Machine Head: Compare the Original Sequence with the 2024 Remix

Know which sequence you are buying

Deep Purple’s Machine Head is often introduced through “Smoke on the Water,” but its original seven-song program gives you a broader way to hear the band. A newer edition may also change the sequence or add material. Before buying, decide whether you want the original album order, a named remix, a concert performance or a package that combines them.

The original sequence is “Highway Star,” “Maybe I’m a Leo,” “Pictures of Home,” “Never Before,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Lazy” and “Space Truckin’.” Rhino’s 2024 Super Deluxe announcement identifies that seven-song program in its remaster. Its new remix LP inserts the B-side “When a Blind Man Cries” before “Space Truckin’.” The extra song is clearly identified in the listing, but it changes the experience of that LP side. Check a specific edition’s contents rather than assuming every copy with the album title follows the same route.

Hear the band across the album

Rhino identifies the 1972 lineup as Ian Gillan on vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Jon Lord on keyboards, Roger Glover on bass and Ian Paice on drums. To move beyond a single riff, choose one player to follow through the first two tracks. Listen to how the guitar and keyboards share attention, then repeat the exercise with bass and drums. Note a change in pace or texture you can locate again; you do not need to name every instrument at every moment.

Now compare the opening of “Highway Star” with “Maybe I’m a Leo.” Ask what gives each its sense of movement. Is it the way the drums mark time, the spacing of the guitar figure, or the vocal’s placement? A few concrete notes will help you revisit the music without relying on a ranking of solos. If you are listening with someone else, compare which part each person followed first.

The second half gives you another useful contrast. Follow the familiar riff in “Smoke on the Water” into “Lazy,” paying attention to how the change of track affects your expectation. Then play “Space Truckin’” as the original album’s closer. If you use the 2024 remix LP, hear the intervening B-side as a separate addition and decide how the extra pause changes the sequence for you. The exercise does not require calling the expanded running order better or worse; it makes the difference audible.

Understand the 2024 package

The official Deep Purple store’s track list describes a 3CD, LP and Blu-ray set. The LP contains Dweezil Zappa’s 2024 remix, including the B-side in the side-two sequence. The first CD places the remix and a 2024 remaster in separate groups. Other CDs contain concerts, while the Blu-ray lists an Atmos remix, the 1974 quad mix and selected 5.1 mixes.

A remix and a remaster answer different questions. A remix creates another balance from available recorded elements; a remaster prepares a mix for release. A listener comparing the two should check the credit on each selection and keep the playback level as close as practical. Follow one element, such as the voice or organ, through a short passage. Then write down the named versions and equipment used. Different mastering and playback conditions can influence what you hear, so a preference in that comparison does not establish a universal winner.

The LP in this set is specifically the remix. If you want a vinyl copy of the original mix, verify that claim against the exact release instead of assuming that a box containing an original-album remaster on CD also includes it on LP. Conversely, if you want the remix on vinyl, the product’s full track list explains where the added B-side appears. Similar cover artwork does not identify the mix by itself.

The 1971 and 1972 concerts serve different purposes

The 2024 collection identifies one concert disc as In Concert ’72 and another as Montreux ’71. Rhino describes the latter as an audience recording featuring songs made before Machine Head. It is therefore useful historical context, not a live rendering of the finished 1972 album. Its recording conditions may also differ from a multitrack studio album or another broadcast performance; check the description before assuming equal fidelity.

The 1972 concert disc includes songs that also appear on the studio album. Choose one, such as “Highway Star,” and compare the opening and ending with the studio version. Note the credited performance and venue information in your listening notes. A longer live version can reflect a different performance structure; it should not be treated automatically as an unedited version of the studio master.

For an even narrower comparison, follow the bass or drums through the same section in each performance. Ask whether the pulse feels steadier, looser or more forceful to you, and identify the moment behind that impression. A comparison is strongest when it names the recordings being compared and separates a live performance difference from a mix or mastering difference.

Check surround playback before purchasing

The listed Blu-ray includes an Atmos remix and a historical quad mix. Surround formats require compatible equipment and an appropriate speaker or supported playback arrangement to reproduce their separate channels as intended. A Blu-ray audio disc also requires a compatible player; an ordinary CD player cannot be assumed to read it. Consult the player’s documentation for available output options before paying extra specifically for surround material.

If you primarily listen in stereo, confirm which stereo mix is on the disc or record you intend to play. A surround logo on the box is not a substitute for a track and format list. Keep the product title, catalog information and format together when comparing sellers: “anniversary edition” alone may describe multiple configurations.

Inspect the physical copy

Ask for the actual front and back sleeve, labels and runout markings. Compare the country and catalog number with a reliable release record, and check the side-two sequence if the B-side matters to you. Use angled light to examine each side for damage or residue, and check whether the disc lies flat. Ask whether the disc was play-tested; a visual grade cannot promise silent playback.

For the box, list the LP, three CDs and Blu-ray individually and confirm any advertised inserts. Compare delivered cost and return terms as well as condition. The official sources document particular versions and their contents, not a reliable price for an individual copy or a guarantee that one pressing will sound best on your system.