10 Best Drum Solos In Classic Rock
4. The Mule - Deep Purple
Deep Purple always had a firm amount of musicianship behind their tunes. In an era where most bands were coming together as young kids trying to be rock stars, these were professional musicians who took their listeners on a journey whenever they stepped onto the stage.
Given their amazing synchronicity, the live album Made in Japan has some of the best improvisational moments in rock history. While songs like "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star" are great highlights of the record, everything falls to a hush when the drum solo of "The Mule" begins. Though the studio version of this song from the band's release Fireball is also great, drummer Ian Price brings a new level of intensity to the track on the live stage.
The sense of dynamics on this track is amazing, as Paice goes from slow hushed rhythms to gradually picking up steam to the point where the drums seem to be flying off the rails towards musical madness. Given all of the punishing speeds at work, one wonders how Paice is able to keep his trademark shades in place as he pounds away. Whereas most bands are more concerned with the riffs, Deep Purple showed just how much could be done with a stellar percussion assault.