Ritchie Blackmore recently opened up about his current relationship with his former Deep Purple bandmates during a surprise live stream on Instagram.
The legendary guitarist responded to fans’ questions about whether he maintains contact with his former Deep Purple colleagues.
“Yes. [Deep Purple drummer] Ian Paice sends me regards now and again, and I talked to [Deep Purple singer] Ian Gillan and [former Deep Purple vocalist] David Coverdale,” Blackmore said.
He also shared his thoughts on the current lineup of the band.
“But I don’t know the new people in the band. I mean, obviously [current Deep Purple keyboardist] Don Airey was in Rainbow,” he continued. “Don is a brilliant keyboard player, but he has been in every band in the business.”
Blackmore’s comments provide rare insight into his ongoing connections with former bandmates. This is particularly significant given his turbulent history with the legendary rock group.
The guitarist’s relationship with Deep Purple has been marked by two significant departures. Ultimate Classic Rock reported that Blackmore first left Deep Purple on April 7, 1975, after the Mk. III lineup’s final concert at Paris’ Palais des Sports. His second and final departure came in November 1993 during the tour for The Battle Rages On…. This stemmed from creative differences and band politics.
Following his 1975 exit, Blackmore immediately formed Rainbow. The band became hugely successful and sold 28 million albums during its various incarnations between 1975-1984 and 1994-1997. Wikipedia noted that after disbanding Rainbow in 1997, Blackmore shifted his musical focus entirely to Blackmore’s Night. This Renaissance folk-rock band marked a dramatic departure from his hard rock roots.
The bandmates Blackmore mentioned maintaining contact with represent different eras of Deep Purple’s history. Ian Paice has been the band’s drummer through all lineups since its formation. Ian Gillan was the vocalist during the classic Mk. II era. David Coverdale joined as vocalist for the Mk. III lineup, which included some of Deep Purple’s most successful albums like Burn (1974) and Stormbringer (1974).
Guitar World revealed that Blackmore’s departures were driven by his desire for “fresh air” and frustrations with songwriting credits and touring priorities. Despite these professional rifts that have lasted since 1993, his recent comments suggest that personal relationships with key former bandmates have endured. This highlights the complex dynamics that can exist between artistic collaborators long after their professional partnerships end.
