It’s hard to believe that Deep Purple’s reunion album, Perfect Strangers, came out 40 years ago. At the time, the announcement of Deep Purple reunion was a big deal. One of the finest hard rock bands from the 1970s was making a most unexpected comeback, and it was was the infamous Mark II line up. At the time, every member of that line up was busy, and being successful. Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover were both going full force with Rainbow, Ian Gillan made an album with Black Sabbath, Jon Lord was going strong with Whitesnake, and Ian Paice was drumming for Gary Moore. No one was in any financial need, or desperate due to a fading career. Also, there were conflicts, especially on the Blackmore-Gillan front which were never quite resolved. Yet, they managed to put all of that aside for the greater good, and reunited a ghost from the past.
It wasn’t a huge announcement, more like circulating rumors here, and there. Deep Purple were giants in the 1970s, but could they still do it a decade later? There were a number of failed reunions, or reunions that did not bring back the expected results. Would Deep Purple sacrifice its glorious past in order to make some quick bucks? As soon as the first reports of band entering the studio surfaced, everyone realized this is a serious venture, and that something is happening. Now, everyone was speculating as to what the new material would sound like? Would it match the triumphs from the past? Would there be another Smoke on the Water?
Once Perfect Strangers hit the record stores on October 29, 1984, the music world was in for a big surprise. The record was absolutely brilliant, in fact it is often named as the best reunion album of all times. What Deep Purple did was astonishing. The group didn’t go for the vintage sound, but took a very modern approach with the current technology at their disposal. They inserted the original spirit of Deep Purple into the feel of the 1980s, and that was the magic of "Perfect Strangers." The essence of the band everyone grew up with was there, and they achieved a perfect balance by staying current. The production was handled by bassist, Roger Glover, who understood the sound and the abilities of each musician.
The album consisted of 8 tracks on the vinyl, but there was a total of 10 recorded compositions. “Not Responsible” ended up as a bonus song on the cassette and CD at the time, and “Son of Alerik” was included as a B-side to “Perfect Strangers” single. The main 8 songs on the album were very strong. The title cut, “Perfect Strangers” is an old unused Rainbow riff, adding the magical touch from Jon Lord, it became one of the most memorable and beloved songs from the album. The current Deep Purple band is still playing the song live, so its longevity is well accounted for. “Knocking at Your Back Door” was the second single, and the rocking nature of this song attracted a lot of radio airplay. “Perfect Strangers,” and “Knocking at Your Back Door” were the only two songs the band shot video clips for.
The remaining songs may not have had the hit potential, but they were extremely vital. “Under the Gun” displayed a great interaction from Blackmore, and Lord, with everyone else filling in the middle. “Nobody’s Home” is a mid-tempo rocker with some great tongue in cheek words from Ian Gillan. “Mean Streak” is the root of all evil with which black mamba can’t even compete, and the temptation is bitter sweet. Side A of the original vinyl was flying! “Perfect Strangers” with its magical middle eastern feel and scales is the epic track that dominates this album. Its impression stays with you forever once you hear it. It’s one of those songs that you don’t just hear, you feel it deeply. “A Gypsy’s Kiss” is an up-tempo rocker with some amazing dialogue from Blackmore and Lord. This song is just a springboard for both of these players to shine and conquer. “Wasted Sunsets” is simply beautiful song, with an amazing feel, and a very retrospective reflection. In many ways, 40 years later, this might be hidden gem on this record. The album closes with “Hungry Daze.” It’s a song with a very classic Deep Purple feel that lyrically looks back at the past, and tries to capture the passing time. The band even managed to reference themselves in this track, in a very clever way. Much has to be said about Ian Gillan’s lyrics on “Perfect Strangers.” There is a lot of dark British humor here, plenty of innuendos, but above all they are very clever. Even after four decades, the lyrics still offer a discovery or two.
The performance much like the title of the record is perfect. The band is made up of super talented musicians, only more experienced than they were a decade earlier. They knew what they were doing, and knew how to get there. What makes the difference is that the material is catchy and strong. At the end of the day, it’s a deciding factor whether a record will live forever, or die instantly. The magic was present on “Perfect Strangers,” and forty years later that magic is still equally strong and impressive. Many Deep Purple aficionados agree the band was at their absolute best, and even if they were not, they came dangerously close.
The accompanying tour was a huge success as well. The band ended up adding many dates, and often played multiple nights in certain cities. The shows were magical, the group was getting along. Deep Purple chose five tracks from “Perfect Strangers” to feature in the live set, which also underlines the fact as to how important that album was to them. There were smiles, enthusiastic fans, and great energy on both sides of the stage. Deep Purple had fun on stage, they were improvising, jamming, and getting the most out of each song. Having seen Deep Purple at their stop in Chicago, in February, 1985, this writer can whole heartily agree with all positive reports that are circulating from that time frame. It was special, and it could never be duplicated. Even when listening to a bootleg recording from the very show mentioned above generates an incredible amount of excitement and thrills. There were many great Deep Purple shows that followed since that time, but that type of magic could never be recreated again. It was a special time that simply belonged to the band, and to those who were able to accompany them during those shows.
So where are they now? Deep Purple as a band still continues to record and play live shows. At this point, the band consists of Ian Paice, Roger Glover, and Ian Gillan from the "Perfect Strangers" line up. Ritchie Blackmore exited the band for good in 1993, and continues his career in Blackmore's Night. Jon Lord left the band in 2002, and sadly passed away in 2012. In some ways, it all feels like a lifetime away.
As a whole package, “Perfect Strangers,” earned the right to be called a legendary record. While it was new at one point, it aged quite gracefully, and now it’s a classic, and to some a holy grail. Even after 40 years, the album feels fresh, and full of energy. Deep Purple’s catalog is very diverse, and it’s grown even more diverse in the recent years. “Perfect Strangers” certainly has its own temple in the grand scheme of things.
Mark Kadzielawa
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