Deep Purple Burn Cal Jam

[Ritchie200]

Things have been a little quiet here so I thought I would post this one.

This is Deep Purple MKIII with Hughes and Coverdale, my second fav version of Deep Purple.  I think Ritchie was probably at the top of his R&R game at this point.  This song is the MKIII equivalent to the MKII Highway Star.  Shared guitar/keyboard solo with distinct classical influence, then the keyboard solo with Ritchie providing great counterpoint.  There are so many great nuances to this tune, it is VERY difficult to play correctly - especially this live version.  Jon Lord is absolutely killing it, great playing, great Hammond grind into some big crown amps pushing the leslies!  Coverdale does a pretty good job.  Hughes is just ridiculous.  Trying, and failing, to scream like Gillan.  Glenn has a fantastic voice, when he uses it.  The best part is Ritchie's guitar/amp tone.  This is what a Major sounds like running full bore....magic!!!

Hope you enjoy!
Jim Blackmore

Deep Purple - Burn 1974 HD (Live in California)

[Ed_Chambley]

Great stuff.  Blackmore's Strat has maple on the fingerboard.  I guess maple rocks pretty good too.  Proven here.  How much fun would it be to be playing 3 Majors with full stacks.

Why do they have the Rainbow on stage?

[Ritchie200]

There is always more than meets the ear - so to speak - with Ritchie's stuff.  I've seen alternate camera footage of Ritchie playing that classical riff looking around smiling or his eyes were closed.  I cant play it staring at the neck....  Again, the counterpoint to Jon's solo is brilliant!

That rainbow was the Cal Jam logo.  Supposedly, this is what gave Ritchie his idea for the name of his solo project and also that disaster of a light show rainbow that he used in the 70's.  It was built by SeeFactor and was fired by SCR's that made such a racket, his sound guys were ready to kill him.  It had to be completely turned off for the quiet parts and many times did not work at all.  Dawk was working overtime to shield his amps and his Strats, try different pickups, and ultimately found the radar paint that we see Stewmac selling today.  I posted another video of Ritchie playing a beautiful quiet intro to Over the Rainbow.  Notice the Rainbow was turned off!

HOWEVER, the slightly inflated ego of Coverdale insists it was his lyrics in Stormbringer "...ride the rainbow....rainbow shaker..." that inspired Ritchie to name his band. Yeah......

I've played my single head through all four 4x12 cabinets at a couple of outdoor gigs and that was an awesome experience.  My bass player had an SVT and it had to be miced.  Dawk was really pushing those heads running the KT88s way over spec.  Dawk said he had to re-tube about every two weeks.  Then there were the transformer fires.....  Ritchie played that natural finish maple neck for several years and I think he dropped and broke it sometime early Rainbow.  Dawk said he was pissed but found he liked the rosewoods better.  I think he could have played a tub thumper and made it sound good.  I mean after all, he did pick up that hollow tele for Blackmore's Night....

Jim

[Ritchie200]

Ha, just noticed this.  At the begining they all come in for the "ta da"-quick check the PA levels before we start the song.  Ed you asked how loud the Majors get?  Notice Ritchie is way out at the edge of the stage in front of the camera and some rigging.  His cabinets are pointed probably 45 degrees away from him at that point, plus all of the obstructions.  He is way stage right and didnt have to turn a certain way to get that note to feed back, it just went!  Do you know how hard it is to do that outside?!?!  yeah....

Hughes was using Hiwatt 200 watters back then with all those bins.  I'll bet he could make things shake!

Jim

[Ed_Chambley]

Ha, just noticed this.  At the begining they all come in for the "ta da"-quick check the PA levels before we start the song.  Ed you asked how loud the Majors get?  Notice Ritchie is way out at the edge of the stage in front of the camera and some rigging.  His cabinets are pointed probably 45 degrees away from him at that point, plus all of the obstructions.  He is way stage right and didnt have to turn a certain way to get that note to feed back, it just went!  Do you know how hard it is to do that outside?!?!  yeah....

Hughes was using Hiwatt 200 watters back then with all those bins.  I'll bet he could make things shake!

Jim

Yes, I do know how hard it is to do this outside.  I have seen purple when he was using the Majors, but was not close enough to know the stage volume.  I know my rig I used in the 70's was a 100 watt Marshall with an 8, 10's marshall cab.  Remember those?  Back then we could use it in smaller clubs and still crank them.  We used to listen to music much louder and that is why I cannot hear very well any more.  I get a kick out of my friend asking me what his mix sounds like compared to another.  Unless there is a big difference, I cannot tell.

[Geezer]

Cool vid of cool days.......just noticed the blimp flyin' by @3:58.... right by Richie's nose!

[Ritchie200]

Yeah, those were cool days.  Music was wide open and diverse, not the targeted formula crap we get today.

Ed, I do remember those 8x10's!  Trower actually played one (or two!) for a few years.  A buddy of mine had a Marshall 50 watter on one.  I thought it sounded really good, but I liked the woody 4x12 better.  That 8x10 was a bear to move!  Heavy and awkward, you had to have a van to move it because it was so big.

Jim

[Willabe]

Trower has said he recorded some albums with the 4x10" cab.


            Brad