release date: Dec. 1973
format: vinyl 2 lp / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Derek Lawrence; Deep Purple
label: EMI Electrola - nationality: England, UK
1st compilation album by Deep Purple originally released on Purple Records. The original vinyl album is a double lp and the first record (side A and B) is titled 'Mark I', and it features tracks written in the early formation of the band known as Mark I, which had Rod Evans on lead vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitars, Jon Lord on keyboards, Nick Simper on bass, and Ian Paice playing drums and percussion. The second record (side C and D) is labelled 'Mark II', featuring tracks written with the most popular and critically acclaimed period of the band consisting of Ian Gillan on vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitars, Jon Lord on keyboards, Roger Glover on bass, and with Ian Paice playing drums and percussion. The release probably comes as a consequence after Ian Gillan and Roger Glover left the band in the summer of 73, which meant that the Mark II era had come to an end.
