[edit] Deep Purple: Made In Japan

Year: 1972 (Recorded Live during 15-17 August 1972 in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan)

Engineered by Martin Birch Mixed by Roger Glover and Ian Paice Produced by Deep Purple

[edit] The Band:

Ian Gillan - Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore - Guitar
Roger Glover - Bass
Jon Lord - Organ
Ian Paice - Drums

[edit] Tracklist:

CD 1 (Live Concert): 1 - Highway Star 2 - Child In Time 3 - Smoke On The Water 4 - The Mule (Drum Solo) 5 - Strange Kind Of Woman 6 - Lazy 7 - Space Truckin'

CD 2 (Encores): 1 - Black Night 2 - Speed King 3 - Lucille

This is my review of "Made In Japan". I once heard someone say that you've got to have heard "Made In Japan" if you want to call yourself a real music fan. I did actually think that person was joking. Nevertheless, I picked up a copy of this double-CD. After owning it for quite some time, I can definitely say: "That person was right." "Made in Japan" is a true masterpiece. Seriously - It is one of the best live albums I've got to hear. Sure, there are many other awesome bands out there (Zeppelin kick ass live) but on this album you can feel the whole band playing a their part, whereas at Zeppelin concerts the main characters are Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. I am not saying that JPJ and Bonzo weren't important but - let's face it- they are a little stuck in the background (don't get me wrong JPJ and Bonzo are some of my favourite musicians). A few words on the performance of each band member: Ian Paice - We get to hear what he can do on drums. Incredible. you've got to see the drums he used back then. The drumkit was so simple but he gets an incredible sound out of it. My favourite drummer along with John Bonham. Roger Glover - I would've liked the album to have a bit more bass than it already has but Glover does a good job, the album would definitely have something missing if he wasn't there. Jon Lord - On the keyboard solo if Highway Star you can already hear his talent. Most of the solo is improvised and still is sounds as if it had all been planned. Awesome. He is just as good on all the other tracks. Special mention for Child In Time. Ritchie Blackmore - Now, Blaackmore. I really don't like his personality but anyone who says he isn't an incredible guitarist must be deaf. Almost every guitar solo on this album is improvised and it's great. That's what I want to hear on a live album. He really mistreats his guitar on Space Truckin'. Ian Gillian - Can you believe he said he wasn't pleased with his performance? To me that just seems unreal. Child In Time alone makes his statement sound ridiculous.

[edit] DISC 1 : MADE IN JAPAN

1 - Highway Star Kick ass song. Just a fantastic show opener. I like everything about it: The organ intro, the awesome singing, the guitar solo.... Everything. The song is much faster than in the studio but I like it that way. I give's a Highway-ish feel. The structure is also different compared to the studio version.

2 - Child In Time As good as the Studio version, if not better. In it's structure the song is incredibly simple (Ostinato, anyone?). It just has this "musical phrase repeated over and over during a composition" structure. The guitar solo makes me want to cry (well, not really but I still love it). Very cool organ solo just before the guitar solo aswell. Ian Gillian on vocals is so much better on that song than on the studio. The screaming is just much more emotional!

3 - Smoke On The Water I don't think I need to say much about this song. The opening riff is world famous and everyone has heard it once. It's even forbidden in some guitar shops because the shopkeepers are tired of so many bad renditions I love the way the song ends. Kind of a guitar - organ duel (but not really, just kind of

4 - The Mule Drum solo. Ian Paice is great on this one. One of the songs where you can really focus on his playing (it's a drum solo, what could you expect I find it gets slightly boring towards the end but still great piece (although I personally prefer Moby Dick).

5 - Strange Kind Of Woman Another great one. Two very cool guitar solos in there. Also, there's a guitar - vocal duel between Richtie and Ian Gillian. Excellent.

6 - Lazy Really cool song. Only downside: It takes really much time to kick in. There's this Spaceship-like intro that lasts for like two minutes. Other than that pretty good song, much more cheerful than on the album. Special mention for the nice organ intro.

7 - Space Truckin' Fantastic introduction riff (simple but effective). Great singing (I love the chorus). It's long... almost 20 minutes. The band really starts jamming at one point and Blackmore really mistreats his guitar!

[edit] DISC 2 - THE ENCORES

1 - Black Night This is another classic by Purple and I'm a bit surprised they only play it as an encore. Anyway it is really well performed. The guitar solo sounds a bit "strange" but it fits in well with the other instruments and thus sounds quite good. Did you know Roger Glover doesn't know what that song's about?

2 - Speed King Well, that song IS speedy. It is quite a bit faster than the studio version. A nice organ solo in this one. I have the feeling that they play the song a bit to fast... Ian Gillian seems to have trouble keeping up with the rest of the band.

3 - Lucille Kinda rock n' roll-ish track. NOT by Deep Purple, but a cover. Some information about the track copied from http://www.thehighwaystar.com:

QUOTE This Little Richard rock n' roll stomper was written by "Little" Richard Penniman and Albert Collins and released in February 1957. It sold well over a million copies and charted at number 21 in the US and at number 10 in the UK.

Quite a good track!

Well here's the final judgement:

Fantastic live album. A must for any music fan. The only problem I see with it is that "The Mule", the drum solo gets a little boring after a while. But apart from that it is a must have. Also, it was a very good idea to include the encores. You feel you got the whole thing! It's generally not very expensive so don't hesitate! Also the booklet is loaded with information about Purple so that's a big +.

Have fun with the album if you buy it, you won't regret it!!