Fireball

Fireball is the fifth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released in 1971. It marks the second album featuring the Mark II line-up, comprising Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice. Recorded between September 1970 and June 1971, Fireball became the first of Deep Purple’s three UK No. 1 albums, although it did not remain on the charts as long as its predecessor, Deep Purple in Rock. Despite selling over a million copies in the UK, the album has not received a certification there.

Following the success of In Rock, the band faced high demand for live performances, which affected their health. Keyboardist Jon Lord suffered from back problems exacerbated by his previous experience with The Artwoods, while bassist Roger Glover experienced stomach issues that impacted his ability to perform live. Tensions arose between guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who felt validated by the band’s hard rock direction, and singer Ian Gillan, straining their relationship.

Recording for Fireball began in September 1970, yielding the song “Anyone’s Daughter” but struggling with further material. Additional work took place at Welcombe Manor in Devonshire in December 1970, where songs like “Strange Kind of Woman,” “I’m Alone,” and “The Mule” were developed and recorded in January 1971. Although “Freedom” was written and recorded during these sessions, it was not included in the final track listing. The final recording session produced “Demon’s Eye” in June, but due to the band’s upcoming American tour, Warner Bros. Records replaced it with “Strange Kind of Woman” for the US release.

Fireball reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and topped the charts in Germany, Austria, and Sweden. In North America, it achieved No. 32 in the US and No. 24 in Canada.

The original UK version of the album included “Demon’s Eye” but excluded “Strange Kind of Woman,” which was released as a single and reached No. 8 in the UK and Germany and No. 1 in Denmark. The title track, “Fireball,” also became a single, reaching No. 15 in the UK.

“Strange Kind of Woman” remains a staple of Deep Purple’s live performances, as does “Fireball,” which was used as an encore during concerts due to its requirement for a double bass drum setup. Songs like “Strange Kind of Woman” and “The Mule” were frequently played live in 1972, appearing on the live album Made in Japan. “Anyone’s Daughter” was featured on the 1993–1994 tours, and other tracks such as “Fools,” “No One Came,” “I’m Alone,” and “Demon’s Eye” have appeared intermittently on various tours since 1996.