Classic Rock N Recall: Smoke on the Water Inspiration Burned Down

Today In Classic Rock History

On This Day:

In 1971
The Montreux Casino in Switzerland burned down when Frank Zappa was performing there.  Deep Purple later recorded the song "Smoke On The Water" about the incident.

My very first vinyl album ever was Deep Purple's 'Fireball.'

My second was Deep Purple 'Machine Head.'... and that contained one of the most influential and noticeable guitar riffs of all time, contained in the song SMOKE ON THE WATER.

Machine Head is the sixth studio album released by the English rock band Deep Purple. It was recorded through December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland, and released in March 1972.

Machine Head is often cited as influential in the development of the heavy metal music genre. It is Deep Purple's most successful recording, topping the charts in several countries following its release. The album reached number 1 in the United Kingdom and stayed in the top 40 for 20 weeks. It reached number 7 in the United States, remaining on the Billboard 200 for 118 weeks.

The song is about a recording session gone terribly wrong beside a lake in Switzerland. The following lyrics, tell the story.