Ritchie Blackmore Interview - German Rocky Magazine - February 1980 Why did you change the line up again? Ritchie Blackmore put a knife and fork near a plate of roast duck. - I do not like to talk about it, because it is unpleasant for everyone. Let's just say: so far no one has left Rainbow voluntarily. If a musician ceases to like me, then I behave with him like a bastard. It infuriates me when my musicians start to be lazy and just have a good time. Some made this mistake. You can easily guess who it was, they can be counted on a few fingers. Easier said than done. Over the past five years, Richie has changed more musicians than I have fingers on both hands. - Graham Bonnet turned out to be the best singer of all that we listened to in a few months. He is an incredible singer. Don Airey was a keyboard player in Colosseum, he has the perfect technique, and he offers a lot of ideas. And I already know our bassist and producer Roger Glover from my years with Deep Purple. He is like a safety cushion for a group, he has no price. He thinks through everything to the end, and Cozy and I immediately drop everything if we fail. Musically, it is the core of this band. Also, this composition is distinguished by an even greater inclination towards classical music. The band's concerts begin with the work 'Pomp and Circumstances' by the English composer Edward Elgar. - So people immediately realize that they will not just get a large dose of rock and roll. I know that I am one of the few who are still trying to cross classic with rock and roll. But the classics, especially if they are tense, gloomy and dramatic, are my favorite music. And if you play it like rock and roll, with freedom and energy, it can also make young listeners jump from their seats. People who close their ears when they hear the classics suddenly begin to understand how much power is in this music. But 99 percent of contemporary groups, on the contrary, cave in to the tastes of the crowd and do everything for money. Listen to Johann Sebastian Bach! He played only what he wanted. He did not have to adapt to the audience... © German Rocky Magazine - February 1980