Deep Purple’s signature song “Smoke on the Water” tells the true story of an incident that occurred in December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland, when the band was in the city to record what would become their classic 1972 album Machine Head. Deep Purple had intended to do the recording at Montreux Casino, but while they were in the city, a fire broke out at the venue during a concert by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and it burned to the ground.
“It burned all afternoon, all evening, all through the night,” the bassist recalled. “We went and looked at [the casino] the next morning and there it was, gone. It was a frightening thing.”
Glover then shared how the song’s title came to him.
“The following morning, I was in my room alone and I woke up with those words on my lips, and I said them out to an empty room,” he said. “And then I kind of really woke up and I said, ‘What did I just say? Smoke on the water?’ No idea what it meant.”
“Smoke on the Water” became the classic 1970s Deep Purple lineup’s biggest hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973.
Deep Purple’s Upcoming Tour Plans
Deep Purple currently is in the middle of a European headlining trek that’s scheduled through an August 8 concert in Skandeborg, Denmark. The band’s next show is scheduled for July 10 in Rome.
After the European outing, Deep Purple will launch a North American tour in support of =1 and celebrating the 50th anniversary of their classic song “Smoke on the Water.” The trek, which also features Yes, kicks off August 14 in Hollywood, Florida, and is plotted out through a September 8 show in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
After the North American tour, the group will play three shows in South America in September. Deep Purple will then head back to Europe, including their native U.K., for more shows in October and November.
Tickets to Deep Purple’s 2024 concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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