1975- 76 UK
(This was the ad campaign for “Come Taste The Band” album)
Deep Purple Mark 4 “BUZZ” Newspaper Article Jul- Aug 2012 (#17-L)
When I was a kid in Sioux City, 1 of my favorite bands was ‘Deep Purple’ riding high on “Smoke on the Water” there was a local guy ‘Tom’ from our neighborhood my Uncle Jeff told me about who had left town a few years earlier and done well for himself in a Colorado band ‘Zephyr’ then he went on to do even better in ‘James Gang’ replacing Joe Walsh. Next thing I know a few years later that same local guy was the replacement for Richie Blackmore in ‘Deep Purple’ that local was Tommy R. Bolin from 2740 Clark St. 51104
Years later Tommy’s family lived across from us on Pierce St. in 1979 it was then I met Tommy’s drummer & younger brother Johnnie. In 2006 Johnnie called me and asked me “Would you like to do a project on my brother?” I responded “All my life” you see Tommy was a huge inspiration to others and me from Sioux City. We thought “Hey if Tommy can end up in ‘Deep Purple’ then I should be able to at least get out of this town and be somebody”
Since 2006 I have been working on a book on Tommy’s life, every band, album, song, concert, demo, & guitar literally every single thing he ever did before his death on 4 Dec 1976. Here is an excerpt from the ‘Deep Purple’ chapter in my book. I would like to thank Johnnie Bolin for giving me the opportunity to spear head this project.
Tommy Bolin: 1975 on ‘Deep Purple’
“It’s a… I didn’t think a, to be honest at first I didn’t think it would, it would be, it would work, I really didn’t, but um, we had a jam and within the first minute or two, you know, I could tell that they were into the same things I was into kind of an R & B, funk kind of um, and I think they were hunting for a freedom which I don’t think Ritchie gave them, you know so like they were so open to the whole thing it turned out lovely, otherwise I wouldn’t be here”
Some excerpts of interviews I conducted over the years:
Ian Paice: Deep Purple In 2005 in St.Paul, MN. “He Was Quite A Poser Wasn’t He? He Loved The Camera.”
David Coverdale: Deep Purple in 2009 in St.Paul, MN. “A new book on Tommy Bolin,… cool, No Comment, You need to contact my management in L.A. way in advance to get an interview”
Johnnie Bolin: Tommy Bolin Band & Black Oak Arkansas in 2005 in Sioux City, Iowa
“He (Tommy) didn’t really wanna do it (join Deep Purple), he was tired of filling in for other people. He really did want to do his own thing, he had been working on his solo record (Teaser) for awhile, but the amount of money they (Deep Purple) offered him was just too much to turn down, he had never seen that kind of money in all his life, so I guess he thought; “I’ll take this gig, and make some money to get my solo thing off the ground”
Ricky Reynolds: Black Oak Arkansas In 2003 in Minneapolis, MN.
“The Last Time We Saw Tommy, (1975) I Told Him…’Man It Looks Like A Rainbow Threw Up On Your Hair, He Had So Much Color In It”
John Bartle: DVC & Jan Parks Band in 2005 in Sioux City, Iowa
“The ‘Big Time’ was his (Bolin) job, it was us guys (Bartle, Bizzett, Shelby, Palomini, Berge, Saviolia) he loved to play with, every time he came back to town he would call us up and book a gig. That’s where those pictures are from. When we were ‘The Gassers’ in ’75 @ the “1010 Club”.
Once again I am going to review the “8-Track” song list as this is how I, best remember the song list.
8-Track Released 10 October 1975
“Come Taste the Band” Warner Bros. MSP 2895 DEP
1. Lady Luck (Jeff Cook, Coverdale) (*Program #1)
This was a song from Tommy’s ‘Energy’ Days (1971- 74) his vocalist & lyricist Jeff Cook originally wrote this song. Tommy brought it to the band and Coverdale re-wrote it. (There is a studio demo from ‘Energy’ from 1972)
2. Getting Tighter (Bolin, Hughes)
This song Bolin wrote back in early 1975 when jamming with Stanley Sheldon during the ‘Cucumber Jams’ Sessions @ ‘Glenn Holly Studios’. Hughes later wrote the lyrics for it during the recording of this LP.
3. Dealer (Bolin, Coverdale)
Was originally written by: Bolin Prior To Deep Purple under the title “Streaks and Stains” which contains the “Drifter” riff and combined with another song “Poker Chips” probably between 1974-1975 (there is an acoustic demo of this) Hughes originally recorded the lead vocal for this song, however when he was in rehab Coverdale re-recorded the lead with Bolin singing the last 4 lines.
4. Comin’ Home (Bolin, Paice, Coverdale) (*Program #2)
Ian Paice: In St. Paul, Mn. In 2005
“We Were All Jamming And Throwing Out Ideas, And So I Came Up With The First Part Of The Song, Tommy Finished Up The Rest (Of The Song), And David Wrote The Lyrics” There is an outtake from this ‘Jam Session’ Bolin plays the bass on this song as Hughes was sent back to the UK for some much needed rehabilitation.
5. Prelude
A. This Time Around (Hughes, Lord)
With music by: Lord the lyrics by: Hughes dedicated to one of his main influences Stevie Wonder.
B. Owed To ‘G’ (instrumental) (Bolin)
Written by Bolin sometime in 1975. The “G” is to George Gershwin. Tommy regularly performed this song with his local band ‘The Gassers’ which included his brother Johnnie & John Bartle in Aug 1975. Tommy joked the wanted to call the track “Gersh- Win”
*Lady Luck (yes a second time) (*Program #3)
6. Drifter (Bolin, Coverdale)
Originally titled “Days May Come” this one of the very 1st songs written by the ‘New’ lineup including Bolin.
7. Love Child (Bolin, Coverdale)
Was written by Bolin during the “Mind Transplant” sessions In October 1974. (There is a recording of this)
8. I Need Love (Bolin, Coverdale) (*Program #4)
I believe this was written the studio for the LP.
9. You Keep On Moving (Coverdale, Hughes)
This one was originally written for the “Burn” LP in 1973 but went unused until this album. The band did revive it during Bolin’s audition in Jun 1975.
In July 1975 Bolin was recording the sessions for what would become his 1st Solo album “Teaser” Hughes sang background vocals on the song “Dreamer” due to contracts; he could not sing lead vocals or be credited on the LP.
It is a little know fact that Tommy Bolin & Robert Plant were more than just acquaintances, while “Purple” was recording this album in Munich, Germany, Led Zeppelin was working on the sessions that would become “Presence”. Plant & Bolin had a “Pick- Up Band” that played local clubs performing old blues standards that they both loved.
After “DP4” broke up in May 1976 Bolin & Hughes were planning to do a project together, this did not come to fruition, perhaps because Bolin’s longtime girlfriend (since 1968) Karen took up with Hughes and eventually the 2 married in 1977.
Vinyl LP:
“Come Taste the Band” 1975 WB PR-2895 $6.98 #43 on Billboard Chart
“Last Concert in Japan” 1977 -1978 EMI Electrola #1C 064-60 900
45 Single:
Getting Tighter (edit) b/w Love Child 1975 WB #8182
VHS:
“Rises Over Japan” 1985 Mar on Warner Bros.
CD:
“Come Taste the Band”
A. # CDP-7-94032-2 in 1990 EMI
B. Reissue #829421-10582-4 in 2007 FridayMusic (liner notes by: Johnnie Bolin)
C. 35th Anniversary 2CDs #50999-6478662-9 in 2010 EMI (with 3 Bonus Tracks)
“Last Concert in Japan” 1977 WEA International (single disc Japan show)
“In Concert” 1995 King Biscuit #8002-2 (26jan1976 & 27feb1976 USA)
“Days May Come and Days May Go” 2000 Purple Records #303 (Jun1975 Rehearsals)
“1420 Beachwood Drive” 2000 Purple Records #201 (Jun1975 Rehearsals: part 2)
“Extended Versions” 2000 BMG #75517456192 (single disc USA show)
“This Time Around” 2001 BMG #06076-86312-2 (complete 15dec1975 Japan Show)
“Live at Long Beach 1976” 2009 Purple Records #350 (reissue of King Biscuit)
DVD:
“Phoenix Rising” 2011 May on Eagel Rock
Book:
“Gettin Tighter” 2008 Nov on Power Chord Press
Tours: “DP4” performed 17 shows in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia & Japan from 2 Nov – 15 Dec 1975.
Here’s the setlist for this show one of their better performances:
20 November 1975 Sydney, Australia @ Hordern Pavilion
(Set List From Audience Recording)
1. Burn
2. Lady Luck
3. Love Child
4. Getting Tighter/ Dance To That Rock And Roll (including) Cucumber Jam (Bolin)
5. Smoke On The Water (including) Night And Day
6. Wild Dogs
7. I Need Love
8. John Lord Keyboard Solo
9. Lazy (into)
10. Ian Paice Drum Solo
11. This Time Around
12. Owed To ‘G’ (into)
13. Tommy Bolin’s Guitar
14. Drifter
15. You Keep On Moving
16. *Stormbringer
17. *Highway Star
The band went on to perform 39 more concerts from 14 Jan to 15 Mar 1976 on the US & Uk leg of this tour.
At the end of the final show, 15 Mar 1976 in Liverpool, UK @ Empire Theatre (audio) Lord, Paice & Coverdale had decided to put an end to ‘Deep Purple’ so. the Tour of Germany was canceled.
For a more extensive version of this article check out: www.MrZeros.Com in the “Blog’ section. Also be sure to visit:
Website:
www.tbolin.com
www.rocklegendmerch.com
Johnnie Bolin on “fb”
The Annual Tommy “BolinFest 2012” will be held again in Sioux City, Iowa @ The “Icky Nickle” Sat 28 July 2012
“Mr. Zero’s” is a Proud Sponsor for the 3rd (yes Third) Year In A Row !!!
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