Ritchie Blackmore says his surprise onstage reunion with Deep Purple earlier this month was an emotional moment for everyone involved. In an interview with Guitar Player, the founding guitarist said the show at Jones Beach on Long Island felt especially meaningful because he had not seen the band’s members in 40 years.
Blackmore said he thought about joining the group for just one song, “Smoke on the Water,” after waking up the day before the show. According to Blackmore, his wife Candice helped put him in touch with Ian Gillan, and Gillan then brought the idea to the rest of the band, who gave it their approval.
He told Guitar Player that he had to go on quickly and did not have time to warm up, but said he was not there to play perfectly. Instead, he said he wanted to reconnect with old friends and show fans that there was no bad blood between them.
Blackmore, who last played with Deep Purple in 1993, said the performance was a simpler one for him because he has largely been playing acoustic guitar in recent years and had not used a Stratocaster properly in decades. After the show, Ian Gillan posted that it was a pleasure to welcome Blackmore back onstage for “Smoke on the Water,” according to Rolling Stone.
