Deep Purple: "Smoke on the Water" (1971)

Описание: Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" documents an actual event, the 1971 fire at Montreux Casino in Switzerland. Frank Zappa and the Mothers were playing the final concert before this venue's annual shutdown for winter renovations. During a "King Kong" synthesizer solo, one audience member fired a flare gun at the rattan-covered ceiling, setting the place ablaze and ultimately destroying the entire casino complex and all of the Mothers' equipment.

British band Deep Purple was at a nearby hotel, waiting to use the empty theater for recording sessions. Some of them watched the conflagration and a smoke cloud that hovered low over Lake Geneva. The song's title resulted from their bassist mentioning a dream he'd had a few nights later of "smoke on the water".


PERSONNEL: Ritchie Blackmore (guitars); Ian Gillan (lead & backing vocals); Roger Glover (bass guitar); Jon Lord (Hammond organ); Ian Paice (drums); Deep Purple (composers, producers); Martin Birch (engineer); Jeremy "Bear" Gee (asst. engineer)

Recorded Dec. 1971 and released March '72 on vinyl WARNER BROS.
LP #BS 2607 (S40126), "Machine Head DEEP PURPLE"

Edited 45 reissued May '73 on styrene WARNER BROS. 45 #7710 (QAA 5307)

Source: 2003 SONY Music various artists CD #TSP-71896,
"Casey Kasem Presents AMERICA'S Top Ten Hits"