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Nick Simper + Nasty Habits = Mk1 Songbook

Nick Simper & Nasty Habits, Mk1 Songbook cover art; image courtesy of Wymer Records
Nick Simper Vienna09 by Ralph Grille 6Wymer Records in the UK is releasing an album of Mk1 songs recorded by Nick Simper with the Austrian band Nasty Habits. The album is aptly called The Deep Purple Mk1 Songbook. The first edition will be limited to 1,000 copies with bonus video footage including a Nick Simper interview. To coincide with this album Nick Simper & Nasty Habits will be also releasing a download single featuring a storming version of The Doors’ Roadhouse Blues and an alternative version of Hush.

Track list

  1. And The Address
  2. The Painter
  3. Mandrake Root
  4. Emmaretta
  5. Chasing Shadows
  6. Lalena
  7. Wring That Neck
  8. The Bird Has Flown
  9. Why Didn’t Rosemary
  10. Kentucky Woman
  11. Hush

Nick Simper – bass / vocals
Peter Brkusic – drums / vocals
Christian Heissenberger – guitar
Helmut Puschacher – keyboards
Christian Schmid – vocals / percussion

Catalogue No: TSA1002
Format: Limited edition jewel case enhanced CD with 12 page booklet
Retail price: £12.99
Release date: 16th August 2010

The album can be preordered through Wymer UK online store.

We will leave you with a little taste of what the band sounds like. Nick Simper and Nasty Habits live at Club Reigen, Vienna, Austria, March 14, 2009. Mandrake Root:

Thanks to Wymer for the info and to jimk01 for the video.



30 Comments to “Nick Simper + Nasty Habits = Mk1 Songbook”:

  1. 1
    Moreblack says:

    Well done Nick,long may you shine!!

  2. 2
    Karl-Heinz says:

    Wow, I know some live recordings of them. Fresh sound and a great Nick Simper!

    A rare chance to hear Mark I Songs played live!!

  3. 3
    Bo says:

    Great to see. Please visit us in Denmark VERY soon!!!!

  4. 4
    purplepriest1965 says:

    The singer is not my cup of tea.
    Ofcourse comparing him to Rod Evans is hopeless.

    I d like to see them live over here though……

  5. 5
    Made in England says:

    “Recordings”?? Is this a live show or a studio session?

    Sounds interesting though.

  6. 6
    João Fernandes says:

    humm … always was a fan of Nick, but this version is quite boring and sounds like your average cover band is playing !!

  7. 7
    grannypants says:

    The band is pretty good, but the vocalist?,,,,hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

  8. 8
    T says:

    Deep Purple MkI is often overlooked so this is great news. Not only did this version of the band release the first hits, enabling them to continue and do a prestigious tour of America, MkI also provided the embryonic Deep Purple with material from which they would eventually extract the hard elements for the line up that would follow.

    The tone bar rumbles of “And the Address” would be resurrected to open Mark II shows, and “Mandrake Root” along with “Wring That Neck” would continue as vehicles to highlight Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord.

    If one can overlook some of the poppier moments of MkI, the hard rock aspects of Purple were already there from the very first record. The Nick Simper album is a fitting tribute to those overlooked early years.

  9. 9
    Jeff Goyen says:

    Instrumentally sounds good, but the vocal is lacking….bit disappointing as a ‘tribute’ band like this should sound better in my humble opinion

  10. 10
    byron says:

    Warhorse was a great underrated band and they made two superb records.But I’ m not so impressed by this video-the original track is so much better and this singer..hmm

  11. 11
    Masse44 says:

    I have a hard time getting excited about this, really Nick..I’m sure you could get better gigs than this..Or at least bring along better drummer (and guitar player and singer and so on..)

    You could argue about him still playing all these old songs, but then I’d be close to be bashing my favourite band that he was part of 1968-69 hehehe.

    But really, a new album from the Purples is now a must. I’ll be seeing them soon and it’s the third time since the release of “Rapture”. One gig was brilliant, the next was pretty bad. This will be the last show I attend if they don’t bother to give us something new.

  12. 12
    Crimson Ghost says:

    I’ve aways loved his faithful to mkI Blackmore guitar sound, a nice take on Paicy in parts here too, and I do love both NH and The Good Old Boys. Glad to see Nick busy with music. Now Jerry…. anytime now mate, it’s been quite a while I think.

  13. 13
    Jeff Summers says:

    Singer might be better off in a Stones tribute band:) Great here this song still being played though…

  14. 14
    HardRockPete says:

    Great band, but the singer??? Get outta here!

  15. 15
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Hey Larry

    Who is Jerry?

    Mark

  16. 16
    Jerry says:

    The video posted here was over a year ago at their debut gig. The recent performances captured for the CD will show how the band has progressed since then.

    The whole idea of this project was to give Purple fans, the chance to hear those early songs brought back to life, something I personally never thought I would ever get the chance to witness.

    Blackmore, Lord, Gillan, Hughes, Coverdale and Turner have all done reworkings of Purple songs with their solo projects, and it’s nice to see Nick getting amongst it as well and Wymer Records thought it would make a nice souvenir for fans of early Purple. Particularly in the European territories where the original line-up is appreciated much more.

    The CD will be launched at the Rock Legends Festival in Poland on 15th August where Nick and the guys will play their biggest show yet to an anticipated 2-3,000, sharing the bill with Procul Harum.

    Having also already played gigs in Austria, Switzerland and Hungary, It’s hoped that they will get a chance to play in many other countries soon.

  17. 17
    peter brkusic says:

    Hi there, I´m very happy that so many comments are about our project with Nick Simper. The idear behind this is, that the Deep Purple Fans have a chance to listen to Mark 1 songs for the first time live. We do the Mark 1 Songs on our way and we are very proud how it worked. To copy Rod Evans or Jon Lord is impossible and make no sense. I think if we will play every evening a 1 to 1 copy of a Ritchie Blackmore solo it would be very boring. So Nick Simper & Nasty Habits hope you´ll like the album Peter Brkusic (NASTY HABITS)

  18. 18
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Owner of Wymer Records and MBTP. Nevermind the rest, hopefully it will sort itself out.

  19. 19
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Jerry Bloom, More Black Than Purple man.
    Ok.
    Thanx.

  20. 20
    Made in England says:

    It sounds promising. I have a bootleg recording (of another show?) which is also very good for an early show.

    I might just be tempted to buy this…

  21. 21
    T says:

    That same 14 March, 2009 show included the Deep Purple Mark I classics listed above, sans “The Bird Has Flown,” and the performance demonstrates the powerful instrumental capability of this group.

    A blistering version of “And the Address” was the opener–after playing the Helen Forrest recording of the song “Deep Purple”–with the rumbles of the organ leaving no doubt that these guys are serious! “And the Address” comes across as smoother and more confident than the jittery, nervous and slightly awkward original.

    “Wring That Neck” was also especially impressive–very powerful with that guitar/organ interplay we associate with Deep Purple. The old-style Purple-like solos are there, with the added bonus of an electric piano interlude including various classical themes such as Mozart’s “Rondo alla turca”. The keyboard player is outstanding.

    “Emmeretta” was also excellent, updated with a more modern guitar sound via a distortion in addition to the wah. Nick’s bass solo comes at the end, playing to the rhythm of the last chords of the song where the drum ‘solo’ fade-out appears on the recorded version. No two-handed trilling, sweeping and that lot–just very tasteful, melodic, entertaining and solid playing the way it should be done.

    Thus the band has a strong hold on the Mark I vibe–and not just Nick Simper. The drummer is also very solid throughout.

    The guitarist would have the most difficult spot in which to win over a Purple crowd. He is not a Ritchie Blackmore clone; however, as one can see in the above video, the attitude is present and his own style and interpretation fits extremely well in these live versions.

    One has to keep in mind that this group is performing interpretations of the Deep Purple recordings with only one original member in the band. The added bits, stylistic variations and arrangements are very well done and keeping in the “Purple” spirit. The featured video proves that. They “get” it!

    The vocalist does have an Evans-like timbre if not quite as deep as Rod, doing a particularly convincing job in “The Painter”.

    I get the impression that the singer is not a native English speaker and has some diction and articulation difficulties inherent with singing in another language. Turn it around. Imagine an American singing “Samstag Abend in unsere Straße…” It’s a bit of a tongue-twister. Let’s not forget this show is well over a year old!

    If the official recording has the same dynamics, energy and spirit as the 2009 show, it will be something to look forward to in yet another year without a Deep Purple album.

  22. 22
    marcinn says:

    Hi Peter,

    That’s what you did in Plock, and then in Slupsk, and I’m looking forward to the show on August 13. Keep rocking!

    It’s really refreshing to hear those songs performed live. They may be forgotten but once you see them performed in the live setting they just rock your soul and prove how great Mark 1 was. Looking forward to the album!

  23. 23
    Jerry says:

    Thanks T. Want a job as a publicist? LOL

  24. 24
    T says:

    My pleasure, Jerry. Good luck with this project. I’m sure there are plenty of Purple fans that will be excited to hear these songs again. The current band no longer identifies with the material. It’ll be a great show!

    Regards

    T

  25. 25
    errol arias says:

    Excellent ! my congratulations for Mr. Simper and Nasty Habits .. what a wonderfull surprise.. i really like it . My son and i really enjoyed this video.. Good, very good !

  26. 26
    Gillan60 says:

    it`s okay, if so many musicians still feed their families with the past Purple songs, because the good Nick could not. And with more authority than others who were 5 minutes in the history of DP. also the setlist is flawless and the band sounds good, at least as heard in the video. the singer is not that great, but not annoying.
    Well, we have to wait until the CD releases

  27. 27
    purplepriest1965 says:

    I m getting restless.
    Gonna give my MK 1 cds a spin.

    Join me Tracy?

    Can we arrange a UNEARTH Rod Evans re appraissal society together in order to get him into action.

    An evening of DP and Captain Beyond songs, how wonderful that would be.

    That would make mister barely happy a happy camper.

    The roads are open, the sea is split, we are on a roll soon…..

    IT S TIME TO ROCK!!!!

    Thanx to your fellow men to give me so much Uncle Sam energy through releasing so much great Americain Rock!!!!

    Cheers, Mark

  28. 28
    Tracy Heyder (aka Zero the Hero) says:

    I will gladly join you in the cause Mark. You lead the way, I will follow……

    Cheers

  29. 29
    purplepriest1965 says:

    We should first ask Larry where he lives so that we can stalk him, hehehe.

    I do not own the pmoney to travel that much but I m seriously able to do other steps.

  30. 30
    Sami says:

    I’m with you guys, let the stalking begin!…or as Al Pacino would put it…HA!! 🙂

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