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Tribute to Funky Claude

In a recent interview to Russian newspaper Kommersant Ian Gillan mentioned, among the usual, that the band is contemplating a special tribute to Claude Nobs during their visit to Montreux (they perform at the Jazz Festival on July 19). One idea being touted is to skip Smoke on the Water from the setlist on the […]

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Learnt to play ‘Smoke’ yet?

Say Fender : For more than 40 years now, Blackmore’s famously forceful G minor blues riff in the 1972 Deep Purple classic “Smoke on the Water” has served as the quintessential heavy rock guitar riff and a metal-melody primer for burgeoning rock guitarists everywhere. Its place in rock history is as solid as the stature […]

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Funky Claude

“Funky” Claude Nobs has been injured in a skiing accident during the Christmas break. “The Montreux Jazz Festival communicates that during the Christmas holidays Claude Nobs fell while practicing cross-country skiing. As a direct consequence of this accident, Mr. Claude Nobs underwent surgery at the CHUV (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois in Lausanne). He has remained […]

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All that jazz

Deep Purple have appeared on November 14 on French TV show Culturebox. Ian Gillan was interviewed and they did a wonderfully light, airy (pun intended) jazz rendition of Smoke on the Water live. (watch inside)

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Marshall: 50 Years of Loud

Marshall Amplification’s 50th anniversary event 50 Years Of Loud took place at Wembley Arena in London this Saturday, September 22. The event featured performances of number of guest musicians, with Glenn Hughes, Joe Satriani and several members of extended family among them. Glenn performed Black Country, Mr. Big (by Free), Mistreated (with Malmsteen on guitar). […]

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SOTW single

EMI will be releasing in UK a 7″ vinyl single of Smoke on The Water for the Record Store Day held this year on April 21. Simon Robinson reported a while ago that the version being prepared is from the 1972 In Concert show, newly remixed from 8 track masters. This print will be limited […]

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It died with an awful sound

40 years ago, on December 4, 1971, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention played a gig at the Casino de Montreux. You know the rest. In case you don’t, read on at the Darker Than Blue blog. MontreuxMusic.com has videos, pictures, and press clippings from the event that changed music history. Check them out. […]

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Smoke on the Water by brass band

Now, here’s a cover you don’t hear every day.

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Gillan on More Metal

During his recent “Rock Meets Classic” orchestra tour Ian Gillan gave an interview to More Metal which was recorded in Berlin on January 23. He also gets a gold record for “The Definite Smoke On The Water Show” CD. This CD was released in 2007 for the Guitar World Record (which we have announced).

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“One day I’ll get it right…”

In case you haven’t heard enough of Smoke on the Water, here is another one for you. During the grand opening of Roger Glover’s exhibition in Köln, he joined acoustic cover band Krysmah for a bit of fun.

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