FUNKY JUNCTION
"A Tribute to Deep Purple"
(Independent Italy; 1973)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Before Thin Lizzy hit it big, they were asked to perform on this early tribute record, dedicated to the mighty Deep Purple. While the thought of Thin Lizzy covering Deep Purple probably gets the blood flowing for fans of both bands, "A Tribute to Deep Purple" isn't exactly the towering success one would have hoped and, instead, comes off more as an interesting piece of rock'n'roll history.
For the most part, the cover songs performed on this CD are pulled off with adequate results. It sounds like an admittedly better version of the "soundalike" bands used to create low-budget collections of popular songs. The music fares better than the vocals. Benny White, try as he might, just can't deliver the same energy and style of Purple singers like Ian Gillan and Rod Evans (although he's closer to Evans than Gillan). Still, the music is all but buried in a murky mix that makes it a little maddening to listen to.
Mixed between the Deep Purple covers are instrumentals and shorter songs that will either have you nodding gently in approval or scratching your head in puzzlement. A couple of them are really weird. Appropriate for the era, perhaps, but really weird today.
Overall, "A Tribute to Deep Purple" is an interesting find but not an absolute necessity except to the most die hard of Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy fanatics.
Funky Junction: Benny White - vocals; Phil Lynott - bass; Eric Bell - guitar; Brian Downey - drums; Dave Lennox - keyboards.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 26 Feb 2024 13:06:29 -0500.
