Deep Purple – History,
Hits & Highlights: ‘68 – ‘76
(Eagle DVD-Video set)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: D Main Programs: B
When it comes to Deep Purple material on DVD, one thing
that has been noticeable is that most of it has been more recent of either the
band or their non-band projects, for which there are many, but the newness has
been especially annoying to fans. Well,
we recently had to wait for an import (from Australia!) to get any vintage material
and a four-DVD set called Sounds Of
Purple turned out to be one of the best releases involving the band to
date, as you can read about at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8603/The+Sounds+Of+Purple+(Paice+Ash
Now, Eagle is issuing a double-DVD compilation that
is the equal of that set and long overdue, dubbed History, Hits &
Highlights: ‘68 – ’76 that finally
delivers the material that put the band (and its four versions in that period)
on the map. After a crash course montage
on the bad, filmed and taped performances are unwound in chronological order on
both discs. DVD 1 has full-length music
performances and it is great to see the band at their high in action. DVD 2 does have some more music, but it is
also clips of highlights of other performances, appearances, outtakes and
documentary moments as valuable as anything on the first disc. I think I even like the second disc better
because it shows the band and its members at their best.
I especially enjoyed the Playboy TV and Rockpalast
rehearsals, but (in part because of all the newer material) it is easy to
forget just how huge the band was, up there with Led Zeppelin, KISS, The
Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper and Elton John when it came to touring. That is the best thing I can say about this
set is that it captures the excitement of its time, the counterculture, Rock
music at its peak and a record industry that used to care and knew what it was
doing. Therefore, while this is a must
for fans, anyone who loves music should see this at least once.
The mostly 1.33 X 1 images rarely have any letterboxing
and are in pretty decent shape, though when I see any 16mm or even 35mm film, I
want to find it and send it to a lab for restoration, clean up and
preservation. In that, the filmed
footage is still the best of what we see throughout, no matter its age and though
some of the tapings are great, there is just something even more accurate in
capturing the band on film the taping can miss. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound can go
monophonic in parts as expected, but this is easily the best U.S. Purple DVD
release since the Classic Albums
installment on Machine Head.
- Nicholas Sheffo