This is the 1991 version of the compilation. Another extended version was released two years later in 1993. It was a variation on the Deep Purple and Rainbow best of or greatest hits compilations available at that time. The first version only has Deep Purple tracks from the Mk II line of the band (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord and Paice). The extended version features songs from the Coverdale and Hughes era.
The album features some of Deep Purple's best known songs including Black Night, Speed King, Child In Time, and Strange Kind Of Woman. Then there are the two classic anthems
from the Machine Head opus, Highway Star, and the seminal Smoke On The Water. The last two Purple songs were recorded after the 1984 reunion, namely the excellent Perfect Strangers, and the 1988 rerecording of Hush, which marked the 20th anniversary of the group. Hard to believe that 2018 will mark their half century.This compilation features songs from the first post Deep Purple band, Rainbow. There are only two songs from Rainbow, neither of, which feature the late, great Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals. Instead there is the band's cover version of the track Since You Been Gone featuring Graham Bonnet. The other track is I Surrender as sung by
Joe Lyn Turner. Surprisingly Turner sang on more Rainbow albums than anyone else did, and sang on the 1990 Deep Purple album Slaves And Masters (a much better offering than the critics said it was at the time).Then there are two songs from David Coverdale's band Whitesnake. There is the original rendition of Fool For Your Loving from 1980 instead of the inferior remake of 1989. It also features the smash hit U S remix of Here I Go Again.
The final two songs on the compilation are Night Games by Graham Bonnet and Rock 'n' Roll Children from Duo. Perhaps it was surprising that this record did not feature any solo tracks from Ian Gillan or the group Gillan. May be another Dio track such as Dream Evil, Stand Up And Shout, or We Rock would have been a better choice.
All in all though this is a good compilation that introduces people to Deep Purple, Dio, Graham Bonnet, Rainbow, and Whitesnake. There are some fine hard rock tunes on here, and unlike many compilation albums there are no second rate life recordings included. The 1993 version if you can find it is even better.
