Double Trouble

I came to the mighty Deep Purple through the tradesmans entrance, long after the paint had peeled. My first gig... December 81 at Ipswich Gaumont, the metal mecca with the Ian Gillan Band touring their double opus, Double Trouble.

Gillan had a fast and furious band and I was blown away, although at 11 years old it wouldn't have taken too much. It was the beginning of a long journey into denim and leather territory, and increasingly infrequent visits to the barber. The customary Smoke on the Water encore was enough me, I think (along with the belting Elvis 'Trouble' cover) it was probably the only track I recognised at the time. Gillan could still really scream back in 81.

I obtained a flaky TDK copy of Double Trouble to keep me out of mischief but it wasn't until the following spring that I entered the world of purchased vinyl, the real deal, inner sleeve and all. Axe Attack Volume 1 was where it started, still a solid gold K-Tel classic.

But it wasn't until a chance find at the proto-carboot world of the School Fete that things revved up a gear. I returned home with two absolute live killers, Deep Purples 'Made in Japan' and Thin Lizzys 'Live and Dangerous'. A new world opened up... the double live album, a full on sonic shellac immersion, two hours, four sides of gatefold grease. A mammoth commitment and the best great escape.

Countless other double hitters followed, many of which still demand repeated re-runs... Maidens 'Live after Death', Framptons 'Frampton Comes Alive', Quos 'Live', Genesis 'Seconds Out', the Allmans 'Eat Peach', Hawkwinds 'Space Ritual', Tulls 'Bursting Out', Kiss 'Alive', Queens 'Live Killers', Rush 'Exit Stage Left', Zeppelins 'The Song Remains the Same', The Who 'Live at Leeds'... No Sleep 'til Hammersmiths pithy single player now leaves you short changed, thank beelzebub for the remaster that plugs the gaps.

Deep Purples 'Made in Japan' got the full deluxe remaster treatment this week and what a sledgehammer it is. Everything I loved about the original (apart from the 50p price tag) in full ear-splitting quad sound glory, just check out Jon Lords filthy organ buckling under the broken cabinet strain and Ian Paices pummelling drum breaks in Black Night are worth the entrance fee alone. As for Child in Time, well what can be said, it's a game changer. The unearthed bonus tracks throw in some great encores missing from the original set with a well placed Lucille reminding you of Gillans first love, pure rock n roll. Thankfully we made it see the Purple remnants treading the boards at the Roundhouse last year before permanent retirement kicks in and they were still on cracking form... check out what Mr Fawkes had to say about the evening here.

If you're looking for trouble, you came to the right place...