A day of finds!

Hello, anybody who's yet dropping in here to see if Sun has anything to say.... Well, it's been a while. Again. I do admit that consistency in keeping the whole business up is not my strong point. Life is a rich bitch, not always lets you keep up with ALL the things you'd like to keep up with.

Anyway I really do hope to do some updates. The season has been massive with events since Jon Lord's birthday. Just to name them: I've been to a concerts od Nick Simper and The Nasty Habits, Glenn Hughes (twice) in October, November was no worse with bills of mighty Gary Moore and Ufo and December was celebrated at the start with Ray Wilson's appearance with his Genesis Klassik project. All of the mentioned shows were top notch and deserve a mention on my dear rumblings platform.

I want to thank again Attic Rock for finding out loseless files of the radio brodcast of Thin Lizzy's appearance at the Hammersmith Odeon London, 27th Nov 1981. The concert features definite take on "Don't Believe A Word", where Lizzy proved that Snowy White could somehow surpass the shredding legacy of Moore and Robertson and simply played his ass off in the song making it an unique classic. This was mentioned here before and will be cherished forever as one of your's truly biggest sonic favourites ever recorded.

Meanwhile a shockbomb find has dropped in, scorched in the Ethernal Searching Grounds. Among many great Old Whistle Test appearances by artists in British TV - there was also a one that just dropped my jaw. Just check the line-up: Gary Moore - gtr., voc.; Phill Lynott - b., voc.; Scott Gorham - gtr.; Cozy Powell - dr.; Don Airey - k. And they blast out the tune aforementioned above as the single from the new Moore's record "Back On The Streets". To say they have a blast is a shameful understatement. This is a nuclear attack - slow introduction with Moore - Lynott shared vocals and a bluesy lead part by Gary, just to crank the amps at the end with a Gorham - Moore battle duel, where Gary is so into his parts that he breaks and almost wipes off one string from his Gibson. Needless to say Cozy and Don - by then possibly already a Rainbow members round it off with a superb backplay. Now that's what I call a whammy. Endless joys of one Lynott penned classic that almost never fails to impress.

Happy Birthday To The Maestro!

This day can't go unnoticed! Mr. Jon Lord - doubtlessly the greatest Influence of yours truly, is 68 today. A number of years that indicates a year when Deep Purple was formed, mind you. An extraordinarie of rock and a man called by some a "Jimi Hendrix of Hammond organ". Talented soloist and composer. Truly genuine, warm and friendly personality, a man of overwhelming charm and flashing wittiness. And to me the Last Of The Gentlemen among the greats of rock, most of the fellow musicans could learn from him of how to behave in talk and towards the casual or specific interlocutor. An amazng persona in almost every aspect.

With over a half of the century of being active musically, his input was spread over a wide range of musical genres that he excelled at. While his enormous input of keyboard work defined the Deep Purple's milestone position in rock history, The Jubilee was equally succesful in playing blues or composing classical pieces, often arranged for orchestra. His session works also reached the area of composing film music. Many facets of the unique talent, so much of musical joy and prospects to be proud of.

The God of Rock in my book, Lord Of The Keys. Happy Birthday Jon, life wouldn't be the same if your genius was not around.

Blackout or hiatus - call it what you like

It's a massive moment to make at least a bit of update in my papers. There's been more than plenty things in life that just bailed me out of the reviewing routines. I hope to make up for it continuously. Certainly among the subjects to deal with are the below things:

- the amazing Snowy White Blues Project's concert in Poznan on May 10th,

- final thoughts on "The Devil You Know" by Heaven And Hell

- Chickenfoot's debut CD - a truly pleasant new record by a strong line-up of four legendary rock business names

- Childline Rocks 2009 - Hughes & Lord reunion

- new UFO album "The Visitor" - amazing piece of the good old-fashioned rock

and honestly speaking I do fancy giving a word or two on Debbie Harry's "Necessary Evil" that I did enjoy a lot, even though it is not necessarily classic rock... Stay tuned anyway folks... Plenty of goodies are bound to come!

Deep Purple, Wroclaw, PL - May 1st, 2009 - Concert Review

DEEP PURPLE
Live at the Mars' Fields, Wroclaw, May 1st, 2009

Set List:

Highwat Star
Things I Never Said
Wrong Man
Strange Kind Of Woman
Rapture Of The Deep
Fireball
Contact Lost - Steve Morse Solo
Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
Well Dressed Guitar
Wring That Neck
The Battle Rages On
Don Airey Solo - Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin'
Smoke On The Water

Southern Rock Wobble - Hush - Paice Solo
Glover Solo - Black Night

Well, I must admit that as far as I do not support Mk VIII in their approach to the live shows, I certainly enjoyed going to their gig in my hometown. I went with no expectations to be surprised or thrilled at all, which is in a way typical when you go to the tribute band concert. And this is certainly The Best Tribute Band in the world that you ever can go to see. So it was quite much fun. Good to listen, lovely to sing and jump around to the beloved songs. Capable of making the die hard Purple conservative enjoying himself for a moment.

I decided to group my observations in the plus (+) and minus (-) - easier to put it down this way.

[+]

- Rapture Of The Deep - this always reminds me of a"Stargazer" a bit and live it really sways. Great live staple off the last album.

- Wring That Neck had a little extended bit of Airey - Morse duel in the middle, probably to help Gillan to catch more breath as his voice was struggling. I guess they learned the trick during Sunflower Jam, can't be sure 'cause I only have read the reviews. Nothing stunning craftwise, but it was a nice bit reminding of a good times 10-11 years before, when they used to mess around the songs a minute or two

- The Battle Rages On - slowed down in pace to the typicall takes, it became a monsterous crawler. Amazing, ripping into the ground, truly hypnotic. The biggest highlight of the show. Stunning.

- Don Airey's solo spot - wonderful, even if totally predictible. Lovely portion of the spacey moog, a lot of Chopin bits on the coloured piano, some boogie, national anthem and no Star Wars (yeah!!!). Just perfect, appreciated by the crowd and yours truly.

- Smoke... - the ending with Airey having a solo - nice reminder of the best Purple live album.

- Black Night - this is always exciting when the 10 000 + throats sing it around. A showcase track for Glover and Morse, a lot of good playing and bits of improv - Steve even threw in a chorus from Queen's We Will Rock You - it took a few bars for the crowd to recognize it. Plus a great audience - Steve duel for the very end

- spontaneous reaction of the crowd; typically those who drop in to Purple concerts ocassionally were stuned with what they saw and heard

[-]

- Ian Gillan's voice, mid song banter and stage antics - below any standards as for him. He did his best to hide the bad throat day, but it was obvious that he will suffer on this four nights in a row string. Perhaps the days of saving the voice are over. All in all, this is just another 'The Best Of Tour'. The banter forumula is 'play one -> repeat' CD programme, some of the stage moves show that his libido might be very unfulfilled. Not a very inspiring shape of the legend really

- Don Airey's solos in-songs: no improvising, just copying Lord's parts from records. In the context of Purple prased live formula this is the hardest crime. Sound of the Hammond was, especially at the start, very thin, but luckilly got improved as the set went on.

- the selection of material from the Morse's era was apalling. If "Things I Never Said", "Contact Lost" and "Wrong Man" are the most representative tunes for the 15 years period of Steve's tenure - then passing on the condolences to the band is really worth a tought.

- "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" still suffers from the slaughtered ending. Even a single version from 1996 single had a better arrangement. Shame.

***

Overall impression? A decent show, if only you can go for it leaving any expectations for being thrilled, excited or surprised in your home. Or if they just stumple upon your city - when they're near - you could go, see them and have some fun. Would I recommend anybody going to see them to score the musical and spiritually exhilarating expirience? By any means no. These days are over now. Could be fun for the casul audience, but nothing really to brag about in front of the long-time followers.

(C) (P) Martin Karski, May 2nd, 2009

Don Kirshner Rock Show - great vault of rare rock concerts

Running around, crumbling and digging the endless fields of the Hunting Grounds, one might get exposed to some new awesome music gems. Over the years an achievement of the music programmes in the foreign tv schedules could have been a blessing in therms of showing up the performers, who - in 21st century ended with the significant lack of the dvd release with archieve footages that could show the next generation what their live act was in their heyday.

I got to find two items that quite have blown my mind superlatively speaking.

Bad Co is the first live act. I have a post on Paul Rodgers in the working right now, but the way it has developed got insistively separate to this issue.

Anyway, there was in the mid 70's the institution of Don Kirshner In Concert programme that has managed to get three amazing acts to play and thus got preserved a very valuable live materials. 1975 seson saw classic Black Sabbath line-up promoting 'Sabotage' album in the show and it nicely fills at least a bit of the gap between the recorded 1974 California Jam appearance and the London 1978 show from the last tour to feature Ozzy Osbourne on the Sabbath mike stand in the 70's.

The other very neat appearance is coming from Uriah Heep, who have a very little of live material preserved form the 2nd half of 70's. The line-up with the magnificent John Wetton playing bass and singing bass vocals is consequently receiving rough comments from Ken Hensley, but the existing bits prove the man wrong. The Heep could have been shattered by the personal differences, with the late David Byron and Hensley already being deep in the murky waters, still the remaining evidences show their musicanship at the top pf their game way across 1975 and 1976. "Shady Lady" footage itself is a killer, with a frenetic ending, displaying a wild solo on slide guitar from Hensley - and - more interestingly - Byron stepping in to his Hammond stack to provide backing sound layer with wild organ sound.

Nevertheless the axis of my post was to be Bad Company. They performed at Kirschner's show in 1974, while promoting their wildly succesful, self-titled debut. And what a show they give. If there should be any examples of the "full flow" tilted live show given, then it is one of these. Rodgers was at his peak then, with his all-over-the-stage shaman-like appeal: thunder of long black hair, mike stand flying around, wild, roaring voice, soaring with rock power but still extraordinarily rooted in blues. In couple of track he has the plugged Fender guitar round his neck, assisting Mick Ralphs nicely in the double layered, harmonic solo for the song "Can't Get Enough". While the song is played everywhere almost to death, here anyway this reendition is highly enjoyable. When Paul doesn't play the guitar - the instrument swings around his hips - and the overall effect is incredibly seductive! It feels almost impossible to sit still and watch while they thunder through the solid portion of the "Bad Company" album enriched by the stunning take of Free classic song "The Stealer", with the nicely re-shifted key tone to expose soaring vocals from Rodgers. Amazing stuff, enormously enjoyable and recomendable for everyone who likes rock and blues and would like to get sweeped by the swaying wave. Your feet won't stand still while seeing this one - it will instantly make you wanna groove. Extremely precious sort of influence these days!

Early signs of anticipation for the autumn in the mid spring? Read why....

Fantastic news for my country rock fans start to circulate in the secret circles.

Right yesterday I was messaged that there might be a Glenn Hughes concert in my hometown in mid autumn. I got extremely excited with the news, which was a surprise to my-very-self. Seeing the man eught years ago in Warsaw was certainly one of the times of my life. Glenn has pulled out an awesome concert in spite of being iinfected with a heavy cold, having 39*C degree fever. His voice was top notch and the show had couple of highlights, with Trapeze epic track "Medusa" as a standout - heavy and ripping to pieces. One of the finest moments I've ever had during the rock concerts attended, absolutely unforgettable.

I am not sure if the autumn gigs are linked to promotion of the new material by Glenn, but a nice bunch of his favourites and classics from the entire career spawning now over four decades of an outstanding musical output will bemore than welcome.

There is another one that birdies are, now yet very secretly, humming about - the Heaven And Hell list of European appearances to promote the new album for this year is not yet closed. They might get closer than we here expect them to.

This year's autumn season might come nicely packed with awesome new concert expiriences, for which we all should keep fingers tightly crossed!

Old as hell but still sweet as wine: Deep Purple's 41th Birthday today!

I failed to write some more up-built essay on the person of the just-so Ritchie Blackmore on time and as for now the idea must get shelved due to the hecticness of other sides of life. It's, however, impossible not to at least mention the fact that Deep Purple is having it's 41st Birthday today.

Having played a gig in Taastrup, Denmark on the April 20th, 1968 the line-up of Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice, Nick Simper and Rod Evans did their first gig under the name believed to be the best of the series of other band name suggestions (like, for instance, Concrete God).

For the next four decades the Purple ensemble would not only spawn the world wide career, winning them listeners and followers all over the globe, but - to even a bigger achievement - they would've laid the indestructable basis for the shape of heavy melodic rock, which is now considered and labelled by many as a classic rock. It has to be said also that the Purple is a main root for an awesome geneological tree of musicans, bands and projects - reaching possibly a three figure number - "ranging from rock to roll", with it's way via the most of the styles and musical flavours that one could be thinking of, including couple of very exotic ones in comparison to rock music.

Being what it is now, a Deep Purple eighth line-up, once being described by a randomly listener as "a well oiled machine, an institution allowing to gain it's current members a considerable amount of money to be added to their retirement fees they do desire" (two of the members will turn 65 next year) - it is more a tribute band to themselves than a rock band that still desire to develop and strenghthen the musical borders. Nevertheless they almost flawlessly (and to the enthusiasm of wide audiences) manage to keep up their legacy alive, playing long strings of concerts all over the world. Although these days it's hard to find the substantial elements of the stage craft that made them famous and critically acclaimed over the 70's, 80's and 90's - they still wake up a rock and roll spirit among their large fanbase and for just that they deserve an undisputed credit.