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Please hang on
The latest issue of the Eclipsed magazine (#246, Dec 2022/Jan 2023) in Germany has the 50th anniversary of Made in Japan as the cover story — unabashedly tagged “The mother of all live albums”, plus a review of the November 2 gig in Oberhausen: “Please hang on for a few more years!”
Rockhard magazine reviews the October 31 gig at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin in their December 2022 (Vol. 426) issue:
Also always nice to look at and entertaining: Don Airey, holed up behind his keyboard fortress, who elicits the most wondrous tones from his instrument like a mad professor.
Good Times magazine in their 2022-06 issue reviews the October 14 gig at the Schleyerhalle in Stuttgart: “Deep Purple was clearly having fun at this concert”.
Thanks to Dirk and T. Jan. for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
“The mother of all live albums” isn’t such a bad title to give it really, as it still sounds so fresh & new into its 5th decade, & anyone who hasn’t as yet ever heard it, would likely agree too imo.
I admit to gauging every new live release I acquire as to whether it delivered a similar quality to MIJ, but few indeed even reach the ball-park, with only other DP live recordings being able to contest in that arena.
It’s so unique, I can’t even to this day pin-point any one reason why it is the way that it is, except to say that some real magic was captured for us all.
Peace !
November 28th, 2022 at 21:36Mother of all live albums is correct! No overdubs like most other bands live albums seem to have. DP, especially MKII were, in my opinion, the best live band of all time!
November 29th, 2022 at 08:17Agreed … Just one thing always made me wonder: Why Made in Europe rarely gets any praise. The Mark III songs that are captured on the original album come very close to MIJ qualitywise imho. Burn can really stand face to face with Highway Star as Mistreated (the MIE version only) can with Child in Time. The solo sections of You Fool No One are breathtaking … and so on. Never really understood why most people seem to ignore that.
November 29th, 2022 at 09:06I completely agree with Max. Made in Europe is as good as MIJ. In my opinion it’s even better
November 29th, 2022 at 14:27MiJ is a brilliant testimony to a collective at work at the height of its powers in an inspired live frenzy.
MiE misses any communal spirit. Individual performances are good to great (Glenn’s bass playing especially is ace and brimming with talent and confidence), but Blackmore already sounds introspective, isolated and remote from the band while the other four soldier on, not really giving a damn anymore about him staying on or leaving, he had tired the band out.
Without being able to put their finger on it, I believe many listeners somehow latched onto that difference between MiJ and MiE, the latter is not a fun or positive album, it shows a line-up being able to present an impressive performance even in its death throes. For all its very good musical moments (I wouldn’t call them brilliantly inspired though), it sounds cold and (merely) very professional to me.
When I first heard MiE at the time, that difference to MiJ immediately struck me – the album had no good vibes – and it is one of the reasons why MiE’s impact is nowhere near to MiJ’s (of course timing played a great role too: in 1972 Purple were still fresh and relevant, MiE in contrast was released almost four years later in Oct 1976, when the punk upheaval was already in full swing and Purple were viewed as part of a jaded arena rock establishment).
November 29th, 2022 at 17:48Yes.. MKII was the best live band in the world and i was there when it happend. I bought MIE when it came out and was so disappointed..when I compared it to MIJ… seems 5 individuals doing their thing.. No group feeling…
November 29th, 2022 at 19:45I can stand.. or could stand Coverdales voice.. But I prefer Gillans anytime anyday… But Glenns stupid screams destroyed the songs for me..did he tried to sound like Gillan? well..he didnt passed the test..
Made in Japan is THE leading live album all times!!!
Personally I have never compared MIJ & MIE at all. Two totally different beasts & the in between the songs noise of Glenn Hughes on MIE is more than annoying. Don’t get me wrong I still like Stormbringer, Lady Double Dealer etc, good songs played well. It is a pity both albums are selected from different concerts, a ‘proper’ live recording of a performance is or should be from one concert only. That is how we define a one night or day performance warts & all. That is the way of things & MIJ is a special live recording for so many reasons. Cheers.
November 29th, 2022 at 20:29@3 I agree, MIE is right up-there-with MIJ, but the “right” version is essential, as there’s a too raw harshness that runs through the original. The “Friday Music” version of MIE is really, really good to my ears, & lifts its appeal nearing MIJ. The “Warner Brothers” version is also quite good too. Search either out to be well rewarded.
@7 DP released in 1993 a 3-CD-set that had a bulk of the material selected for MIJ within it, meaning near-full-shows were presented over the 3 x recorded nights. This would be the cheapest option to grab all 3 nights in one disc-set, without buying the full-on 6 x CD set released a few years ago. The “DP (overseas) Live Series” has some excellent full-show ( or very near ) recordings available, & all sound surprisingly good for their age, & with what has so-far been released, features Mk’s II, III & IV shows.
At the time of MIE, we also have to consider that the band was at their peak in the US-of-A utilizing the Mk-III line-up, & perhaps the rest-of-the-world was saddened with the loss of Gillan & Glover, & so the album went under appreciated elsewhere. I quite like MIE, as it imo displays the band in a well-rehearsed way, with little-to-no unknown improvisations occurring ( as The Cal-Jam clearly shows us ), & it’s the heaviest they ever managed to sound to my ears. The album delivers a much harder punch than MIJ, it’s a tour-de-force when compared to a more light & shade balanced affair with MIJ.
Mk-III were a very different sounding band too imo, & they were a good strong band, but they maybe lost some magic for power perhaps ?…
Long live Made in Japan !
Peace !
November 29th, 2022 at 23:56Ritchie’s soloing on MiE is certainly different from the MiJ days–more melodic, in a lower range, and with a harsher tone–but just as good. And Jon really shines. His introduction to You Fool No-one, for example, is spectacular.
There is certainly a difference in attitude between the albums, which may just reflect the different stage personae of Gillan and Coverdale (plus Hughes). The Purple of MiJ is a plucky band of heroes. The Purple of MiE is a magnificent and unstoppable beast.
But I love it all!
November 30th, 2022 at 01:53I think the Kilburn/Live in London gig is a better testimony for Mk III’s live capabilities. Why that has not been remixed yet is beyond me. Same with California Jam, the currently available mix is abysmal.
November 30th, 2022 at 03:21@6 totally agree the whooping and screaming of GH ruined many live tunes for me! MIE is an ok LP I listened to it over and over when it came out, but NOTHING compared to Made In Japan the pinnacle of live rock albums!
November 30th, 2022 at 10:43“Did he try to sound like Gillan?”
Glenn sure never did attempt to sound like Gillan though ironically his voice was much closer to Gillan’s range than DC’s ever was (the ‘aaahs’ Glenn sings towards the end of Mistreated together with DC – which Blackmore wanted turned down so his solo could be heard better, a wrong mixing decision I believe – are as high if not higher than anything on Child in Time). Range-wise, Child in Time’s dog whistle high parts would therefore have been no issue for Glenn at all and still wouldn’t be today, but I doubt whether he ever had an appetite to do that (even though he is generally good at covers as his numerous post-purple sessions have shown). And Purple too perhaps felt that Child in Time is too much Ian Gillan’s number to ever be performed credibly by someone else. Add to that how Mk III’s treatment of Mk II material was – with the exception of SOTW – not especially loving or adept.
In a way, Purple were hedging their bets when they hired both Glenn and David to succeed Ian G in the vocal department; with Glenn they had the high range covered, with David they got their Paul Rodgers vocal warmth. Rodger’s refusal to join DP, incidentally, also had to do with his misgivngs of stepping into Ian Gillan’s shoes and prospectively having his voice do things it wasn’t used to from Free days, he always avoided falsetto parts as a singer.
Ritchie btw was evenhanded about the creation of the lead vocal tandem. In a post-split interview with the NME after the release of Rising he was asked what he thought of David’s and Glenn’s joint lead vocalizing in hindsight (which the interviewer likened to “a heavy metal version of Delaney & Bonnie” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4DbsNsK3jY ) and he answered: “It worked well in the studio, on stage it left much to be desired.”
November 30th, 2022 at 12:08The best thing about DP Made in Japan that it sounds better every time you listen to it.
November 30th, 2022 at 13:55It’s an Enigma.
Peace ✌️
@5 I have to disagree here. When it comes to good vibes, MiE always did it for me. Burn is second to none, the funky riffing before Ritchie hits the proper riff again, the singing on that one – it brings a smile to my face even after all those years. Mistreated is as bluesy as it gets and David’s vocal part at the end – interpolating Rock me Baby … – is one of the best Purple moments ever captured. Glenn’s bass really shines, Ritchie and Ian and Jon make You Fool No One a gem that shines so much more than the studio version. But one thing is true for sure: Glenn whooping can get pretyy annoying. But for me if it comes to vibes …MiJ is a darker record. But brillant no doubt.
November 30th, 2022 at 15:57Impressions differ, Max, to me MiE sounds emotionally desolate and drained whereas I find MiJ joyous! But the individual playing and singing can’t be faulted on MiE.
AND I LOVE GLENN’S WHOOPING SO THERE!!! : – )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNq3rNgrSYA
That’s a falsetto to slice bread with.
I used to really dislike MiE because it depressed me – these days I can enjoy it albeit it is a bit like watching the first Dune movie from the 80ies, failed, but gloriously so.
Anyway, I welcome that I’m not the only one here who ALSO likes Mk III and IV. And Ritchie left so much room on MiE that Glenn approached “lead bass”-playing at times, always a good thing.
November 30th, 2022 at 19:53And since we’re discussing Glenn, listen to this here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQ1j35lE-s
to hear how much Glenn’s funky sense of rhythm also influenced Paicey in 1974 to 76. A-ma-zing. And not something he would have ever played that way with Mk II.
When asked what his greatest contribution to DP was, Glenn once said “bringing out the funk in Ian Paice, he played beautifully in Mk III and IV”. And Blackmore once said that a part of the reason for his 1975 departure was “that Ian then started to be bitten by Glenn’s funk bug too”.
November 30th, 2022 at 20:07That is the great thing about the California Jam, it is warts & all. Although with the Stormbringer album tour MIE is more to the liking of the genuine MK3 band as a well oiled machine. No MK 2 material is good also. As max @ 14 says, Burn is a beast indeed & Blackmore is on fire with Lord & Paice & ‘Rock me Baby’ yes indeed. You Fool No One, Mistreated getting a more extended guitar solo than on the CJ concert. It is a favourite of mine in many ways MIE. I had better mention that Coverdale & Hughes are definitely at their best also. If we could just edit out the cocaine between the songs at time.
November 30th, 2022 at 20:08@ 8 – yes I have heard many time the extra different night songs from those MIJ gigs. We were spoilt in many ways with the selection of songs on the original MIJ release. It set a bench mark that is still incredibly high for a ‘live’ album release. Cheers.
Yo, also worth mentioning here is that with Mk-II DP, there was a band that had found-its-feet, the members were quite happy with each other, & were for a number of years developing their craft which took them to the verge of massive success. MIJ is a live snap-shot of that development.
With Mk-III, ( as revealed in many interviews ) it, was the continuation of Mk-II successes, that was primarily realized by management, for the rest-of-the-band to act upon, since IG handed in his resignation. The once musically growing & expanding DP had turned into a money-making-machine, & it makes sense to keep the ball rolling when the returns are there to be reaped. And its a tough business to make a living out of too, so these opportunities must be acted upon if they come around.
@12, The enhanced version of the original DVD “Cal-Jam” that features new camera angles & bonus material, also has a better soundtrack / recording attached with it. You can even then further enhance it as I have done to acceptable boot-leg quality via the processes described in the AI program thread elsewhere here…I’m really pleased with the results, & even have it stored as a live recording living among the other DP live releases. Just shape the sound to suit your tastes, & hold a steady -6db meter level, & that “airy” sounding recording will sound much more agreeable, if flawed…It’s worth the trouble to do so, as the Cal Jam imo is possibly Mk-III’s finest live recorded hour.
Peace !
November 30th, 2022 at 23:21@18…Yes, we have been treated really well by these MIJ releases over the years ! And funnily enough, it is very true that Roger & Ian selected the best songs for the release, that’s for sure, though there are some superb moments within each nights performances.
I’m happy to state that I generally listen to the Warner Brothers release that came in their boxed-set now-days, as it’s the only CD version of the original release that I have, in the same song order, & L-to-R mix like the tape & record. The 1990’s back-cover edition with the included encore’s & “corrected” L-to-R mix is great too, but some of the sounds natural warmth is lost for better clarity imo.
Jeez, I’m happy to have all-of-them lol !
Peace !
December 1st, 2022 at 07:58Still awaiting the final DELUXE edition of Made in Europe.
Dont care what others say, I LOVE it.
So happy I did see the Glenn Hughes DEEP PURPLE tour in 2018 with outstanding members who did right to the original sound/members.
That drummer was fucking awesome.
The leadguitarist played superbly Blackmorish, unlike some dude on a lego guitar for 14 year olds, the hammondplayer did a great Lordy impersonation and Glenn looked the 70 s part and :
” Yeah, I know I m crazy”With that smile of him.
The guy who filmed it was with me on the balconey. I felt Glenns voice was too low in the mix.
There are several great recordings of this tour around.
Wonder why Glenn did not release a double live album of it.
Must be a market for under DP afficionados.
Copyrights did not say not to play the sings live.
And I think he did SOTW and HighwayStar in a great way.
Somehow they skipped the last one in Zoetermeer which was a bummer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNaLDtyWC6U&t=747s&ab_channel=paiceashtonlord
December 1st, 2022 at 19:48@15…..the falsetto that slices bread haha!
December 1st, 2022 at 20:24I truly enjoy Hughes studio work w/Purple and Trapeze, live is where I lose interest quickly, he has tremendous range and talent, just not my cup of tea!
Yo, I made a spelling error in my #19 post, that will be miss-leading for some who read it…Sorry about that…I do try to revise my posts with spell-checks before submitting, but there’s often an error that slips through…
Anyhow, the sentence should read “The 1990’s BLACK cover” edition of MIJ…It’s quite good, so don’t hesitate to snap-it-up if you see it anywhere. The version of Black Knight included in the encores is worth the asking price alone !
Peace !
December 2nd, 2022 at 01:56@20…I hope that there will be a deluxe edition too of MIE, but I don’t think that the interest is enough to warrant the production process.
For myself, it was very difficult to even find a CD version of MIE in Australia, as no-one was making them, & hadn’t for a number of years until around 2008, where “Friday Music” released superb sounding CD, so I snapped that up right away !
The “rumor-mill” had it that since the original managers ( HEC ) have all passed-away, the ownership of all early recordings have a mixed/unknown new ownership…The last known result of this being the Deep Purple ( Overseas ) Live series of CD’s that were about 2/3’s through their claimed 10-CD releases, & even through that process, some titles were changed from the original press claims. It was also claimed that all 10-disc-sets were to be available over a 12-month period, but we got what we got over a 4-or-so-year period…
The last investigation I undertook found DP ( Overseas ) in “administration”…I have no idea how this corresponds with Earmusic who were releasing these titles. I also heard ( rumor ) that because the “1971 Live in Longbeach” release charted so well in Germany ( reached #64 I think ), that the then current band put a stop to these releases. ( At least this may have got the boys back in the studio again recording, circa 2015-6 lol ).
All that bollox said, the DP ( Overseas ) Live series has some excellent gigs presented, where the Paris show, & Graz show are available…The bulk of the tracks from MIE come from these shows apparently. The Paris show is awesome & sounds great, but there’s a very different vibe & groove going on with the Graz gig that’s very agreeable. And there’s some other earlier releases of these shows available too I believe via Simon Robinson & DPAS, but would likely prove difficult at best to source now.
I hope this helps, & good luck !
Peace !
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:01I always thought that MiE came mainly from Saarbrücken which is why there has so far only been a focus on releasing Paris and Graz in full?
All three gigs should really be released as complete as can be in a boxed set – they are at the very least historically relevant though I think that Mk III sounded fresher at the Cal Jam and in Kilburn on the Burn tour.
December 2nd, 2022 at 13:31@ Uwe
But yes… I love the finky stuff Glenn brought to the table, I find myself listening to Mark III and IV more often than to the Mark II stuff of the early 70s. And I treasure Trapeze as well as Play me out. Just the screeching version of Georgia and the c’me ons and having a good times I could do without … But never mind: Love is the answer and music is the healer – as we all know … 😉
December 2nd, 2022 at 15:11It’s beyond me why there isn’t a lavish “just Mk III & IV” box of Purple. I believe there would be interest for that and that it would make commercial sense – at least as a limited, numbered edititon. Both Glenn and David could contribute – they’ve always complained that worldwide no just Mk III/IV compilation has ever been released.
December 2nd, 2022 at 16:40@24 Thanks Uwe, & you’re quite correct about Saarkruken from what I remember, though it’s not a name for me to easily remember…( It’s even hard to read the liner-notes on CD’s now-days without reading glasses, & even then… lol ) !
One other issue from history I heard with MIE, was that at the time of its release, it was simply considered a “cash-in” live album, since Mk-IV were well known through the press to peoples, & were awaiting CTTB. And people didn’t like the looped-crowd-noise at the albums close.
And yes, many have indicated that all 3 x sourced gigs are available, but they haven’t as yet been boxed together…In fact, there was complaints about the DP (Overseas) Graz gig being edited once again in the same way with the DPAS release, so as to fit it all on 1 x CD. Apparently we lost elements of IP’s drum solo through “You fool no one”, though the edit is pretty clean. These reports come from persons claimed to be at the gig as posted on the “Steve Hoffman” forum, where this forum was the only one offering any information about DP ( overseas ) releases at one time.
Perhaps the dynamics changed with the DP ( Overseas ) releases as time went on, as many of these available releases hold 2 x discs withing them, meaning full shows, or even a DVD as with “Stockholm 1970”. So you got some great value for your money spent, as they weren’t expensive to buy. And Martin Pullen of Eden Sound did a great job imo of refreshing them. I did speak with him once or twice about these releases, & he said they were all finished & ready to be released, & that he was in fact working on a version of MIJ at that time, right after “The Cal-Jam” DVD’s sound got a refresh from him. ( This has also been released a DP ( Overseas ) DVD ).
The Paris gig is a 2 x disc set, the Graz, a single apparently edited disc. They sound great imo.
Peace !
December 2nd, 2022 at 22:20Yo, also worth mentioning here to celebrate MIJ, is the “other” live albums available of the period circling Machine Head.
Most people know about the “Copenhagen” show, & possibly wonder whether it’s worth forking-out for or not. IMO, it is a great show, & the band really put-it-out for the TV & audience, growing into a really high-energy delivery. The soloing is superb, & the finale & encore has the band working @ 110%, ( though it makes me quite sad to see the fate that befalls that beautiful ’68 black Stratocaster )… The available DVD is quite good, & I personally love the fact that it’s in Black & White, as it reveals the beauty of the time-capsule that it is. Someone has also made a “color” version of this show too, that’s available on You-Tube to explore. And the results look OK, though I haven’t viewed this fully. You have choices !
The CD of this show is also really good, with the sound quality bettering the DVD imo, ( another DP ( Overseas ) release ). And in all honesty, the sound is much improved, & I didn’t expect that, as I simply bought it because at the time, it was a part of an advertised 10-CD collection, that still isn’t complete yet lol !.
Another good gig is the “London 1972”, “In Concert” show with Mike Harding introducing most of the tunes. It’s appeared a few times over the years on different releases, but should be still available, singly or other for anyone new, or keen to acquire the band live from this time period. Everyone plays at 100%, but I tend to think that the “reigns have been pulled-in on the beast”, though the soloing from Jon & Ritchie remains superb ( especially once Ritchie settles-in after a few tunes ), & you get to hear “Never Before” & “Maybe I’m a Leo” in the live setting. It’s a very well recorded & sounding multi-track.
Peace !
December 5th, 2022 at 00:01Hey, I have to wave the Saarbrücken flag a little here, it’s actually quite a nice “smaller larger city” for German standards (population of 180.000), right at the French border and because of that with a chequered past of belonging either to German or French spheres of influence. Needless to say, the French influence has done the Saarbrücken (and the small German Federal State of the Saarland, which it is the capital of) cuisine a whole lot of good.
https://tourismus.saarbruecken.de/
Deep Purple Mk III could have picked a worse place to play their penultimate gig before they laid down their arms in Paris.
Strange that after all these years the Saarbrücken gig which formed the brunt of MiE has not seen a release. That boxed set announced seven years ago never happened.
http://superdeluxeedition.com/news/deep-purple-made-in-europe-box/
December 5th, 2022 at 11:26@29. Thanks Uwe ! As you can see, it gets pretty-messy with the back-catalog, & what’s been released ( or not as yet ) over the years…I do remember that advertisement, though I don’t recall where, quite possibly in here lol !…
Find attached a link to the DP M-III Final Concerts CD’s that were made, in different guises over the years…It gets quite confusing, as there are tunes from other Mk-III shows available too on these discs…With selected tunes from all over Europe claimed. Click on the album(s) cover for enhancements of claims.
http://www.deep-purple.net/discography/mk3-1974/mk3final.htm
Apologies if I’ve incorrectly caused some excitement in my prior post about Saarbrucken. That said, song selections are generally the “right” ones made by the people that make the albums, & perhaps the rest of the Saarbrucken show is compromised, & so we have the others to choose from.
Peace !
December 5th, 2022 at 23:42