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From black-and-white TV to colour
Yet another rehash of the Classic Rock magazine material as Louder Sound reprints Made in Japan feature penned by Mick Wall that originally appeared in September 2012 issue.
Osaka, August 15, 1972. In the Kosei Nenken Kaikan concert hall, Deep Purple are playing their first ever show in Japan. Over the past three years, the stage has become their home. It’s not just the non-stop touring – this year alone they’ve already completed four North American tours, two European tours and several UK dates. It’s because the stage is the place where Deep Purple – and specifically the MK II line-up – really stake out their turf, where they define their musical identity.
The band learnt long ago that there was no point in rehearsing for shows. As soon as they get on stage, routine flies out of the window. With guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboard player Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice regularly veering off-piste, things would happen that weren’t planned – often amazing things.
Continue reading in Louder Sound.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Sorry, I’m sure this has been asked many times before, but…
Are there ANY pictures (photographs) of the Osaka gigs available anywhere at all?
Thanks very much
June 9th, 2026 at 12:57J.-
Yes, a legendary live album. And if you like to hear it as a the sonic onslaught it must have felt like in the halls of Osaka and Tokyo in 1972, then listen to the 40th Anniv. Martin Pullan or Keith Shirley remixes (I can’t really decide which one sounds better), but if you want to enjoy the details of every instrument then the Steven Wilson 50th Anniv. remix is the right choice for you.
June 10th, 2026 at 03:07@2
Actually there are audience recordings from all three nights on YouTube, and sometimes I listen to those in the dark, with headphones to feel the ambience and enormity of it all.
Remixes…my personal OPINIONS…
SW’s sounds like a kid playing with computer plugins on a weekend, guy accepts too much jobs at once and the outcome suffers.
Caveman is not really a great mixer, as he tends to shave the attack on every source. Very “safe sounding”, all his work.
The Martins win for me (Birch and Pullan).
Best regards, J.-
June 10th, 2026 at 13:17Kevin, not Keith Shirley, my bad. I always get that wrong.
I have to admit that I like the kick-up-the-arse he gave to Come Taste The Band which a lot of people were up in arms about.
June 10th, 2026 at 15:45THE BEST MIX IS FROM LIVE IN JAPAN 3XCDS 1993 BY EMI UK
June 10th, 2026 at 19:06#3 J:
To my ears, Martin Birch’s mix is unmatched!
Fun fact that I didn’t know until today: Roger Glover mixed Dream Theater’s live tribute album MIJ in -I think- 2006
June 10th, 2026 at 21:46Donatien, who are you, Little Ian’s drum tech? 🤣
The 1993 mix is a great drum clinic edition of those three nights – most likely created via corrupt payments of the drummer funneled to Simon Robinson. Poor Roger got the short end straw and really should have filed a cease & desist against that bass-less mix.
The release of the full three gigs in 1993 was historically important, but the then-mix can best be described as to have “novelty appeal”.
June 10th, 2026 at 22:20Julio, I finally found some rare Osaka footage here:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3GPLdftD218
Christiane, my first girlfriend, was right, Ritchie DOES look like a (mean) bird. She always called him “das Vögelchen”.
June 11th, 2026 at 03:23@4
Kev “The Cave”, yes!
I too kinda like his mixes (Maiden’s Brave New World, BCC II, DP’s CTTB), however to my ears they lake “edge” or “attack”…
@5
It was the HOLY GRAIL when it came out!
It was mixed by Abbey Road’s resident engineer (I think) assisted by the great Simon Robinson (MVP of DP historical preservation).
@6
True and true!!
@8
FINALLY!!! Thanks Dear Uwe! 🤣
I think they went a bit overboard with TikTok filters, but hey, it was 1972 technology 😄
All the best, J.-
June 11th, 2026 at 14:58The guys and girls who do this are great:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l8cxUyXLGTA
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-7RCfhcPZLs
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jvf4lQbCPrE
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7VNbfK9ffJQ
June 11th, 2026 at 17:28@10
Haha they are excellent, Uwe, thanks!!!
Fun fact: The muppet pretending to play bass on “Painkilller”‘ is an imposter, he is actually miming to a Don Airey synth bassline! (I swear)
Best, J.-
June 11th, 2026 at 20:54Yup, Don has lent his magic hands to the Priest quite often, not just on Painkiller, but also on Nostradamus and the Glenn Tipton solo albums. Ian Hill’s bass guitar has been supported by synth bass for a long time, I assume that is where also Nikki Sixx got the idea for his mighty sequencer underpinned bass live sound from.
Speaking of Ozzy musicians like Don … Aldridge, Daisley and Jake E. Lee are great here!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a1MxGLuwRyM
June 12th, 2026 at 13:45