Ritchie Blackmore on Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan
Ritchie Blackmore is a hero of the fretboard. Cut from the same cloth as more visceral guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, Blackmore has mastered every trick in the handbook, imbuing his back catalogue with a refreshing essence with something for everyone. The wide berth of his skill has also meant that Blackmore has been able to consistently reinvent himself moving from the pulsating rock of Deep Purple and Rainbow to the more bucolic sounds of his latter project, Blackmore’s Night.
One of the most self-aware figures in rock, the former Deep Purple axeman understands that his sound is so iconic and specific to him that any attempts from others to imitate his swirling notes are doomed to fail from the outset. Blackmore’s form of expression remains as influential as it was during the peak of his powers in the 1970s and 1980s, and across the spectrum of music, from pop to metal, you hear his work alive and well.
One of the music industry’s true iconoclasts, Blackmore has never been afraid to share his opinions on the state of the form and on other musicians. He invariably delivers takes that prompt serious thinking and debate, a refreshing departure from the usual discourse. From Jeff Beck to Gordon Giltrap, Blackmore has provided his thoughts on some of the most eminent guitarists in history across his career, and given his status, they’re always worth their weight in gold.
In 1991, he sat down with Guitar World and discussed two of the most revered Fender Stratocaster-toting heroes, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, who had both passed away by that point, leaving immense legacies behind. Unsurprisingly though, Blackmore’s thoughts were a little controversial, with him saying that Vaughan “didn’t do anything amazing”.
He said: “I was impressed by Hendrix. Not so much by his playing, as his attitude – he wasn’t a great player, but everything else about him was brilliant. Even the way he walked was amazing. His guitar playing, though, was always a little bit weird. Hendrix inspired me, but I was still more into Wes Montgomery. I was also into the Allman Brothers around the time of those albums.”
