Deep Purple "The House of Blue Light"

The House of Blue Light is the twelfth studio album by The British rock band Deep Purple, released in 1987. It is the second recording by the re-formed Mark II line-up.

The album's creation was an exceedingly long and difficult process, which singer Ian Gillan compared to the recording of Who Do We Think We Are in Rome. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has said much of it was re-recorded. Gillan has remarked on how strained relations within the band compromised the album: "I look back at House Of Blue Light, there are some good songs on that record, but there’s something missing in the overall album. I can’t feel the spirit of this band. I can see or hear five professionals doing their best, but it’s like a football team, it’s not functioning. It’s like eleven superstars that are playing on the same field but are not connected by the heart or by the spirit". Added organist Jon Lord, "We made the massive mistake of trying to make our music current. We discovered that people didn't want us to do that."

Two promotional videos to the songs "Bad Attitude" and "Call of the Wild" were produced. Both of them feature members of the band.

Several tracks on the LP and cassette versions are shorter than those of the original CD released in 1987. The 1999 CD remaster used the original vinyl master tapes, and so its running time is correspondingly shorter than the original CD version as well.

1987 CD edition

1. "Bad Attitude" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 5:04
2. "The Unwritten Law" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Paice) 4:54
3. "Call of the Wild" (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Lord) 4:48
4. "Mad Dog" 4:36
5. "Black & White" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 4:39
6. "Hard Lovin' Woman" 3:25
7. "The Spanish Archer" 5:31
8. "Strangeways" 7:36
9. "Mitzi Dupree" 5:05
10. "Dead or Alive" 5:00

Vinyl, cassette and 1999 CD edition

1. "Bad Attitude" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 4:32
2. "The Unwritten Law" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Paice) 4:34
3. "Call of the Wild" (Gillan, Blackmore, Glover, Lord) 4:48
4. "Mad Dog" 4:29
5. "Black & White" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 3:39
6. "Hard Lovin' Woman" 3:25
7. "The Spanish Archer" 4:56
8. "Strangeways" 5:56
9. "Mitzi Dupree" 5:05
10. "Dead or Alive" 4:42

Recording information:

Recorded at the Playhouse in Stowe, Vermont, using Le Mobile Unit.

Mixed at Union Studios in Munich, Germany.

Mastered at Sterling Studios in New York.