I will admit I was very excited and surprised to see the teaser Ads suggesting Deep Purple had managed to follow the highly successful album Whoosh so quickly. But this excitement turned to a bit of disappointment when I saw a story leaked that this was to be a covers album. I mean Deep Purple doing a covers album? I know that many bands do covers albums (Saxon have just done one for example), but the thing is they are never really that successful and are seen as a bit of a holding plan while the real album comes in further down the line.
I guess the clues were there when the band shared a Spotify Playlist where each member had chosen some tracks to listen to while in lockdown. Some of these songs will be on the album itself. I am guessing Ian Gillan will be in his element with some of these song choices and you can tell he had such a good time when he recorded the second Javelins album in 2018.
Online, Deep Purple forums were full of fans throwing rocks at each other with some hating the idea and others being open to the band letting their hair down by doing something different. I’ll admit my initial disappointment has faded now and I am looking forward to hearing how the band will interpret these songs and make them their own.
The album is due for release on November 26th via earMUSIC, the album will contain versions of songs each selected by each member of the band.
CD and 2LP Gatefold – Ear Music
Deep Purple’s 22nd studio album will consist solely of songs written and previously recorded by other artists: a criminal offence commonly described by the rock police and music purists as “doing covers.” (or Turning to Crime!)
The songs chosen were originally songs released by Love, Huey “Piano” Smith, Fleetwood Mac, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles & Quincy Jones, Little Feat, The Yardbirds, Lonnie Donegan/ Johnny Horton, Bob Seger System, Cream. The last song “Caught In The Act” is a medley featuring. songs by Freddie King, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin and The Spencer Davis Group came to life with the band, for the first time in their career, recording the songs remotely during the lockdown.
Turning To Crime” is a chance to hear Deep Purple playing music for fun without any commercial plans and just wanting to share this with their fans. Deep Purple started off their career by playing covers so this is them coming full circle.
Vinyl Tracklisting
SIDE A 7 And 7 Is / Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu / Oh Well
SIDE B Jenny Take A Ride! / Watching The River Flow / Let The Good Times Roll
SIDE C Dixie Chicken / Shapes Of Things / The Battle Of New Orleans / Lucifer
SIDE D White Room / Caught In The Act
CD Tracklist
01. Volume 1
02. 7 and 7 are (LOVE)
03. Rockin ‘pneumonia and Boogie Woogie flu (Huey “Piano” Smith)
04. Oh Well (FLEETWOOD MAC)
05. Jenny Take A Ride! (MITCH RIDER & DETROIT WHEELS)
06. Watch the river flow (Bob Dylan)
07. Let the good times roll (Ray Charles and Quincy Jones)
08. Dixie chicken (LITTLE FEAT)
09. Shapes of things (THE YARDBIRDS)
10. The Battle of New Orleans (Lonnie Donegan / Johnny Horton)
11. Lucifer (BOB SEGER SYSTEM)
12. White room (CREAM)
13. Caught in the act (Medley – see below)
a – Going Down (Freddie King)
b – Green Onions (Booker T. and the M.G.’s)
c – Hot ‚Lanta (The Allman Brothers Band)
d – Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin)
e – Gimme Some Lovin‘ (The Spencer Davis Group)
The official “Turn to crime” announcement is expected on October 6 at. 7:00 PDT / 10:00 am EDT at TurningToCrime.com.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
