The Gunners Gunned Down

After the disappointment against Spurs and Manchester City, I decided not to watch the game against Arsenal in the F.A Cup fifth-round(it was telecasted very late at night).

However, my instinct woke me up just in time for Nani to score the third goal. The game ended 4-0! ...Against Arsenal!? Unbelievable! Way to go guys!

The Heroes

NO GLORY AT ALL!

LOST TO MANCHESTER CITY...AGAIN...AT OLD TRAFFORD...WITH A DIFFERENT KIT!

It is an event to be remembered ...

but a game to be forgotten.

Nothing seemed to be right for us...

"They" must be disappointed.

Fulamak! Magik! Part 3

Fulamak! Magik! Part 2

Fulamak! Magik!

GLORY! GLORY! MAN UNITED

My favourite football team has always been Manchester United since I was a child. Maybe since the era of Steve Coppell and Lou Macari. At that time the English League was shown as Star Soccer and was aired during weekends. Although the team had been through their ups and downs (esp. in the 80's), they are still the best ...don't know why.

My favourite player will always be de manifique Eric Cantona. Because of him (and Sir Alex of course) MU got the glory back in the first edition of the Premier League season 1992/1993. Since then MU are at the top flight football of the English League as well as in Europe.

Best known for his ball control, dribbling skills, shooting accuracy and sensory-radar passing.

CLASSIC ROCK (THE 70'S)

The 70's is considered as the best ROCK era ever with bands like Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd etc. There has never been an era like the 70's. I was born in 1971 and maybe that is why I love the bands from the 70's so much. It has been my in 'flesh and blood'. Since I was a child my brothers (I'm the youngest in the family) would play (0r I would ask them) songs from the bands through vinyls.

I grew up with music from Deep Purple. Those who claim themselves rockers but don't know anything or never heard of the band should better forget about being a rocker and start listening to the Spice Girls. Ritchie Blackmore has always been my favourite guitarist (until now). His tone and guitarwork are truly tremendous. That's why so many guitarists tried to copy his solos, riffs, sound and style of play. Until now I still listen to his music through his medieval sound of Blackmore's Night.

The greatest rock drummer for me is also from this band. Ian Paice has the speed and uniqueness that no other drummer has. Most probably because of his left-handed style of play. Since childhood , I always wanted to play drums like him. Although I play drums, I never got to play like him, not even close.

All my five brothers played a role in molding me musically. My eldest bro introduced me to Deep Purple, Manfred Mann's EB, Santana and Uriah Heep. My second bro is more towards the blues with names like ZZ Top, Cream (with Eric Clapton), Jimi Hendrix, Bad Company and Pink Floyd. The third one had a continuation of my first bro. Bands like Black Sabbath, Queen, The Knack, Eagles and Rainbow were brought to my life by my fourth bro and my fifth bro rocked me with Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits and Rush.

With a little help from friends, bands like The Allman Bros Band, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Free, Lynyrd Skynyrd,UFO and Jeff Beck Band were introduced.

LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!

DEEP PURPLE WITH OTHER LINE-UPS

MARK I

ROD EVANS ON VOCALS & NICKY SIMPER ON BASS

MARK III

DAVID COVERDALE ON VOCALS & GLENN HUGHES ON BASS

JOE LYNN TURNER ON VOCALS & ROGER GLOVER ON BASS

IAN GILLAN ON VOCALS & STEVE MORSE ON GUITARS

PRESENT

DON AIREY ON KEYBOARDS

A BRIEF HISTORY

In 1968, the band released the album 'Shades of Deep Purple' featuring the Tom Jones-like Rod Evans on vocals, Nicky Simper on bass, Richie Blackmore on guitars, Jon Lord on keyboards and Ian Paice on drums and managed to hit the chart with the hit single "Hush". They followed the psychedelic sound of pop/rock of the 60's. My personal favourites from this album are "Mandrake Root" and "Hush".

In the same year they produced another album called 'The Book of Taliesyn' in which most of the songs were a bit harder than the first album. "Listen, Learn, Read On" and "Wring That Neck" have captured my nerves through Ian Paice's playing.

They just took a year to complete their third self-title album which marked the end of Deep Purple Mark I. The album entitled Deep Purple had shown a sign of where they were going to as the pioneers of Heavy Rock through tracks like "Chasing Shadows", "The Painter" and "Why Didn't Rosemary?". I enjoyed this line-up especially through the captivating style of Ian Paice and the raw sound of the man in black himself, Mr. Blackmore.

In 1969, the band went through a few changes with new faces on vocals and bass. Ian Gillan took over the job as the frontman and Roger Glover on bass. Known as DP Mark II, they experimented themselves in one of the most historical events in Rock music as they collaborated with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold and performed The Concerto for Group and Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall (London).

In Rock is a hard rock album released in September 1970. It was their fourth studio album, and the first with the classic Mk II lineup. In 1971 they released Fireball which followed by my all time favourite album Machine Head in 1972. Let say all of the songs in these 3 albums are my favourites. Made in Japan is a live album released in December 1972 in all of Europe. The album was recorded live over three nights during 15-17 August 1972 in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, hence the name of the album. The tracks mostly come from their studio effort, Machine Head. (Check out out this version of Highway Star...THE BEST). Who Do We Think We Are is the fourth studio album by the Mark II lineup. It was recorded in Rome (in July 1972) and Frankfurt (October 1972) using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. It was Deep Purple's seventh studio album, and the last one with the classic Mark II lineup. It was not a successful album as the songs reflected the internal problems occured in the band (especially through Blackmore's solos).

Burn is the eighth studio album which was recorded in Montreux, Switzerland in November 1973 with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, and released in February 1974. It introduced new lead vocalist David Coverdale and new bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes. They replaced Ian Gillan and Roger Glover. This was the first Deep Purple album with the Mark III lineup. With the addition of Coverdale and Hughes, Purple's hard rock sound became more boogie oriented, incorporating elements of soul and funk which would become much more prominent on the follow up album, Stormbringer. Stormbringer is the ninth studio album released in November 1974. On this album, the soul and funk elements that were only hinted at on Burn are much more prominent. This shift in direction alienated some fans as well as Ritchie Blackmore, who left the band not long after Stormbringer was released. Come Taste the Band was recorded between August 3rd and September 1st, 1975. The album was released in October 1975. It was the only studio album with Tommy Bolin, who replaced Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar. This album has never been in my DP library.

After 11 years, the most famous Mark II line up reformed and released DP's 11th album Perfect Strangers in 1984. The House of Blue Light is the twelfth studio album released in 1987. It is the second recording by the re-formed Mark II lineup.

Slaves & Masters is the thirteenth studio album released in 1990. This is the only album to feature singer Joe Lynn Turner, who had replaced Ian Gillan the previous year. If you opt for soft and melancholic rock tunes, listen to this album (not for me).

The band's classic Mk II line-up reunited for a second time after 1984's Perfect Strangers. They released their 14th album The Battle Rages On in 1993. It was the last album recorded by Ritchie Blackmore as he left the band during the tour.

Purpendicular is the fifteenth studio album released in 1996 and it's their first album with Steve Morse, former guitarist of Dixie Dregs. For me he never fit the job of Ritchie Blackmore. In 1998 the same line-up released the band's sixteenth studio album; Abandon.

Bananas is the 17th studio album released on 2003 featuring Don Airey on the keyboards, who replaced founding member Jon Lord in 2002. This line-up released another studio album in 2005 named Rapture of the Deep.

(source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)