Customer Reviews

Made In Japan

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When this was originally released I was only ten, and when a copy appeared in my house, shortly after I was hooked.
And has it stood the test of time? You bet.
This is the definitive live album. No overdubs, just blistering performances all round. Ian Gillan later complained that his own performance was poor but to these ears this is as good as it gets.
Highway Star is a killer set opener featuring brilliant soloing from both Lord and Blackmore. Child In Time follows on, mesmerising, from the subtle keyboard introduction through Gillan's screams and a frantic Madame Butterfly influenced Blackmore guitar fest, right back full circle to the start. Gillan screams even louder second time around leaving the listener exhausted as the track explodes and dies at the end.
Just when you thought the music couldn't get any more involving up pops, probably, the best version of Smoke On The Water captured on album. The band is so tight everything seems perfect. Into the Mule with a typically superb drum solo from Ian Paice. Listening to the Mule lulls the listener in to a relaxed state before the band hit the stratosphere with superb interplay and sonics. Strange Kinda Woman just bounces along and the interplay between vocal and guitar just make you grin, mainly for the sheer tongue-in-cheek attitude. A few screams from Gillan and onwards we go into Lazy, a stunning piece of R'n'B (the real stuff). Lord kicks off with some organ torturing, a bit of jazz and off with the lick. The band is in full flow by now with superb soloing and tightness unsurpassed. Space Truckin' is the set closer complete with more ethereal soling from Lord and Blackmore, incorporating sections from Fools and Mandrake Root. The encores added to this anniversary remaster don't disappoint either. Frenetic versions of Black Night and Speed King just confirm that this was a band at the peak of their powers. A reworking of Lucille finishes it all off and the band are clearly knackered from delivering such a fast paced show. This is still the best live album some 29 years on and I still play it now. There is a triple CD collection with most of the performances from the associated Japanese tour, in some ways to a fanatic that's even better. But this is the original release revamped and timeless. A must.

Live albums were not in rerum natura, as they say. DP took their first tour in Japan seriously, and brought the Rolling Stones mobile with them to record it. No stranger to live recordings (or being bootlegged!) the Mk II line-up was taped on all 3 dates at Osaka and Tokyo. The result was a staggering success, and captured the band's stage show at it's electrifying best. Blistering harmony & unison interplay between Blackmore and Lord, a rhythm section containing the world's best rock drummer in Ian Paice and the hugely underrated Roger Glover on bass was capped off by a storming performance of Ian Gillan's silver throated vocal. Having just recorded "Machine Head" the bulk of the set comes from that LP - but "Child in Time" (from In Rock) is an astonishing testament to how good DP were at the time. The best live rock band on the planet, by some considerable margin. I'm sure there will be a few who will argue that Led Zeppelin had that accolade, but some of their live performances were long-winded and unrehearsed. DP's instrumentals were well crafted, and had some huge cues. If you listen to any of their live stuff in any depth you'll see what I mean. The opener, Highway Star, introduces you to the band and is followed by Child in Time. Nuff said. Smoke on the Water is considered to be the band's most memorable riff by the public (check out any music shop on a Saturday afternoon!) and The Mule is a Paice solo spot. Strange kind of Woman is the standout track for me - Blackmore and Gillan (so often at odds with each other)united on stage with the question and answer phrasing and posturing. Lazy is Jon Lord's tour de force. The LP is finished off with a rousing 20 minutes of "Space Truckin' - a bit of everything in this, really, and a very powerful set closer. I listened to this as a 13 year-old when it was released, and my opinion has not diminished over 30 years. Best Live Album - Ever. Bar none. The later releases contain some of the encores "Lucille" "Back Night" and "Speed King" but the core 7 tracks tell you who this band are.

A friend showed me this album a while ago and I was very impressed then, though we were playing it so loud I didn't get to hear it properly. So I bought and every time I listen to it I am simply stunned. There is not one bad track on this album, it's as simple as that. The rendition of "Lazy" is nothing short of incredible, though you may want to turn the cacophonous intro down a little to save your eardrums.

One of the great things about this album is the sound quality. Often when you listen to a live track, it can sound gritty or distant. Every song on this sounds brilliant, with an incredible energy to match. The musicianship is nothing short of outstanding - every member sounds on top form (though according to the inside cover, which contains the story of made in Japan and some good photos of the band, Ian Gillan wasn't happy with some of his performances after having just got over bronchitis). Deep Purple show how well they can rock while mucking about like noone else can (see "Lazy" for prime examples of this).

There's two problems with this album, however. Firstly, when you next listen to one of Deep Purple's studio albums, it will sound dull. That's just how good this album is. Secondly, you shouldn't play either disc in your car because you WILL speed.

Arrrrgh it's Big T. here!!, aged 32 rediscovering my youth from my happy school days of the 1980's, I bought this cd a couple of weeks ago on the strength of my studio recordings by Purple, and I was not disappointed. Far from it, you can clearly see that Deep Purple were one of the best "Live" acts in history, the "Smoke on the water" is fantastic, each instrument entering with a staggered delay giving a wonderful sound. Ian Paice is a drummer of excellence, one of the top men...grossly underrated. "Speed King", "Space Truckin'" and the superb "Child in time" this time with a slightly different Blackmore guitar solo, I must say the studio "Child in time" is better but the live version is pretty awesome too!! A veritable foot tapping and head bangin' feast. Need I say more!! Go get some!!

I have been a Purple fan for many years. However I only acquired this version of Made in Japan on CD recently. It served to confirm my belief that it is simply the finest live heavy metal album of all time. The sound quality is brilliant, perfectly striking that delicate balance between sounding live whilst being listenable. Particular highlights include Smoke on the Water, Highway Star, Lazy and Child in Time. The second CD in this package contains a familiar and fine version of Black Night. The poor quality of the accompanying Speed King however renders it of curiosity value only. Can anybody explain how this could happen when it seems to have been recorded at the same time as some of the other songs above which are fine?
For the best example of a top band in top form playing its best song on its best album try Highway Star....LOUD!

I have a much played vinyl version from 1973 and recently bought the CD Re-release to play in the car.
I have now converted my 11 year old daughter to the album as now she insists on me playing Smoke on the Water at high volume as i take her to school. I think i should have bought this CD years ago.
This Album is Deep Purple and Heavy Rock at its best. Smoke on the Water is classic purple but Strange Kind of Woman is the neglected classic track on the Album.
Add to it Highway Star and Child in Time and you have probably a collection of 4 live tracks that have still to be bettered by any rock band that has followed.
Adding a bonus CD with Black Night and Speed King just adds to the pleasure.
This is the classic Purple line up firing on all cylinders.
If you can only take one heavy rock album to the Desert Island with you this is the one.

This is one of the best, if not THE best live album by any 70's rock band.

The atmosphere on this album is electric throughout. Listen to the start of Highway Star, the band changes gear a couple of times and delivers a stunning performance - the whole place is rocking.

The sign of a great live album is that some of the versions on Live In Japan are better than the studio originals. One such track being the overplayed Smoke on the Water.

The mk II line-up of Deep Purple was fantastic. Blackmore and Lord repeatedly deliver brilliant solos, Gillan's voice is amazing and Ian Paice still remains one of the best rock drummers (playing with McCartney in the late 1990's).

The set has subsequently become a greatest hits album by default.

The 2nd CD contains 3 encore tracks which are a bit of a mixed bag. I had a far better version of Lucille on an LP many years ago, but this is a minor quibble as overall this album represents a great band at its peak.

My knowledge of Rock, especially seventies rock is limited, but I was blown away by this album. The quality of music played in a live concert was astounding. The high point of the Album for me was the encore performance on Black Night, the hypnotic bass line and incredible keyboard and guitar play have to be experienced.
Buy this Album and play it full blast while stuck in those traffic jams, you wont care about being late !!!

This was the album that really inspired me to play drums/guitar in fact music in general. I was never really into music at all until my Dad put this album on when I was about 7, from that moment on it grabbed my soul, I can remember the stereo-typical scenario, the young boy in front of the mirror with a hairbrush, yes that was me, at that time my voice could go high enough to match Ian Gillain's.
What I find really great about this album is the fact that it is basically a whole live tour, and the best live tour as far as I am concerned.
If you are a fan of rock music I am sure you have probably already heard this CD if not what are you waiting for, order it, wait for it, play it as loud as possible, (and yes sing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush like I did that many years ago.)

The lead vocalist impersonating the lead guitarist. The drummer having what appears to be a heart attck for a drum solo, the track of 20 minutes long and still thi is the best live album in history by any band ever. It rocks liek a ton of pebbles in a hammock and is without question the MUST GET album inrock history. do your stereo a favour an dbuy this double disc.