“It could be the last time we see each other”: Ritchie Blackmore on his “very emotional” Deep Purple reunion
For anyone who thought Ritchie Blackmore and Deep Purple would never share a stage again, last Wednesday night at Jones Beach proved that time really does heal all wounds. More than three decades after his last gig with the band in 1993, the guitarist surprised fans when he walked out onstage to perform Smoke on the Water.
Speaking to Guitar Player, 81-year-old Blackmore reveals that the surprise jam was, in fact, entirely his idea.
READ MORE: “I can hear Ritchie Blackmore fans crying out!”: Deep Purple’s Simon McBride on switching from tube amps for amp modellers
“I woke up one morning thinking, the day before their show, ‘You know it would be good for the fans if I just got up for one song, probably ‘Smoke’ and just show that we’re not at each other’s throats and don’t hate each other,’” he explains.
Blackmore’s wife and Blackmore’s Night bandmate Candice Night then got in touch with Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan, who gave the idea his approval.
“I said, ‘What do you think about me getting up for ‘Smoke?’ His exact words were, ‘It made me smile.’ He then put it to the band and it was thumbs-up all around.”
That said, stepping back into a Deep Purple rock show came with some understandable nerves for Blackmore – the guitarist hasn’t played a full-on rock gig since performing with Rainbow in 2019, and he wasn’t sure how he would fit into the band’s current setup alongside guitarist Simon McBride.
“I had my misgivings at first, as I didn’t know if I would be heard or too quiet or whatever,” he admits. “I could see the guitarist [Simon McBride], who is very good, had a big amplifier, and I thought I’ll just bring a 50-watt amp, but luckily it all worked.
The performance itself was deliberately stripped back. Blackmore says he didn’t want to overplay, given the short preparation time he had.
“It was very moving because I went on very quickly and had to play immediately,” he says. “I couldn’t warm up, but I wasn’t there to be playing correct notes. I was there to see old friends. I hadn’t seen in 40 years and we’re all getting older. I think we realised it could be the last time we see each other, maybe.”
“It was tricky; I didn’t play anything too technical, as I felt I should stick to the rudiments of being simple. I still lost my place at one point, but it’s not why I was there. I was there to heal any wounds – but there weren’t any wounds. Everyone was like, we were in the army, all along the Western front and we were all getting together again. Very emotional moment.”
Gillan appeared to feel much the same way. After the performance, he turned to address the New York crowd: “I tell you, it was an absolute pleasure to have back on stage the founder member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore… I’ll see you in the bar.”
McBride also shared a backstage photo with Blackmore, describing it as an “absolute pleasure” to share the stage with the guitarist, whom he called “an inspiration to all.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
