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What are your thoughts about the death of Cozy Powell 
Joe Lynn Turner: I would just like to say for Cozy that we lost a prince there, we really did. Cozy Powell was a nice guy. As well as one of the greatest drummers that ever lived, he was an actual human being as well, and there are not many human beings in rock 'n' roll... why is it always the good guy who dies?Hard RoxX magazine, December 1998  What did Graham Bonnet think about the guitarplayers he worked with around 1988? 
Chris Impellitteri: We discussed every guitarist Graham ever worked with (laughs). He considered Yngwie to be a silly person and he also said many bad things about Ritchie Blackmore and Michael Schenker. He seemed to be quite a sad. But I liked Graham very much 'cause he was easy to deal with and a strong experienced singer. For now... he finally managed to become much better than before.Young Guitar, February 2000 Is there a chance we ever see you back in Rainbow?
Joe Lynn Turner: It'll depend obviously. There's a lot of water under the bridge. I'ld love to get together again. Ritchie and I never had a problem. David Rosenthal, Chuck Burgi and I gave him a call last summer. But we couldn't get through. His mother in law or whoever she is manage him now and she's protecting her daughter's career. I think the message never came thru to Ritchie.Metal Express Music Radio, 1 October 2001 What's the best joke you've ever pulled on somebody? 
Stuart Smith: Probably getting Ritchie Blackmore "arrested." Back in 84 he placed an ad in the local Penny Saver which listed my house in Northport, Long Island up for rent, for some ridiculously low price, with instructions to call "Mr Smith before 8.00 am." I was inundated with calls so I had to get him back for that. A few months before, he'd given me the Strat he used on "Stone Cold" as a birthday present and then after this "Penny Saver" joke went out on tour with Rainbow and asked me to keep an eye on his house. I got to know the local cops pretty well during that time so when Ritch came back from tour and he invited me over to dinner, I met up with one of the cops up the road from his house. We put the Strat he'd given me in the trunk with me in the back seat of the cop car and drove into his driveway. The cop rang the bell and when Ritch answered it he told him that he'd stopped me up the road and found this guitar in my car and that I claimed he'd given it to me. When Ritch confirmed this the cop said, "Well, I'm sorry Mr Blackmore but it's on our hot sheet as a stolen guitar so you're under arrest." He obviously didn't have a receipt so the cop made him sweat for about 5 minutes during which time he tried everything to get out of it. Ritch said, "Look Stuart, you go down to the station and I'll get my manager on the phone and sort this out" to which the cop replied, "No, you don't understand Mr Blackmore. Mr Smith is free to go, you're under arrest." After we'd freaked him out enough the cop finally said, "You've the right to remain silent, you've the right to an attorney, anything you say will be taken down in writing and "Advertised in the Penny Saver against you." It took a few seconds for the penny to drop so to speak but the look on his face was priceless. Ritchie was always the one to pull the practical jokes so it blew him away that I'd got him. We called a truce on each other after that and concentrated on nailing other people which is a whole other book of stories. Metal Sludge, 19 October 1999 Tico Torres joined Bon Jovi in 1983, but...... 
Tico Torres: When Bon Jovi asked me to join them in 1983. I also had an offer of Ritchie Blackmore to join Rainbow.Rotterdams Dagblad 31 August 2000 Do you like Blackmore's Night? 
Don Airey: I quite like it. I was surprised that I did like it. Yeah, I did like it, yeah. An interview with Don Airey by Daniel Höhr for KNAC.COM. August 2000 What's Ritchie Blackmore like?
Don Airey: What's he like? (laughs) He's great! He's a good band leader, good guitarist, good writer - a very good writer! In fact, I don't think anybody's heard the best of him yet. You know, the best is yet to come. I think one day he'll sit down and he'll write something big - for an orchestra or something. He's quite capable of it. An interview with Don Airey by Daniel Höhr for KNAC.COM. August 2000 Ritchie Blackmore did an audition in 1961 for Lord Sutch's Savages. He was turned down and then later in 1962 he still made it to the Savages. So why was he turned down the first time? 
Carlo Little: "Ritchie Blackmore, who could have only been 15 at the time, came along with his girlfriend and his dad. We heard about 7 or 8 blokes, but it was a toss up between Ritchie and Roger Mingay. Roger just had the edge, because he was older and more experienced".Carlo Little: The Savages Years What do you think of your successor on vocals in Deep Purple, ex-Fandango/Rainbow/Yngwie man Joe Lynn Turner? 
Ian Gillan: I don't know how Joe Lynn Turner is gonna sound, even if they do anything other than 'Highway Star', 'Woman From Tokyo'..., 'Child In Time'? I wish the guy good luck. My only thing is, I'm proud of Purple and just think it would be honest if they were to call themselves something else. Rainbow, or something. That would be fair enough. I think everyone would breath a sigh of relief. They could go on out as Rainbow with dignity and be accepted on a far greater level than if they go out as Deep Purple. But I know why they're calling themselves Deep Purple... It looks better on the contract. They've got a two million dollar deal with BMG and I don't know if Rainbow would get a two million dollar deal... I think it's a little... iffy. Because I'm a fan too. I'm great Deep purple fan. So I'm disappointed, but I certainly don't wish them any harm. For the sake of Roger, if nothing else, I'd like them to have a successful album, get themselves sorted out, get back on the road again. I have no desire
to start a war of words. The end has come and it's great for me, great for them because we don't have to have any more stress or traumas - and it was getting very stressful.KERRANG No 297, UK 7 July 1990 So what happened to Rainbow? 
Doogie White: Ritchie built a time machine and so far has not returned.Swedish Rainbow 2001 You left Deep Purple in 1975 to form Rainbow, which lasted until 1984. What were your favorite Rainbow albums? 
Ritchie Blackmore: The very first one "Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow" was a breath of fresh air because we moved away from the R & B stuff Purple was doing. I also liked Rainbow Rising; Ronnie James Dio was singing really well. I keep in touch with Dio; we might do something in the future.
Guitar.com 2000 What compelled you to get back with Gillan, Lord, Paice & Glover and record Perfect Strangers in 1984?
Ritchie Blackmore: I was very happy with Rainbow and we were doing quite well, and then Ian Gillan came around and said, "let’s get together". He kind of talked me into it, and people were talking about lots of money, and I said, "Okay, I’ll do it." But I do think Perfect Strangers was a good LP. I was comfortable with the band and went, "I think we’ll do another one" which was a mistake, because I think I played like shit on it. And I don’t think anyone else really got into it; to me it was a bit of a disaster. Guitar.com 2000  |