Formed in Hertfordshire, UK, in 1968, Deep Purple are among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach has changed over the years. Originally formed as a psychedelic and progressive band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple has been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and an eight-year hiatus (1976–1984). The 1968–1976 line-ups are commonly labelled Mark I, II, III and IV. Their second and most commercially successful line-up consisted of Ian Gillan (vocals) and Roger Glover (bass), who joined founding members Jon Lord (keyboards), Ian Paice (drums) and Ritchie Blackmore (guitar). This line-up was active from 1969 to 1973 and was revived from 1984 to 1989 and again from 1992 to 1993.
Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme, and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever". The band received the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards. Deep Purple (specifically Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillan, Glover, Coverdale, Evans, and Hughes) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

This triple CD set contains rare live and radio sessions, broadcast material from the band from different eras of their career, and celebrates the group’s longevity, influence and the raw, unadulterated talent of its most creative members.
DISC ONE boasts the reformed, MkII Purple line-up, performing at the Bercy Stadium in Paris in 1985.here features radio sessions by the band, recorded for and broadcast by the BBC’s Radio One during the 1968-1970 period. DISC TWO stays within the group’s early years as it includes shows recorded at the Paradiso in Amsterdam in 1969, and at the Bilzen jazz festival in Belgium the same year. It also features 3 cuts recorded for the BBC’s Top Of The Pops in 1970. Coming forward 15 years, DISC THREE boasts the reformed, MkII Purple line-up, performing at the Bercy Stadium in Paris in 1985.

DISC ONE
1. Hush 4:05
2. One More Rainy Day 2:56
3. Help! 5:28
4. And The Address 2:05
5. Hey! Bop A Re Bop 3:31
6. Emmaretta 3:08
7. Wring That Neck 4:42
8. Hey Joe 4:34
9. It's All Over 4:14
10. The Painter 2:17
11. Lalena 3:32
12. The Painter 2:42
13. I'm So Glad 3:13
14. Hush 2:29
15. Ricochet 3:06
16. The Bird Has Flown 3:04
17. Speed King 3:25
18. Jam Stew (John Stew) 3:54

DISC TWO
1. Kneel And Pray 8:40
2. Child In Time 13:13
3. Mandrake Root 4:56
4. Ritchie's Blues 2:49
5. Paint It Black/Drum Solo 11:25
6. Wring That Neck 10:11
7. Drum Solo/Mandrake Root 14:07
8. Hard Lovin' Man 4:14
9. Bloodsucker 3:18
10. Living Wreck 2:58

DISC THREE
1. Strange Kind Of Woman 8:17
2. A Gipsy's Kiss 6:53
3. Perfect Stranger 6:35
4. Under The Gun 6:15
5. Lazy 8:46
6. Knocking At Your Back Door 9:29
7. Space Trucking 15:26
8. Woman From Tokyo 3:10
9. Black Night 6:46
10. Smoke On Water 9:12