Features

35 years ago this month, the Monkees released the first of what would ultimately prove to be three collections of rare and previously-unissued tracks from the vault, offering fans an opportunity to hear songs that in some cases handily rivaled those that actually did make the cut for singles and album tracks.

Most fans know that Whitesnake’s David Coverdale also fronted Deep Purple (“Smoke on the Water,” “Highway Star,” “Child in Time”) beginning in 1973, after their singer Ian Gillan left the band. Few, however, know about the first time Coverdale and Purple crossed paths, when he was singing in a band called The Government.