You American's alway preferred pop over progressive!!.
DEEP PURPLE originally broke BIG in the USA as a 'pop band' around 1968/69 when they couldn't get arrested here in the UK!!.
Then in late 1969 the band returned home to the UK. Between 1970-74 they were MASSIVE in the UK with the albums IN ROCK, FIREBALL, MACHINE HEAD, MADE IN JAPAN & WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE it was only around the time of the California jam (April 1974) that the band became popular back in the USA again.
Yeah WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE is an underrated album, theres some good tracks on that album like Woman from Tokyo, Mary Long, Super Trouper, Black suede, Rat bat blue, Place in line & Our lady, in fact the whole album is pretty good.
THE BATTLE RAGES ON is a 'pop album' you guy's come on!!.
