Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising (DVD/CD Combo)

I won't recap all of what is on here as others will do that.

For Deep Purple fans of this era it's a good product. You are essentially watching the demise of the band. What struck me on the concert footage was how good the quality was, because all I had ever seen was horrendous quality out -of -synch footage. The sound is really good and the picture is pretty good too.(Considering the era and previous versions) No synch issues. Sound and picture match up pretty well.

Ian Paice is just awesome on this show! If only he would play like this now! He's always been great, but he was exceptionally so on "Burn", "Come taste the band", and "Malice in Wonderland". He is really aggressive on this show. David Coverdale sings really well here too. Glenn Hughes, even when high, is a more dynamic bassist than Roger Glover. The band's core members know the band is compromised and they are trying hard to compensate, but it is what it is....It's a band without a guitarist that night.

As for Tommy Bolin? He is so bad on this show it is staggering to witness. Hard to believe he was capable of some of the great solos we all know from "Spectrum", "Mind Transplant", "Whips and Roses", "Ebbits Field" etc.
Jon Lord covers many of the riffs due to Bolin's supposed "hurt/numb arm" during this show. Bolin's stage presence is almost non-existent in comparison to Blackmore too. Just a shame all around as he just doesnt seem vested in the music. One of the booklets has an interesting quote from Lord about how Blackmore maintained a level of virtuosity even when not playing his best, and really didn't fall below that certain level. Yet he intimates that Bolin sunk deeply at times. I've seen Blackmore on bad nights and nothing compares to this feeble Bolin performance. You will get no satisfaction of Bolin's guitar playing from this footage.

I saw this line-up in Providence Rhode Island later on during the US leg of the tour and Bolin was still only "adequate". Again he just seemed uninterested in what he was doing. I am a fan of his playing though, and we have do the great jazz fusion albums he played on!.... The guy could really play when he wanted to :)

I recommend the product to anyone who likes this era of the band, and especially to anyone who likes the incredible new remaster/remix of "Come Taste the Band" (Remix by Kevin Shirley) This DVD has a cool booklet too, which features some pretty interesting quotes and information from some of the peripheral business people surrounding Purple. I like hearing the members discuss the band, so the documentary portion is great to have and does hold up to repeat viewings. I can't wait to see a one-star review from someone saying "the concert is only 30 minutes man" (Or, I didn't receive the item")... :) :)

When you put it into perspective how little there is on this era of the band, it's a pretty cool product. I'll give it 3 stars although I'd like to give it 4. The only thing that would have made it better would be Bolin's actual playing. Perhaps some other personnel being interviewed would have been nice too. Glenn Hughes put it best "It's a postcard from that time frame of the band". This DVD illustrates the turmoil within the band over the drug issues of Hughes & Bolin. If you realize that going in you will probably find it a satisfying product. In summery it's a good DVD if you know what you are buying, but NOT a good place to start for someone new to Purple's output.

Ps. There is an interesting but strange disclaimer at the end of the documentary stating that Glenn Hughes and Jon Lords comments revolving around the death of Patsy Collins are not necessarilly reflective of David Coverdales. Very strange. I wonder what Coverdale thought happened?????

I have just watched the concert footage and the documentary for the second time. On those two parts I would give a 3 star rating. But I added another star for the remastered CD live tracks. Wow. There are some great moments culled from those two concerts from Japan and Long beach California. Dec 75 and Feb 76 respectively. The tracks from the California concert are especially good. Tommy Bolin was hampered by his drug use on the first concert mentioned. I've read various accounts of why he could barely play on that night, still the other four carry the load very well. And on the Long Beach tracks, they are all just smokin! Come taste the band has long been a favorite album of mine. Though its not considered a proper Deep Purple Album. Whatever! It blows away their previous record Stormbringer. And I say that as a total purple fanatic. The best part of the Stormbringer album was jon lord's keyboard solo on the song "Highball shooter". CTTB is molten Rock and It just gets better with time. The live tracks show what could have been if they did not self destruct. A shame really. But thankfully they reformed with the mark 2 line up and have made tons more great music since the 70's. There is a bootleg show of their's recorded on the same tour in Miami in early febuary 76. The sound isn't too great but its listenable and there are parts that are just even better. It would be great if they would remaster that show and put it out. You can check it out on YOu tube. Keep on Rocking. Richard from Bradford PA

The documentary is very well done and interesting with vintage clips and current interviews with Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord. It is a great account of the Deep Purple Mk IV era and I highly recommend it to any hardcore Deep Purple fans, especially Mk III and IV fans. The concert DVD is also very nice with the opportunity to see pro-shot footage of the highly talented collection of Coverdale, Hughes, Bolin, Lord and Paice together.