Recording
Deep Purple ventured in the studio with an ambition of coming up with much better original material than their previous effort, as well as including some covers. Finesse recordings began in early October and ended on the tenth. The band had not originally planned on being in studio all the way to October, but production was enthusiastic and everybody in the band had a sense for perfection, especially Ritchie Blackmore. "Shield" and "Anthem" were recorded first, followed by "Wring That Neck," "Listen, Learn, Read On," "Kentucky Woman," and "Exposition/We Can Work It Out." "River Deep - Mountain High" was always intended as the final track, so its recording was postponed until the other tracks were finished. The song was taped on the 10th of October, which ended their recording in studio. In charge of production was Derek Lawrence, who had also produced their previous album.
The tapes were mixed in both mono and stereo. The mono tapes were trashed, as neither of the two labels had any use for them in any matter. The mixing was supposed to be overseen by the band members, but their schedule in October was so tight that Lawrence did it without them. This dismayed the band at first, but the result sound-wise turned out better than on their debut.
Overall, the final album has a cleaner, heavier and more polished sound than their debut. Just as on Shades of Deep Purple, time they had been awarded to write and record was very slick, so they had to perform under pressure. Also, with a request for a new album coming only three months after their first album was recorded, they came in with fewer original ideas. However, the longer time given to record helped, which provided them four lengthy original songs for the final album. Shades of Deep Purple has four originals included as well (only one of these, "Mandrake Root", was played live after 1969), but that album also contains four covers, as opposed to Taliesyn which contains three. The expanded focus on originals for this album would be even further developed on their next venture in the studio.
Read more about this topic: The Book Of Taliesyn
Famous quotes containing the word recording:
“Write while the heat is in you.... The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Too many photographers try too hard. They try to lift photography into the realm of Art, because they have an inferiority complex about their Craft. You and I would see more interesting photography if they would stop worrying, and instead, apply horse-sense to the problem of recording the look and feel of their own era.”
—Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870–1942)
“He shall not die, by G—, cried my uncle Toby.
MThe ACCUSING SPIRIT which flew up to heaven’s chancery with the oath, blush’d as he gave it in;—and the RECORDING ANGEL as he wrote it down, dropp’d a tear upon the word, and blotted it out for ever.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)