Posted on 09/17/2021 8:19:50 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Ian Gillan says that a DEEP PURPLE reunion with Ritchie Blackmore would be a "circus" and "it would be no fun at all."
Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 exit. Steve Morse effectively took over Blackmore's slot in 1994 and has since been in the group longer than Ritchie.
Gillan addressed his longstanding feud with Blackmore in a new interview with Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road. Asked if he is still in contact with Ritchie and whether there is any chance at all of the guitarist ever sharing the stage with DEEP PURPLE again, Ian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. The answer to your question is yes, we are in touch. Tensions eased quite a lot after we got hold of our business affairs and sorted everything out. There were previous managers from the past who had not done things exactly as you would like. I didn't get paid for 10 years when I was with DEEP PURPLE — in the big years — and goodness knows what happened to all that. And there were other tensions too. And needless to say, it was all pretty nasty when we finished and Ritchie walked out. But we're too old for that now. We've both written some pleasant notes via our managers. I can't write to Ritchie or phone him because he doesn't have a telephone, he doesn't have a computer. He lives in a world of greensleeves — he lives in a medieval world, and he has messages given to him and that sort of thing. But he's sent some pleasant words to me, and I've sent some pleasant words to him. There are still issues; there are still bones of contention. I've seen a lot of rubbish being spoken — it's not worth even rising to the occasion — but I hear [former DEEP PURPLE singer] David Coverdale and others talking about what happened at the Rock And Roll Of Fame. Well, we were very kind to everybody, the current band. And we did invite Ritchie to play 'Smoke On The Water' with us at the ceremony, but he declined. So, [those] are just opportunistic remarks from the others.
"We've never had any antagonism towards Ritchie," Ian clarified. "He has his own interpretations, and the rest of us have our interpretations, so it's really not worth being fired up about it. But I think probably this late in our career, and with things moving along so pleasantly for the band, it would naturally enough — we discussed this years and years ago when it was first talked about — it would be a circus and it would be a distraction to everything we're doing, to be honest. It would be no fun at all, because we don't work that way anymore."
Blackmore previously suggested that PURPLE's manager had blocked him from joining his former bandmates onstage during the 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, and he used that as an excuse for not attending the event.
Despite Blackmore being a no-show at Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, who inducted DEEP PURPLE into the institution, praised "Ritchie f***ing Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".
Late last year, Coverdale expressed his exasperation at DEEP PURPLE for how he and Glenn Hughes were treated by their former band ahead of their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Once it had been announced that we were officially being inducted into it, the current DEEP PURPLE refused to go if Ritchie Blackmore was going to be there. And this was, like, 72 hours before, when I was ready to fly with my family. And this cost me, like, $75,000 [or] $85,000, because you have to pay for all the tables apart from the one you're on, and I had my daughter fly in from Germany, my son came out of college. It was a family affair."
He continued: "Suddenly, Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled, the plug. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was f***ing furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs] And I said, 'F*** it! Nobody's going to keep us off.' I got in touch with Carole, Ritchie's manager, and I said, 'Tell him to come with me. Nobody's going to f***ing touch him. Tell him to come with me,' and he didn't want to do it."
Coverdale added: "The first thing I said when I was up there, was, 'None of us would have been standing here without Ritchie Blackmore,' and I made sure of that point. Steve Morse and Don Airey [current DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] were more complimentary to Glenn and I than the other guys. We had a blast; we had a f***ing great time. I'm very happy that I am who I am, and I just talked to Glenn the other day about it: 'What the f*** was up their a**?!'"
This is why he went from this...
...to this:
I can't write to Ritchie or phone him because he doesn't have a telephone, he doesn't have a computer. He lives in a world of greensleeves — he lives in a medieval world, and he has messages given to him and that sort of thing.
As a side note, Glenn Hughes is absolutely awesome live, and when I saw him in 2018 he was very proud of his American citizenship.
They seem to prefer to be Perfect Strangers.
An angry, growling B3. You needed a couple big roadies, but it was worth it.
I didn’t think any of these folks were still alive, other than Coverdale, who outlived his ex-wife Tawny.
He has no desire to do a grueling Deep Purple tour. It's never going to happen.
If that’s so, then maybe I’m a Leo.
A reporter came up to a member of a band participating in a reunion and said:
Isn’t it so great to be back together?
Response:
How would you like to spend a night with your ex-wife?
No John Lord, not DP.
My only comment is, WGAF. Those Prima Dona’s are totally meaningless in today’s world. Their petty differences are but a whisper in a cyclone. Besides, of Rock Groups of that era Led Zeppelin made DP look like wannabees.
Bump
Actually, only Jon Lord passed away. Deep Purple’s batting average is better than that of the Stones.
They should do like Ozzy and have a reality show! Only it should explore how pathetic senior citizens are when they pretend to be children again! I saw DP in ‘84 and although it was awesome, it was clear to me that they were quits. There should be a law that all persons eligible to collect social security can’t pretend to put on a rock concert!
Believe it or not, kids are still covering Deep Purple “Hush”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxBBvAJwG44
Lord’s keys were a core ingredient. Running the B3 through a Marshall rather than a Leslie made for a uniquely heavy sound.
Big Deep Purple fan girl here, I wish those 2 could bury the hatchet but if it all comes down to money it will be highly unlikely for that to happen.
Ian Gillan was the handsomest thing on 2 legs in his prime, here they are at the Royal Albert Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt-CX3k0PYw
Great video of Highway Star, someone synced their Made in Japan recording with video from a Copenhagen concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zKAS7XOWaQ
1. Blackmore is an infinitely cleaner, faster, and more energetic guitarist than Page could ever want to be. Page may have ripped off better riffs, erm, come up with better riffs, and sold more albums, but Highway Star (which is responsible for more speeding tickets than any other solo in the multiverse) is multiples stronger than that on Heartbreaker (which sounds like a 15-year old at Guitar Center).
2. Led Zeppelin was an awful live act after 1970. Deep Purple, from inception through Coverdale and through Perfect Stranger, was molten hot.
That said, Roger Glover and JPJ are evenly-matched, their vocalists are both legendary (though only one of them played Jesus) and while I prefer Ian Paice, you can't deny that Bonzo remains inspirational.
73 Tampa stadium, great show...
Ian Gillan was the handsomest thing on 2 legs in his prime...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t know about that but he sure could (and can sing.....just not high notes). I often listen to Child in Time.... here he and Roger Glover are talking about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkveukuxQ3Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-naL5FYd_Dc
Here is Gillan just two years ago doing Smoke on the Water....just a fantastic piece!
Big Lord fan..
Bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.