Live Performances
The song would become an early concert staple for the band, with the keyboard and guitar solos extended at times for up to 15 minutes. One of the few Mk I era songs to continue being played by Mk II and sung by Ian Gillan, a similar instrumental would be paired in later years with the extended live versions of "Space Truckin'." In the version of "Space Truckin'" recorded for the 1972 live Made In Japan album, riffs from "Mandrake Root" can be plainly heard during the instrumental parts.
It is notably one of the few Mk I tracks that was a regular feature of Mk II's early setlist, as it provided a vehicle for lengthy organ and guitar solos from Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore, respectively. It is also one of two Deep Purple songs that were written by the Mk I lineup, and later re-worked by Ian Gillan for Mk II. The other one is "Bird Has Flown," originally featured on the album Deep Purple III from 1969.
Ian Gillan would also perform the Mark I covers of "Kentucky Woman" and "Hush" on occasional live shows in 1969 and early 1970. Ian Gillan has later proved his tendency to deny performing songs that are written by Deep Purple during the periods the band had another vocalist than himself. "Wring That Neck" was also written before Ian Gillan's time in the band and had been played while he was the vocalist, but because the song is an instrumental, there is no input by Gillan.
For the guitar solo, Blackmore would frequently throw his guitar into the air, play it with his feet, or perform similar crowd pleasing tricks.
Read more about this topic: Mandrake Root
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