Deep Purple

What’s your favorite ’60s-’70s Deep Purple lineup?

Is it the classic with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, vocalists Ian Gillan, drummer Ian Paice, bassist Roger Glover and keyboardist Jon Lord?

If not, could it be the one where Glenn Hughes replaced Glover?

Or how about the one with David Coverdale, who replaced Gillan; or the one where Tommy Bolin took on the axe duties left vacant by a disillusioned Blackmore?

Then again, you may be an early Deep Purple fan and like the band’s first lineup with Blackmore, Paice, Lord, Rod Evans and Nick Simper.

Well, if any of those lineups appeal to you, there is newly released DVD called “Deep Purple: History, Hits & Highlights ’68-’76.” (Eagle Vision, $24.98.)

The two-disc package features a “History” documentary seasoned with hits that range from the early days (“Hush,” “Wring that Neck” and a sweet, moody cover of the Beatles “Help”) to the classic blues rock of “Lazy,” “Highway Star,” “Speed King,” “Black Night” and, of course, “Smoke on the Water.”

Also in the mix is “Burn,” “Mistreated,” “Love Child” and “You Keep Moving.”

Interestingly enough, though, there is no video of “My Woman From Tokyo.”

With each video that appears on the the first disc, it’s fun to see the subtle changes in the band. Blackmore smiles less as the years go on, even though the band ups the ante in with its playing.

The music styles shift accordingly when Bolin takes over the guitar and brings a little jazz flair to the sound, as opposed to Blacmore’s classical-and-blues mindset.

Not surprising, the vocal delivery changes when Coverdale’s Led Zeppelin-esque pipes replace Gillan’s screaming blues.

The second disc features in-the-moment highlights from the 1969 Bilzen Jazz Festival, 1970′s “Pop Deux” Paris Concert, a French TV segment from 1974 and 1976 and a New Zealand documentary that originally aired in 1975.

The DVD collection doesn’t take sides in who was better in the lineups, but it give a schooled account of the band’s history. The only complaint is some dates and places of the live performances on the first disc are MIA.