Deep Purple/Denmark 1988

From the 1988 tour accompanying the announcement of “NOBODY’S PERFECT”, which was the last tour for DEEP PURPLE’s fifth generation immediately after their reunion, the final performance of Copenhagen, Denmark on September 27th has been released as a 2-CD set. It’s decided. Using high-quality audience masters provided by overseas collectors, we will reproduce PURPLE’s 1988 live show with excellent sound. “THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT”, released in 1987, had a very difficult time producing the album, but once the band went on tour, things changed and the band once again showed an excellent performance typical of DEEP PURPLE. The mood of the band was such that the members recalled, “It was fun at that time,” and they performed fulfilling live shows in various places, including the European tour with BAD COMPANY as the opening venue, and the American tour in May. In order to take advantage of this momentum, an official recording was also conducted for the production of a live album during the 1987 tour. However, after Richie was injured at the Phoenix performance in the latter half of the American tour and canceled the remaining dates of the tour, the band’s atmosphere suddenly became uneasy. A second European tour was held from August to September, and live recording continued, but the renewed internal conflict put the band in jeopardy. After the band finished their tour in 1987, they completed their live album “NOBODY’S PERFECT”. It was released in June 1988 with the addition of a studio-recorded remake of “Hush.” The band played a live show in the US in August at Giants Stadium in New Jersey with AEROSMITH and GUNS N’ ROSES, and then toured Europe for about a month starting in September. In this work, the live performance in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 27th, which is the final stage, is recorded in its entirety with excellent audience sound. From the opening intro and “Highway Star”, the live performance is captured with great clarity and ideal sound spread, and the clarity will convince the listener of the master quality. Although there seems to be some distance between the taper and the stage, the balance between the direct feeling and the hall echo is at a good level to enjoy the realistic feeling typical of audience recording. Focusing on Gillan’s vocals, you can also clearly hear Richie’s guitar, John’s keyboard, Pace and Roger’s bass, and the well-balanced musical tone is amazing. As mentioned above, the band was already unstable at this time, but I don’t feel any negative aspects in the performance, and I even get the impression that a moderate amount of tension is tightening up the performance. Richie’s sharp guitar and Pace’s powerful drumming are in great condition from the beginning, and you can listen to wonderful plays on “Highway Star” and “Strange Kind Of Woman”. What’s even more impressive is Gillan’s vocals. On this day, there is so much tension that it overturns the listener’s expectations, and “Dead Or Alive” can be said to be one of the best takes from the same period, and you can enjoy a noteworthy performance. The following “Perfect Strangers” features John’s organ and Roger’s bass, highlighting the formality and gravity of the song, making it a must-see even during live performances. You can fully enjoy the charm of the 5th generation PURPLE, which has a high level of harmony between momentum, power, and the taste of mastery. Although the songs performed were almost the same as those on the 1987 tour, the uniqueness of the 1988 live was that they opened up new possibilities with changes in the order of the songs and slight differences in arrangement. “Black Night”, which was moved from the encore to the main part of the set, and “Lazy”, which had a slightly different approach from the previous year by including a drum solo, are typical examples. Also, on this day, you can enjoy the amazing performance of “Child In Time”, where Guillain’s singing was becoming difficult at that time, just like at the beginning of the 5th period. Of course, I can’t complain about Richie and John’s solos! In addition, you can enjoy the medley of “Knocking At Your Back Door” and “Space Truckin’,” which are the hallmarks of the 1988 live, with a first-class audience sound full of realism and power. The encore starting with “Woman From Tokyo” is also worth listening to. Not only “Speed ​​King” (with the riff of “Burn” of course) that rushes forward with overflowing power, but also “Hush” in the new “NOBODY’S PERFECT” version will liven up the live performance. At the end, the promised “Smoke On The Water” creates excitement that involves the entire venue, closing the live in a great culmination. This ’88 tour is known as the definitive version of the sound board sound source “KNOCK THE TRUCKIN'” leaked by the people involved. However, while there were some omissions and deterioration of the master, this work, which can be said to be the highest quality audience recording at the time, boasts a quality that is second to none. Furthermore, the 90-minute complete recording of the last live performance of the fifth period PURPLE is not to be missed in terms of material. Live at Valby Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark 27th September 1988 PERFECT SOUND Disc 1(44:18) 1. Intro. 2. Highway Star 3. Strange Kind Of Woman 4. Blues 5. Dead Or Alive 6. Perfect Strangers 7. Black Night 8. Child In Time Disc 2(46:01) 1. Lazy 2. Drum Solo/Lazy(reprise) 3. Difficult To Cure 4. Keyboard Solo 5. Knocking At Your Back Door 6. Space Truckin’ 7. Woman From Tokyo 8. Speed ​​King 9. Hush 10. Smoke On The Water Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar Ian Gillan – Vocal Roger Glover – Bass Jon Lord – Keyboards Ian Paice – Drums