David Coverdale first entranced the rock world with his vocals as a onetime member of Deep Purple. The latest reissue from his own band, Whitesnake, will join his past and present together with some stirring archival finds for fans.
On October 13, Rhino will give 2015's The Purple Album the ongoing remaster/remix treatment it's given many of the other albums with Coverdale in the driver's seat. The remixed "Special Gold Edition" album of Mark III and Mark IV-era Deep Purple covers comes with a bonus disc of live material, alternate mixes, and the original demo tape that secured Coverdale the gig as the group's frontman more than 50 years ago. An accompanying Blu-ray is packed with music videos, live clips and new commentary from Coverdale on the album.
Deep Purple solidified their "Mark III" line-up in 1973 with a new frontman to replace Ian Gillan. Coverdale, an unknown from the English seaside town of Saltburn, possessed a bluesy tenor that appealed to guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. For four years, three albums and two line-ups (including the Mark IV unit that replaced Blackmore with the late Tommy Bolin), Coverdale fronted Deep Purple up until their 1976 dissolution. That tenure would plant the seeds of his own solo career, which coalesced around Whitesnake through the '70s, '80s and beyond.
The Purple Album features Coverdale backed by guitarist Reb Beach of Winger, part of Whitesnake since their 2002 reunion; a then-new guitarist, Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Joel Hoekstra; bassist Michael Devin and drummer Tommy Aldridge, who'd toured with the group when "Here I Go Again" became a smash hit and last played on 1989's Slip of the Tongue. The bonus disc offers five Deep Purple covers from an accompanying 2015 live album, six alternate mixes and four covers from The Fabulosa Brothers, Coverdale's band at the time - recorded to secure an audition with Deep Purple. The audio was restored from the original reel-to-reel tape, which Coverdale found in a trunk of his late mother's belongings. A selection of ideas the newly-recruited Coverdale devised for Deep Purple's Stormbringer (1974) closes out the bonus audio.
A 2LP pressing of the original album on gold vinyl will hit stores the same day as the new box. Pre-order both below.
The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition (Rhino, 2023)
CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD 1: Original album (2023 remix) (originally released as Frontiers FRCD 683, 2015)
- Burn
- Lay Down, Stay Down
- Love Child
- Holy Man
- The Gypsy
- Lady Double Dealer
- Might Just Take Your Life
- Mistreated
- Stormbringer
- Sail Away (Interpolating "Elegy for Jon")
- You Keep On Moving (featuring The Hook City Strings)
- Lady Luck
- Coming Home
- You Fool No One (Interpolating "Itchy Fingers") Dedicated in loving memory to Jeff Beck
- Soldier of Fortune
CD 2: Bonus material (* previously unreleased)
- Burn (Live)
- The Gypsy (Live)
- MIstreated (Live)
- You Fool No One (Live)
- Soldier of Fortune
- Holy Man (Unzipped) *
- Stormbringer (Punch in the Nuts Mix) *
- Love Child (Alternate Mix) *
- Soldier of Fortune (feat. Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings) *
- Soldier of Fortune (feat. The Hook City Strings) *
- Soldier of Fortune" (feat. The Hook City Strings) (Instrumental) *
- Everybody's Talkin' - The Fabulosa Brothers *
- Get Ready - The Fabulosa Brothers *
- Lonely Town, Lonely Street - The Fabulosa Brothers *
- Dancing in the Street - The Fabulosa Brothers *
- 1974 DC Demo Ideas for the Stormbringer Album *
Tracks 1-5 released on The Purple Tour - Rhino R2 564117, 2015
Blu-ray (* previously unreleased)
Purple Music Videos
- Lady Double Dealer
- Stormbringer
- Sail Away
- Soldier of Fortune
- The Gypsy
- Soldier of Fortune (feat. Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings) *
- Soldier of Fortune (feat. The Hook City Strings) *
Purplesnake Videos
- Lay Down, Stay Down *
- Holy Man *
- You Keep On Moving *
- You Fool No One *
Live Clips
- Burn (Live "Atlantis" Video)
- Burn/Stormbringer (Live in the Still of the Night)
- Soldier of Fortune (Starkers in Tokyo)
The Purple Tour Five Live
- Burn
- The Gypsy
- Mistreated
- You Fool No One
- Soldier of Fortune
The Purple Album: Behind the Scenes *
The Purple Album: Song-by-Song *
The Supermelon says
I've always admired David Coverdale's heartfelt appreciation for Deep Purple's legacy, and it's wonderful to see him paying tribute to the band in such a moving way!