Back in 1973, I picked up Made in Japan from Woolworths in Sheldon, Birmingham for £3.25 – a defining moment in my musical life. Since then, I’ve lived with this album through every major life change, heard it on vinyl, cassette, CD, deluxe editions – you name it. And now, in 2025, we’re on the verge of a new Super Deluxe Edition, featuring brand-new Steven Wilson remixes. And let me tell you: something truly magical has happened.
After being absolutely blown away by the newly remixed version of Highway Star, I had high hopes (and a touch of healthy skepticism) for the next preview track, Strange Kind of Woman. Could lightning strike twice?
Yes. It absolutely could.
From the moment I pressed play – using Apple Music Lossless through my main hi-fi setup – I was transported. This didn’t feel like just another remaster or a cleaner mix. This felt alive. The clarity, space, and presence in the performance was staggering. It was as if I was sitting three rows from the front on August 16th, 1972, in the thick of the audience, clapping in time with Ian Paice’s snare, totally immersed.
Let’s talk soundstage. Ritchie Blackmore is planted firmly in the left speaker, Jon Lord to the right. Gillan’s vocals are dead centre with Glover and Paice locked in behind. And when that first solo arrives—my word—it’s everything you remember and more. You can feel the humanity in Blackmore’s playing. The imperfections, the fluidity, the spontaneous soul pouring out of his Stratocaster—none of it touched by AI, all of it powered by adrenaline and instinct. It’s real. It’s dangerous. It’s beautiful.
And then there’s Gillan. His screams, placed perfectly in the mix, sound untamed and visceral. You can hear him gasping for breath between notes, and—crucially—you can hear the audience reacting. That exchange between band and crowd is captured in glorious, spine-tingling detail. It’s not just a live album anymore—it’s a time machine.
Roger Glover’s Rickenbacker bass cuts through with definition and warmth. It’s the first time since the Highway Star remix that I’ve felt his parts with such presence. And that moment where the song drops back to Paice’s near-isolated drums before launching into the second guitar solo? Goosebumps.
This version is so immersive, so alive, that it genuinely felt like I was hearing Strange Kind of Woman for the first time. And for someone who’s played it thousands of times—that’s not something I say lightly.
So here’s the question: Have you heard it yet? If you were unsure about the remix of Highway Star, give this one a spin. You might just find yourself completely rethinking what this legendary album can sound like.
The Super Deluxe Made in Japan box set drops this August, on the very day of the original concert—August 16th. And if the rest of the set lives up to what we’ve heard so far, it might just be the definitive edition of one of the greatest live albums ever made.
ORDER YOUR COPY HERE (CD Box Set)
Let me know what you think in the comments or join the conversation in the Now Spinning community. We have passionate discussions on Facebook, WhatsApp, and at our virtual pub, The Now Spinning Arms.
Until next time, remember: music is the healer and the doctor.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
