Deep Purple – Strange Kind Of Woman (Italian TV, 1971)

Italian Television, May 1971

In May 1971 Deep Purple’s Mark II lineup stepped into the bright lights of Radiotelevisione Italiana for a slot on the variety program Su Di Giri, translated as Up To Speed. Introduced by Enzo Cerusico and Giuditta Saltarini, the band delivered a mimed performance of Strange Kind of Woman, their then-current single. The contrast was striking. Excitable hosts and an enthusiastic studio audience framed a group that projected cool restraint, long hair and unfussy clothes, the very image of hard rock poise at the dawn of the decade.

Television appearances of this sort were the norm across Europe at the time, and miming to the studio recording was standard practice. For Deep Purple, whose live sets were already stretching into improvisatory fireworks, this short, tightly controlled segment offered a succinct snapshot of a band in rapid ascent following the success of In Rock and on the cusp of releasing Fireball.

About the Song

Strange Kind of Woman emerged during the Fireball sessions and was issued as a single in early 1971. In the United States it later appeared on the Fireball album in place of Demon’s Eye, reflecting the song’s growing prominence in the group’s repertoire. Musically it sits at the seam of hard rock and blues, built around a punchy central riff, brisk tempo and a memorable chorus that nods to R&B songcraft while maintaining the group’s heavy edge.

The lyric sketches an enigmatic relationship, more playful than confessional, and leaves space for the instrumental conversation that defined the band’s style. On stage the track often became a vehicle for call-and-response passages between vocal and guitar, with Ian Gillan’s high-register lines answered by Ritchie Blackmore’s stinging phrases. Even when confined to a studio soundtrack for television, the song’s momentum and clarity come across, its structure honed for impact in just a few minutes.

How the Performance Plays

The Su Di Giri segment captures Deep Purple in a transitional year. Ian Gillan fronts the camera with a self-assured ease, his phrasing locked to the familiar single mix. Ritchie Blackmore stands slightly apart, eyes steady, hands gliding across the fretboard in precise mime to the recording’s guitar lines. Jon Lord’s presence behind the organ adds gravitas, even without the roar of live amplification, while Ian Paice maintains the illusion of that whipcrack snare and nimble ride patterns that drive the track. Roger Glover anchors the visual low end, calm and economical, mirroring the bass figures that stitch the song together.

What the viewer senses most is balance. The band avoids theatrics, letting the composition and their collective image do the work. In a few camera cuts you see the essence of Mark II Purple, heavy yet articulate, a group polished by constant touring and studio time but still emitting the charge of a young, hungry unit.

Instruments on Display

For gear spotters, the clip offers a few rare details. Ritchie Blackmore appears with a white Fender Stratocaster fitted with a Telecaster neck, a configuration he was seen using around this period as he refined the feel and response he wanted from his main instrument. The Strat’s single-coil bite defined many of his lines, and even in a mimed setting it is telling to see the guitar that helped shape that sound.

Roger Glover is seen with a Fender Mustang bass, a shorter scale instrument whose focused midrange complements the band’s compressed, radio-ready single mix. Jon Lord’s Hammond organ, an enduring pillar of the group’s sonic identity, typically ran through overdriven amplifiers to achieve that gritty sustain and harmonic bloom. Ian Paice’s crisp articulation and quick footwork were already signature elements, giving the band swing as well as force.

Sound, Style and Context

Strange Kind of Woman epitomizes Deep Purple’s blend of hard blues and proto-metal attack. The guitar tone favors taut rhythm figures and nimble lead breaks, while the organ adds weight in the lower register and a cutting edge on top. The rhythm section moves with a light touch for music this heavy, Paice’s drumming supple rather than plodding, Glover’s lines melodic enough to be heard distinctly within the mix. Gillan’s vocal navigates from chesty verses to ringing upper notes, a dynamic that would soon become a hallmark of British hard rock singing.

In 1971 television remained a crucial platform for international promotion. Acts crossed language barriers by leaning on strong hooks, vivid images and, when needed, mimed fidelity to their recordings. For a band like Deep Purple, whose concerts were increasingly defined by long forms and interplay, such appearances distilled their appeal to its most accessible components. The Su Di Giri performance, brief as it is, helped carry Strange Kind of Woman to audiences who might never have witnessed the group’s full onstage power.

Why the Clip Endures

The segment stands as a compact document of Mark II’s aesthetic at a pivotal moment. It shows a group in command of its identity, aware of television’s demands yet unwilling to overplay to the camera. The distinctive gear choices, the cool performance posture and the band’s internal chemistry are all legible in a few minutes of screen time. For collectors and fans, it also provides a glimpse of the period between In Rock and Fireball, when Deep Purple were refining both sound and image that would soon crystallize on record and in legendary concert recordings.

Broadcast Details and Line-up

Program: Su Di Giri (Up To Speed), Radiotelevisione Italiana
Location: Italy
Date: May 1971
Presenters: Enzo Cerusico, Giuditta Saltarini
Performance: Mimed to the studio recording of Strange Kind of Woman

Ian Gillan – vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – guitar, white Stratocaster with Telecaster neck
Jon Lord – Hammond organ
Roger Glover – bass, Fender Mustang
Ian Paice – drums