Ian Gillan has spoken to Classic Rock about Ritchie Blackmore‘s unexpected cameo performance with Deep Purple at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, last month.
“I wasn’t really surprised it happened,” Gillan says. “I’ve been in touch with Ritchie for quite a long time now, and we’re on very good terms. All the nonsense from the past is now water under the bridge. We’re getting on great. So as we were in the area, I wasn’t that surprised [to see him], but I was very pleased.”
Blackmore had last shared a stage with Purple way back in November 1993, in Helsinki, during promotion for their aptly titled studio album The Battle Rages On. Bitterness and recrimination from both sides followed the guitarist’s mid-tour resignation, and any number of examples would serve to back up the theory that this was a wound – primarily between Blackmore and singer Ian Gillan – that was never going to heal.
We were wrong. A couple of days before the Jones Beach concert, Gillan had received a message from his former bête noire: “It said: ‘I only live around the corner. Do you mind if I come and jam with you?’” Gillan informed the audience in Wantagh, to massive cheers.
The request actually asked: “How would you feel about it if I got up just for an encore? Just one of the songs. I don’t want to intrude. No pressure, just for old times’ sake.”
After Purple happily accepted the olive branch in the spirit it had been offered, Blackmore divulged the plan – to the incredulity of the rock world – via his social media pages. Following the thirteenth song of the night’s set at Jones Beach, Space Truckin’, the stage went quiet as roadies scurried around with torches. The audience went wild when current Purple guitarist Simon McBride enticed Ritchie onto the stage.
The Man In Black placed his hat on top of the amps and, at first unaccompanied, delivered the most famous rock riff of all time. Six minutes later it was all over. It was probably not the best version of Smoke On The Water that Purple ever played, but as the smiles on stage and off confirmed, few are likely to have been more emotional.
“It was an absolute pleasure to have back on stage the founder member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore,” Gillan told the still-disbelieving audience. “Thanks, Ritchie. I must say it was a great pleasure. I’ll see you in the bar.”
Who bought the first round in the bar?
“Well, I brought along a bottle of whisky and had a couple of drinks for the first time in years at the venue,” Gillan revealed.
Was there time to talk?
“Yeah. We had about half an hour. But we’ve been in touch, as I said earlier, for some time now. Having said that, it was nice doing it face to face. And I’ll probably see Ritchie again next time I’m in the area.”
As well as delighting rock fans, presumably the on-stage reunion brought closure.
“To the public, probably yes,” Gillan responded. “But as far as I’m concerned, the closure was years ago, so I hadn’t even thought about it. But definitely it was a public demonstration of friendship, and good memories.”
The million-dollar question, of course, is whether something similar could ever happen again.
“I don’t know,” Gillan admitted. “The reason we did it there was because Ritchie only lives around the corner. So, I don’t know. If we play Jones Beach or New York again, possibly. Ritchie lives on Long Island but he’s always welcome.”
The following day, Blackmore wrote on social media: “A good night was had by all, I hope. I know that I had a great time. Thanks a lot, lads. Carry on and have a good tour.”
“It was a moving experience because I went on very quickly and had to play immediately,” Blackmore later told Guitar Player. “I couldn’t warm up, but I wasn’t there to play correct notes. I was there to see old friends I hadn’t seen in forty years, and we’re all getting older. I think we realised it could be the last time we see each other, maybe.
“It was tricky. I didn’t play anything too technical, as I felt I should stick to the rudiments of being simple,” the 81-year-old added. “I still lost my place at one point, but it’s not why I was there. I was there to heal any wounds – but there weren’t any wounds. Everyone was like we were in the army all along the Western Front, and we were all getting together again. [It was a] very emotional moment.”
(LouderSound)
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