Ritchie Blackmore Pop Rock Interview I'd been wanting to record the song "Black Sheep of the Family" for two years, and I asked the band (Deep Purple) if they were interested, but they told me it was impossible to add new material. That's when I met Ronnie James Dio of ELF, and we decided to join forces to create an album. With these words, my interview with the man I consider the second-best guitarist in the world after Jimmy Page began. Why did he make this sudden decision? He explains that the time had come for him to start flying on his own, which led him to Rainbow. Working with new musicians seemed refreshing to him. Living in a new musical atmosphere, and especially having relationships other than professional ones, as was the case with Deep Purple, appealed to him greatly. After Blackmore finished recording the Rainbow album, Deep Purple was contracted for another tour. After only three shows with Purple, Blackmore realized that it was necessary to that he changes musical spectrum. All critics are unanimous in the fact that Ritchie Blackmore and Rainbow surely equal "More than Purple." Rainbow was supposed to arrive in Montreal on Saturday afternoon before the show, but an unforeseen event meant he didn't arrive until Sunday evening. My interview, which was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, was postponed until 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, one hour before he left Montreal. Here is the interview this crazy heavy-rock guitarist gave me: Pop Rock: How many months have Rainbow been around? Ritchie Blackmore: The band was formed in early February and we started recording on February 20th. How did that happen? Ronnie James Dio, current lead singer of Rainbow, performed with his band (ELF) as the opening act for our show (Deep Purple) in North America. As luck would have it, Dio met Roger Glover of Deep Purple and then joined me in Munich last February. It was then that we decided to team up for an album. It was also at this time that I started thinking about Purple. We started recording just two weeks later. My musical habits and ideas have evolved a lot since I've been with Rainbow. Everything I've wanted to record for the past two or three years was accomplished in two weeks. Who chose the name "Rainbow"? Ronnie and I chose the name because we felt our music offered a rainbow of lyrics and sounds. Where did you record the album? We recorded at the same place as the Rolling Stones, ELO, and Deep Purple, namely Musicland Studios in Munich. Where do you live? The whole Rainbow gang has been living near Los Angeles since last April. Tell me a little about the musicians you're with. First, there's Ronnie James Dio as the lead vocalist, who formed the critically acclaimed band ELF. Gary Driscoll is on drums, Craig Gruber on bass, and Mickey Lee Soule on keyboards. When did you start your tour? The tour started in mid-September and will end in mid-December. When do you plan to record another album? We're going back to studio next January. Do you have a favorite band? Yes, I really like Jethro Tull. Finally, I'd like to ask you if your relationship with the Deep Purple gang is still as good as it is with you? (He answers me in a confident tone): Just because my professional relationship is severed doesn't mean my friendships have to be too. At the very moment I had the firm intention of telling him about his former role in Deep Purple, he let me know that he needed to get his packing done. I'd been told that Blackmore was shy and quite reserved with journalists, which is completely true, and Blackmore even admits it. Immediately after my interview, I called his management agency in New York to learn more about the exact reasons for his departure from Deep Purple. I was told that Ritchie was fed up with the pressure from the record company, which demanded three albums a year. Blackmore believes it's better to make one good album a year than three that don't hold up, as was the case with Purple's "Fireball" and "In Rock." They also explained to me that he was fed up with the musicians' musical individuality; everyone wanted to play their own little solo on the songs. I was also told that Ritchie insisted that the public not think he was the frontman of the band. He defines himself as part of the band. He describes Rainbow's music as an extension of Machine Head and In Rock. There are many influences from Bach and Hendrix. Polydor signed Rainbow. Blackmore says he's very happy to be part of Polydor's ranks. Because, after all, says Blackmore, they're all German at Polydor, and I've always had a soft spot for the Germans because they lost the war. Ritchie was replaced in Deep Purple by ex-James's Gang guitarist Tommy Bolin. And the new album seems to be going very well. Long live Rainbow: best heavy-rock band of the year. © Marie-France Rémillard, Pop Rock vol 4 nr 24 - January 10, 1976