Machine Head

Oh my god please stop giving me shit old dad rock.

One of the giants of rock and the album that out them there. The legendary first chords learned by a generation of guitar players was the opening riff from the rock anthem Smoke On The Water. Richie Blackmore's guitar icon status aside, the secret sauce of Machine Head is Jon Lord's revolutionary sound design created by piping his Hammond organ through a Marshall amplifier, giving Deep Purple a key component of their signature sound. A landmark album front to back.

Deep Purple made great albums before and after Machine Head but it is here where everything worked. Like all classic albums, this one is defined as much by the deep cuts as much as it is the singles and the ones that endured on classic rock radio. The single and the track that everyone knows, is "Smoke in the Water", as memorable a classic rock song as any thanks not only because of Ritchie Blackmore's iconic guitar riff but by its chorus, Jon Lord's keyboard lines, and Ian Gillian's powerful vocal. Nearly as memorable is the soaring "Highway Star", where both Lord and Blackmore shine like the sun during their solos, and the glorious riffs that carry the excellent closer "Space Truckin". The aforementioned deep cuts are all killers as "Maybe I'm A Leo" is carried by another killer riff while "Never Before" is defined by its groove and Lord's magical keyboard lines while the driving "Pictures of Home" is anchored by the superb rhythm laid down by drummer Ian Paice and bassist Roger Glover and features more Blackmore goodness. Finally, "Lazy" is a tour de force for Lord that is one of those great tracks that is most appreciated after hours. Deep Purple made a ton of strong albums but Machine Head is their Mona Lisa.

I mean, "Smoke on the Water" amirite? I feel like you get an automatic 2 star bonus just for that song. That said, I can see why this band is often (erroneously) included on one-hit-wonder lists. Their songwriting is, for the most part, mediocre. It's just generic 70s, white-guy, early-metal. The guitar solos in particular are just really REALLY uninspired and boring. But this band was a powerhouse band that was instrumental in moving metal into the mainstream cultural conciousness. This album is an integral piece of the heavy metal story... but it's not the most important or impressive piece. I ALMOST gave this 3 stars but the insane keys intro for "Lazy" tipped it over to a 4 star review. That track is tasty as hell. In fact, the album is back-stacked with the last 4 tracks (starting at "Smoke on the Water" and ending with the non-album b-side, "When a Blind Man Cries") being head-and-shoulders better than the first 4 tracks.

cheddar. a big block of cheddar. i like cheddar, i don't like this album. 70s rock by numbers. cheesy in a bad way, like vegan cheese. a 1 star rating is harsh as i sat through it without feeling existential dread, so it's getting a 2.

5/5. Classic. In 2022 it will be 50 years great. Standouts: Highway Star Smoke on the Water Space Truckin' Lazy

Makes me jizzum in my tighty whiteys

Deep Purple in Rock was the first album I ever bought. My brother bought (or borrowed long term) qMachine Head shortly after. The cover screams I'm stoned. The marker of a Deep Purple classic is a song with a guitar solo followed by (or preceded by) an organ solo. This is the case on Highway Star, Lazy, Pictures of Home and Smoke on the Water (although in Smoke . . . the organ was just on the fade out as Ritchie did an extended guitar solo.) Ritchie Blackmore was a very capable guitar soloist but all bands had one of those. Jon Lord's organ playing is the unsung hero of this band and what set Deep Purple apart from the many three instrument bands. I'm not sure this band would have been as successful if they were from an era when songs had to be no more than 3 or 4 minutes long since they need 5 minutes to allow both an organ and guitar solo and need even longer to have a third instrument solo which they do with the mighty fine harmonica solo in Lazy. I like how in the lyrics to Smoke on the Water they call the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio the "The Rolling Truck Stones thing”. Guess they didn't feel the need to give The Glimmer Twins any free advertising in their song. They wanted to record in a place that gave this album the energy they had when playing live. imo using the Rolling Truck Stones Thing accomplished that goal.

An absolute masterclass in rock musicianship and virtuosity without becoming overbearing or wanky. Every band member brings a tour de force performance, complimenting everyone else perfectly and the only negative is that they didn’t include When A Blind Man Cries on the original release. Best track: Highway Star

I had this album back when I was a teenager and I figured when it came up on 1001 I would give it only a 4 because I had grown weary of Smoke on the Water and Space Trucking, and the lyrics are a bit lame. However, there’s something about the instrumental passages, the way they’re structured and the interplay between the organ and the guitar that is sublime, especially on a track like Lazy, which seems like a cross between the Allman Brothers and Phantom of the Opera, And Richie Blackmore's guitar solos are so melodic and memorable. And you know (unlike many of the metal guitarists of the 80s and 90s) he’s not propping his guitar up vertically on his knee when he’s playing them. It’s a 5 for me.

I am inclined to agree with those who deem this list to be rockist and thus would love to engage in the fun sport of hating on old, cheesy rock... But, against my hater brain's wishes, my gut actually really enjoyed this. It is quaint and I don't imagine I will keep any of the songs to listen to casually. But I liked it nonetheless. "Smoke On the Water" isn't even the best track on here

Highway star : Why is that guitar solo so muddy ? Pictures of Home - Bass solo is amazing Never before - THE STEREO IMAGING ??? Holy hell if I close my eyes that guitar in the intro is right in front of me, a little to my left that's sick, tickles my brain SMOOOOKE ON THE WAAAATEEEEER tun tun tuuun - tun tun tunuuun - tun tun tuuun - tun - tuuun Lazy - That song sounds so jazzy I love it. That ride playing through the song, that swinged rhythm in the intro, hmmmmm juicy Space Truckin' - Absolute headbanger What happens in the stereo field in this album is insane, so much clarity in the space So much of the guitar melodies are legit earworms

Fuck you Jake this album is fantastic. One of the most foundational albums from one of the most foundational heavy metal acts of all time, incredible performances from all players, Blackmore bringing in the classical music ideals, Paice being the most underrated drummer ever, and just loads of fun songs. 2 stars my ass ya scrub.

Well I first discovered Deep Purple in the late 1990s and it has probably been a decade or so since I took the time to listen to them. Highway Star was always one of my favourite tracks, but honestly, listening to it again this time I'm utterly blown away. This is from 1972, nobody had done Heavy Metal before Deep Purple, Led Zep and Black Sabbath and this album absolutely exemplifies the genre. Love it, and although Smoke on the Water has become a massive cliche, this album rocks so goddamn hard. Amazing!

Machine Head This is really only about Highway Star and Smoke on the Water - both songs clearly stand well above the rest on here. Those other songs aren’t bad, and there are some good moments among them, but they did pass me by rather unmemorably. Never Before does have a nice psychedelic middle eight and Space Truckin’ is decent enough. The organ/keys do give them a point of difference and I can appreciate their influence on metal/hard rock, but it does feel more like they established the rather generic template for it, which adds to the slightly forgettable nature of it. Overall, one of those albums that’s fine and doesn’t elicit a particularly strong reaction or many other thoughts beyond liking some of it and not being that fussed on the rest. For Highway Star and Smoke on the Water I’ll give it 3. 🟪🟪🟪 Playlist submission: Highway Star

Deep Purple are such an interesting case of a band when it comes to popularity. "Smoke On The Water" is such a hugely famous track that I bet if you asked a bunch of random non-rock fans if they knew the song they would say "yes" but they wouldn't know the name of the band that wrote it. Meanwhile, Deep Purple have written some really solid tunes outside of just that one, and we are lucky to get their arguably second best song - "Highway Star" on this record as well. "Highway Star" is a classic rock staple. It's got incredibly impressive musicianship throughout, it's got great energy, it rips, and it's got a seriously strong memorable hook with "Nobody gonna take my car I'm gonna race it to the ground Nobody gonna beat my car It's gonna break the speed of sound". I couldn't imagine being a teenager in the 70's and hearing this song as the first track on this album. I would have called every radio station on earth and begged them to play it over and over while I sped around town. "Smoke on the Water" is famously one of the most learned riffs of all time... maybe even considered mandatory for rock guitarists, or guitarists in general. It's perfect in it's simplicity, it's amazingly catchy, and it's hard rockin'. There's really not much else to add or remove from it. It's simply a perfect rock and roll riff. And amazingly, the rest of the track supports it wonderfully and doesn't hurt it in any way. I also adore "Space Truckin'", the final track. The energy is amazing- specially for a final song. I've been obsessed with octave pedals on guitars lately too and this one cruuushes you with those low octaves. Also, hell yea brother, a drum solo! This was a hard rate for me at first. I wanted to give it a 4, but after really thinking about it it's really a 5/5 album for me. It has the most famous rock guitar riff ever, it's got a huge classic rock staple in "Highway Star", and the rest of the album doesn't have any weak points. It's not a "good" album that has two standout tracks. It's a great album that has two of the best classic rock songs ever written.

The very definition of 70s classic rock. Guitars are loud, vocals are good, lyrics are non-sense, but who cares cuz they’re fun as hell. Great. 4/5

Short and powerful. Classic hard rock with no filler.

Feels like a standard enough rock album from the time, but I like the way the record balances more layered, impressive musical moments against more stripped back melodic moments. In all, I don’t feel like this album is trying to make a huge show of itself and I appreciate that. Feels genuine.

10/10 So far, this is the only album that I went back and relistened to right after I finished it the first time. Fast, energetic, and just pure raw hard rock. Great all around. Favorite Tracks: Highway Star, Pictures of Home, Smoke on the Water, Lazy, Space Truckin' Least Favorite Track: Never Before

Vilken platta och vilken start. Highway Star är en sån otrolig låt. Frågan är om inte rock-orgel är ännu ballare än en rock-flöjt? Har en till fråga. Är det ens lagligt att lyssna på Smoke on the water? Känns som ingen satt på den låten sen man var basic junior. Är nästan så man känner sig skyldig när riffet startar. Hade glömt hur fet basen är! Nää, känner mig generös men måste ge en till femma. De e inte så att det bara är ovanstående låtar heller utan, Pictures of Home, Space Truckin och When a blind man cries är ju ruuuuggigt tunga dom med. Och glöm inte alla solon från RB och lorden 🤤

Review - wow why have I never listened to a full Deep Purple album? This whole record is great, basically no flubs. It was cool back when hard rock included a guy going ham on an electric organ, and the bass parts were still both audible and interesting. Review - 9/10 Need to listen? YES

"Machine Head" is a superb five-star album. While it perhaps lacks the raw, "in-your-face" savagery of Deep Purple In Rock, it more than compensates with refined production and sophisticated song-writing. Self-produced by the band and engineered by the legendary Martin Birch, the record captures a group at the absolute peak of their powers, with Ian Gillan’s vocals sounding nothing short of superb. The original 1972 release featured just seven tracks, though it remains a mystery what Ritchie Blackmore was thinking when he vetoed the inclusion of "When a Blind Man Cries". Relegated to a B-side at the time, this soulful, bluesy track has thankfully been restored on later anniversary editions. I have included it here as an essential component of the Machine Head experience. While the album demands a full, uninterrupted listen, these tracks represent the key takeaways: - "Highway Star": The definitive speed anthem and a masterclass in high-octane precision. Ritchie Blackmore’s neo-classical solo remains a blueprint for generations of guitarists. This is complimented by the peerless Jon Lord's Hammond Organ keyboard solo and the interplay with Blackmore. - "Pictures of Home": A driving, majestic tune that rarely receives the credit it deserves. It features a rare and wonderful bass solo from Roger Glover. - "When a Blind Man Cries": Despite his veto, Blackmore’s performance here is magnificent, providing a delicate, bluesy counterpoint to Gillan’s emotive delivery. - "Smoke on the Water": Beyond that iconic riff—arguably the most famous in rock history—the track serves as a vivid chronicling of the Montreux Casino fire and the chaotic birth of the album itself. - "Lazy": A seven-minute tour de force of swing and swagger. This largely instrumental piece allows the band’s collective virtuosity to truly shimmer. - "Space Truckin’ ": The "hardest" track on the record; it is the one song that would have felt perfectly at home on the more aggressive In Rock. For the uninitiated, the live album "Made In Japan" contains performances of several tracks from this record. It must be said: those live versions are, without exception, superior to the studio cuts. They remain the truly iconic renditions of "Highway Star", "Smoke on the Water", and "Space Truckin'". I also highly recommend "In Concert '72". Recorded as a BBC promotional session for the album's release, it features live versions of six of the original seven tracks. Interestingly, "Pictures of Home" is the sole omission - it simply wasn't part of the setlist! 1 "Highway Star" (5/5) 2 "Maybe I'm a Leo" (4/5) 3 "Pictures of Home" (5/5) 4 "Never Before" (4/5) 5 "When A Blindman Cries" (5/5) 6 "Smoke on the Water" (5/5) 7 "Lazy" (5/5) 8 "Space Truckin'" (5/5) Total - 38 Average - 4.75 238/1001 131/238 albums reviewed were new to me.

One of my favorite albums in my teenage years. Lord's organ playing on these songs is awesome and became one of my favorite instruments. Blackmore is awesome with his guitar playing. Ian Gillan on vocals one of rocks best frontmen. All hel together with a rhythm section of Paice on drums and Glover on bass. Plus one great sing after another. Space Truckin Highway Star and Smoke on the Water are highlights

Love this album! Every song is a winner - (evidenced by the fact that each track gets its own Wikipedia page - thanks for pointing this factoid on previous albums Emily!) Smoke on the water is overplayed for a reason and is still listenable even after about eleven thousand listens… 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Buen comienzo, nunca había escuchado la banda pero todas las canciones me han gustado, el tipo de rock clásico que me gusta

Every song is great

Very good album, enjoyed that one.

Deeply uncool, but sometimes dads do know how to rock.

Fun, early heavy metal music! I can very easily imagine some of these songs being used in a soundtrack for Thor Ragnorak and Love and Thunder, and I'm counting that as a good thing. I recognize the "Smoke on the Water" from Guitar Hero lol.

Perfectly entertaining but never quite profound. And I’m just fine with that.

buen rock&roll papaaaa

pues que clasicón!

Just a solid album with a good feel.

Good album, very easy listen. 4/5 stars

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - Although I probably prefer In Rock overall, this is a great album. Highway Star, Smoke On The Water and Space Truckin' are absolute classics. The highs are incredibly high and at their peak, Purple were some of the best to ever do it. A few less interesting moments hold this back from absolute perfection but I was pretty torn between 4 and 5 here.

Inventive energy and drive. You really are space truckin through this one

4/5. One of the foundational pillars of heavy rock and eventually metal and it still hits hard to this day. As a child of the late 2000’s and 2010’s I grew up on the rockband and guitar hero games, and Highway Star was for a long time my go to song. Catchy riff, great solos and a fun vocal performance, so much to like on that song alone. It was one of the first songs I learned when I picked up a real guitar too. and of course there’s smoke on the water, an all time classic that’s also the nightmare of every guitar store employee. I also absolutely love the closer Space Truckin’, that song is a banger.

"Smoke On The Water" is the ubiquitous track here, and the only time I purposely listen to is while watching the Season 2, episode 1 episode of The Sopranos. There's a scene of Tony Soprano driving happily while hearing Smoke Of The Water on his car radio. But then T has a panic attack when the song starts to skip (the man did not appreciate having his music interrupted), which means he was listening to it on Compact Disc. I'd be inclined to suggest it was this album Tony was enjoying, but knowing the character, it was likely a Best Of Deep Purple CD. Of course, his panic attack causes him to pass out and crash his car. "Smoke On The Water" is right in Tony's wheelhouse. Dude loved him some early '70's classic rock, so much so that his wife Carmela chooses to play "Smoke On The Water" when a doctor suggests she play some of Tony's favorite music while he's in a coma in a latter season episode. If I came of age during the late '60's/early '70's like a young Anthony Soprano, I would have been all into some Deep Purple. Instead, I only knew of them from songs like "Hush" and the aforementioned "Smoke". This album pretty much slaps from start to finish. I never noticed the "Frank Zappa and The Mothers" line during "Smoke" before listening to this album (in my defense, the song skips for a crestfallen Tony right at that line, where all we hear is "Zap Zap Zap Zap Zap Zap"). After listening to this album, I find myself wanting to stand up and yell a Tony Soprano line from the end of one the series' final episodes: I get it!

DP is a very talented bad and very under-rated. John Lord and Ritchie Blackmore playing over a driving rhythm section (Glover & Paice). This album really captures that.

The machine seems particularly slow. I wonder if the purple parts are actually rust… ★★★

Idk, I found this disappointingly pedestrian. If their aim was to capture the energy of their live shows then they failed because I’m hoping their live shows were more dynamic and exciting. Some half decent tunes in there but lacking oomph

Smoke on the Water might be the dumbest riff of all time. Highway Star, though? That song kicks ass.

Minus one point for having smoke on the water on

Not a huge fan of the vocals but really dig the guitars, especially the melodic solos.

the best thing about this album is that i’ll never have to listen to it again. i’m too gen z for this shit

Enjoyed remembering the band from the seventies….a great mix of sounds…even Smoke On The Water was great ..yet again!

Paice is easily a top 10 drummer of all time. Machine Head is an all-timer rock album. A bit on the simpler side but no less enjoyable for it, and every track slaps. If you like rock at all, I think there’s something for you to appreciate about this album.

nice

Smoke On The Water is actually such a great tune and it's unfortunate that I tend to forget that because of the memes. It helps that the riff is so easy to play because then you can jam on it. Jamming is great! In fact, Smoke On The Water was the first riff I ever knew because I owned a plush guitar as a child and that's what played when you strummed. In other news, Deep Purple impressed me with their ability to synchronize very well. Like Bad Company, they're a School Of Rock model rock band (like the movie) but their songs don't feel cheesy. I don't know how to explain it without contradicting myself. I've always cringed at the idea of a 70s rock band or the very definition of rock where it's like YEAHHHHH 🤟 ROCK AND ROLLLL. That feels like a performative attitude, so I've always admired when musicians are simply talented. Deep Purple has enough talent to feed villages, so they're different to me. What I am trying to say is that...it is nice. 0 - 3 -5. (8/10, 5/5 on this scale)

Done

This album deserves 5 stars for the Hammond solo on Highway Star alone. As a huge Deep Purple fan, I am obviously biased. This is my favourite studio album by the band. To really enjoy these songs in all their glory, listen to the band live. Deep Purple is a great live band, with virtuoso musicians who love to improvise. Made in Japan is a great example of an album where Highway Star, Lazy, Smoke on the Water and Space Trucking really shine.

Who cares if this is dad rock. It still fucks.

Already knew I liked the most famous tracks on the album but never listened to it as a whole. Starting to think Machine Head might be a good album.

This one starts off hard with the fantastic Highway Star, which made me want to drive somewhere at 100mph at night. It drops off a little over the rest of the first side, but side 2 is crazy strong, obviously starting with the classic Smoke on the Water. That strong finish takes it from a 4 to a 5.

pretty sick, rocked out

9/10

Great album by a great band. This I believe is their second best album.

loved this album probably my fav out of all the albums i listened to on here just from start to finish its a banger not one miss (my first 5 stars) would listen to more from them!! fav: lazy, Maybe I'm a leo, pictures of home, when a blind man cries

Discazo tambien. De las mejores canciones para arrancar un album. Que temazo space trucking dios me libre.

Classic proto metal. Great grooves.

I always forget how good Deep Purple are. Machine Head is easily their best album. Great drumming, excellent bass, and even better guitars. This album is much sharper than In Rock too, which seemed to drift along a bit too much. There isn't a song I don't enjoy on here, which I don't find all that common.

love smoke on the water!

solid 8

Muito música de pai divorciado. Muito bom

This is fire and Pictures of Home is an absolute masterpiece Everyone who says Smoke on the Water is boring and played out should get their ears checked and get that stick removed from their arse

This is the record with Highway Star and Smoke on the Water on it, and SOMEHOW it's still better than you expect it to be on that basis. Absolutely monumental.

Was happy to hear this full album. I've known the hits, but many songs have escaped my attention. LAZY was so good !!

This isn't the genre of music I normally go out of my way to listen to, but I really, really liked this! I think I recall playing through a number of these songs on Guitar Hero, so that brought on some nostalgia.

Magnificent

Лучшая песня: Highway Star Худшая: Lazy В принципе уже за соло Лорда в первой песне можно ставить 5 всему альбому

While Black Sabbath introduced the concept, Deep Purple took the concept of heavy metal and ran with it. So near perfect as a template, I am going to round it up to full marks.

Great guitar riffs keeps you concentrated

Great guitars, great organs, great drums, great everything. The hits especially carry this one

Man, Smoke On the Water isn’t even the best song on this album.

Really good album! Incredible compositions, song maintained pretty good pace all the way trought. Highlight: Lazy

good album. every song is a jam

I like this kind of hard rock so beautiful I like it like an opera effect I really appreciate the lyrics and the way of playing

Went into this album thinking my favorite song would be smoke on the water, came out with it being the one I liked the least (but still really, really liked it) It amazes me that this album has flown so far under the radar for the past 50+ years when talking about all time greats. Sure, there might only be 2 known songs on here, however every track is performed so well, each having multiple solos that sound amazing Shockingly, this album is the most perfect I've listened to so far. 5/5, no further notes

Metal mastery!!!

Good vibes even if it didn't blow my mind.

Vilken rökare! Tror inte jag kommer runt fullpotten den här gången.

Stark fyra. Eller vafan. Yolo. I'm a highway staaaaaaar. Finns det någon låt som fångat själva essensen av pepp som denna? En låt jag gång på gång använt som musikalisk kokain innan spelningar.

I already liked Highway star and Smoke in the water, but this album was so much cooler and groovier than I thought it would be

Pretty good album, not much to add

yeeeey

This is a fantastic rock album especially from that era.

Excelente disco

Perfect classic metal album. Everything is great. Smoke on the Water is incredible.

Yes! Early '70s rock at its finest. One of my all-time favorite Deep Purple records. Highway Star is hands-down one of the ultimate driving anthems, right up there with Radar Love and Born to Be Wild.

Maybe I’ve heard Highway Star and SotW too many times, but I feel like every other track on the album was way better. Good listen and had some hits. 9/10

Great album all-around. Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord really bring it together.

Absolutely shreds, great album front to back.

A cast-iron classic. A much more "straightforward" offering than the proggy grandeur which can be observed on "In Rock", but the kaleidoscopic riffs on here are undeniable, and the vocal harmonies are ever-ingraining. The b-side of this album is about as strong as any you'll come across, anywhere in music.

J'ai ouï dire que Guillaume a un faible pour KPop Demon Hunters. J'adorerais l'entendre chanter Soda Pop.

Je ne m'attendais pas à tripper comme ça, wow! A la croisée des chemins entre Steely Dan et Iron Maiden avec des belles touches de psyché et de prog. J'oserais dire que Smoke On the Water, la seule que je connaissais, est la moins bonne de l'album. Un band que je tenterai de découvrir!

Perfeito. Inclusive muito melhor do que lembrava. Lazy talvez seja a melhor música da história do gênero.

I was properly introduced to Deep Purple through their live album Nobody's Perfect. I loved it. Their live energy was palpable and their virtuosity apparent, even on this, a bargain-bin purchase and, as far as I know, an unheralded release. This studio album captures a lot of the same energy on that live album. I can only imagine what seeing them live was actually like. There is no fat on this album, just seven great rock songs from one of the best bands to ever do it.

I can’t understand not liking this album, at least not the big songs off of it. Highway Star, with the key solo, makes me wonder why there aren’t more hard rock bands that feature keyboards. The intro to Lazy made me not care if they ever started singing. And those are just two of the highlights. Great album all around. Understandable that it laid a lot of the groundwork for rock and metal to come.

Absolute classic.