| First of the Big Bands | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Tony Ashton and Jon Lord |
| Cover: | First_of_the_Big_Bands.jpg |
| Recorded: | November 17, 1971 – late 1973 |
| Studio: | Air Studios and Apple Studios, London, England |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Label: | Purple (UK) Warner Bros. (US) Line (1983 German reissue) |
| Producer: | Tony Ashton Jon Lord |
| Chronology: | Tony Ashton |
| Prev Title: | It's Only a Movie |
| Prev Year: | 1973 |
| Next Title: | Malice in Wonderland |
| Next Year: | 1977 |
First of the Big Bands is a studio album by Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke and Jon Lord of Deep Purple, released in April 1974 by Purple Records in the UK and Europe and Warner Bros. Records in the US. The project was Ashton's and Lord's brainchild and continuation of their working relationship after Ashton Gardner & Dyke helped out on Jon Lord's soundtrack album The Last Rebel from 1971. Stylistically, First of the Big Bands was the precursor to Paice Ashton Lord's Malice in Wonderland album from 1977. Most of the album was recorded at Air and Apple Studios, London, with additional work being completed at De Lane Lea and Island.
First of the Big Bands resulted in just two live performances, one of which was for the BBC. This was issued in 1993 as First of the Big Bands - BBC Live in Concert 1974.
In November 2010 a remastered edition of the album was released by Purple Records. It contains two bonus tracks – the single B-side "Sloeback" and an alternative version of "Down Side Upside Down".