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Back In Time: Watch Ian Paice performing “Highway Star” in drum clinic

Published on 12/10/2017

In this video below recorded live from The Pearl Drums Masterworks Cruise Germany a few months ago, the legendary Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice performed tbe band’s classic track “Highway Star”.

Check it out:

The song

“Highway Star” It is the opening track of Deep Purple’s 1972 album Machine Head and is the fastest song in tempo on the album. It is characterized by long, classically-inspired guitar and organ solos. Organist Jon Lord claimed that the organ and guitar solos were based on Bach-like chord sequences.

This song was born on a tour bus going to Portsmouth in 1971 when a reporter asked the band how they wrote songs. To demonstrate, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore grabbed an acoustic guitar and began playing a riff consisting of a single “G” repeated over and over, while vocalist Ian Gillan improvised lyrics over the top. The song was refined and was performed that same night.

The song first appears on the 1972 LP Machine Head. The track remains one of the band’s staples in live concerts, and was the set opener even before it was released on any album.

The very first live version released, recorded live for German TV program Beat-Club in September 1971, is featured on the History, Hits & Highlights ’68–’76 DVD. It’s the opening track on the live albums Nobody’s Perfect (1988), Come Hell or High Water (1994), and From The Setting Sun… (In Waken) (2015).

The most famous live version is featured on the 1972 live album Made in Japan. The Guardian said, “Blackmore’s playing is like a force of nature on the Made in Japan version; those slashing chords in the intro, and that amazing solo featuring the distinctive neo-classical descending runs, combining the spirits of Bach and Jimi Hendrix”

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Related Topics:back in time, CLASSIC ROCK, deep purple, Featured, hard rock, ian paice

Rafael Polcaro

I'm a Brazilian journalist who always loved Classic Rock and Heavy Metal music. That passion inspired me to create Rock and Roll Garage over 6 years ago. Music has always been a part of my life, helping me through tough times and being a support to celebrate the good ones. When I became a journalist, I knew I wanted to write about my passions. After graduating in journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, I pursued a postgraduate degree in digital communication at the same institution. The studies and experience in the field helped me improve the website and always bring the best of classic rock to the world! MTB: 0021377/MG