Top 10 Deep Purple Songs

When I look at the way my musical taste has changed over the decades, there are several bands that have remained and excelled. One of those bands is Deep Purple a band that has gone through many lineup changes but all of them seem to have preserved a certain style of music that I love. Not only that but many bands have been formed from ex-members of Deep Purple that I also love, such as Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gillan. 

Deep Purple, like Black Sabbath, are added to a group of bands who experts say are the founders of heavy metal. While some of their songs can be classed as heavy metal, I would suggest that they also have elements of classic hard rock and progressive rock scattered throughout their huge discography. 

They formed in 1968 and, despite the band splitting up in 1976 for eight years, they are still producing music. The line up changed a lot and the various incarnations have been labelled as Mark I to Mark IX as musicians and singers have come and gone. My favourite line up is the Mark II but all lineups have produced great songs. Most of the current and past members of the band have been my musical heroes since I was a teenager. Here are some of them:

Ian Paice – Current drummer - the only member who has been with all lineups of the band. He also played with Whitesnake when Deep Purple split up until the band reformed in 1984.

Roger Glover – Current Bass Guitar – has played with Rainbow as well and was a member of the Mark II lineup. He left in 1973 to be replaced by Glenn Hughes but rejoined in 1984 when the band reformed. 

Ian Gillan – Current vocalist – formed his own band called Gillan and was a member of the Mark II lineup. He left the band to be replaced by David Coverdale in 1973 and rejoined in 1984 when the band reformed. 

Jon Lord – Keyboards – also played with Whitesnake when the band split up and was part of the Mark II lineup. He was a constant member until he decided to retire in 2002. Sadly he passed away in 2012.

Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar – the legendary guitarist and one of my favourite guitarists of all time. He formed Rainbow and was a member of the Mark II lineup. He left in 1975 but rejoined in 1984 when the band reformed, leaving again in 1993. 

Don Airey – Keyboards – also played with Rainbow and many other bands I like. He replaced Jon Lord when he decided to retire in 2002. 

David Coverdale – Vocalist – joined after Ian Gillan left but formed Whitesnake when the band split up. 

Glenn Hughes – Singer/Bass Guitar player – has had a varied career since Deep Purple split up in 1976 and is still going strong. 

Steve Morse – Guitarist – had big shoes to fill replacing Ritchie Blackmore in 1993 but filled them very well. He left the band in 2022 to look after his wife who was ill. 

Deep Purple were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and honoured past members as well as the line up at the time. 

It has been difficult to list my top ten songs but I have managed it. If you ask me again this time next week it may be slightly different. 

10. Birds of Prey (from Infinite – 2016)

This is the newest song in the top ten and features the Mark VIII lineup. It is a slow burner, a kind of heavy blues song, a style I like a lot. However, what makes this special is Steve Morse’s guitar playing. The song reaches a crescendo at around the 4 minute mark where Morse takes over plays an amazing outro that lasts almost two minutes and demonstrates perfectly why he was a brilliant replacement for Ritchie Blackmore. 

9. Strange Kind of Woman (from Fireball – 1971)

Moving back in time, we have a song that is great but sounds much better live. This is from the legendary Mark II line up and when performed live features Ian Gillan and Ritchie Blackmore trying to copy each other using the incredible voice of Gillan and Blackmore’s virtuoso guitar playing. You get an idea of what I mean at the 5 minute mark. And also listen to full power of Ian Gillan’s voice at the 8 minute 15 second mark.  I doubt he can do that now. 

8. Smoke on the Water (from Machine Head -1972)

This is the song from the Mark II lineup that everybody knows and loves and I am guessing that there are people asking me why this isn’t number one. It is an iconic and amazing song with a great back story but I have heard it so many times that putting it number one would be boring and a little lazy. I really honestly do prefer those higher in the list and I genuinely love the song. If you have been living under a rock since 1972, here it is in its full glory. 

7. Weirdistan – (from Now What?! – 2012)

This is a song from the Mark VIII line up and once more features Steve Morse on guitar. Like me, this is a little bit of a weird song (you may have guessed from the title). The bass guitar is quite prominent on this song and it also features some great keyboard work from Don Airey. It all comes together in a package that pushes the right buttons for me. 

6. Woman from Tokyo (from Who Do We Think We Are – 1973)

This is another classic from the Mark II lineup. It may seem like a typical Deep Purple song yet there is mellow interlude that makes my spine tingle a little bit and occurs around the 2 minute mark. I just love it.

5. Burn (from Burn – 1973)

This is from the Mark III lineup and I posted it in my favourite David Coverdale songs, where it settled at a lofty Number 2. It’s a great song and, as I said in that post, I love Ritchie Blackmore’s guitarwork. 

4. Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming (from Purpendicular – 1996)

I used to go to site a lot when I worked, which meant taking trips abroad, sometimes alone. And sometimes I was away for three or four weeks and on occasion in the middle of nowhere where there wasn’t much to do other than work hard during the day and return to a hotel in a place where there wasn’t much to do. And sometimes it was quite lonely. 

This song from the Mark VII lineup is a sad but beautiful expression of that lonely frustration. It features superlative guitar playing from Steve Morse who really used this song to state that he was a worthy replacement for Ritchie Blackmore. 

3. Perfect Strangers (from Perfect Strangers – 1984)

In 1984 I was astounded and delighted to learn that Deep Purple were reforming with the classic Mark II line up and the result of that was the album Perfect Strangers. The title track is a perfect example of how I think the Mark II line up would have evolved if they had stayed together. The live version of this song is also very special complete with lasers. 

2. Highway Star (from Machine Head – 1972)

Highway Star from the classic Mark II lineup is a great driving song. I remember driving a car in the US and it was a boring and long journey with not a lot to see when I was stunned to hear this song appear on the radio. And this transformed the journey for me. I suddenly felt really good and the music make the journey far more interesting at least for five minutes. It features great interplay between Jon Lord’s keyboards and Ritchie Blackmore’s amazing guitar, all rounded off with Ian Gillan’s incredible voice. 

1. Child In Time (from In Rock – 1970)

I love progressive rock and to a lot of people that means self-indulgent long songs. To me, a good long prog song is like a mini symphony with varied themes and a story. Child in Time, from the legendary Mark II line up, is, to me at least, a brilliant progressive rock song. Yes, there is a little self-indulgence from Jon Lord and Ritche Blackmore but so what? As for Ian Gillan, he displays his entire vocal range brilliantly on this song and shows what an incredible singer he is. 

A Musical 2017

I want to say goodbye to 2017 on a positive note and there is nothing more positive than music in my eyes.

So if you will allow me a moment of self-indulgence I would like to share with you the music that crossed my path this year. 2017 was a great year in terms of music that allowed me once again to consolidate my collection with a couple of new artists and a couple of established ones.

First of all, I acquired the latest album by heavy metal superstars Metallica, called Hardwired..To Self-Destruct. As you can imagine, subtlety is a word that struggles to establish itself in any Metallica song and this is something that endears me to them. They may be getting on a bit now but the music is still terrific. Here is Now That We’re Dead:

Riverside, a magnificent Polish progressive rock band, released an album that is really a tribute to their guitarist, who sadly died in 2016. The album, Eye of the Soundscape, features experimental material that was released over the past few years as bonus tracks on other albums and is like nothing they have done before; it is mellow and atmospheric, and totally instrumental. The good news is that the band will carry on, which is great for me because at the moment they are one of my favourite bands. Here is Machines:

Also, in 2017, I enhanced my collection of Devin Townsend albums adding four of them, all of which are completely different. Ghost is an ambient album featuring flutes and laid back songs that you can listen to with scented candles in a dimly lit room. Ki is more subdued but with hints of Devin’s metal mayhem. Epicloud is a fantastic album featuring a mixture of ambience, pop, rock and heavy metal but the craziest album is Deconstruction, which is 75 minutes of pure heavy metal mayhem that grabs you by the throat and screams at you. Here are two songs, one from Ghost and one from Deconstruction. Do you think it is the same artist? Believe me it is. First here is the title is a song called Texada from Ghost:

Now we have Juular from Deconstruction. The song is as crazy as the video.

And with the promise of four albums in 2018, I am looking forward to next year.

Veteran rockers, Deep Purple also released an album in 2017. The album may prove to be their last but it proves that they still have something. Here is Time for Bedlam:

Gary Numan is also still going strong. He was very prominent in the 1980’s when I was into electronic music and his new album, Savage: Songs From a Broken World, reminds me of that time, albeit with a much darker sound. Here is My Name is Ruin:

Supergroup Black Country Communion reformed for a new album, featuring Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Derek Sherinian and Jason Bonham. The album, BCCIV, is an excellent collection of hard rock and blues rock songs. Here is The Last Song From My Resting Place – a truly beautiful piece of music:

Foo Fighters also returned this year with a new album Concrete and Gold.  And they didn’t let me down with some great songs, my favourite being Run with its highly amusing video:

You may not have heard of Neal Morse, but he is a progressive rock legend who was a founding member of a band called Spock’s Beard. Now he has a band called, unimaginatively, The Neal Morse Band that grabbed my attention because it features Mike Portnoy, the ex-drummer of Dream Theater. I decided to listen to an album they released a year or two ago, called Similitude of a Dream, which is a concept album based on The Pilgrim’s Progress. Neal Morse is a born again Christian and the album very much embraces this but that doesn’t detract me from enjoying what is a superb progressive rock masterpiece that I am proud to have in my collection. Here is Man in the Iron Cage:

I plan to investigate Neal Morse and Spock’s Beard next year.

Steven Wilson also released a new album this year and to me that is a major event. To the Bone marked a more pop oriented direction and he actually made a dent in the charts, forcing an appearance on BBC news as “the most famous British artist you have never heard of”. I hope this is the beginning of the recognition he deserves. The album itself is not as good as the previous masterpiece but still has amazing songs, my favourite of which is Detonation, a song about terrorism:

And finally – do you remember this pop song from the early 1980s?



The bass player in the band, Nick Beggs, has been playing with Steven Wilson for the past couple of years but has also branched out to form his own band called The Mute Gods. I picked up their second album called Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth. I was amazed at how good it is – and it is a far cry from his Kajagoogoo days. Here is the title track:

And if you are wondering, Tardigrades are microscopic animals that are, apparently, indestructible, able to survive radiation, extreme cold and heat and have even survived in low earth orbit, subjected to the extremes of space. It stands to reason they will be around after we have destroyed ourselves and the planet. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen for a while.

I am truly looking forward to a musical 2018.

Happy New Year to each and every reader

A Musical 2015

After last year, I didn’t think that 2015 would improve in terms of musical discoveries and new material but the truth is that it has been an awesome year.

There have been discoveries, rediscoveries and lots of new recordings. I spent a lot of money on music this year and could have spent a lot more.

Rediscoveries

Arena are a British progressive rock band and, thanks to a free CD on a classic rock magazine, I had two songs by the band in my collection. At the start of the year, I decided to check the band out a little more thoroughly. I now have three albums by the band: The Visitor, Immortal and Contagion and I have to say that they are all excellent albums, particularly Contagion which has a superb driving rock song called Witch Hunt, the highlight of three brilliant albums:

Way back in the early 1980’s Gary Numan was one of the most popular pop stars of the time, and has influenced a lot of fellow artists over the years including Nine Inch Nails, one of my favourite bands. In 2015 it came to my attention that he was still active when I caught an interview with him. I discovered that he had released an album in 2013 so I searched for it and had a listen. I was amazed. The album, Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind) is a triumph, dark, brooding and expresses the feelings of a mind in the deep throes of depression. Here is a brilliant song from the album called Love Hurt Bleed:

Discovery

Thanks to a chance search on Google, I found a collaboration between one of my favourite artists, Steven Wilson and a Polish artist I had never heard of called Mariusz Duda, who is the lead singer and bassist of a Polish progressive rock band called Riverside, who are absolutely magnificent.

I now have their first three albums, Out of Myself, Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement all of which form a concept trio called the Reality Dream Trilogy. This band are and will be massive in my collection and I am amazed they are not more widely known in progressive rock circles. Here is a beautiful song called Conceiving You from the best of the three albums, Second Life Syndrome:

Old Favourites with New Material

A lot of old favourites have released new material this year and here are the cream of the crop. First, Joe Satriani, my favourite guitarist, is back with a cracking new album called Shockwave Supernova. Here is a great driving rock song from the album called On Peregrine Wings:

Old favourites Whitesnake also released a new album this year. Rather than writing new material, David Coverdale, the lead singer, went back to his days with Deep Purple and recorded cover versions from his time with the band in an album called The Purple Album. To be honest, I am pleasantly surprised at the result; he has brought them into the 21st century and they are superb. Here is their version of my favourite Deep Purple song with Coverdale at the helm:

Muse also returned with a great new concept album called Drones. The thing I like about Muse albums is that there is always one absolutely driving classic rock song on each album that I can use to drive Mrs PM up the wall with. Drones is no exception and that song is particularly annoying because it contains a lot of swearing. Here is the song, called Psycho – reader discretion is required:

Psycho was very nearly my song of 2015 – but two pipped it to the post.

The band I discovered last year, Nightwish, released a brand new album this year called Endless Forms Most Beautiful, and it is a symphonic metal masterpiece. The band has a new female lead singer called Floor Jansen who has an absolutely amazing voice, able to reach operatic levels and deep growling heavy metal snarls. The last track of the album, The Greatest Show on Earth is a magnificent 24 minute symphonic metal epic, complete with orchestra that would fit snugly into a classical music connoisseur’s collection. If you fancy something new, look it up on YouTube – you won’t be disappointed if you like classical music with a hint of majesty and a generous helping of heavy metal. My second favourite new song of 2015 is called Yours Is An Empty Hope – a down to earth heavy metal opus backed magnificently by orchestral arrangements. Get your air guitars and violins out:

What can top that, I hear you cry. Sadly, for Nightwish, Steven Wilson also released a new album in 2015 called Hand. Cannot. Erase. This guy is a genius and I was lucky enough to see him live earlier this year, performing the album in its entirety. The album tells the deeply sad story, based on fact, of a young woman who was found dead in her flat and despite being popular, nobody missed her for three years.

The album is a triumph and, as the concept suggests, deeply sorrowful and thought-provoking. Perhaps the most poignant song on the entire album is a song about a woman who uses her daily household routine to keep her sane after suffering a real tragedy in her life. When this song was performed live, the beautiful animation you are about to see was played on a screen at the back of the stage and I am sure that there were a few years shed at the end of it. The song is called Routine and is a beautiful, yet deeply tragic song. Prepare to have your heart strings well and truly tugged:

I’m really looking forward to 2016 as it promises to be even better. New albums are due from Steven Wilson and Dream Theater and I have already discovered a new artist that will almost certainly feature heavily on my playlist when I next visit a music shop.

Here’s to a musical 2016 and I wish every single reader a wonderfully Happy New Year.

Rock Music Through The Decades

Rock music is dead.

Or so it is claimed by purveyors of crap music, like Kanye West. It makes me laugh that there are so many people out there convinced that this fact is true. However, the truth is that despite being given vary little airplay, relatively speaking, rock music thrives and is arguably far more popular now than it has ever been.

In fact, rock music has been around for my entire lifetime and show no signs of disappearing.

So with this in mind, I want to follow up the post Pop Music Through The Decades  with a new post focussing on some of my favourite rock songs during my lifetime.

As you can imagine I have a huge number of songs to pick from so I will choose songs by artists you will have heard of, rather than some of the more obscure bands and artists.

I hope you like them – and remember – rock will never die!

1960’s – Led Zeppelin – Dazed and Confused

Many people consider Led Zeppelin to be the founders of heavy metal.

I disagree – I think that honour goes to Black Sabbath. However, for me, Led Zeppelin were the first major rock band and my favourite album is their eponymous first album, released way back in 1969.

The album is clearly a rock album but also blended with blues influences. The song Dazed and Confused is my favourite from the album and starts like a true blues song before accelerating into a magnificent rock opus.

Robert Plant has a magnificent voice and sings the song with such passion that you feel his pain.

1970’s – AC/DC – Let There Be Rock



The best band to come out of Australia are still going strong today, having survived the tragic loss of their lead singer, Bon Scott, when the band was supposedly at its peak in the late 1970’s.

The band recovered almost immediately with Brian Johnson taking over and have gone from strength to strength.

I love this band but my favourite song, Let There Be Rock, encapsulates everything I love about the band. It is Bon Scott’s greatest moment as a singer.

In fact, it is my ringtone - and certainly wakes people up in the office.

“Let there be light – sound – drums – guitar – LET THERE BE ROCK!!!

You can’t put it any more succinctly than that.

1980’s – Whitesnake – Crying in the Rain (1982 version).

You may know Whitesnake as a big hair metal rock band that took America by storm in the late 1980’s with lead singer David Coverdale becoming a massive heartthrob for a generation of American women who fell in love with his music.

However, before then, Whitesnake were reasonably big in the UK but their style of music was more blues oriented. Although I like their American influenced period, I much prefer the period when they made an impact in the UK from the late 1970’s to early 1980’s.

To me that’s when their music was at its peak.

This song is a blues masterpiece, so much so that David Coverdale rerecorded it with his new Americanised version of the band in 1987. Sadly, that version is a shadow of the original from 1982.

Whitesnake are another band that are still going strong, albeit in a slightly different style again. In fact I am going to see them again later this year. They are sharing the bill with Def Leppard which leads me nicely to …

 1990’s – Def Leppard  - Pearl of Euphoria

Def Leppard have survived double tragedy. First, their drummer, Rick Allen, lost his arm in a car crash, something that you may think would have marked the end of his career. Amazingly, he recovered and with the help of a special drum kit, he resumed playing with just one arm. Secondly, the guitarist, Steve Clark, tragically died at the age of only thirty.

You would have thought that such tragedies would have killed the band. It didn’t and they are still going strong.

The band were at their peak in the 1980’s but this particular song from the 1990’s is one of my all time favourites. Another slightly blues influenced song, this is Def Leppard at their very best.

2000’s – Metallica – The Day That Never Comes

Metallica are another band that have been around since the 1980’s and are still going strong today. Their style of music is very fast heavy metal and nothing is better than cranking up the volume when feeling down and losing yourself in a wall of sonic perfection.

This song starts off very peacefully and gradually builds up to a wonderful heavy metal anthem with an amazing guitar driven instrumental crescendo – just the kind of song I like.

2010’s – Deep Purple – Vincent Price

Deep Purple have been around since the 1960’s – almost all of my life in fact – and they are still releasing music. One of the founding fathers of rock and heavy metal, I have loved this band since the 1970’s and throughout the line-up changes they have thrived, despite a hiatus in the late 1970’s early 1980’s.

The line up is very different now but the lead vocalist, Ian Gillan, still has a superb voice, despite being in his late 60’s.

It seems apt that the last and most recent song is by a band that’s been around from the very start again proving that rock will never die.

And Finally...

I hope you liked the songs.

There are plenty more where those came from.

Jon Lord - Rest In Peace

It’s a sign that I am getting older myself because the rock stars that I love are starting to fade. Yesterday I found out that another of my rock heroes had died.

The world has lost Jon Lord, keyboard player extraordinaire, a founding member of Deep Purple who also played with Whitesnake, two of the bands that have accompanied me on the trials and tribulations of my life.

Jon died at the age of 71 having been diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer.

I have seen Jon perform four times live; three times with Deep Purple and once with Whitesnake and all of the gigs are memorable in their own way.

Although many readers will not have heard of Jon Lord, I want to present ten of my favourite song featuring this keyboard wizard. Jon Lord was capable of turning a Hammond organ into a powerful rock instrument. The songs are chronological order. Please feel free to follow the links and judge for yourselves. Some of the songs are actually quite beautiful - though some are quite heavy.

Deep Purple – Child In Time

Ian Gillan’s vocals on this song are incredible, as is the sparring between Ritchie Blackmore on guitar and Jon on keyboards. From the album Deep Purple In Rock, released in 1970, but some eight years later I was discovering it for the first time. It also drove my dad to say “if this is the future of music then God help us.

Deep Purple – Highway Star 

Highway Star is probably my favourite track by Deep Purple. When I first heard this song I was a rebellious teenager and it was one of the songs that helped clear my head of those unruly thoughts, although my parents probably didn’t think so when I played it full blast at home. The song is from 1972 but I was irritating my parents with it in 1978.

Deep Purple – Woman From Tokyo

Woman From Tokyo isn’t a particularly heavy song but I really like it, particularly the mellow section in the middle. From the album Who Do We Think We Are.

Deep Purple – Burn 

Before Deep Purple’s self-destruction in the mid 1970’s Ian Gillan was replaced by David Coverdale who eventually formed Whitesnake, and Roger Glover made way for Glenn Hughes. Of course, by the time I discovered Deep Purple all of this had happened and Whitesnake existed in their own right. Sadly, the loss of Gillan was the beginning of the end for Deep Purple (at least until they rose again from the ashes in the mid-1980’s). Burn is the best Deep Purple song featuring David Coverdale.

Whitesnake – Take Me With You

  

Before Whitesnake became a huge big haired rock band in the mid 1980’s, they were a kind of blues rock band and the music from their early albums is my favourite by the band.  Jon Lord was a member of the band for six years and played keyboards on what, in my opinion, are their best albums. Take Me With You is from Whitesnake’s first album, Trouble.

Whitesnake – Blindman 

Blindman is one of my favourite songs. It is a beautiful mellow bluesy song and Jon Lord’s keyboard playing adds to the emotion of the song. It is from the album Ready An’ Willing released in 1980.

Whitesnake – Don’t Break My Heart Again

At the time this song was released, a lot of girls were breaking my heart again and again. It was a frustrating existence for me.  The song, from the album Come An’ Get It  was one of Whitesnake’s first chart songs and reminds me of getting ready to go out on a Saturday night all dressed up to attract women and failing spectacularly. I should perhaps have sung it to the girls I met.

Whitesnake – Crying In The Rain

Saints & Sinners is the last really good Whitesnake album before they finally cracked America. The band line up was in flux with band members leaving, though Jon Lord did stay for one more album after this. Crying In The Rain is a great bluesy track that was unfortunately rerecorded on the album 1987 when Whitesnake became huge. The version on Saints & Sinners, featuring Jon Lord is the best in my humble opinion.   

Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers 

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Deep Purple reformed in the mid 1980’s with their classic Mark II line up including Ian Gillan and Roger Glover.  They produced a wonderful album called Perfect Strangers. This is the title track of that album. The song reminds me of when I moved to Manchester where initially every person I met was a perfect stranger.

Deep Purple – Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming 

Deep Purple were still going strong in the mid 1990’s despite the departure of Ritchie Blackmore. Steve Morse filled the gap perfectly adequately on the album Purpendicular. This is one of my favourite songs because at that time of my life I really did feel like screaming and this song gave me a little bit of solace.

Rest in peace, Jon - we will miss you. Thanks for some fantastic music.

Top Ten Rock Bands

As you can see, I survived the first Christmas party – and jolly good it was too. Before the next one, tonight, I thought I would deviate from my usual inane drivel.

Every now and then I stumble across a blog post that lists the author’s favourite things and I find myself drawn in out of curiosity. I’ve read about favourite books, movies, bands, songs, cars – all sorts of things. In some cases I have actually investigated further by taking the time to see a movie because somebody recommended it in a Top Ten List.

I thought I would have a go myself and being a curious person (by that I mean a person who is curious not somebody who is weird – although I am weird – so maybe really am curious in more than one sense of the word – I’m rambling now so I’ll shut up), I thought I might give people an insight into the things that appeal to me and, hopefully, open doors for your curiosity to wander in and explore.

I’ll start off with a subject that is close to my heart – rock music.

Listed below are my ten favourite rock bands with a simple explanation about why I love them

Please feel free to comment on your favourites – my curiosity has a sense of adventure and I’m always willing to move into previously unexplored areas of rock music; I am the Starship Enterprise travelling through a universe of unexplored rock bands – willing to go where no plastic person has gone before.

For those willing to explore my strange world, here are my top ten rock bands:

(1) Rush – In my opinion, this band are the undisputed kings of progressive rock. I’ve praised this Canadian trio before so I won’t bore you too much with my sycophantic gushing. I have grown up with this band and their music never ceases to amaze me. Here is a song from the very first album I bought:

Subdivisions - from the album Signals

(2) Dream Theater – I’ve only recently discovered this band. They have been around for almost two decades and I am kicking myself that I only started listening to them this year. I bought “Images And Words” and haven’t looked back. Thanks to Spotify, I have heard their entire catalogue and I will have it in my possession by mid-2010. Here’s probably their most popular song:

Pull Me Under from the album Images and Words

(3) Nine Inch Nails – I am a huge fan of 80’s electronic pop music, particularly bands like Depeche Mode. Nine Inch Nails take that style of music and integrate rock and metal into it thus providing me with a style of music that fills the gap between pop and rock. I think Trent Reznor is a genius and the man can do no wrong in my eyes. Here’s a recent chart single:

The Hand That Feeds from the album With Teeth

(4) Rammstein – This bunch of German nutters are a joy to behold. I was converted when I saw them in the opening scenes of the film “XXX” performing “Feuer Frei” complete with flame throwers and other pyrotechnic mayhem. They are very controversial in their native Germany and a couple of Germans I have spoken to regard them with nothing but contempt. Having translated the lyrics I can see why. That said, however, they are incredible live and I am off to see them for the second time in February next year. Here is the song that started it all for me:

Feuer Frei from the album Mutter

(5) Deep Purple – Deep Purple are one of the key bands that made me fall in love with rock music. The legendary Mark II line up is still my favourite and songs like “Highway Star” still send shivers down my spine. The bad are still going strong after forty years – they must be doing something right.

Perfect Strangers from the album Perfect Strangers

(6) Foo Fighters – David Grohl is another musical hero of mine. I loved Nirvana but The Foo Fighters are superior and I’m still amazed at the sheer talent and charisma of the guy. If you haven’t already seen them live, I highly recommend it.

All My Life from the album One By One

(7) Judas Priest – There aren’t many famous people from my home town of Walsall but Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, is one of them. They are the godfathers of heavy metal and, although they have courted controversy, I still love them. Again they are still going strong and their latest concept album, Nostradamus, is one of the best heavy metal albums of this decade.

Nostradamus from the album Nostradamus

(8) The Wildhearts – Ginger, the singer and main songwriter of the Wildhearts, is another unsung hero of mine. Believe it or not this band has been around since the early nineties and, despite self-destructing on a number of occasions, they are (incredibly) still around and producing some of their best music at the moment. If you like punky rock music with incredibly catchy tunes you will love this band.

The New Flesh from the album The Wildhearts

(9) Metallica – It wasn’t until “Enter Sandman” that I realised just how good Metallica are. For me that was the song that changed my perception of this incredible band. For those of you that are sceptical, just listen to the album “Master of Puppets”. If you are still not convinced, listen to their most reason masterpiece, “Death Magnetic”. These are two of the best heavy metal albums of all time.

The Day That Never Comes from the album Death Magnetic

(10) Ten – Yes, I’ve mentioned this melodic rock band before and I know that you will have never heard of them. It is an absolute crime that this band never reached the heights of inferior bands like Bon Jovi. Gary Hughes, the man behind the band, is a superb songwriter. If you like melodic rock, you will love this band.

Fear The Force from the album Spellbound

Do have a listen and let me know what you think. Even better, please let me know your favourite rock bands and I will investigate. Have fun.

Guitar Heroes - Ritchie Blackmore

Ritchie Blackmore is probably my very first guitar hero. In the late seventies, as my musical taste drifted towards hard rock and heavy metal, the virtuosity of Ritchie Blackmore was a beacon that drew me in.

Deep Purple, at this stage, had imploded and Blackmore had created a new band called Rainbow. Both of these bands were extremely popular within my school and I began to collect their LPs, with what little cash I made from a paper round.

Chief amongst those albums was “Made In Japan”, a live recording made by Deep Purple’s unbelievable “Mark Two” line up in Tokyo and Osaka in 1972. I played the album so much that the vinyl almost melted. I became Ritchie Blackmore’s evil air guitar doppelganger as I leapt around my bedroom to the brilliant “Child In Time”, “Smoke On The Water”, “Space Truckin” and “Strange Kind Of Woman”.

I progressed onto Rainbow and continued to be an imaginary air guitarist, ripping through classic albums like “Rising” and “Long Live Rock And Roll” in my room. My father used to despair that his eldest son, now a mad haired heavy metal teenager, was leaping up and down, screaming in to the sound of music played at a volume that shook the walls.

Fast forward to 1984; a day that almost made me cry with joy - the reformation of Deep Purple with the classic “Mark Two” line up, with Ritchie, Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, Roger Glover and Ian Paice. The first album “Perfect Strangers” was a triumph as far as I was concerned. I also liked the follow up “The House Of Blue Light”.

Sadly, as brilliant a guitarist as he is, Ritchie Blackmore seems to have a streak in him that makes him very difficult to work with. Ian Gillan has been a famous casualty and their volatile relationship, although producing some classic timeless tunes, has also resulted in the initial destruction of Deep Purple at their peak and the eventual final departure of Blackmore from Deep Purple.

I was fortunate enough to see Deep Purple “Mark Two” at the Manchester Apollo in one of the last concerts before Blackmore left for good. The tension on the stage was tangible and Blackmore seemed to be so lonely there, almost as if he was playing a solo concert that happened to feature the rest of the band. I have only seen Ritchie Blackmore perform twice, and this second time was a disappointment. Sure, he played his guitar like it was part of himself, but there was something missing.

I keep thinking to myself, if only Blackmore hadn’t been so difficult, we could have had decades of Deep Purple brilliance.

Don’t get me wrong. Deep Purple are still making decent music even today. The only problem is, Blackmore is not part of the band. Instead, he has become sort of medieval mandolin player in a band called “Blackmore’s Night”, a style I can’t bring myself to like.

Despite the rollercoaster of Deep Purple, I still have nothing but the utmost admiration for Ritchie and he is still a huge hero of mine. As part of Rainbow, he produced the best rock album of the 1970’s – “Rising” – and on that album, one of the greatest rock songs of all time – “Stargazer”.


My favourite songs featuring Ritchie Blackmore are:

(1) Child In Time – Deep Purple
(2) Highway Star – Deep Purple
(3) Strange Kind Of Woman – Deep Purple
(4) Perfect Strangers – Deep Purple
(5) Space Truckin – Deep Purple
(6) Stargazer – Rainbow
(7) A Light In The Black – Rainbow
(8) Kill The King – Rainbow
(9) Spotlight Kid – Rainbow
(10) Difficult To Cure – Rainbow

His style is unique and his talent is almost immeasurable. The man was and is a true rock god. I would love to see Ritchie Blackmore abandon his medieval Renaissance folk rock and return to the axe-wielding rock guitar hero of my youth.

Finally, if you follow the link below you will find Ritchie Blackmore with the greatest Deep Purple line up performing "Child In Time" way back in 1970:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnts-7uNbC0

100 Rock Songs (61 To 70)

Ten more. Chronological again …

(61) Def Leppard – Desert Song

Def Leppard are huge and appeal to those whose favourite genre isn’t necessarily rock music. Their most successful albums are commercially very good, but nothing from “Hysteria” or “Pyromania” enters my list of favourite songs. Some of the band’s best songs are not those that were thrust into the American charts. The first entry for the band comes from 1993’s “Retroactive”. “Desert Song” is the first song on the album and is a mean and moody rock song that pushes all the right buttons. Those who like the commercial efforts will probably loathe this song but to me it represents the band at their brilliant best. Wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3UW2fR4x1Q

(62) Coverdale Page – Absolution Blues

“Absolution Blues” is another magnificent track from the brilliant Coverdale Page album. This track is more upbeat and Coverdale shrieks alongside Page’s guitar. What a shame they didn’t combine their talents to produce more albums. Unforgettable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwchxtO6cA

(63) Rush – Stick It Out

“Stick It Out” from the album “Counterparts” is not a typical Rush song; it is a lot heavier than they normally present to their fans with massive emphasis on the guitar and very little keyboard. Alex Lifeson uses his guitar talent to inject darkness into the song that you wouldn’t normally associate with the band. Top tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrquiUCuID4

(64) The Wildhearts – TV Tan

The man behind the Wildhearts, the enigmatic Ginger, is a flawed genius. He has the knack to write highly infectious punky rock songs that are so addictive you play them over and over again. In my opinion he is one of the most underrated rock stars in Britain. The album “Earth versus the Wildhearts” is a work of brilliance. I heard “TV Tan” on a late night rock show and was so obsessed with it that I bought the album, playing repeatedly for months. The man can do no wrong. Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8y-M_0UffE

(65) Coverdale Page – Don’t Leave Me This Way

With both Coverdale and Page being fans of the blues it was inevitable that there would be at least one bluesy song on their album. And what a song it is. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” is so breath-taking it brings tears of joy every time I hear it. Close your eyes, turn up the volume and listen to one of the best blues rock songs you will ever hear. Blues at its peak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcv6PiwkKEI

(66) Rush – Cut To The Chase

“Cut To The Chase” is another song from “Counterparts”, one of the best albums by Rush. Of all the songs by the band, this one is oddly addictive. Many won’t consider it to be one of their best but I find it fascinating. Again the keyboards have been minimised in favour of Alex Lifeson’s guitars to produce a great song. Sadly it is not widely available but certainly worth listening to if you are lucky enough to grab a copy of “Counterparts”

(67) Terrorvision – Discotheque Wreck

“Discotheque Wreck” is the best song from Bradford’s Terrorvision. They’re not everybody’s cup of tea but I really like the song – it’s amusing and fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF-Cf3MhP4w

(68) Deep Purple – Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming

When Ritchie Blackmore finally walked out on Deep Purple, I was bitterly disappointed. My favourite line up disintegrated before my eyes. I saw the band at the Manchester Apollo on that ill-fated tour and there was clear tension between Blackmore and Gillan. Blackmore’s replacement was Steve Morse and the band returned with the album “Purpendicular”. Despite the crap title, the album was terrific. “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” is the best song on that album and highlights just how good a guitarist Steve Morse is. The song is a wonderful bluesy number with great guitar. Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7xF51AFkys

(69) The Wildhearts - Caprice

“Caprice” is a fantastic song from the genius that is Ginger. Taken from the album “P.H.U.Q.”, the song shows the Wildhearts at their sonorous best. A true fist-pounder, it pushes all the right buttons and, typical of the Wildhearts, takes you on wonderfully heavy journey before ending abruptly just as you want more. Fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI0Dcrzfcu4

(70) Def Leppard – Pearl Of Euphoria

My favourite song by Def Leppard is a really obscure track from the album “Slang”. “Pearl Of Euphoria” is the last song on the album and, despite the title, is moody and dark. Sadly once again the song is not easily available so I implore you to listen to “Slang” and fast forward to the last song. You will definitely not regret it. Truly magnificent.

71 to 80 to follow …

100 Rock Songs (31 to 40)

The next bunch – again roughly chronological …

(31) Thin Lizzy – Thunder And Lightning

“Thunder And Lightning” was the last album by Thin Lizzy and arguably the best. It is certainly my favourite and heavier than a lot of their previous offerings. The title track is a great example of this. Subtle it is not. Fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHmu9k6WWcg

(32) Yes – Owner Of A Lonely Heart

Fans of Yes are not generally fans of “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”. From a personal point of view, though, I think the song is wonderful. Okay it is a little commercial and more of a pop song than a rock song to be fair. Despite this, I think it works and Yes fans who moan should take the song on its own merits. Classy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpmmeT69cE

(33) Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers

Deep Purple reformed in 1984 with the greatest line up, the Mark IV version, with Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and of course Jon Lord. “Perfect Strangers” the album was the result and the title track was released as the first single. And what a song it is. I’ve seen the band a couple of times and one of the highlights is the performance of this deep and moody number complete with lasers. Excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwoTaisFMIE

(34) Whitesnake – Slow And Easy

“Slow And Easy” is a bluesy masterpiece from Whitesnake, just before David Coverdale ditched this line up and set sail for superstardom in America. A real foot stomping song and shows Whitesnake at their very best. Unbeatable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4LQN1Bx1Q

(35) Faith No More – We Care A Lot

“We Care A Lot” is a great song by Faith No More with a superb bass line and great lyrics. To be honesty I prefer the band when Mike Patton was singing (he’s not present on this song) and have been fortunate to see him actually perform it. Top tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDwiTxXzFsA

(36) Megadeth – Peace Sells

I must admit that I didn’t really like Megadeth in the 1980’s. They were just a little too heavy for me. However, when I played “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” the song cropped up on the radio and it grew on me immensely, so much in fact that after several plays I was hooked. I rate it as one of the finest truly heavy metal songs from that decade. Heavy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DWoJBHibhM

(37) Rush – Turn The Page

“Hold Your Fire” is a classic Rush album full of fabulous songs. Every song is a classic in my view and “Turn The Page” is the best of them. Turn the volume up full and ascend into prog rock heaven. Songs like this prove that Rush are the greatest band on the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E0m0Gcblp0

(38) Whitesnake – Still Of The Night

David Coverdale morphed the Whitesnake I loved into a big-haired American rock band in 1987 and stripped away the blues to produce an album full of appeal to young college students. I was sad when I first heard the album “1987”. However, one track stood out a mile. “Still Of The Night” is a masterpiece and I take my hat off to David Coverdale for giving the world this fabulous track amongst AOR banality. What’s more, the accompanying video features Tawny Kitaen – say no more! Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqb5EcU65IQ

(39) Aerosmith – Rag Doll

Aerosmith are massive and have produced some great music over the decades. My favourite album is the first one I bought; “Permanent Vacation” from the late eighties. I bought it on the strength of two songs, one of which is featured in this list. “Rag Doll” is a superb feelgood song. Aerosmith are also one of the best bands I have seen live. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIAYxFApsEM

(40) Gary Moore – Over The Hills And Far Away

Gary Moore now sings the blues and while it is admirable that he has gone back to his roots and the music he loves, it is such a shame that he has left behind the pure belting rock music he performed in the eighties. “Over The Hills And Far Away” is a classic Celtic rock anthem, with pounding drums and violins. Unbeatable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyJEytBlp1I

41 to 50 to follow …

100 Rock Songs (1 To 10)

It was very difficult to whittle down my vast collection of rock music to a mere one hundred songs but I managed it. Here and for the next few posts, I will try to reveal those rock classics I have loved and still love over the decades. These songs are unbeatable in my eyes so here goes – again the order is chronological because as difficult as it was to trim the list to one hundred, it would be impossible to order them.

Enjoy …

(1) Led Zeppelin – Dazed And Confused

Led Zeppelin were one of the pioneers of rock music and, as this song demonstrates, have their roots firmly in blues music. Lyrically this song is a triumph. Robert Plant’s voice is at its brilliant best; Jimmy Page is a master on the guitar; John Paul Jones is a maestro on the bass guitar; Jon Bonham is a legend. Magnificent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eIwfym0TbY

(2) Deep Purple – Child In Time

Talking of pioneers, Deep Purple are up there with Led Zeppelin. Deep Purple, whose career spans decades, were and are still one of my favourite bands of all time. Over the years, they have produced many classics songs. “Child In Time” is one of my favourites and epitomizes the band at their very best. Ian Gillan’s vocal range is immense and this song demonstrates this range to the full. Of all the line ups, the “Mark IV” is my favourite. Ritchie Blackmore shows why he is regarded as one of the top guitarists in the world, and is ably accompanied by Ian Paice, John Lord and Roger Glover. Legendary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJCTrolF3CY

(3) Pink Floyd – One Of These Days

I first heard “One Of These Days” on a compilation album containing so-called “dance songs” by Pink Floyd, a band I would hardly describe as a creator of dance music. That said, the song does appeal to a wider range of people than your average Pink Floyd track, simply because you could dance to it, if you were so inclined, I guess. Personally I wouldn’t do so but that’s just me. The opening bass, drums and keyboard set the scene beautifully before the guitar joins the party. For me, the appeal is not the fact that it is a foot-tapper; there is a menacing undertone that becomes evident later on when the distorted vocal appears, for a few seconds only. Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQvG2SMVl84

(4) Deep Purple – Highway Star

“Highway Star” is my favourite song by Deep Purple. Putting it simply this song is the quintessential classic rock track. I have been lucky enough to see the “Mark IV” line up perform the song in their later years, before Ritchie Blackmore called it a day finally, and it was the highlight of the concert for me. It does not get any better than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgZSnAkQc4c

(5) Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven

This song is arguably Led Zeppelin at their peak. I can’t listen to this song without tears of pure joy running down my cheeks. From the faultless acoustic beginning, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page lead us through perfection and eventually the bass and drums join to help us all reach a crescendo of pure ecstasy of classic rock heaven. Wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayzhJKy8H_A

(6) Alice Cooper – Elected

How can this song have passed me by for so many years? Well in 1972 when the song was released I was too young to appreciate it – in fact I don’t actually recall ever hearing it in the seventies. All that changed when I saw Alice Cooper live about six years ago. “Elected” was the encore and the die hard Alice Cooper fans almost exploded in rapture. I was so enthralled that I went on a crusade to discover this masterpiece and haven’t looked back since. Unbelievably good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NawhWb8Uu5E

(7) Jethro Tull – Thick As A Brick

“Thick As A Brick” isn’t just a song – it is a dazzling concept album, performed with tongue firmly implanted in cheek. It is a fun album from an eccentric rock star, the unique Ian Anderson. Sadly the excerpt below doesn’t do the album justice. You really must listen to it in its entirety to fully appreciate just how good it is. Magnificent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toHlMD50eYY

(8) Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Black Sabbath are much maligned and extremely misunderstood. People who know nothing about the band and their origins just assume that the songs are played in satanic devil worship rituals. Those people should read about the band and listen to the music – especially the lyrics. “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” is the best song the band has written, for me typifying why this legendary band has so many fans and are the inspiration for many later bands. Dark and scary!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnsOAnojFVM

(9) Pink Floyd - Money

The album “Dark Side Of The Moon” propelled Pink Floyd into the stratosphere. I love the album and “Money” is the biggest diamond amongst the gems. Dave Gilmour’s guitar work on the track is tremendous and invites every rock fan to pick up their air guitars. Breath-taking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXQg7Oir1Bg

(10) Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird

“Freebird” is one of those songs that most people know or at least have heard of. Why? Well, simply because “Freebird” is one of the best classic rock anthems of all time. The first half of the song is a classic piece of melodic rock before in the second half, the band cranks up several gears and ascends into an epic guitar solo that takes the listener into rock heaven.
Remarkable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PENBU3lrpE&feature=related

11 to 20 to follow ...