DEEP PURPLE live in japan P-5506W

The Gold Standard of Live Albums: Deep Purple’s ‘Live In Japan’ (P-5506~7W)

Today’s entry features one of the most famous live recordings in rock history, presented in its distinct Japanese format. We are examining the 1974 repress of Live In Japan (known internationally as Made in Japan) by Deep Purple, released on Warner Bros. Records with the catalog number P-5506~7W.

A Legendary Document

Recorded over three nights in August 1972 in Osaka and at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, this double album captures the Mark II lineup (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord, Paice) at the absolute peak of their powers. While the rest of the world knows this album as Made in Japan, the domestic Japanese release bore the title Live In Japan and featured photography by Tadayuki Naito, giving it a unique visual identity compared to the international gold-cover version.

The Music

There is little left to say about the music that hasn’t already been said: it is hard rock perfection. From the driving opening of Highway Star to the iconic riff of Smoke On The Water, the band is firing on all cylinders. The album is famous for its extended improvisations, particularly the screaming battles between guitar and vocals on Strange Kind Of Woman, the jazzy interludes in Lazy, and the side-long, 19-minute tour de force of Space Truckin’.

Collector’s Details

This specific entry is a 1974 repress, distinguishable by several key features that separate it from the 1972 first pressing.

The “Porky” Cut:
For audiophiles, the runout grooves are the most important detail. They contain the hand-etched signatures PORKY (Side A), DELTA PORK (Side B), and PECKO (Side C). This indicates that the metal parts used to press this Japanese record were mastered by the legendary British engineer George “Porky” Peckham. His “Prime Cuts” are famous for being loud, dynamic, and full of bass, making this pressing sound exceptionally powerful.

Labels:
This pressing features the “Burbank” label design (a scenic palm tree lined street in Burbank, California), which Warner Bros. transitioned to in the mid-70s, replacing the earlier solid Green labels.

Obi and Price:
The album comes with a Purple Obi. The price is listed as ¥3,800 on both the obi and the bottom right of the back cover. Unlike earlier pressings, this version did not include a “replenishment slip” (hoju-hyo) on the obi.

Packaging:
It is housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes Japanese liner notes, essential for the complete experience.