What does it sound like?:
Why did I say I’d review this? I didn’t hear it when it came out so I thought this would be a marvellous opportunity.I enjoyed Alan Aldridge’s drawings for the Beatles lyrics and my nineteen year old self would have loved this, as I pored over the drawings in the book as I listened to the music.
However listening to it these many years later!
There’s nothing wrong with it, just that it’s not something I’d rush back to listen to.
However having said that I thought that it would make a splendid stage musical (reading through the accompanying booklet I see that is one of the planned ideas), or an animated film.
What does it all *mean*?
I enclose part of the press release so that you know what you are getting.
Following expanded reissues from the resurrected Purple Records by Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, Glenn Hughes, Silverhead, Elf and Hard Stuff, Cherry Red are proud to announce the new 3 disc edition of The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper’s Feast. After leaving Purple in 1973, Roger Glover was asked to compose music to the illustrated book of the same name by William Plomer and Alan Aldridge. His first major project since leaving Purple, Roger was able to enlist many top names to help him realise his vision, including Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale, then both in Deep Purple as well as Elf’s Micky Lee Soule and Ronnie James Dio. Not included on the original vinyl LP, the single ‘Little Chalk Blue’ featuring future Uriah Heep singer John Lawton is also featured on CD 1.
As well as the remastered album, a second disc features nine demos and alternative mixes, plus the very rare Butterfly Ball Radio Special, a 1974 promo only release where the album’s creator and producer, Roger Glover, discusses and explains the story behind the creation of the project.
The third disc is a replica of the ‘Love Is All’ EP, a huge hit single across Europe on its 1974 release, featuring Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals.
Presented in a clamshell box set with booklet, individual wallets and poster, with sleeve-notes from Malcolm Dome, who has written a new essay based on interviews with Roger, plus text reproduced from the original 1974 press release.
MUSICIANS:
Roger Glover: Synthesiser, piano, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals.
Eddie Hardin: Piano, organ, synthesiser, backing vocals.
Les Binks: Drums.
Ray Fenwick: Guitar.
Mo Foster: Bass guitar, double bass, finger pops.
Mike Moran: Piano.
Liza Strike, Helen Chappelle, Barry St. John, Judi Kuhl, Kay Garner and Joanne Williams
(vocal backings).
Ann Odell (piano), Mike Giles (drums), Nigel Watson (saw), Eddie Jobson (violin), Jack
Emblow (accordian), Chris Karan (tabla), Robin Thompson (bassoon).
Special Thanks to: Alan Aldridge
Thanks also to: John Craig, Richard Bagehot, Anthony Edwards, John Coletta, Lou Austin,
George Sloan, Paul Watkins, Jane Dadswell, Jeffrey Levinson, Ronnie Dio, Judi Kuhl, Eddie
Hardin, also Ann Coletta and Margaret Knight for the Brighton Children, Mountain Fjord for
the orchestra led by David Woodcock.
Cover Design: Alan Aldridge / Harry Wilcock.
Recorded At Kingsway Recorders, London, 1974.
Engineered By Lou Austin And George Sloan.
Produced By Roger Glover.
Goes well with…
The book The Butterfly Ball and The Grasshopper’s Feast
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Deep Purple obv
Rock a boogie children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyMjIamDrKw
The Butterfly ball was actually performed at the RAH. Looks 70s-tastic:
In my role as (in the absence of Johnny Concheroo) the Afterword’s resident Zelig, I am forced to admit that I was there on a freebie. I worked at the publishers, Jonathan Cape, at the time, and edited William Plomer’s text for the book.
I don’t remember much about it, except that it seemed to go on for ever – Vincent Price, Twiggy, random dancing, kids’ choir and cock rock isn’t really a winning combination. And I’ve had that bloody Love Is All thing going round in my head ever since.
I did manage to hang on to my scrounged Sir Maximus Mouse mug though – it’s been doing faithful service as a pen pot these (gulp) 43 years.
Sounds just up my street! Anything with Barry St John in it must be ace. God Bless Bargie and all….
Dear God In Heaven – I just pressed “play”! Up comes the sun, his light is like amber…. The Day of The Beast and The Butterfly Ball.
This really is beyond parody…
I’ve a recollection of seeing a illuminated automated Butterfly Ball diorama thingy in a park in Morecambe once. Whenever it was, it would have been some years after the release of the album, possibly even as late as 1983.