“Absolutely no”: The legendary band Ritchie Blackmore refused to join
When people talk about Ritchie Blackmore and Deep Purple’s work, they tend to focus on very specific aspects of their music. Namely, they talk about the iconic riff, ‘Smoke On The Water’. The simplicity, melody, and soloing throughout that song are so good that it has become known as one of the greatest guitar intros of all time.
Everyone who ever picks up a six-string, at some point, will find themselves playing the iconic introduction to ‘Smoke On The Water’. It is so frequently played by lovers of the guitar that there are signs in guitar shops which ban people from playing it, given it is such a natural instinct for people to immediately start playing the song the minute they take hold of the instrument.
While it’s appropriate to heap praise onto Ritchie Blackmore for his excellent work with that track, it’s not all he did as a guitarist. He’s an incredibly versatile player who has incorporated classic music styles with heavy rock and R&B throughout his career. He worked a great deal with different styles of music and was always keen on exploring different styles of music.
It’s no surprise then that two of his three favourite artists were Jimi Hendrix and Jethro Tull. Both of them were incredibly excellent musicians who were always looking to push the boundaries of what their sound could be. Who knows what kind of music we would have experienced had Hendrix survived outside of the four years that he was a mainstream artist?
The same goes for a band like Jethro Tull. They drew inspiration from Led Zeppelin and used it as an excuse to never stay in one lane when it came to making music. If you look through their discography and the kind of music that Ian Anderson is famous for, you uncover a range of different styles of music that are all incredibly fun to listen to.
However, out of the three greatest artists of all time, Blackmore’s final choice is probably the most interesting. It’s not an uncommon choice, but his relationship with the band seems somewhat questionable, given his history with them. “The Beatles were excellent,” he said, “Probably the best band that ever lived, without a doubt, along with Hendrix and Jethro Tull.”
The Beatles were undoubtedly considered some of the greatest songwriters of all time, and Ritchie Blackmore admired their unique approach to music. He was especially a fan of Paul McCartney, who was responsible for several of the band’s biggest hits. “I admire Paul McCartney and Ian Anderson,” he said, “Especially Ian Anderson, his songs are just beyond me.”
What’s interesting about Blackmore’s praise for The Beatles is that he was previously asked to join the band. There are a number of moments that rockstars look back on and regret, but turning down a place in The Beatles has to be high up the guitarist’s list, especially given he is such a fan of them today. “I did play with George Harrison. He wanted me to join the band called The Beatles,” recalled Blackmore, “I never heard them, and I knew they were going nowhere. So I said no. Absolutely no.”
