Smoke On The Water was then recorded for a live album, Made In Japan, in August 1972. Smoke On The Water was too long for a single and the group were sure another album track, Never Before, would be a hit. It was first played live for a small audience at the BBC on March 6th 1972, when the group recorded a special show for the radio to promote the new album. Ian Gillan who wrote the lyrics about their experiences over the Smoke On The water backing track.ĭeep Purple performed several tracks from the album live, some before they were recorded, but Smoke On The Water was the last track to be added to their concert set in mid-1972. The first one he suggested that they jam with.Finally Deep Purple hired the nearby empty Grand Hotel and recorded the rest of the album in a cordoned off area of the corridors with mattresses to deaden the noise. Sessions with a few ideas in his head, and the famous Smoke riff was The group set up the Rolling Stones Mobile and began recording in another hall, and the first backing track they laid down was the Smoke On The Water riff, before police closed down the session after neighbours complained about the volume. As the smoke drifted across the lake nearby, the sight inspired Roger Glover to jot down the song title Smoke On The Water. The group escaped with everyone else, and watched the hall burn down. The band's roadies saved Deep Purple's gear, parked outside the hall where they were going to start recording their new album the next day. Smoke On The Water was written and recorded during sessions for Deep Purple's seminal rock album Machine Head in Montreux, Switzerland in December 1971.ĭeep Purple were watching a Frank Zappa matinee concert in the Montreux Casino concert hall when a flare gun was discharged into the ceiling and started a fire which quickly engulfed and destroyed the venue. Find one thing in music that you’re passionate about and master the craft of it, whether it be playing one instrument, singing or even songwriting.More people search this site looking for information on Smoke On The Water than any other single aspect of Deep Purple's history this special page on the Deep Purple Appreciation Society website will cover all aspects of this amazingly popular rock anthem. But that means nothing if you can’t even play an instrument or write a lyric. You can be celebrated as the greatest musician on the planet by the press. You’ve got to get people watching you somehow. I can only tell you from my own experience. I may not always understand it, but I’m too old *laughs*.įox News: What does it take for an artist to make it in 2020? Because my phone hasn’t stopped ringing thanks to friends and well-wishers from around the world. Initially, I didn’t understand why everyone had to share everything and be in constant communication. In fact, it became amusing to see everyone holding up their phones in the air when back in the day, it was lighters. It became pointless to try and resist that tidal wave. Why would someone film you at a show when they’re at the show and missing out on the experience? But generations change. Fox News: As an artist, how do you feel about audiences making cellphones part of their concert experience?