Lars Ulrich Calls Deep Purple’s ‘Made in Japan’ the Greatest Live Rock Album Ever

In a recent YouTube video, Metallica's Lars Ulrich praised Deep Purple's 1972 album, Made in Japan, as the top live hard rock record ever made. The clip went up on Deep Purple's channel as part of the push for the album's new 50th anniversary release.

On Deep Purple's official YouTube channel, Ulrich said, "I have heard it just about 18,000 times, and every time I hear it, it just gets better and better and better, and it's so crazy cool."

The fresh mix pulls from three shows in Japan in 1972. Two happened at Festival Hall in Osaka on August 15 and 16. The third lit up Tokyo's Budokan on August 17. Universal Music dropped the Super Deluxe Edition on August 15, 53 years since Deep Purple's first gig. Ulrich marveled at how each night stood apart, and he inducted the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. He also says that the band influenced him since childhood.

Deep Purple includes Ian Gillan singing, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Jon Lord working the keys, Roger Glover on bass, and Ian Paice behind the drums. They ripped through hits like "Smoke on the Water," "Highway Star," and "Space Truckin'."

The record took off fast. It shot to No. 6 on Billboard's Top 200 and went platinum across the U.S. and much of Europe. 

Fans can pick up the 50th birthday edition by grabbing the 5CD/Blu-ray pack at any store or snagging the special 10LP black vinyl set straight from the band or UMG D2C shops. A 2LP version with just the new Wilson mixes came out on August 15.

The big set packs some rare cuts, including a German take on "Black Night" and a Mexican "Space Truckin'" edit. The whole album hit streaming platforms on August 15.