Michael Bradford Interview (2003) – Deep Purple – The Making of Bananas

Deep Purple recorded their first album with Don Airey on keyboards with producer Michael Bradford at Royaltone Studios in Burbank, California in 2003. The album was released in August in Europe and in October in the US. This interview with Michael Bradford was made by e-mail and I got his written down answers on August 29 that year. It was published in my magazine SLICE 2004 six months later and it was also online at my then still going Atlantis Online site. There is some good history in this interview and I am pleased to give it another platform to exist on here now. Deep Purple would also record “Rapture Of The Deep” two years later with Bradford.

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Exactly when did you discover Deep Purple and how old were you at the time?

– I remember hearing “Hush” on the radio when I was a kid (I am 42). By the time I was 11, I was playing bass, and “Smoke On The Water” was new. That song changed my life, because of that heavy, distorted bass. Then “Highway Star” came out, and I was hooked. Of course, I lived in an all black neighborhood at the time, and the other kids were listening to R&B music, so I was kind of a strange person to them. But it was too late; I was hooked on rock, and I have been ever since.

How do you rate the “classic” 1970-1976 era and do you have any favorite albums from that period?

– Most Deep Purple fans probably start with that era. My favorite album from that period is “Made in Japan”, because the recording really made you feel like you were there at the concert. I also really liked the song “Burn”. That may be one of my favorite riffs of all time. That era had some solid, energetic work; “In Rock”, “Machine Head” and “Fireball” all came from that time. People these days think of Deep Purple in terms of hard rock, but there is a lot of jazz and experimentation going on in there. Miles Davis had gone electric, the Mahavishnu Orchestra was big, and synthesizers were becoming more portable and affordable. Deep Purple was influenced by all of those things.

Did you experience them live back then?

– I never saw them in person back then, because I was too young to go alone. But I never missed their live TV performances. In the USA, we had TV shows like “In Concert”, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert”, and so on. That was a great way to see a band. Also, the California Jam concert was televised, and I loved that performance. I have been throwing guitars and blowing up gear on stage ever since!

Hard rock seemed to be out of favour in America in the late seventies. Everybody pronounced it dead. Do you recall your own thoughts on the subject back then?

– I do not know if hard rock was ever considered dead where I come from. I am from Detroit, and in the Midwest part of the USA, hard rock never goes out of style. Working class people love rock music, because it goes with their life. It is great to play on the radio when you are working as a carpenter or plumber, or at the factory. It is great to party to, to drive your Corvette to, or to have a big bash at the lake. Even when other styles have come and gone in trendy places like New York, hard rock was always popular in the heartland of America.

Did you listen to what the ex-Purple guys were doing in the late seventies? I know most of them had a low profile in the States for some time.

– No, I did not know what they were up to during that period. I was glad when Rainbow came along, though.

In the early eighties hardrock came back with a vengeance. Did you have an interest in the Purple guys at that time and what they did in bands like Rainbow and Whitesnake?

– I was really into Rainbow, because they had some huge songs on the radio, like “Man On The Silver Mountain”. I saw them once in concert, and “Kill The King” blew my mind. I also knew about Ian Gillan doing the album with Black Sabbath. Whitesnake was cool, but that was when MTV was new, and a lot of bands found that their music was being overshadowed by their image. Out of all of that, I liked Rainbow the best.

How about Black Sabbath with Ian Gillan and with Glenn Hughes? It was shortlived but they did tour the States.

– Yes, I thought that that was interesting, because Sabbath had been seen in the USA as the “evil” band, and Purple was not seen that way, so it was odd that Gillan would sing with them. But then I realized that things are not always what they appear. I thought they sounded pretty good together. It is amazing how someones perceived image can affect a listeners perception. I am sure people look at me and have a certain perception as well.

The reunion came about in 1984 and Deep Purple touched down in the States again in 1985. Did you catch them live that year?

– Yes, that was about the time of “Perfect Strangers”. I saw them in Detroit.

How do you recall that time?

– Detroit is a great place for rock bands to play, because the fans are so wild. That is why they call it “Rock City”. The band was great, and the so-called “Mark II” lineup was back together, and they had some real fire in their sound. Plus, they had “Knocking At Your Back Door”, which was a big hit at the time. It was fun.

The band went through some tough years with lineup changes and so on starting in the late eighties, how do you rate releases like “The House Of Blue Light”, “Slaves And Masters” and “The Battle Rages On”?

– I think “House Of Blue Light” is a good album, one that still holds up today. “Slaves And Masters” and “The Battle Rages On” do not have as much spark for me. They may have been trying really hard to get along at the time, or trying to have a hit. When it becomes too self-conscious, it is hard for inspiration to happen. But that is just my view; I am sure many people love those albums.

Did you catch them live during that period?

– No, I did not see them live then. I was very busy working in studios and touring with bands myself by then. I was trying to get my own career started!

Things have settled down since Steve Morse came in, how do you rate the two releases he made with Deep Purple (“Purpendicular” and “Abandon”) before you were asked to work with them?

– “Purpendicular” was an exciting new change for Deep Purple. Morse really brought some new ideas and energy to the band. I know that they really dig having him in the group. I think that “Purpendicular” was a really good album. “Abandon” didn not seem as good, but I am not sure that they were given enough time to work on it, since they were also touring so much.

To get the history right, do you recall when they got in touch with you and how did that happen exactly?

– We had the same music publisher in Europe. I had written a song that was a big hit in Europe at the time, and the publisher thought that perhaps a producer who was also a songwriter could help Deep Purple with getting their ideas organized. That person sort of acted as a “matchmaker” between the band and me. Then, I called Bruce Payne, Deep Purple’s manager, on the phone, and we set up a meeting in England. So, calls were going between Germany, London, California and elsewhere.

You saw the band in England, in Brighton, on february 19 2002. Had you accepted the job at that time, or were you still thinking about it?

– I was into the idea beforehand, but I needed to see them live before I made up my mind. I wanted to be sure that they still wanted to win. Some “legendary” bands get to a point where they are just happy to play live for their dedicated fans, and do not try anything new. I only wanted to do it if Deep Purple still had that hunger to make a hit record, regardless of the odds. Happily, that is what they wanted, too.

How did it feel to be invited to work with Deep Purple? After all, they are a legendary band that will go down in music history.

– Are you kidding me? I was floored by the opportunity! But, most importantly, they lived up to their reputation. They were great guys, and great talents. Yet, they had their attitudes together. The funny thing is they wanted me to come to see them in order to prove to me that they had what it takes. They were not saying “We are Deep Purple, bow down to us”. Fortunately, I have had quite a few hits of my own, so I felt that I could work with them as a peer. So I was glad to bring something to the table other than just pure admiration.

Towards the end of 2002 you were working on material. Was the first session basically a working session without the tapes rolling, or a bit of both?

– The first month was strictly rehearsal, writing and arranging. We only used a DAT machine to get the ideas down. I did not want a multitrack there, because I did not want people to start “making an album” too soon. By doing it that way, we were able to analyze each song, and get them in shape without the pressure of being in an expensive studio.

How quickly did you find the right sound? It seems like this CD was recorded very fast in contrast to the earlier reunion releases.

– Finding the sound was easy. Just get a great band, and put them in a room with good acoustics and let them play. Deep Purple has a sound. My job was to get it on tape. The recording went quickly, because we were well prepared in rehearsal. All of the “what if” questions were sorted out by the time we got to the recording studio. That way, when we were recording, we just treated it like a concert album. Play it down live, fix any mistakes, and move on while it’s still fresh.

Being the drummer, I assume that Ian Paice has to settle in first? How did you two work out the right sound?

– Ian has a large drum kit, so I found a studio in LA (Royaltone Studios) with a large main room. We set his drums up near a corner, and let him get used to the room. His drums are also large in size. His cymbals are huge. But really, Ian’s sound is just him playing his kit. Great musicians get their sound from their hands, their special feel. It does not really matter what gear they use, it is all in their hands. Put some good microphones in the room and you ca not go wrong. Some engineers and producers make a big mystery out of it, but I do not. If you want a great drum sound, get a great drummer.

Jon Lord is credited as one of the songwriters on two of the tracks, “I Got Your Number” and “Picture Of Innocense”, so I assume that these songs were pretty much ready by the time you started to work. Did you re-work these tunes in any way or did they remain what they were initially?

– Those two songs started out as demos that they had recorded before I was involved. In rehearsal, we worked on the arrangements and streamlined them some more. Then we re-recorded them at Royaltone. They were pretty heavily re-arranged, just to make them flow better.

Was the band in touch with Jon Lord in any way during the recording of “Bananas” that was work related?

– No, Jon was already on tour in Australia, so there was never any chance for him to be involved. Fortunately, Don Airey really rose to the occasion and played some great stuff. His keyboards and synthesizers really expanded the sonic palette as well. Jon actually passed through LA one day, on a flight layover, but only for a few hours. So he was in the city, but not in the studio.

The CD opens with “House Of Pain”. You are credited to have written this together with Ian Gillan. Can you fill us in on the details?

– It is just a blues-based rock song about having a lover who is hard to live with, but you can’t leave because the lovemaking is so good. I have lots of friends who can not quite break up with someone. Maybe they are afraid, maybe they don not want to be lonely, and maybe they just like a twisted mess. That is exciting for some people. I am not one of them.

Who is singing backing vocals on this song? Is Don Airey part of that now?

– Gillan and Roger are doing those backgrounds.

When did you know that this song would end up kicking off the CD?

– After mixing was done. I just thought that starting the album with a big guitar riff and Ian screaming would be a great way to say “Wake up everybody! We Are Back!”

“Sun Goes Down” is majestic. Do you recall how the band came up with this tune?

– That one was developed in rehearsal. Steve comes up with some great riffs. The band really wrote that one as a team. It was the first song where we did background vocals on the chorus that we knew would not be doable live, but that is why albums are different. The song had lots of great parts; it was a matter of putting them in the right sequence.

Don Airey fits right in and certainly suits Deep Purple very well. Did you ever hear him worry about it? Did you have to coach him in any way or was it smooth sailing?

– I am sure Don was concerned that some hardcore fans would not want to see Lord go. But, he rose to the occasion and played great. His solo at the end of “Sun Goes Down” is a killer. I also love the honky-tonk piano on “Razzle Dazzle”. I think he made a conscious effort to not just play organ. That was a wise choice, because that is what made his sound different from Lord’s. I did not have to coach him. Great musicians do not need coaching, just a little editing.

Don seems to have been involved in much of the songwriting process, would you say that this is a correct description of how the work was done? The reason I ask is that in the early seventies there was a fiveway split right down the line creditswise, although perhaps certain members contributed maybe slightly more than others. With a couple of exceptions, the fiveway split credits is back, so I am thinking that hopefully this has to do with the band jamming together more that anything else. True?

– Yes, this album was the result of a lot of jamming and equal input by the band members. I was the filter and the tie-breaker in any disputes, but Don and everyone contributed ideas, and they were bandied about quite freely.

Would you say that Deep Purple have their own way of doing things if you compare with other artists that you have worked with?

– Deep Purple really likes to do things as a band. There are two kinds of bands; the kind that shares, and the kind that does not. Matchbox 20 and Counting Crows are pretty much bands that play the songs of one main writer. Deep Purple lives or dies by collaboration.

“Haunted” is the first single and this is a very unique song for a Deep Purple CD. Lets say that it is more commercial sounding than most of their earlier output. Was there a discussion on whether this song should be on the album or not? How much did they worry about the “formula” if you know what I mean?

– They were concerned that maybe their hard rock fans would not like “Haunted”. I do not think that it is commercial sounding, because nothing on the radio sounds like it. If they were trying to sound commercial, they could have tried to imitate Linkin Park or a nu-metal band. “Haunted” is actually a throwback to a more 60s British soul music sound. It is probably more akin to Procul Harum or Spencer Davis or Traffic than anything going on today. They were not really worried about formula, because they have been together for so long and they have made so many albums. Like I said before, they have always been more versatile than people realize.

Can you describe how this song evolved?

– Roger had the basic idea, and he played it for Ian and me. We made a very basic demo of it at my studio, and Ian took the CD home to write most of the lyrics. Ian and Roger worked the lyrics out, then they presented it to the rest of the band. It took its final shape in rehearsals.

I know that you have worked on other versions as well. What was the thinking behind this and did some kind of vote result in what would see the light of day on the CD or how did this work?

– I made other mixes of it because of radio. I knew that for the single to have the best chance, we would need a few different versions. A pop station would want a little less guitar. A rock station would not necessarily want the string section. The version on the album is the one that the band wanted.

Ian Gillan sings like a king on this track and on this album as a whole. How did the two of you approach this record?

– We approached the record with two things in mind. One, we were not afraid to put vocal layers on that they could not do live, so he had more harmonies than normal. Also, Ian had his own vocal studio within the main studio that was set up very comfortably for him. Once he was in his own world, he sang great, because he was relaxed and at ease. Also, we cut vocals when the band was not there, to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of having your bandmates listening to your every breath. The voice is the most delicate instrument. A relaxed singer is a happy singer.

You wrote “Walk On” with Ian Gillan, can you describe how this song came to life and how you got permission from Steve Morse to even play some guitar on it?

– I had actually written “Walk On” some time ago, but I never had a use for it. I played it on guitar for Ian and Roger, and they really liked it. Ian re-wrote the lyrics in a way that made the song flow better, and had removed some of the bitterness of my original lyrics. In rehearsal, I started the song off by playing that little rhythm part that gets the groove going. We did it that way for so long, that we cut it that way as well. That left Steve able to do the other stuff while the track was going down. Also, the solo that Steve played was a first-take shot from the original rhythm track!

I consider “Walk On” to be quite possibly a major hit, should it be released as a single. It is clear to me that your working relationship with Ian Gillan is a very successful one.

– I really love Ian as a person. He loves to share ideas, and he’s secure enough as a person to allow a good idea in even if he did not write it himself. I would work with him anytime.

“Silver Tongue” has a great vibe to it, how did you approach this song and who came up with the basic idea?

– That song started off as a jam. It was just a matter of putting the riffs and sections in the right order. I processed Don’s clavinet to give the song a little bit of a mechanized feel. Of course, those are Ian’s cryptic lyrics.

I think it is a classic Purple tune, I even think it could work as a single.

– I agree. They will need something like that especially for American radio.

To me there are so many moments on this CD that can be said to be “classic Purple”. Maybe more so than on any other release from the entire reunion, and still it is a very brave record as well.

– Yes, it is “classic”, because it is so brave. This record was not a matter of re-creating “Machine Head” or something. In fact, “Machine Head” was great because it was a bold departure at the time. It sure did not sound like “Hush”. Deep Purple is great when they push themselves, and that is what they did. Even people who do not like “Bananas” at first have said that they like it more and more once it sinks in.

I miss “Well Dressed Guitar”, but I hear that it will be released on the japanese version of “Bananas”. Does it bum you out as much as it does the fans in the rest of the world that this kind of thing is permitted to happen again and again? Certainly, the band recorded it hoping it would make the record.

– I do not know. I think “Well Dressed Guitar” works as a live performance piece better than as a studio record. It would be great to have a live recording of it in concert. The band recorded it, but it just did not fit in as well as the rest of the songs. Also, with “Contact Lost”, that would have been two instrumentals, and between the two, I honestly think that “Contact Lost” is a superior composition. It will wear better over time. Also, I understand that “Well Dressed Guitar” was released on a previous album, and that may have been a problem as well.

Steve Morse is amazing. Being a guitarplayer yourself, did that influence your working relationship with Steve in any way?

– My main thing with Steve was to help him know when to stop. He will do 500 takes if you want him to, in the search for perfection. Also, I encouraged him to go for feel, more than precision, and stretch the notes out a little more. His best work was always in the first two takes. Get them while they are hot!

Steve came up with “Contact Lost” right after the space shuttle disaster, a very touching tribute to them. There is this old saying that seems to ring true here, that guitarists often tends to talk throught their guitar.

– All great musicians use their instrument as their voice. Santana does it. George Benson does it. B.B. King does it. The first time I realized it was back when Jaco was in Weather Report. I really felt that I understood his personality through his bass playing. It requires playing long enough that you are no longer bound by technique. When that becomes second-nature, then your voice emerges.

The track seems to have been left the way it was first recorded, is that correct?

– Yes, I wanted that one to stay pure. Of course, we added acoustic guitars and the Brian May-styles guitar orchestra at the end. Also, Paul Buckmaster came and played the lovely cello counterpoint to Steve’s melody.

Describe a typical day in the studio. Any unwritten laws or rules?

– In the studio I like to keep things moving. The band came in to record a rhythm track each day. Ian would come the following morning, and we would do the vocals before the band arrived to cut the next rhythm track. Ian would do a guide vocal during the recording of the rhythm track. That way, we cut a song a day. After about two weeks of basic tracking, we could concentrate on overdubs, solos and fixes. The only rule was to keep moving, so self-doubt would not have a chance to creep in. If you give a band too much free time in the studio, they over-analyze things, and they un-do a lot of good ideas, in an attempt to make them better.

Did any practical jokes go down?

– No practical joke, but a lot of really good humor. Don Airey has a million jokes, and his joyful spirit really made the sessions fun. Plus, since the guys are from different parts of England, it was a festival of exotic accents for me to listen to.

Did Steve fly to Los Angeles in one of his planes? Did you get to fly with him?

– No, I think Steve flew commercial. I am afraid of those small planes. I will take a Gulfstream IV, though.

Did you work on more songs than the 13 we know about and if so, is anything in complete form or are we talking about ideas?

– No, we cut what we put on the record. “Well Dressed Guitar” was the lone holdout.

The band needs to record again soon to make up for the five year wait we had for “Bananas”. Have you talked about getting back together again at some point?

– Yes, maybe we can start at the end of the next touring cycle. Maybe the end of 2004.

As you know Martin Birch produced the classic albums and this new CD really marks the beginning of a new era that could have you in his old role as the guy that records with Deep Purple. That is what I hear people say. People are excited.

– I would love to be known favorably as “The guy who produced Deep Purple”. I would work with them anytime.

How do you rate the CD yourself if you can have your final say on it?

– I am very satisfied with “Bananas”. Great songs, great playing, great singing. It has its own sound, so some will love it, and some will not, but at least it will not be ignored. I would not trade the experience for the world.

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By Mike Eriksson 2003 (Trinkelbonker 2020)

(If you use quotes from this interview, give me credit and let me know about it)