A KOOL Day for Music

A tragic fire July 1973 proved to be the inspiration for a rock song that became the band’s best-known single. (With the help of the Rolling Stones)

Deep Purple

Smoke on the Water

Song that became a staple for rock-radio years later, was written after a real life incident of a fire that broke out at a concert at the casino at Montreux, Switzerland on December 4th 1971 that has now become part of rock and roll history.

The band was going to start recording their landmark ‘Machine Head’ album after attending a Frank Zappa concert. The song and history records that someone fired a flare gun at the ceiling during the show, which set the casino on fire.

The band relocated to The Grand Hotel, where they recorded the album using The Rolling Stones’ mobile recording studio.

The band didn’t think that the song would become a hit and rarely played the song live. It didn’t arrive on the American charts until a year after the LP came out. ‘Smoke on the Water’ was an immediate hit in July of 1973.