Deep Purple: Tribute Tuesday

In stores this Tuesday from Eagle Rock Entertainment is Re-Machined: A Tribute to Deep Purple's Machine Head. Released in 1972, this legendary album contains such Purple staples as "Smoke on the Water," "Highway Star," "Space Truckin'" "Lazy" and "Maybe I'm a Leo." Among those covering these songs are former Purple bassist Glenn Hughes, Carlos Santana, Metallica, Chickenfoot and Iron Maiden.

Hughes, who joined Purple in 1974, says he was hesitant to participate, but since it was a good friend of his who was putting it together, he decided to do so. He covers "Highway Star" with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Steve Vai, and "Maybe I'm a Leo" with Smith. Chickenfoot does a live version of "Highway Star," but after the death of Purple keyboardist Jon Lord this summer, Hughes decided to cut that track in the studio in his honor.

Glenn Hughes on contributing two songs to Re-Machined:

"Last Christmas I was having dinner with Chad Smith and we decided we would go ahead and re-record 'Maybe I'm a Leo.' We went in the studio in January and we just cut the basic track as a trio rather than having the Hammond organ on there and I just thought that would have been the end of it, you know. But when Jon [Lord] passed away I got a call asking 'What can we do for Jon?' I just said, 'Man, you know, maybe we can do another track for him.' And [my friend] Drew said, 'Well, Chickenfoot have done 'Highway Star' live, why don't you cut it with Chad [Smith] and Steve Vai?' And of course we were off to the races."