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The dramatic tale of Deep Purple’s sixth album has rightly been etched into rock music folklore for more than half a century. Frankly, if you haven’t heard it, then you’re probably reading the wrong magazine, but here’s the gist of what happened. Fancying the idea of working in an unusual environment and also avoiding punitive UK tax laws, the band’s celebrated Mk II line-up – vocalist Ian Gillan, guitarist Richie Blackmore, keyboard player Jon Lord, bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice – booked the Montreux Casino, overlooking Lake Geneva, a picturesque yet somewhat unlikely location, with producer engineer Martin Birch and the Rolling Stones Mobile hired to capture the sounds.
The events of December 4, 1971, shall never be forgotten. Immediately before the session, during a concert by Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention some idiot shot a flare gun into the ceiling, and the building burned to the ground. On the other side of the lake, the Purple contingent looked on as their plans literally went up in flames. However, inspired by the billowing smoke drifting across the water towards them, at least they got a pretty good song out of it all.