“Mistreated” is one of Deep Purple’s slow-burn blues epics, first appearing on Burn (15 February 1974). Written by Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale, the song became a Mark III centerpiece onstage. On April 6, 1974, the band performed it at California Jam, held at Ontario Motor Speedway (near Los Angeles), in front of a quarter-million fans. The show was filmed and broadcast by ABC-TV as part of its In Concert series, giving millions of viewers a chance to see the new lineup.
At California Jam, Deep Purple’s Mark III lineup—Coverdale (vocals), Blackmore (guitar), Glenn Hughes (bass/vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), and Ian Paice (drums)—expanded the studio track into a dramatic 12-minute showcase of soaring blues vocals and extended guitar solos. ABC’s cameras captured not just the music but also the fiery stage theatrics that made the festival legendary.
The performance circulated on early videotape and Laserdisc releases in the 1980s, then on the 1996 audio album California Jamming (later reissued as Just Might Take Your Life). Its definitive form arrived in 2005 with the DVD Live in California ’74, which restored the full set with remastered picture and sound.
Key Facts
Song: “Mistreated”
Writers: Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale
Studio release: Burn, 15 Feb 1974 (length 7:28; recorded Nov 1973, Montreux)
Live performance: California Jam, Ontario Motor Speedway, 6 Apr 1974
Broadcast: ABC-TV, In Concert (May 1974)
Band lineup: David Coverdale (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Glenn Hughes (bass/vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Ian Paice (drums)
Live video: Live in California ’74 (DVD, 2005; Eagle Rock/EMI); also issued on VHS/Laserdisc (1981), and as audio (California Jamming, 1996)
Notable feature: “Mistreated” extended to ~12 minutes on stage at Cal Jam
Song: “Mistreated” Artist: Deep Purple Writers: Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale Album: Burn (15 Feb 1974) — studio length 7:28 Live performance: California Jam, Ontario Motor Speedway (CA), 6 Apr 1974 Broadcast: ABC-TV, In Concert (May 1974) Band lineup (Mark III):
David Coverdale — lead vocals
Ritchie Blackmore — guitar
Glenn Hughes — bass & vocals
Jon Lord — keyboards
Ian Paice — drums Video releases:
Live in California ’74 (DVD, 2005)
California Jamming (audio, 1996; reissued as Just Might Take Your Life)
Early VHS/Laserdisc (1981) Live length: ~12 minutes
