Listen, Learn, Read On


Listen, Learn, Read On is a box set released by the British hard rock band Deep Purple in 2002.
It is a collection of 74 tracks distributed in six CDs, around a quarter of which were unreleased prior to the album; all the tracks were subject to extensive re-mastering at EMI's Abbey Road Studios. The set starts with a selection of early tracks by the members of the band before they joined Deep Purple.
The box set also houses a format book written by Deep Purple archivist Simon Robinson, which tells the band's story via 120 pages of text, pictures, cuttings, memorabilia, musician profiles and discographies.
Listen, Learn, Read On has been deleted from EMI's catalogue and is no longer in production.

Release and reception

Dave Thompson of AllMusic writes
Amid the ever-growing tide of Deep Purple box sets, Listen Learn Read On stands alone, not only as the ultimate round-up of the band's greatest moments, but also as the answer to more collectors' dreams than most collectors were even aware they'd had. You want Deep Purple's long-legendary, but forever unavailable BBC sessions? They're here. You want the killer live encores that other albums omitted? They're here. You want a solid introduction to the band members' pre-Purple passages? They're here. And, of course, you want the hits.

This monster set is certainly the most luxurious collection on the band ever issued, and was twice runner up in 'best box set' category in Record Collector's annual poll.

Track listing

All songs written by Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice except where indicated.

Disc one: Pre Purple and Mk 1

  1. "Keep a Knockin'" 2:34
  2. * The Outlaws
  3. "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" 3:28
  4. * M.I. Five '
  5. "Only Time Will Tell" 2:11
  6. * M.I. Five
  7. "Send for That Girl" 2:42
  8. * Johnny Kidd & the Pirates
  9. "Porcupine Juice" 3:13
  10. * Santa Barbara Machine Head
  11. "I Can See Through You" 3:23
  12. * Episode Six
  13. "Mr. Universe" 4:17
  14. * Episode Six
  15. "Medusa" 5:40
  16. * Trapeze
  17. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" 3:17
  18. * The Government
  19. "See My People Come Together" 6:07
  20. * Zephyr
  21. "Hush" 4:13
  22. "Help" 6:00
  23. "Shield" 6:01
  24. "Listen, Learn, Read On" 4:00
  25. "Kentucky Woman" 4:41
  26. "Playground" 4:31 '
  27. "Emmaretta" 2:58 '
  28. "The Bird Has Flown" 2:51

    Disc two: Mk 1 and Mk 2

  29. "Why Didn't Rosemary?" 5:02
  30. "Hallelujah" 3:40 '
  31. "Ricochet" 3:04 '
  32. "The Bird Has Flown" 3:03 '
  33. "Hush" 4:16 '
  34. "Concerto Third Movement reprise" 5:36 '
  35. "Wring That Neck" 20:43 '
  36. "Jam Stew" 3:54 '
  37. "Speed King" 3:23 '
  38. "Cry Free" 3:08 '
  39. "Hard Lovin' Man" 4:12 '
  40. "Bloodsucker" 3:14 '
  41. "Living Wreck" 2:58 '
  42. "Studio Chat / Jam" 0:40
  43. "Flight of the Rat" 7:53

    Disc three: Mk 2

  44. "Mandrake Root" 30:02 '
  45. "Grabsplatter" 4:30 '
  46. "Child in Time" 10:47 '
  47. "Jon Lord Interview" 1:35
  48. "Black Night" 3:28 '
  49. "Into the Fire" 3:48 '
  50. "Fools" 5:19
  51. "Fireball" 3:23
  52. "No One Came" 6:24
  53. "Demon's Eye" 6:08 '

    Disc four: Mk 2 and Mk 3

  54. "No No No" 7:16 '
  55. "Highway Star" 6:08 '
  56. "Smoke on the Water" 5:49 '
  57. "Never Before" 4:01 '
  58. "When a Blind Man Cries" 3:27 '
  59. "Strange Kind of Woman" 8:44 '
  60. "Lazy" 11:13 '
  61. "Black Night" 5:47 '
  62. "Woman from Tokyo" 6:24 '
  63. "Smooth Dancer" 4:08
  64. "Mary Long" 4:26 '
  65. "Burn" 6:00
  66. "Might Just Take Your Life" 4:36

    Disc five: Mk 3

  67. "Sail Away" 5:47
  68. "Coronarias Redig" 4:52 '
  69. "You Fool No One" 18:58 '
  70. "Mistreated" 12:02 '
  71. "Space Truckin'" 29:52 '

    Disc six: Mk 3 and Mk 4

  72. "Stormbringer" 4:04 '
  73. "Soldier of Fortune" 3:14 '
  74. "Hold On" 5:08 '
  75. "High Ball Shooter" 4:30 '
  76. "The Gypsy" 5:43 '
  77. "Drifter" 3:58 '
  78. "Dance to the Rock 'n' Roll" 10:59 '
  79. "This Time Around/Owed to 'G'" 6:06
  80. "Love Child" 3:03
  81. "Wild Dogs" 5:54 '
  82. "Lady Luck" 3:24 '
  83. "Gettin' Tighter" 13:18 '
  84. "You Keep on Moving" 5:18

    Personnel