Deep Purple

A Deeper Shade Of Purple

A Deeper Shade Of Purple

Imaginary 4CD Box Set

This is an imaginary 4CD box set compilation of non-album tracks, session tracks, live recordings, single edits and other obscure rarities compiled by Brian Currin, May to October 1998. Updated December 2002. It is unlikely that I will update this page again; so I think I will let it stand as an archive of the time.

I'd given up on ever seeing an official Rarities/ BBC sessions CD, so I decided to compile my own. This idea started off as a single CD concept and ended up as a 4CD box set!

I've tried to list the most common places to find these songs, so happy hunting! Tracks highlighted in yellow are available on the Shades (1968-1998) 4CD Box Set released by Rhino Records in March 1999. Tracks highlighted in orange are from Listen Learn Read On, the EMI 6CD Box Set released late in 2002.

  • Disc One - Ricochet: On The Radio

      • BBC Sessions:
    1. Hey Joe recorded January 1969, released on Shades Of Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000
    2. Hey Bop A Re Bop early version of The Painter (with different lyrics) recorded January 1969, released on Book Of Taliesyn CD re-issue in February 2000
    3. It's All Over recorded January 1969, released on Book Of Taliesyn CD re-issue in February 2000
    4. Emmaretta recorded January 1969, released on Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000
    5. Lalena recorded January 1969, released on Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000
    6. Wring That Neck recorded January 1969, released on Book Of Taliesyn CD re-issue in February 2000
    7. The Painter recorded June 1969, released on Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000
    8. Ricochet early version of Kneel And Pray/ Speed King recorded August 1969
    9. The Bird Has Flown recorded August 1969, released on New, Live And Rare Volume 3 EP
    10. John Stew recorded October 1969, aka Jam Stew and basis for Grabsplatter. Includes improvised vocals about "a mean-eyed woman".
    11. Grabsplatter instrumental track recorded 23rd September 1970, released on New, Live And Rare Volume 3 EP. See Grabsplatter trivia page for the full story.
    12. Speed King recorded October 1969, includes some Kneel And Pray lyrics
    13. Hard Lovin' Man recorded April 1970
    14. Child In Time recorded September 1970


      15. Rockline Radio, USA, 19 November 1990:
    15. King Of Dreams performed unplugged by Joe Lynn Turner & Roger Glover

      The South African "Unplugged" Radio Session 23rd March 1995:
      All songs are instrumentals performed by Jon Lord, Steve Morse and Roger Glover

    16. Black Night/ Child In Time
    17. The High Land aka The Highlander, early version of The Aviator
    18. When A Blind Man Cries
    19. Woman from Tokyo

  • Disc Two - Fire, Ice And Dynamite: In The Studio

      • Outtakes and Sessions:

    1. Shadows from Shades Of Deep Purple sessions released on The Deep Purple Anthology (LP only) and on the re-issue of Shades Of Deep Purple in February 2000
    2. Oh No No No recorded in New York, December 1968, released on Book Of Taliesyn CD re-issue in February 2000
    3. Playground instrumental from The Book Of Taliesyn sessions, released on Ritchie Blackmore - Rock Profile Volume 1. Remixed version released on Shades Of Deep Purple re-issue in February 2000
    4. Hallelujah from first Mk II session, June 1969, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's
    5. Cry Free from In Rock sessions, released on In Rock 25th Anniversary re-issue
    6. Jam Stew instrumental from In Rock sessions, released on In Rock 25th Anniversary re-issue
    7. I'm Alone from Fireball sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's and on Fireball 25th Anniversary re-issue
    8. Slow Train from Fireball sessions, released on Fireball 25th Anniversary re-issue
    9. Freedom from Fireball sessions, released on Fireball 25th Anniversary re-issue
    10. Painted Horse from Who Do We Think We Are! sessions, released on Powerhouse and on Who Do We Think We Are! Anniversary re-issue
    11. Coronarias Redig from Burn sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's
    12. Son Of Aleric (edit) studio jam from Perfect Strangers sessions. Full length version [10.00] was released on Knocking At Your Back Door and later re-issues of the Perfect Strangers CD. The single edit (5.25) was released on Shades (1968-1998) box set
    13. Cozmic Jazz studio jam from Perfect Strangers sessions, released on Japanese promo release of Knocking At Your Back Door
    14. Slow Down Sister from Slaves And Masters sessions, released as a track on the Love Conquers All CD single
    15. Fire, Ice And Dynamite recorded in 1990 as a four-piece with Joe Lynn Turner but without Jon Lord, released on Fire, Ice And Dynamite soundtrack
    16. Turtle Island Shuffle from Purpendicular sessions, released as a mail-order only single and credited to Dick Pimple
    17. Don't Hold Your Breath from Purpendicular sessions, bonus track on US and Japanese CD releases of Purpendicular


  • Disc Three - Highway Stars: On The Road

      • Live On TV:

    1. Help performed as Roundabout on Danish TV April 1968, released on Shades Of Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000
    2. Hush from Playboy After Dark TV Show October 1968, released on Heavy Metal Pioneers video and on Shades Of Deep Purple CD re-issue in February 2000


      3. Doing Their Thing TV Show, July 1970:
    3. Child In Time released on Doing Their Thing video

      The Beat Club TV Show, Germany, September 1971:
    4. Highway Star released on Ritchie Blackmore - Rock Profile Volume 1 and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001


      5. Live On Stage:
    5. Mumblin' Thing Blues from Cologne, Germany, 4th April 1970
    6. When A Blind Man Cries from St Gallen, Switzerland, 26th June 1994 with Joe Satriani


      7. Live On Rockline Radio, USA, 3 May 2000:
      performed unplugged by Ian Gillan, Steve Morse & Roger Glover
    7. You're Gonna Ruin My Life cover of a Lazy Lester song
    8. Knocking At Your Back Door
    9. Smoke On The Water

      Live At The Royal Albert Hall, September 1969:
    10. Hush, released on Powerhouse and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001
    11. Concerto For Group and Orchestra, 1st Movt Extract
    12. Concerto For Group and Orchestra, 2nd Movt Extract
    13. Concerto For Group and Orchestra, 3rd Movt Extract
    14. Concerto For Group and Orchestra, Encore

      Live At The Royal Festival Hall September 1970:
    15. Gemini Suite Finale Extract

  • Disc Four - The Boys Are Back In Town: Live 1968-1999

    1. Hush from Inglewood, October 1968
    2. Kneel And Pray (early version of Speed King) from Montreux October 1969
    3. Kentucky Woman (Mk I song preformed by Mk II) from Montreux October 1969
    4. Lucille from Denmark, March 1972, released on Scandinavian Nights video and Live In Denmark 1972 CD
    5. Fire In The Basement from Copenhagen, March 1991
    6. A Whiter Shade Of Pale from London, March 1991
    7. Smoke On The Water (including In The Hall Of The Mountain King) from Philadelphia, April 1991
    8. Beethoven from Come Hell Or High Water video, Birmingham November 1993
      ~Difficult To Cure
      ~Für Elise
    9. Space Truckin' from Come Hell Or High Water video, Birmingham November 1993
      ~Woman From Tokyo
      ~Paint It Black
    10. Ramshackle Man from Japan, December 1993 with Joe Satriani
    11. The Boys Are Back in Town/ Pictures Of Home from Germany June 1999
    12. Hush from Germany, August 2001 (with Don Airey)




  • Impossible to find:
    This is a list of songs that I've heard about, but that seem to be impossible to find.


    • Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan) recorded in New York, December 1968
    • Glory Road (Neil Diamond) recorded in New York, December 1968
    • Smelly Botty (with Jon Lord on vocals) from Who Do We Think We Are! sessions
    • It's Only Make Believe (the Conway Twitty song) from Who Do We Think We Are! sessions
    • RIJIR studio jam from Perfect Strangers sessions. Title from band members initials: Ritchie-Ian-Jon-Ian-Roger
    • The Stallion from Purpendicular sessions
      Not to be confused with an instrumental song called The Stallion which was recorded by Nick Simper's Fandango in 1979 and released on the Deep Purple Family Album.
    • Lonely For You from The Battle Rages On sessions, but with Joe Lynn Turner
    • Stroke Of Midnight from The Battle Rages On sessions, but with Joe Lynn Turner


  • No more space:
    There are many more songs that could have been included... here are some of them...

    • Love Help Me instrumental version, from Shades Of Deep Purple sessions, released on The Deep Purple Anthology (LP only) and on the re-issue of Shades Of Deep Purple in February 2000
    • Concerto (edit), released as a promo single with a voice over in 1970
    • Bloodsucker BBC session
    • Living Wreck BBC session
    • Into The Fire BBC session
    • Black Night unedited Roger Glover remix, from In Rock sessions, available on In Rock 25th Anniversary re-issue
    • Strange Kind Of Woman (US album version, slightly longer than UK version) from Fireball sessions, '96 remix available on Fireball 25th Anniversary re-issue
    • Smoke On The Water Quadrophonic mix version released on The Deep Purple Anthology (LP only)
    • Never Before Quadrophonic mix version released on The Deep Purple Anthology (LP only)
    • Woman from Tokyo single edit, released on The Very Best Of (30th Anniversary) (1CD version)
    • Burn single edit, released on The Very Best Of (30th Anniversary) (1CD version)
    • Emmaretta from Deep Purple sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's
    • The Bird Has Flown demo version, single B-side - from Deep Purple sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's
    • Speed King piano version, from In Rock sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's and on In Rock 25th Anniversary re-issue
    • Fireball take 1, instrumental version - from Fireball sessions, released on Fireball 25th Anniversary re-issue
    • When A Blind Man Cries from Machine Head sessions, released on The Compact Singles A's & B's and on Machine Head 25th Anniversary re-issue
    • No No No from The Beat Club TV Show, Germany, September 1971, released on Ritchie Blackmore- Rock Profile Volume 1 and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001
    • Dead Or Alive from Italy 1987, released on Nobody's Perfect (Cassette only), on 1999 CD re-issue of Nobody's Perfect and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001
    • Space Truckin', released on Nobody's Perfect (Vinyl only), on 1999 CD re-issue of Nobody's Perfect and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001
    • Bad Attitude, released on Nobody's Perfect (Vinyl only), on 1999 CD re-issue of Nobody's Perfect and Deep Purple On The Road 4CD box set in Sept 2001
    • Guitar Parade from Australia, April 1999, released on Total Abandon Australia 99 CD, video & DVD
      including excerpts from...
      ~Heartbreaker
      ~Whole Lotta Love
      ~Fire
      ~Crossroads
      ~Day Tripper
      ~House Of The Rising Sun
      ~You Really Got Me
      into...
    • Smoke On The Water from Australia, April 1999, released on Total Abandon Australia 99 CD, video & DVD
    • Woman From Tokyo from Rockline Radio May 2000

References & Sources:

Jouni's Discography pages at The Highway Star
Alphabetical Song List at The Highway Star
Grabsplatter trivia page
Nigel Young's Deep Purple Diary
Mash's Tour Dates page
Deep Purple - The Illustrated Biography Book by Chris Charlesworth (Omnibus, 1983)
Listen Learn Read On EMI 6CD Box Set (2002)
Brian Currin's LP, tape, video and CD collection
Joel Hammerman
Michael Richards, author of "Deep Purple: Live Cassette Analysis"

Any reasonable comments to Brian Currin

©1998-2002, Brian Currin

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