Deep Purple 'Smoke on the Water'

The Backstage Pass - The Story Behind the songs.

Welcome to the podcast where we dive deep into the stories behind some of the most iconic songs in music history. In this episode, we will be talking about the classic rock anthem "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple.

It all started on December 4th, 1971, when the band was in Montreux, Switzerland, to record their album 'Machine Head'. They were using a mobile recording studio rented from the Rolling Stones, known as 'the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio'. Little did they know, that recording session would go down in history.

As the band watched a Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention concert at the Montreux Casino, a fire broke out, destroying the entire venue. Deep Purple's lead guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, famously described the scene as "some stupid with a flare gun" causing "the place to burn". The band was staying across the lake and watched the entire scene unfold, including the fire department's attempt to put out the blaze, with the help of a water pump station on the lake.

The incident left a lasting impression on the band, and they decided to turn it into a song. Deep Purple's vocalist, Ian Gillan, penned the lyrics, and the rest of the band worked together to create the signature riff. The song was aptly titled "Smoke on the Water" and would go on to become one of the most recognizable and celebrated rock songs of all time.

Interestingly, the entertainment complex that was part of the Montreux Casino was referred to as "the gambling house" in the song lyrics. The band's experience in Montreux has become legendary, and the story behind "Smoke on the Water" has become a staple in rock history.

Thanks for listening to this episode of our podcast, where we uncovered the fascinating story behind Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water".

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