November 9th, 2025 - This Time Around, It's Ichi for the Michi

 

Good afternoon and happy Sunday!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here rocking out with a pairing of "This Time Around: Live In Tokyo" by the mighty Deep Purple and a tasty and spicy Ichi For The Michi Japanese Style Rice Lager with Szechuan Peppercorns from Icarus Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Deep Purple
• Title: "This Time Around: Live In Tokyo" (originally released in March 1977 as "Last Concert In Japan" in Japan only)
• Recorded: Live December 15th, 1975 at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan
  Release date: September 2001 (4th live album released by Deep Purple)
• Record company: Purple Records / Sanctuary Records Group / Tommy Bolin Archives
• Production: Martin Birch and Deep Purple
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Tomy Bolin (guitars, backing vocals, and lead vocals on "Wild Dogs"), David Coverdale (lead vocals), Glenn Hughes (bass, and lead and backing vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards and backing vocals), and Ian Paice (drums)
• Musical style: Hard rock, rock, funk rock, heavy metal
• Sound: Heavily edited and remastered, the sound on "This Time Around: Live In Tokyo" captures the unbridled energy and talent of these great musicians before Bolin's drug addiction totally imploded the band.  Coverdale's and Hughes' vocals soar over the always inspiring musical tapestry of Lord and Paice.  While Bolin's guitar work wasn't on par due to a prior night of partying, there are still some shining moments of inspiration.
• Major themes: Love, desire, sex, loss, heartbreak, luck, danger, living life to the fullest, music, speed, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Burn"
2. "Lady Luck"
3. "Love Child"
4. "Gettin' Tighter"
5. "Smoke on the Water/Georgia on My Mind"
6. "Wild Dogs"
7. "I Need Love"
8. "Soldier Of Fortune"
   
9. "Jon Lord Organ Solo"
10. "Lazy/Ian Paice Drum Solo"
11. "This Time Around"
12. "Owed To G"
    
13. "Tommy Bolin Guitar Solo"
14. "Drifter"
15. "You Keep On Moving"
16. "Stormbringer"
17. "Highway Star"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Icarus Brewing Company (Brick, New Jersey)
• Website: https://icarusbrewing.com/
• Brew: Ichi For The Michi Japanese Style Rice Lager with Szechuan Peppercorns 
• Style: Japanese Rice Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.9%
• Ingredients: Rice lager brewed with Szechuan peppercorns 
• Pour: The Ichi For The Michi pours a clear, bright golden yellow hue with a thin, bright white head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, crackery, and spicy.  There are aromas of cooked rice, light grassy hops, a hint of lemon zest, and subtle peppercorn.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Ichi For The Michi is grainy and spicy.  There are notes of rice cakes, crackery biscuit, toasted white bread crust, light grassy hops, a hint of lemon, ginger, and peppercorn.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Ichi For The Michi is very crisp and very smooth with a dry, peppery finish.

Overall pairing: The bright, crushable, and spicy flavors of Icarus Brewing Company's Ichi For The Michi make for a nice companion to the hard-hitting rockin' punch of Deep Purple's stellar "This Time Around: Live In Tokyo"!   'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!