I don’t think Deep Purple realized what influence they would have on the music business, nor did they have any clue that the band would still exist some 40 years later. In order to celebrate the anniversary of the release of the ‘Machine Head’ album, Eagle Record sort of re-releases the album, but the songs were covered by various famous and – in our countries that is – less famous artists.
The album opens with a version of one of Purple’s best known songs ‘Smoke On The Water’, with guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana on guitars of course, and Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach) on vocals, and a very good version they have made of it. Next in line is Chickenfoot with their version of ‘Highway Star’, in a live version. Once again a very good performance.
Third in line is Glenn Hughes, known from many bands and projects, but who also was part of Purple MK III once, assisted by Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers/Chickenfoot) to deliver their version of ‘Maybe I’m A Leo’, perhaps a lesser known song for most non Purple aficionados, but Glenn’s voice has such a characteristic timbre and he’s so good a singer that this song also sounds great.
‘Pictures Of Home’ is the fourth song, and is performed by Black Label Society. Compared to the three former sings it sounds a bit odd, but nevertheless also is good. Next in line is Kings Of Chaos with ‘Never Before’, followed by another version of ‘Smoke On The Water’, this time played by The Flaming Lips, - a very odd, mechanical sounding version it has become.
Then comes ‘Lazy’, performed by Jimmy Barnes, a very well known musician in Australia, but less known here, except maybe for his early work with Cold Chisel. He’s assisted by Joe Bonamassa on this track, and the song features song stunning guitar work. Then it’s Maiden’s turn to give us their version of ‘Space Truckin’ a song they once recorded to use as a B-side during the recordings for the ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ album, but never used.
The album is topped of by Metallica’s version of ‘When A Blind Man Cries’, a song that actually was not on the original ‘Machine Head’ album. And a very subdued version of this song they give us, you can almost not discern that it’s James Hetfield on vocals, but once the guitars kick in it’s clear that you’re listening to Metallica.
I may still have been wearing short trousers at the time the original album was released, yet these songs still stand like a house, and the revamped versions are about just as good as the originals.