[ d e e p P u r . p l e ) The Highway Star

The times they are a... not changing!

The first night in Italy for this strange Deep Purple featuring Steve Morse and Don Airey made me feel so cold.

The reason is the set: I like very much the 'new' "Fools" (Ian Gillan was fantastic and the solo was OK) and "Mary Long", and I like "No One Came" too, but I really HATE the way they play "Lazy" (except for Steve, who has the right feel), "Black Night" and "Highway Star" too. These songs are played like a cover band could do it. Little Ian plays "Lazy" from start to end in the same way (remember when he usually opened his hi-hat savagely at the end of Gillan's last part and let fly on his tom): "Black Night" is just a parody and finally... Steve Morse has played the same effects, the same solo and the same exit of the solo of "Highway Star" since 1995!!!

Hey boys, take a trip and change.

Sorry, I really love Deep Purple. I loved the "Purplendicular" tour with "Rosa's Cantina", "Purpendicular Waltz", "Cascades", etc. I loved the first leg of the A.Band.On.Tour with "Fingers", "Evil Louie", "Any Fule", "Almost Human" (greaaaat), etc. I also loved the second leg with "'69" (greaaat again) and a very special "Space Truckin'" (the best version I ever heard since the 70s).

So, Deep Purple recorded six studio album since 1985, five with Ian Gillan. I think it's stupid (excuse me, I am a gentleman) that they still play just two songs from these albums, and one of these two ("Perfect Strangers") has been played since November 1984!!!

What are you doing boys? A permanent greatest hits tour?

At last:
Steve Morse is a fine guitar play, especially when he decides to stop his exercises and start playing guitar. The intro to "When A Blind Man Cries" was disgusting.

Thank you.

Guido Cribiori


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