Highway Star is characterised by long, classically-inspired guitar and organ solos. Organist Jon Lord claimed that the organ and guitar solos were based on Bach-like chord sequences.
This song was born on a tour bus going to Portsmouth in 1971. According to Roger Glover they wrote it because they were getting sick of their opening number, "Speed King," and "Highway Star" became the new opener for their shows. When a reporter asked the band how they wrote songs guitarist Ritchie Blackmore grabbed an acoustic guitar and began playing a riff consisting of a single "G" repeated over and over, while vocalist Ian Gillan improvised lyrics over the top. The song was refined and was performed that same night. The track remains one of the band's staples in live concerts, and was the set opener even before it was released on any album.
The most famous live version is featured on the 1972 live album Made in Japan. The Guardian said, "Blackmore’s playing is like a force of nature on the Made in Japan version; those slashing chords in the intro, and that amazing solo featuring the distinctive neo-classical descending runs, combining the spirits of Bach and Jimi Hendrix." When the song is played live, Gillan has been known to improvise its lyrics, as seen in the official video for the song.
The guitar solo would gain recognition when readers of Guitar World voted it No. 19 in their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos".
Highway Star is characterised by long, classically-inspired guitar and organ solos. Organist Jon Lord claimed that the organ and guitar solos were based on Bach-like chord sequences.
This song was born on a tour bus going to Portsmouth in 1971. According to Roger Glover they wrote it because they were getting sick of their opening number, "Speed King," and "Highway Star" became the new opener for their shows. When a reporter asked the band how they wrote songs guitarist Ritchie Blackmore grabbed an acoustic guitar and began playing a riff consisting of a single "G" repeated over and over, while vocalist Ian Gillan improvised lyrics over the top. The song was refined and was performed that same night. The track remains one of the band's staples in live concerts, and was the set opener even before it was released on any album.
The most famous live version is featured on the 1972 live album Made in Japan. The Guardian said, "Blackmore’s playing is like a force of nature on the Made in Japan version; those slashing chords in the intro, and that amazing solo featuring the distinctive neo-classical descending runs, combining the spirits of Bach and Jimi Hendrix." When the song is played live, Gillan has been known to improvise its lyrics, as seen in the official video for the song.
The guitar solo would gain recognition when readers of Guitar World voted it No. 19 in their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos".
Highway Star is characterised by long, classically-inspired guitar and organ solos. Organist Jon Lord claimed that the organ and guitar solos were based on Bach-like chord sequences.
This song was born on a tour bus going to Portsmouth in 1971. According to Roger Glover they wrote it because they were getting sick of their opening number, "Speed King," and "Highway Star" became the new opener for their shows. When a reporter asked the band how they wrote songs guitarist Ritchie Blackmore grabbed an acoustic guitar and began playing a riff consisting of a single "G" repeated over and over, while vocalist Ian Gillan improvised lyrics over the top. The song was refined and was performed that same night. The track remains one of the band's staples in live concerts, and was the set opener even before it was released on any album.
The most famous live version is featured on the 1972 live album Made in Japan. The Guardian said, "Blackmore’s playing is like a force of nature on the Made in Japan version; those slashing chords in the intro, and that amazing solo featuring the distinctive neo-classical descending runs, combining the spirits of Bach and Jimi Hendrix." When the song is played live, Gillan has been known to improvise its lyrics, as seen in the official video for the song.
The guitar solo would gain recognition when readers of Guitar World voted it No. 19 in their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos".