Stormbringer (album)
| Stormbringer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Studio album by Deep Purple | |||||
| Released | November 1974 | ||||
| Recorded | Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany, August 1974 | ||||
| Length | 36:31 | ||||
| Label |
EMI/Purple (UK) Warner Bros. (US) | ||||
| Producer | Martin Birch & Deep Purple | ||||
| Deep Purple chronology | |||||
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| Ritchie Blackmore chronology | |||||
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| Alternative cover | |||||
 35th anniversary CD slipcase |
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Stormbringer is the ninth studio album by Deep Purple, released in November 1974. On this album, the soul and funk elements that were only hinted at on Burn are much more prominent.
Album cover and title
The cover image of Stormbringer is based on a photo. On 8 July 1927 a tornado near the town of Jasper, Minnesota was photographed by Lucille Handberg.[1] Her photograph has become a classic image,[2] and was used and edited for the album's cover. The same photograph was used for Miles Davis' album Bitches Brew in 1970 and Siouxsie and the Banshees' album Tinderbox in 1986.
Stormbringer is also the name of a magical sword described in several novels by Michael Moorcock. David Coverdale has denied knowledge of this until shortly after recording the album.[3] A few years later, Moorcock collaborated with Blue Öyster Cult to write "Black Blade," a song that actually was about the sword Stormbringer.[4]
According to Glenn Hughes, the slurred gibberish that is spoken by David Coverdale at the beginning of the title track just prior to the first verse is the same backwards dialogue that Linda Blair's character utters in the film The Exorcist when she is questioned by the priest.[5]
Release and reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [6] |
| Džuboks | favorable[7] |
| Sputnik Music |  [8] |
Alex Henderson of AllMusic writes that "Stormbringer falls short of the excellence of Machine Head and Who Do We Think We Are, but nonetheless boasts some definite classics – including the fiery "Lady Double Dealer," the ominous title song (a goth metal treasure), the sweaty "High Ball Shooter," and the melancholy ballad "Soldier of Fortune."
Reissues
In 1990, the album was remastered and re-released in the US by Metal Blade Records with distribution by Warner Bros.
This record has been the object of much renewed interest: Friday Music label released it stateside on 31 July 2007 (along with Made in Europe and Come Taste the Band). It is unclear which tapes were used as a source for this release, but the label's website claims that the album has been digitally remastered (but not expanded).
Additionally EMI (Deep Purple's label for much of the world outside the US) worked with Glenn Hughes on a remastered, expanded version of the album (much like the one done with Burn) which includes bonus remixes/alternate takes.
- 35th Anniversary Edition
On 23 February 2009 as a 35th Anniversary Edition was released for the European/international market only. The release has been expanded into a limited edition 2 disc set: the first disc is the full remastered album along with the new remixes, and the second disc is a DVD containing the quadraphonic mix in 5.1 audio as originally released in the USA on Quad reel back in 1974. Once the CD/DVD edition sells out a single CD edition will follow it. A limited double gatefold vinyl edition was also released.
Track listing
All songs written by Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord and Ian Paice, except as noted.
Original CD release
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stormbringer" (Blackmore, Coverdale) | 4:03 |
| 2. | "Love Don't Mean a Thing" | 4:23 |
| 3. | "Holy Man" (Coverdale, Hughes, Lord) | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Hold On" (Coverdale, Hughes, Lord, Paice) | 5:05 |
| 5. | "Lady Double Dealer" (Blackmore, Coverdale) | 3:19 |
| 6. | "You Can't Do It Right" (Blackmore, Coverdale, Hughes) | 3:24 |
| 7. | "High Ball Shooter" | 4:26 |
| 8. | "The Gypsy" | 4:13 |
| 9. | "Soldier of Fortune" (Blackmore, Coverdale) | 3:14 |
Personnel
- Deep Purple
- Ritchie Blackmore – lead guitar
- Jon Lord – organ, keyboards, electric piano, backing vocals
- Ian Paice – drums
- David Coverdale – vocals (all but 3)
- Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, vocals (all but 9)
- Additional personnel
- Recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich in August and mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles during September 1974
- Engineered by Martin Birch; assisted by Mack and Hans
- Mixed by Martin Birch and Ian Paice; assisted by Gary Webb and Garry Ladinsky
- Produced by Deep Purple and Martin Birch
- 35th Anniversary Edition digital mastering and remastering by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios, London
- Remixes for the "35th Anniversary Edition" mixed by Glenn Hughes with Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios, London, 3 November 2006
- "High Ball Shooter" (Instrumental) mixed by Gary Massey at Abbey Road Studios, London, April 2002
- Original Quad mix by Gary Ladinsky at The Record Plant, October 1974
- Reformated for 5.1 surround sound by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios, London, February 2008[3]
Charts
Chart performance
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Sales accomplishments
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Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Rock | United Kingdom | "100 Greatest British Rock Album Ever"[16] | 2006 | 62 |
(*) designates unordered lists.
References
- ↑ Tornado Historical Photos and Information
- ↑ Lane, F.W. The Elements Rage (David and Charles 1966), plate 11: "The classic photograph of a tornado"
- 1 2 Stormbringer 35th Anniversary Edition (Media notes). Deep Purple. EMI. 2009.
- ↑ See Michael Moorcock's post on the Moorcock's Miscellany forum: .
- ↑ "Episode 31". Spicks and Specks. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 August 2009.
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ Konjović, S. "Deep Purple – Stormbringer". Džuboks (in Serbian). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine (6 (second series)): 22.
- ↑ http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/32920/Deep-Purple-Stormbringer/
- ↑ "The Official Charts Company – Stormbringer (album)". The Official Charts Company. 5 May 2013.
- 1 2 "Stormbringer on European Charts 1974". Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ↑ Stormbringer on Danish Charts in 1974
- ↑ "Stormbringer on Billboard". Rovi Corporation / Billboard. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ↑ "French album certifications – Deep Purple – Stormbringer" (in French). InfoDisc. Select DEEP PURPLE and click OK
- ↑ "British album certifications – Deep Purple – Stormbringer". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Stormbringer in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "American album certifications – Deep Purple – Stormbringer". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ↑ "Classic Rock – 100 Greatest British Rock Album Ever – April 2006". Classic Rock. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
