Deep Purple’s hall of fame impact on rock music extends to a number of related bands, from Rainbow and Trapeze to Quatermass and Whitesnake.

Unfairly compared to Deep Purple, ‘Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow’ nevertheless arrived in August 1975 with a plethora of cool and interesting moments.

Deep Purple’s stunning breakup with founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was about more than personality clashes, Ian Gillan says.

Don Airey, who had a vibrant career of his own prior to Deep Purple, has provided a ringing farewell for his old bandmate Gary Moore — with a final assist from the too-soon-gone guitarist himself. You May Also Like: Ian Gillan picks the classic track Deep Purple should play: ‘ItRead More

Asked to pick a favorite guitar track, Queen’s Brian May quickly names a surprising cut from Ritchie Blackmore’s discography.

Roger Glover has, over his storied career, worked with a number of legends — from Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale to Jon Lord and Ian Gillan. None perhaps touched him like Ronnie James Dio. You May Also Like: How Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’ ‘almost got left off theRead More

Candice Night, having met Ritchie Blackmore after a final breakup with Deep Purple, recognized something immediately about the often-dour guitar virtuoso: “You can’t get more black than Blackmore, right?” You May Also Like: Ian Gillan expounds on his shocking split with Ritchie Blackmore: ‘I didn’t want Deep Purple to beRead More

For those Deep Purple and Rainbow fans who’ve struggled to come to grips with Ritchie Blackmore’s turn toward ren-faire folkism with Blackmore’s Night, Dancer and the Moon might just provide the perfect entry point. You May Also Like: Moody and mystical, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow debut launched medieval metal Dio’s Often-ForgottenRead More

With the sad anniversary of Ronnie James Dio’s death some three years ago comes an opportunity to return to a muscular concert offering that finds him near the peak of his solo powers. You May Also Like: Dio’s Often-Forgotten ‘Magica’ Recalled Early Ronnie James Dio Triumphs Heart – ‘Live atRead More

At the time, punk was thought of as the fast and rough stuff, with classic rock geezers like Ritchie Blackmore already relegated to the dustbin of history. Hardly. Rainbow’s molten Live in Munich, recorded in 1977, zips along at a blinding pace. You May Also Like: Moody and mystical, RitchieRead More