Writers: Deep Purple
Producers: Deep Purple
Recorded: Early December 1971 at the Pavilion theater and the Grand Hotel in Montreux, Switzerland
Released: March 1972
| Players: | Ian Gillan—vocals Ritchie Blackmore–guitar Roger Glover–bass Jon Lord–organ Ian Paice–drums |
| Album: | Machine Head (Warner Bros., 1972) |
The closing track of Deep Purple's best-selling Machine Head album is also its least expansive, with only short solos from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord. It did, however, provide a showcase for drummer Ian Paice.
Ironically, in concert “Space Truckin'” became Deep Purple's greatest opus, extended to more than 20 minutes and sometimes 30 minutes in length.
Frontman Ian Gillan drew the song's lyrics from '50s science fiction films and novels that he liked to consume while Deep Purple was on the road.
Machine Head was one of the most dramatic albums in Deep Purple's history. The group was slated to record the album, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, in December 1971 at the Casino in Montreux, Switzerland. The group had been advised to record the album away from its native Britain in order to avoid taxes.
The night before Purple was to begin recording the album, Frank Zappa & the Mothers Of Invention played a concert at the Casino. During the show, an audience member fired a flare gun into the roof, setting the building on fire. It burned to the ground, taking no lives but destroying all of the Mothers' equipment and leaving Purple without a place to record. The image of watching the Casino burn from the hotel bar stuck with the band, inspiring it to write Machine Head's biggest hit, “Smoke On The Water.”
The Machine Head album peaked at Number Seven on the Billboard 200 and has sold more than two million copies.
However, tensions within the band were increasing–particularly over artistic direction and songwriting credits. Blackmore predicted, “I suppose we'll see the year out if we're lucky.”
