Deep Purple – Highway Star

“Highway Star” – Single by Deep Purple from the album Machine Head. B-side: “Highway Star (long version)”. Released in March 1972.

The very first live version released, recorded live for German TV program Beat-Club in September 1971, is featured on the History, Hits & Highlights ’68–’76 DVD. The most famous live version is featured on the 1972 live album Made in Japan. The Guardian said, “Blackmore’s playing is like a force of nature on the Made in Japan version; those slashing chords in the intro, and that amazing solo featuring the distinctive neo-classical descending runs, combining the spirits of Bach and Jimi Hendrix.”

According to Deep Purple bass player Roger Glover, the band wrote “Highway Star” on their tour bus on the way to a gig at the Portsmouth Guildhall (in the UK) on September 13, 1971, where they debuted the song. They wrote it because they were getting sick of their opening number, “Speed King”; “Highway Star” became their opener from that point on. The song evolved through live performances, and was recorded for the Machine Head album in December 1971.

This is one of the most famous driving songs in rock, right up there with Steppenwolf’s “Born To Be Wild,” Golden Earring’s “Radar Love.”

Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar solo on this track was ranked #15 on Guitar World magazine’s 2008 list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. In the issue, Blackmore explained how he did it: “I wrote that out note for note about a week before we recorded it. I wanted it to sound like someone driving in a fast car, for it to be one of those songs you would listen to while speeding. And I wanted a very definite Bach sound, which is why I wrote it out – and why I played those very rigid arpeggios across that very familiar Bach progression – Dm, Gm, Cmaj, Amaj.”

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Deep Purple - Highway Star

Deep Purple - Highway Star 1972 Video HQ05:52

Deep Purple – Highway Star  from the album Machine Head (1972).

Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar, Jon Lord – Keyboards, Organ Ian Paice – Drums Ian Gillan – Vocals Roger Glover – Bass Guitar.

Aceasta piesă fost compusă de Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Jon Lord și Roger Glover. Este posibil să fi fost inspirat din „Born To Be Wild” de Steppenwolf și, împreună cu „Radar Love”, este una dintre cele mai faimoase melodii pentru condus mașina, la ceva viteză peste limită.

Potrivit lui Roger Glover, aceștia au scris această melodie în autobuzul lor, în drum spre un concert la Portsmouth Guildhall (în Marea Britanie) pe 13 septembrie 1971, unde au debutat piesa. Au scris-o pentru că s-au săturat de piesa lor de deschidere, „Speed King”; „Highway Star” a devenit noul deschidere pentru concertele lor. Piesa a evoluat prin spectacole live, și a fost înregistrată pentru albumul Machine Head în Decembrie 1971.

Soloul de chitară din această melodie a fost clasat pe locul 19 în lista celor 100  solo-uri de chitară (Greatest Guitar Solos) de revista Guitar World.

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