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Thompson warmly yet mostly objectively tackles the history of the band in both a human, artistic and commercial sense. He acts as both a reporter and interpreter at times, connecting dots that sound reasonable without going overboard with wishful thinking or gossip. This is meant to be an authoritative and classy take on a wildly influential and equally misunderstood band. From the early rumbling of late 60s psych to epic hard rock of the 70s and ensuing line-up changes that gave way to confusion yet also bore some brilliant spots later on (Purpendicular was brilliant, who woulda thunk?)
Thompson does well to to explain or at least develop the idea that these guys often succeeded because of inner tension (In Rock) or lost the ball because of it (Who Do We Think We Are?, Stormbringer)….
The coal that burns in the oven here is Thompson’s personal interaction with the various band members and peripheral players. He is not just widdling through dusty rock mags and quoting them (though he does at times and should). You get the sense he knows these guys without being one of the inner circle. Nice balance.
Materially, this thing clocks in at a hair below 400 pages, thanks in part to an exhaustive family tree discography. We're talking session work stuff 90% of you didn't know about and probably do not care to know, but dang, it is an impressive work unto itself. Toss in some quality pics sprawling throughout the mid section and serve.
This book doesn’t really have an angle and that is why it works. It is just a careful, measured and thoroughly interesting overview of what is the Deep Purple story. A band that, because of and in spite of itself, continues on with success, even if us Yanks may not always get it. Now of course, we have no reason not to! 5 Stars.
