The guitar icon Ritchie Blackmore knew “wasn’t a great player”
A strange take.
Deep Purple
Credits: Far Out / Alamy
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968 and are widely regarded as one of the pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, the group has undergone numerous line-up changes while producing some of rock’s most influential recordings. The classic ‘Mark II’ line-up of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice created landmark albums such as ‘Deep Purple in Rock’, ‘Machine Head’ and ‘Made in Japan’, helping establish the band’s global reputation. Best known for songs including ‘Smoke on the Water’ and ‘Highway Star’, Deep Purple have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Deep Purple News
Deep Purple’s Roger Glover explains why the band are against farewell tours: “A cheap publicity thing”
Glover said Deep Purple will never stop.
Deep Purple will not retire and plan to “go on till we drop”, Roger Glover says
Deep Purple won’t announce their final show.
Seven wildly different songs that inspired Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy
Influences way beyond the ‘alt-country’ world.
More About Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in 1968 and are considered one of the pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal.
'Smoke on the Water' is Deep Purple's best-known song, recognised worldwide for its iconic guitar riff and its inspiration from the 1971 Montreux Casino fire.
The band's classic 'Mark II' line-up consisted of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.