Deep Purple "Come Taste The Band" (Warner Bros. 9 26454-2) 1975
The late Tommy Bolin, who died of a drug overdose in a Miami hotel room in December 1976, was a gifted guitarist probably best remembered for his brief tenure in Deep Purple. But Bolin participated in other artists' recordings as well, and recorded two solo albums before his death at the age of 25. The work he left behind suggests that he had much more to offer.
At the age of 18, Bolin was the guitarist for the hard rock band Zephyr, and played on the first two of their three albums. The band's self-titled 1969 album is now out of print. Zephyr's music was a mixture of heavy metal, jazz, and blues, and was at times similar to that of the first Led Zeppelin album (released the same year). But Bolin had more discipline and virtuosity than Jimmy Page did. The lead vocals of the late Candy Givens (who drowned in a hot tub while under the influence of drugs in 1984) were sometimes over the top; the appeal of her Janis Joplin-like wailing may depend on your mood. But Bolin's guitar-playing is excellent, making Zephyr well worth discovering. Bolin also co-wrote five of the album's eight tracks.
Track Listing:
1. Sail On 2. Sun's A-Risin' 3. Raindrops 4a. Boom-Da-Boom 4b. Somebody Listen 5. Cross The River 6. St. James Infirmary 7. Huna Buna 8. Hard Chargin' Woman
Bolin left Zephyr after the commercial failure of their second album in 1971. Between 1971 and 1975, Bolin worked with jazz-rock luminaries Billy Cobham and Jeremy Steig, and became the second replacement for Joe Walsh in the James Gang, playing on that band's Bang (1973) and Miami (1974) albums. After leaving that band, Bolin recorded the first of his two solo albums.
On Teaser, Bolin is aided by numerous well-known musicians, including Phil Collins, Jan Hammer, David Sanborn, Glenn Hughes (his soon-to-be-bandmate in Deep Purple), and Jeff Porcaro. As if he hadn't already proven his versatility, Bolin attempted several different types of songs on Teaser, usually with success. Alternating between hard rock songs ("The Grind", "Wild Dogs"), instrumentals ("Homeward Strut", "Marching Powder"), and even a cool jazz number ("Savannah Woman"), Bolin displays unusual talent and virtuosity. Aside from a few forgivable moments of weakness (especially the standard rock ballad "Dreamer"), most of Teaser is both enjoyable and impressive.
By the time Teaser was released, Bolin had joined Deep Purple to replace founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. At this time, the only original Purple members left in the band were keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice. The quintet was rounded out by Bolin, veteran British metal bassist Glenn Hughes, and future Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale. 1975's Come Taste The Band would be the only album Bolin would record with the band (excluding a few live albums that were released later).
Come Taste The Band was a good album, but not a great one. None of the songs are bad, but none of them are in the same class as Purple's earlier classics. "Comin' Home" and "Love Child" are the most memorable tracks. Bolin's guitar playing is excellent; although he was less grandiose than Blackmore, Bolin was certainly impressive on his own terms. But when all is said and done, Come Taste The Band is not one of Deep Purple's best. The flaw may have been in the band's chemistry; if this lineup had stayed together longer, better albums may have resulted. But it wasn't to be: Bolin left the band to record his second and final solo album Private Eyes in 1976, and Deep Purple subsequently broke up (at least until 1984). Note: "Gettin' Tighter" and "Comin' Home" are available on the Deep Purple box set Shades 1968-1998.
Track Listing:
1. Comin' Home (Bolin/Coverdale/Paice) 2. Lady Luck (Cook/Coverdale) 3. Gettin' Tighter (Bolin/Hughes) 4. Dealer (Bolin/Coverdale) 5. I Need Love (Bolin/Coverdale) 6. Drifter (Bolin/Coverdale) 7. Love Child (Bolin/Coverdale) 8a. This Time Around (Hughes/Lord/Bolin) 8b. Owed to 'G' 9. You Keep On Moving (Coverdale/Hughes)
