Ritchie Blackmore Reflects on Emotional Deep Purple Reunion

*Ritchie Blackmore at the Velodrom on April 18, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Frank Hoensch/Redferns)*

Ritchie Blackmore is reflecting on his recent reunion with Deep Purple after joining the band onstage for the first time in more than 30 years.

Blackmore joined Deep Purple at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, on Aug. 12 for a performance of “Smoke on the Water.”

“It was very moving because I went on very quickly and had to play immediately,” Blackmore told Guitar Player. “I couldn’t warm up, but I wasn’t there to be playing correct notes. I was there to see old friends [who] I hadn’t seen in 40 years and were all getting older.”

He added, “I think we realized it could be the last time we see each other, maybe.”

Blackmore co-founded Deep Purple in 1968 before leaving the group in 1975 to form Rainbow. He later participated in Deep Purple’s 1984 reunion and last performed with the band in 1993.

While the reunion proved emotional for Blackmore, he acknowledged that his performance wasn’t perfect.

“It was tricky; I didn’t play anything too technical, as I felt I should stick to the rudiments of being simple. I still lost my place at one point, but it’s not why I was there,” he said.

For Blackmore, the reunion was more about reconnecting with his former bandmates.

“I was there to heal any wounds — but there weren’t any wounds,” he said. “Everyone was like, we were in the army, all along the Western front and we were all getting together again. Very emotional moment.”

Content for this summary was derived from original reporting by ABC Audio, as featured on 105.7 The Point.