"Last Concert in Japan" is a live album by British hard rock band Deep Purple that was released in March 1977. It was compiled from a performance on 15 December 1975 at Tokyo's Budokan Hall and is notable as the band's final performance with guitarist Tommy Bolin, who died of a heroin overdose less than a year later.
The album features Bolin’s style of heavy blues-oriented rock music, combined with the band’s classical and progressive rock style. It covers songs from the ‘’Come Taste the Band’’ album like ‘’Love Child’’ and ‘’You Keep on Moving’’.
However, the album was heavily edited; many songs performed at the concert, such as 'Smoke on the Water', were omitted from the album's running order, and the final mix of the recording was considered of such poor quality that vocalist David Coverdale has been said to have personally apologised to fans for it.
Despite its shortcomings, "Last Concert in Japan" is an important historical record, representing the final chapter in Deep Purple’s original run before their 1984 reunion. Today, Deep Purple remains one of the most influential and enduring bands in rock music history, known for classic hits like "Highway Star," "Child in Time," and "Smoke on the Water." With the historical significance of "Last Concert in Japan," it stands as a key part of their discography.
