Watch Chad Smith Unleash Deep Purple's 'Burn': High-Energy Footage and Riff Breakdown

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When Deep Purple released "Burn" as the title track of their eighth studio album in February 1974, Ian Paice established a standard that humbled two generations of rock percussionists. Paice played with an unmistakable bounce derived from big band swing, refusing to treat high-tempo hard rock as a contest of pure muscle. He drove the rhythm from his left hand, utilizing precise snare ghost notes, snappy push-pull accents, and rolling triplets across his 26-inch bass drum setup.

Smith has consistently cited Paice as his foundational inspiration. Reflecting on Deep Purple’s structural genius in conversations with music historians, Smith emphasized the nuance that modern heavy metal drummers frequently overlook: "People think of them as a heavy metal band, but they swing. It’s not just bash bash bash." That swing dictates how the sixteenth notes interact with the hi-hat pedal. Paice did not simply play on the beat; he leaned forward, slightly ahead of the pulse, pulling the entire band with him across shifting meters.

In this tribute, Smith honors that precise phrasing. He avoids over-quantized timing in favor of raw push-and-pull dynamics. Every rimshot carries explosive weight, but the syncopation beneath the main accents preserves the groove's breathable bounce.