Deep Purple

Machine Head

First released1972

Machine Head was recorded at the Grand Hotel in Montreux, Switzerland in June 1972, utilizing a mobile recording unit rather than a traditional studio due to the band's touring schedule. The album was produced by Deep Purple and engineered by Martin Birch, who would become a key collaborator with the band throughout the 1970s. The recording setup included innovative use of the mobile studio equipment and captured the band's live energy, with some tracks benefiting from the natural acoustics of the hotel location. The sessions took place during a pivotal moment in the band's career, following the departure of keyboardist Jon Lord's departure from stage duties that would shape the album's guitar-driven sound. Machine Head became one of Deep Purple's most commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums, featuring the hit single "Smoke on the Water," which showcased guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's iconic riff recorded during these sessions.