Deep Purple

Machine Head

First released1972

Machine Head, Deep Purple's fifth studio album, was recorded at the Grand Hotel in Montreux, Switzerland in April 1972 using a mobile recording studio, making it one of the first major rock albums recorded outside a traditional studio facility. The album was produced by Deep Purple and engineer Martin Birch, who would become a frequent collaborator with the band and later with other major rock acts. The recording took advantage of the hotel's spacious rooms and natural acoustics, with the famous "Smoke on the Water" riff famously conceived during the sessions. The album showcased the band's hard rock and heavy metal sound and became one of their most commercially successful and critically acclaimed works. The mobile studio setup and Montreux location later inspired the creation of the Montreux Jazz Festival's recording legacy.