Deep Purple – Long Beach 1971 
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Rating: B

earMUSIC has announced that on May 12, 2015 they will release the next album in their Deep Purple reissue series.  This time around they tackle the classic gig titled Long Beach 1971, which sounds better than ever thanks to a remastering treatment of the album! 

The album is over 70 minutes long and captures the famous MK II lineup of Blackmore/Lord/Glover/Gillan/Paice while in their youth!  The most famous times for the band were just around the corner, making this a great peek back into rock and roll history!

The date of the concert was July 30, 1971.  The show was originally broadcast on KUSC 91.5 FM.  Deep Purple was opening for Rod Stewart and The Faces.  While this release is only four songs long, these tracks cover everything that made this era of DP special.  There are searing organ solos, multi-octave vocals, a driving rhythm section and a whole bunch of guitar solos!

The band was just about to release what would later become a landmark album for hard rock and heavy metal, In Rock. Each member of DP was fired up, pumping out the hardest rocking stuff they had ever created.  They were not worried about time either!  “Speed King” is over 11 minutes, while “Strange Kind of Woman” clocks in about the same.  These tunes, however, prove to be short when compared to the 20-plus minute version of “Child in Time” and the 27-plus marathon of a tune from Deep Purple’s first album called “Mandrake Root.” 

This is yet another installation in a series of concerts from the days of yore that has die-hard DP fans drooling with excitement.  Sure, many may own bootlegs or unofficial releases, but this time around the concert sounds better than ever... making this the ONLY version worth listening to. 

At the end of the day, one can’t help feel bad for Mr. Stewart having to follow this band on this given night.  Deep Purple live was a dynamic force that changed the future of hard rock and heavy metal. 
 
Tracklist
1. Speed King
2. Strange Kind Of Woman
3. Child In Time
4. Mandrake Root
 

By Jeb Wright