourite song
Deep Purple (song)
"Deep Purple" was the biggest hit written by pianist Peter DeRose, who broadcast, 1923 to 1939, with May Singhi as "The Sweethearts of the Air" on the NBC radio network. "Deep Purple" was published in 1933 as a piano composition. The following year, Paul Whiteman had it scored for his suave "big...
. When they returned to England, the cable containing Tetragrammaton's decision to sign them had arrived. The request had apparently resulted in an agreement for a green-light and the band was now supported by a label overseas. This was a saving grace, as the budget provided by HEC was nearly spent. Good gear and promotion had not gone without some cost.
With the band on promotion-tour, some studio time had been successfully booked and on Saturday, 11 May 1968, Deep Purple went into Pye studios at ATV House in London. There, with aforementioned Derek Lawrence producing and Barry Ainsworth acting as engineer, they reworked and improved the material they had rehearsed and recorded before. "And The Address" and "Hey Joe" were cut first, followed by "Hush" and "Help" later that day. On Sunday, "Love Help Me", "I'm So Glad" (with the Scheherazade-prelude entitled "Happiness") and "Mandrake Root" were recorded. The latter required a large amount of mixing, with sound-effects being provided by the BBC. Finally, on Monday, 13 May, "One More Rainy Day" was cut, completing the recording of their debut album. The final finesses were made and the band concluded their duties in studio later the same day.
Album cover and release
The album was now well and finished and tapes were taken to Tetragrammaton representatives that had come to London. The material proved to be more than satisfactory with the label. Due to this, it was with few worries the band approached their next stop, which was the famous Mr. Fish Emporium, where the band-members were clothed in hip styles and fashions. There they did the obligatory photo-shoot. The resulting shots were shipped to America and Tetragrammaton began their distribution of the album there.The "Hush" single was released overseas by Tetragrammaton and it turned out to be a huge success, peaking at #4 on the US charts, #2 on the Canadian charts, and garnering the band considerable attention. The label's reluctance to release "Help" as the promotional single and instead go for "Hush", proved ingenious. Widely distributed and hyped, the song was played on radios all over the US, particularly the West Coast and the band was well noticed thanks to this. The album was released in the United States in July, 1968 and raced up the Billboard Pop Chart, ultimately peaking at #24. This was more than anyone could hope for back in England and probably more than the label itself had envisioned.
The single was released in the UK as well, but it was, not surprisingly, overlooked as their European label chose to promote "Help" more heavily there. Ian Paice had this to say about success in the US versus the lack of success back home, in an interview for Melody Maker:
"We have been given proper exposure over there. The Americans really know how to push records."
Then, the band did some promotional gigs for the BBC, but otherwise, England in general was not very prioritised. They did some gigs in local pubs and festivals, but the crowd didn't seem that interested. As Jon Lord reflected it to Beat Instrumental Magazine:
"We felt that England was unlikely to be as receptive to a new group as America, so we tried to get signed up with an American record company. We were lucky in that we were signed by a new label, who were anxious to get started with a hit and we had a lot of promotion and publicity. We had far greater freedom both financially and artistically than we could ever have got with a British company. An English company as a rule won't spend any time or effort with you until you're an established name, but isn't that leaving it a bit late?"
Ian Paice's explanation for their lack of touring and promotion in England, reflected to Melody Maker:
"This is because we haven't been offered the money we want and unless there is some sort of prestige attached, there is no point in doing the general run of gigs. And as far as we are concerned, dancing audiences are out. There are only about three numbers in our act that they can dance to. We make a point of warning promoters that we are not a dancing group."
The album was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in September 1968 and just as Lord states, the whole thing was not really noticed in the musical environment there. By October, Deep Purple set off to the States, where they were to tour. When they arrived and played their first gigs, attention that was completely in contrast to what they had been given in England, was blasting their way. The success of the "Hush" single was a giant boost in America. The band played at many different locations, including festivals, bars and even at the Playboy Mansion
Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion is the home of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner. Located in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, California, the mansion became famous during the 1970s through media reports of Hefner's lavish parties.-History:The house is described as being in the "Gothic-Tudor" style...
, alongside Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
and a bunch of dancing women. The album was from then on a success. If they hadn't been taken seriously in the UK, they certainly were in The States.
Side one
Side two
Bonus tracks on the CD re-issue
Personnel
- Rod EvansRod EvansRod Evans is a former English singer and was a founding member of Deep Purple in 1968. He provided vocals for the group's first three albums, including the hit singles "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman". He was replaced by Ian Gillan in 1969.-Early career:Before joining Deep Purple, Evans played together...
- lead vocals - Jon LordJon LordJonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
- organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocals - Nick SimperNick SimperNicholas John Simper is a bass guitarist, best known as a founding member of Deep Purple.-Biography:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Ritchie BlackmoreRitchie BlackmoreRichard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Ian PaiceIan PaiceIan Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional personnel
- Produced by Derek Lawrence
- Engineered by Barry Ainsworth
- Bonus tracks recorded in 1968 & 1969
- Dedicated to Bobby, Chris, Dave and Ravel
- Digitally remastered and restored by Peter Mew at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, London