Van Morrison: Saint Dominic's Preview
Highway Star
Maybe I'm A Leo
Pictures Of Home
Never Before
Smoke On The Water
Lazy
Space Truckin'
The Machine Head album was a turning point for Deep Purple. Suddenly, belatedly, people began to realise that Messrs Gillan, Blackmore, Lord, Glover and Paice weren’t a Led Zeppelin or a Black Sabbath; neither were they the “pop” Purple of the late 60s.
The band had hit on a unique, loose-limbed formula and were determinedly carving their own niche. Machine Head is a pivotal album because it set the template for Purple’s entire future direction.
Of course, it’s packed with timeless gems such as Smoke On The Water, Lazy, Highway Star and Space Truckin’. Purple’s stratospheric rise was also boosted by an edit of Smoke… that gave them a hit in America.
"We made Machine Head in three weeks and three days, I think," said Ritchie Blackmore, "It was very productive, very constructive, and it had some really good songs. It captured what we were about at the time."
Every week, Album of the Week Club listens to and discusses the album in question, votes on how good it is, and publishes our findings, with the aim of giving people reliable reviews and the wider rock community the chance to contribute.
Other albums released in March 1972
- Glitter - Gary Glitter
- Shades of a Blue Orphanage - Thin Lizzy
- Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
- Striking It Rich - Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
- Slade Alive! Slade
- Seven Separate Fools - Three Dog Night
- Bare Trees - Fleetwood Mac
- D&B Together - Delaney and Bonnie
- Feedback - Spirit
- Recall the Beginning... A Journey from Eden - Steve Miller Band
- Roadwork - Edgar Winter's White Trash
- Smokin' - Humble Pie
- Styx - Styx
What they said...
"Yes, the plodding shuffle of Maybe I'm a Leo shows some signs of age, but punchy singles Pictures of Home and Never Before remain as vital as ever, displaying Purple at their melodic best. And finally, the spectacular Space Truckin' drove Machine Head home with yet another tremendous Blackmore riff, providing a fitting conclusion to one of the essential hard rock albums of all time." (AllMusic)
"[Smoke On The Water's] devastating simplicity is the foundation stone of the whole record and one of rock’s most archetypal riffs. Not only heavy as hell, it was insanely catchy and the long-haired denim-wearing world grasped it to their bosom without a moment’s hesitation. Detailing the burning of the casino near Lake Geneva (which caused yer actual smoke on the water), the lyrical content perhaps presaged the internal fires that would consume the group." (BBC)
"Smoke on the Water is about a big fire in Montreux, obviously the most exciting thing to happen to these fellows since the London Symphony Orchestra. No jokes about who's getting burned, though – I approve of their speeding, and Ritchie Blackmore has copped some self-discipline as well as a few suspicious-sounding licks from his buddies in London. Personal to Paul Kantner: Check out Space Truckin'." (Robert Christgau)
What you said...
Mike Canoe: To my ears, Machine Head is the definitive Deep Purple album, Mark whatever. Come for the big three, stay for the just as impressive other four, with a special nod to Lazy and a slight ding to Never Before. And even if I have heard Smoke On The Water infinity times, there's something special about that riff, and you will hear it coming out of bedroom windows and guitar shops for all eternity.
I was reminded on my refresher listen on the way into work what a band album this is. Ritchie Blackmore seems to get the lion's share of the credit (and he's not even a Leo!), but all five members are at the tippy top of their game. I was once again wowed, in particular, by Jon Lord, the quintessential hard rock keyboardist by whom all others are measured. I am far from the world's biggest Deep Purple fan, but Machine Head is an undeniable masterpiece.
Greg Schwepe: Well, since Machine Head is such an iconic album in the annals of classic rock, I'm struggling to see if I can even offer any new, amazing, groundbreaking insight that hasn't been written before. Turns out I can't!
Machine Head is 37 minutes of riff-filled rock that's a mainstay on FM rock radio. Those songs are permanently saved on a classic rock fan's personal hard drive in their brain.
Since everything has already been written about this album, how about a few imagined quotes that may have been heard around Lake Geneva?
Emergency Dispatcher: “Fire at the Casino, all units en route. Possible cause: some stupid with a flare gun.”
Casino Concertgoer: “Wait, isn't that the guy from the Jazz Festival helping over there, pulling kids out of the ground?”
Local Townsperson: "What's going on at the Grand Hotel? I can hear a loud racket, see lights, and I saw a big truck parked on the grounds. Building must be empty, cold, and bare.”
9 out of 10 on this one for me. An album as sweet as Swiss chocolate.
Robin L Haddon: This was my gateway into rock music over 50 years ago. 10/10 perfection.
Graham Tarry: The first album that I bought with my own money! Still sounds so good all these years later. Pictures Of Home; that bass solo!
Chris Elliott: My teenage self would have sworn this was a great album. Purple were in some ways the constant in my teenage years - my metal period into my hippy period (headbanging to it - then later wittering utter shit with eyes like saucers). Today it's an album with two great tracks - two decent tracks. The rest is forgettable.
Oddly, my Deep Purple journey started with the Deepest Purple compilation when I was 14. Full circle, it's the Purple album I'd choose today. So the 16-year-old me gives it a 9. Now I'd be kind if I said 7.
Mark Herrington: It’s the mid 70s, probably the summer holidays, and I’m sitting in my mate Frank's house, a battered wood-effect turntable in the middle of the lounge floor. A succession of heavy rock LPs are played, one after the other, from a big pile, and of course, Deep Purple features heavily.
We sit around eating toast and drinking brews, discussing intricate guitar solos and replaying our favourite tracks over and over. This was my baptism, my introduction to Machine Head and all the others, and this week’s album was always played the whole way through. Gillan is in his prime with his amazing range, Blackmore totally mesmerising with his blend of classical and blues rock, Jon Lord’s keyboards a thrilling foil to Ritchie, awesome bass from Glover, and Paice delivering blistering percussion.
Machine Head is a cornerstone of hard rock, with its consistency and invention. It sounds as good now as it did to me back then as a teenager, marvelling at the mind-bending music booming out from that little record player in the lounge.
John Edgar: Can this possibly be the absolute perfect rock album? This release was one of my first music purchases. Everything about Machine Head is pretty much spot on. The performances, the writing, the production and even the flow of the songs. Here's the bottom line: If you don't own it, then purchase a copy. If you're a rock music fan, you need this album/CD in your collection. Also, please allow me to offer a shout-out to the 2024 remix of this album. It is a revelation.
Bob Graham: 10/10 ultra great.
Peter Thomas Webb: On revisiting Machine Head for probably the hundredth time since I first heard it in high school decades ago, I’m struck by how the album not only rocks, it swings. From the moment Highway Star kicks in, Deep Purple sound intent on proving themselves capable of playing any style of music. They just happened to choose heavy rock.
Ian Paice’s drumming dances across the grooves instead of laying into them. Jon Lord’s keyboards power the riffs like Jimmy Smith on steroids. Ritchie Blackmore’s lead guitar, remarkably clean for a hard rock record, is a masterclass in creative restraint. Often underrated is Roger Glover’s bass playing, which sounds straightforward until you notice how much Maybe I’m a Leo and Never Before hold firm with the low-end glue he provides. Ian Gillan is undoubtedly one of rock’s great vocalists, able to evoke the blues while screaming in the sixth octave.
I’ve come around to appreciating Smoke On The Water for its witty lyrics about a “stupid with a flare gun,” who torched Montreux Casino as Purple were preparing to record there (the song even tells you where they ended up). I still don’t like Space Truckin’, which gives me visions of a sci-fi Smokey and the Bandit in ways it probably shouldn't. On the other hand, When a Blind Man Cries, a first-rate outtake added to later reissues of Machine Head, is like discovering a new golden nugget in a well-mined vein. My rating: 9/10.
Philip Qvist: This is probably the easiest review that I am ever going to do, and I don't even need to listen to Machine Head this week either. It is one of my most played albums on my playlist, it fits easily in my Top 50 List, and it is one that I never get tired of playing either.
Most people here would be familiar with the story of how Machine Head was recorded, but if you are not, then read the lyrics of arguably the band's most famous song, Smoke On The Water.
That iconic track introduced to millions of wannabe guitarists a riff that was just asking to be played. To call this number an iconic classic would be a massive understatement; it's much more than that. But here's the thing, it's not even my favourite song on Machine Head.
When an album starts off with Highway Star (still one of my favourite songs to drive to) and ends with Space Truckin' then you already know that you are onto a good thing. Then there is the blues-influenced Lazy, complete with an awesome Hammond Organ introduction courtesy of Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore's playful riffs and singer Ian Gillan giving it all with a blistering harmonica solo. And don't forget the vastly underrated Pictures Of Home, not to mention Never Before and Maybe I'm A Leo.
Solid from start to finish, while credit must also be given to the rhythm section of Ian Pace and Roger Glover. These two musicians are the real drivers of every track on this record.
Is this Deep Purple's best album? Many will justifiably state a case for In Rock and the Mark III lineup's masterpiece Burn, but for me, Machine Head is their peak album. My verdict? Well, was there any doubt, a 10 from me.
Brian Carr: Funny, when I pulled this up to comment, the first response I saw was Philip Qvist, whose review begins with “This is probably the easiest review that I am ever going to do…” For me, Deep Purple’s Machine Head is really difficult to rate. It is an iconic album, supremely important in the history of rock music. It is a very good album, with fantastic performances all around.
And yet, I will probably never choose to listen to it. I don’t hate Machine Head, but there are two things I can point to that make it non-essential listening for me. One: for whatever reason, I’ve never been a big fan of Ian Gillan’s voice. While it doesn’t irritate me like many voices, it just doesn’t resonate with my ears. Secondly, there are some classic rock songs I will never tire of, and others that just strike me as “dinosaur rock.” There’s no rhyme or reason, but classic, revered tracks like Smoke On The Water and Space Truckin’ just plod along in my ear. Highway Star is close.
I do like the groove of Maybe I’m A Leo and Never Before. I suppose I prefer their funkier phase that would come with the Coverdale/Hughes era. So those are my thoughts, leaving me torn between the recognition of brilliance and personal preference, and at a total loss of what to rate it.
Mike Fildes: A stone-cold classic, nearly as good as In Rock.
Mark Deakin: Best of the Mark II lineup albums.
Hylton Blignaut: The original, the quadrophonic version and Roger Glover's 1997 remix are all never far from my turntable or CD player.
John Davidson: To my eternal shame, I only bought this album in the last few years. I had 24 Carat Purple, Burn and the double live In Concert album released in 1980 (better than Made In Japan), and that seemed to cover the bases pretty well.
I eventually bought the 1997 remix version, and it blew me away. I knew the songs, of course, but hearing them for the first time on an album, it really is all killer, no filler.
Highway Star and Smoke On The Water get most of the attention, but Lazy and Space Truckin' benefit from the tighter studio attention than the rambling live epics.
Of the others, Maybe I'm A Leo might have pretty naff lyrics, but it has a solid groove, Pictures Of Home romps along (presaging what Blackmore would do more of in Rainbow) and contains a great guitar solo as well. Never Before is a little bit funky (more of which would come in Mark III after Gillan and Glover left).
The production on the 1997 edition (which is what I have) is outstanding.
This album is the pinnacle of what Purple achieved, and, despite the many, many times I've heard the hits, it has neither faded nor jaded on the palate. A rare but well-deserved 10/10 for me.
Rubén Fernando Valverde Villamarín: Excelente álbum Y más su reproducción en vivo Made In Japan.
Caleb Bradley: The Made In Japan versions of these songs absolutely smoke the studio versions. No contest.
Nick Tedds: Prior to buying Machine Head, I was already familiar with the ferocious Highway Star, Space Truckin’ and Smoke on the Water thanks to the Deepest Purple compilation album from 1980. As with all retrospective delving into a back catalogue, there’s then a danger that an album may not stand up to the standard that the prime cuts have already served. No such issues with Machine Head, thankfully, although the aforementioned trio still remain my favourite tracks. The bonus of the gentle blues ballad When A Blind Man Cries’ – included on the 25th anniversary edition – is the icing on the cake.
Robby Jackson: One of the bands of the Unholy Trinity. What more can you say? 10/10 for Machine Head.
Gary Claydon: One of those albums that doesn't really need reviewing, its quality speaks for itself.
You want riffage? Purple were never short of that, thanks, of course, to the maestro Richie Blackmore. Take your pick. Includes one of the greatest, most recognisable guitar riffs of all time.
In the mood for some top-quality soloing? Well, man, did you come to the right place. What tickles your fancy? Guitar? check. Drums, bass, keys? Check, check and double check. But then, with Paice, Glover and Lord on board, you'd expect nothing less. Not forgetting Mr Gillan, one of the great heavy metal vocalists.
Highlights? Classic album opener Highway Star, the ubiquitous Smoke On The Water, Space Truckin' and the magnificent Lazy, which builds from loose-limbed jam to muscular blues-rock workout over an exhilarating seven+ minutes.
Chris Downing: The Ozzfest phenomenon of the late 90's is rightly seen as a pivotal moment in metal history, for it ushered in a great resurgence (commercially at least, for it always had strong creative proponents) in the genre, as grunge and alternative rock waned.
A byproduct of this, however, was an uncomfortable rewriting of history; not only did the Osborne camp now insist the original four were 'the only true Sabbath line-up', but we also had to contend with the fanciful idea they alone invented the genre.
While on balance Deep Purple realistically belong more in the hard rock category, thanks to their diversity transcending metal (not least the psychedelic jazz-rock of the Mark I era and the funk-blues influences of the Coverdale Mark III years), the definitive Mark II line-up of 1970-73 was equally as pivotal in forging heavy metal as we know it.
The boisterous, but technical, mind-blowing power of 1970's Deep Purple In Rock deserves to be in the same conversation as the legendary Sabbath debut - if anything, the former has had more direct musical influence on NWOBHM and power metal - but it is their 1972 effort Machine Head that probably defines this classic line-up, thanks largely to the brilliant Highway Star and Space Truckin' but especially the immortal Smoke On the Water, the bane of guitar shop owners worldwide.
Looking beyond the obvious hits, though, it's clear this album is top-notch quality throughout and deserves to be lauded with the all-time greats. From the anthemic singalong of Pictures Of Home to the showcase of Lazy, there's not a weak moment to be found, just a world-class band in their prime.
If there's one nit-pick to be had, it's the omission from the original version of the B-side, When a Blind Man Cries, which was thankfully included on subsequent re-releases and anniversary editions, a song which showcased their often-overlooked balladic side.
Essential listening. 10/10.
Adam Ranger: My favourite Purple album. In Rock and Burn are close contenders, but this is the one. (Made In Japan, with moments of brilliance, lost me at times with the extended jams).
Highway Star and Space Truckin' are brilliant open and closing tracks. Never Before starts with a funky bass line with guitar interplay. Lazy has that now iconic Hammond and guitar interplay. Maybe I'm A Leo and Pictures Of Home are less talked about, but they're definitely not fillers.
Gillan's voice is in top form throughout.
And then we have that track. Smoke On The Water may be loved and hated in equal measure. It's probably overplayed – anytime you have purple on the radio or a compilation, odds are it's that track – and that riff, seemingly so simple, is played badly by every budding rock guitarist.
But here's the thing, it's a classic for a reason. If you really listen to it, rather than dismiss it as that track you know too well, the bass and drums really drive this song; it's not all about that classic riff
And it's a ballad, in the true sense of the word. Not a soppy AOR ballad, a ballad used to be a story in verse or song. And this track really tells the story of how Machine Head was recorded. It's not Purple's best track, and not the best track on the album, but it deserves its place in rock history.
I have no qualms giving this album a 10.
Final score: 9.33 (185 votes cast, total score 1726)
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