Deep Purple - Graz 1975 (2014)
Deep Purple – Graz 1975 (2014)
Mark IV’s rare live snapshot
Released in 2014, Graz 1975 is a live archival recording capturing Deep Purple’s Mark IV lineup—David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Tommy Bolin, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice—performing in Graz, Austria. This concert showcases a transitional era for the band, highlighting experimentation with funk, soul, and jazz-infused rock, while still delivering the hard rock energy fans expected.
Unlike Mk II live recordings, Graz 1975 offers a rare glimpse of the short-lived Mk IV era, which blended Coverdale and Hughes’ vocals, Bolin’s improvisational guitar, and Lord’s orchestral keyboards.
🎧 Mini Album Review
Graz 1975 is adventurous, soulful, and energetic, providing a unique look into a less-documented era of Deep Purple.
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Tommy Bolin’s guitar: Infuses tracks with fusion, blues, and jazz phrasing, giving classics a fresh texture.
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Vocals: Coverdale and Hughes create rich harmonies and soulful interpretation, contrasting sharply with Mk II’s hard rock style.
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Rhythm section: Ian Paice and Glenn Hughes lock in tight grooves, emphasizing funk and swing alongside hard rock power.
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Setlist variety: Mixes Mk II classics (Smoke on the Water, Burn) with Mk IV material (You Keep on Moving, Love Child).
Verdict:
A fascinating document for collectors and fans of Mark IV Deep Purple, highlighting the band’s musical versatility and adventurous live spirit.
🎶 Tracklist – Representative Highlights
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Burn
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Stormbringer
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You Keep on Moving
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Love Child
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Sail Away Rhapsody
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Mistreated
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Smoke on the Water
This performance blends classic hard rock energy with Mk IV’s funkier and jazzier interpretations, making it a unique listening experience.
👥 Personnel – Mark IV Lineup
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David Coverdale – Vocals
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Tommy Bolin – Guitar
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Jon Lord – Keyboards
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Glenn Hughes – Bass, Vocals
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Ian Paice – Drums
This lineup captures Deep Purple at one of its most experimental and dynamic stages, bridging classic rock with funk and progressive influences.
🎼 Performance Highlights
🔥 Burn
Despite Bolin’s fusion style, the band keeps the song high-octane and faithful to the original, with extended improvisational passages.
🌊 You Keep on Moving
Showcases soulful harmonies between Coverdale and Hughes, emphasizing Mk IV’s distinctive sound.
🎹 Sail Away Rhapsody
Jon Lord’s orchestral keyboard work shines, demonstrating his ability to adapt to new musical textures.
⚡ Smoke on the Water
Maintains its iconic riff while incorporating Bolin’s inventive guitar flair, giving a fresh spin on the classic track.
🎸 Fun Facts & Trivia
🎸 Tommy Bolin’s brief tenure
Bolin joined in 1975, and Graz is one of the few live recordings capturing his style with Deep Purple.
🎤 Dual vocal approach
Coverdale and Hughes’ harmonies make Mk IV performances distinctly different from Mk II, blending rock and soul seamlessly.
📀 Rare performance
This concert was previously circulated as a bootleg but officially remastered for 2014, offering superior sound quality.
🎹 Jon Lord’s adaptability
Lord skillfully blends his classic organ style with fusion-oriented music, highlighting his versatility.
🤔 Did You Know?
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Mark IV was active for only a short period (1975–1976), making live recordings like Graz 1975 rare and historically significant.
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You Keep on Moving and Love Child were Mk IV-era originals that rarely appeared on Mk II-era setlists.
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Ian Paice’s drumming anchors the band across both hard rock and funk-infused grooves, showing his adaptability and precision.
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Tommy Bolin’s improvisations during live performances influenced the band’s sound direction during the Mk IV period.
🎼 Album Credits
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Recorded: 1975, Graz, Austria
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Released: 2014
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Label: Eagle Rock / Purple Records
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Producer: Deep Purple archival team
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Format: CD, digital
🧠 Legacy & Final Thoughts
Graz 1975 is an essential live recording for fans of Mk IV Deep Purple, highlighting:
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Funk and soul influences in a classic rock framework
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Tommy Bolin’s improvisational guitar brilliance
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The unique vocal interplay of Coverdale and Hughes
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Jon Lord’s orchestral keyboard mastery adapted to a fusion setting
For historians and collectors, Graz 1975 provides a rare window into one of Deep Purple’s most experimental lineups, capturing the band pushing boundaries while maintaining their signature intensity.
