Roger Glover & Guests
Butterfly Ball


Tracks:

1. Dawn
2. Get Ready
3. Saffron Dormouse and Lizzy Bee
4. Harlequin Hare
5. Old Blind Mole
6. Magician Moth
7. No Solution
8. Behind the Smile
9. Fly Away
10. Aranea
11. Sitting in a Dream
12. Waiting
13. Sir Maximus Mouse
14. Dreams of Sir Bedivere
15. Together Again
16. Watch Out for the Bat
17. Little Chalk Blue
18. The Feast
19. Love Is All
20. Homeward

Line up:

Roger Glover: Synthesiser piano, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals
Eddie Hardin: Piano, organ, synthesiser, backing vocals
Glenn Hughes: Vocals on 2
Helen Chappelle: Vocals on 3
Barry St. John: Vocals on 3
Neil Lancaster: Vocals on 4
John Goodison: Vocals on 5
Mickey Lee Soule: Vocals on 7
David Coverdale: Vocals on 8
Liza Strike: Vocals on 9
Judi Kuhl: Vocals on 10
Ronnie James Dio: Vocals on 11, 19, 20
Jimmy Helms: Vocals on 12
Eddie Hardin: Vocals on 13
Tony Ashton: Vocals on 15
John Gustafson: Vocals on 16
John Lawton: Vocals on 17
Les Binks: Drums
Ray Fenwick: Guitar
Mo Foster: Bass guitar, double bass, fingerpops
Mike Moran: Piano
Liza Strike: vocal backings
Hele Chapelle: vocal backings
Barry St.John: vocal backings
Judy Kuhl: vocal backings
Kay Garner: vocal backings
Joanne Williams: vocal backings
Ann Odell: Piano
Mike Giles: Drums
Nigel Watson: Saw
Eddie Jobson: Violin
Jack Emblow: Accordion
Chris Karan: Tabla
Robin Tompson: Bassoon

Record Label:

Purple Records

Year of Release:

1974

Notes:

The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast is a concept album and subsequent live rock opera appearing in 1974 and 1975 respectively, based on the children's book of the same title (The album cover design is from Alan Aldridge's design for the book).

It was originally conceived as a solo vehicle for Jon Lord and to be produced by Roger Glover who had recently left Deep Purple, but Lord proved too busy with Deep Purple and Glover took up the reins on his own. Using his connections, Glover recruited a large cast of noted rock musicians to perform on it, with a different vocalist for each track including David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. The single "Love Is All", with vocals from Ronnie James Dio, made a minor impression in the UK but reached number one in The Netherlands.

On October 16th 1975, a one-off performance at the Royal Albert Hall took place. Again it had a star-studded cast of rock musicians, most notably Ian Gillan who was drafted in at the last minute and received a standing ovation on his entrance. He replaced an unavailable Ronnie James Dio who had commitments with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (although Dio did eventually get to perform the song at the Royal Albert Hall in 1999 as the guest of Deep Purple). Gillan had not performed since leaving Deep Purple in 1973. Also notable was the appearance of Twiggy as singer and actress and Vincent Price as narrator. The live concert was filmed and released in 1976 produced by Tony Klinger. Unfortunately, the excellent live performances were marred by interjecting scenes with actors in cheap looking animal costumes cavorting around in total dissonance with the songs.

Produced by Roger Glover

+++ Re-released in 1995 on Repertoire Records with 9 extra tracks:

21. Love Is All (Demo Version)
22. Dawn (Remix)
23. Magician Moth (Remix)
24. Harlequin Hare (Remix)
25. Magician Moth (Remix)
26. No Solution (Remix)
27. Waiting (Remix)
28. Fly Away (Remix)
29. Aranea (Remix)

+++ 25th Anniversary Collectors Edition Digitally Remastered Enhanced CD on Connoisseur in 1999

+++ +++ 3CD Remastered Boxset Edition on Cherry Red Records and on Purple Records in 2018

Disc One:
Roger Glover And Friends: "The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast"

1. Dawn
2. Get Ready (Featuring Glenn Hughes)
3. Saffron Dormouse And Lizzy Bee (Featuring Helen Chappelle & Barry St. John)
4. Harlequin Hare (Featuring Neil Lancaster)
5. Old Blind Mole (Featuring John Goodison)
6. Magician Moth
7. No Solution (Featuring Mickey Lee Soule)
8. Behind The Smile (Featuring David Coverdale)
9. Fly Away (Featuring Liza Strike)
10.Aranea
11.Sitting In A Dream (Featuring Ronnie James Dio)
12.Waiting
13.Sir Maximus Mouse (Featuring Eddie Hardin)
14.Dreams Of Sir Bedivere 15.Together Again (Featuring Tony Ashton)
16.Watch Out For The Bat (Featuring John Gustafson)
17.Little Chalk Blue (Featuring John Lawton)
18.The Feast
19.Love Is All (Featuring Ronnie James Dio)
20.Homeward (Featuring Ronnie James Dio)

Disc Two:
Bonus Tracks

1. Love Is All [Demo Version]
2. Dawn [Alternative Mix]
3. Magician Moth [Alternative Mix]
4. Harlequin Hare [Alternative Mix]
5. Magician Moth [Alternative Mix]
6. No Solution [Alternative Mix]
7. Waiting [Alternative Mix]
8. Fly Away [Alternative Mix]
9. Aranea [Alternative Mix]

The Roger Glover Butterfly Ball Radio Special [1974]

10. Band 1
11. Music: Old Blind Mole
12. Magic Moth
13. Band 2
14. Music: Aranea
15. Band 3
16. Music: Sitting In A Dream
17. Band 1
18. Music: Watch Out For The Bat
19. Band 2
20. Music: Love Is All

Disc Three:
Roger Glover And Guests: Love Is All Ep

1. Love Is All (Featuring Ronnie James Dio)
2. Old Blind Mole (Featuring John Goodison)
3. Magician Moth