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Three of them
Candice Night was interviewed by the Iron City Rocks podcast, and among other things discussed, she spoke at length about Ritchie Blackmore’s health issues that affect his ability to tour these days.
Episode 559: Men Without Hats and Candice Night: 08/4/25, Candice’s segment starts at 25’30” into the show.
One of the things that’s so great about Ritchie is he can recognize — he’s very in tune with his own body, and he stays on top of everything. Thank goodness. And when he doesn’t, I nag him to stay on top of it, which he hates, but at least somebody’s doing it — you know, like eating well and things like that.
There’s the three main issues with him that are going on. He has a heart issue. He had a heart attack a couple of years ago, so we stay on top of that. He’s got gout, so that’s difficult. It’s affecting his feet really badly. And it’s starting in his forefinger, so it’s hurting the mobility in that, so he just had an injection for that. And his back, of course, which has always been an issue. He hasn’t taken any back injections since he had the heart issue. So everything kind of is working together. So, it’s hard — it is hard for him. But he’s at the point now where — he’s very smart when it comes to things like that.
It’s not so much the travel on a plane. Honestly, it’s the aggravation before you even get into the plane and after you get into the plane and it’s all the sitting of traveling. So that’ll affect his back and all the rest of it. And the jet lag that stresses your heart. All of these things. Waiting on those lines when you have to get to JFK [New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport] and you have to go transatlantic, and then coming off and going back through the security lines and the customs lines and all the rest of that stuff, and all of that stuff, it really does take a toll on a human — on a healthy human, so forget about someone who’s 80 years old and going through these issues. But he did just say to me yesterday, which I wait for his… With Ritchie, if you try to pressure him to do something, he instantly says no. He’s like a teenager. And so now I’ve got three of them. But learning how to deal with that a little bit better. So I wait for him to come to the realization, or I drop little seeds here and there and try to wait for him to be ready to talk about it. And he did just say, ‘What about doing some BLACKMORE’S NIGHT dates in the fall?’ So, of course, I got greatly excited about that. So now I’ve gotta contact the agent. But he would rather do places that he can drive to. He takes the night off the next day. Gone are the days where you do five shows in a row, including travel. That’s just way too much. For anybody, it’s difficult to do that. And we don’t have a tour bus and we don’t have private planes. If we go someplace, I’m driving. So it’s like a mini road trip, but not really because we have to just get to the place, rest that night. Hopefully it’s close enough to the venue. You get to the venue, you go back, you get a good night’s sleep that night. Hopefully they’re not doing construction or maintenance in the hotel or the maids don’t wake you up at seven o’clock in the morning. and then you move on to the next place and have a day of travel. So it’s a very slowed down way of doing it. But honestly, I’d much rather take something than nothing at all.
On a related note, Blackmore’s official channel have posted a couple of clips from one of the last Rainbow shows — the 2019 Sweden Rock Festival, that is said being produced for a future release:
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info and quotes, and to Daniel Bengtsson for the heads-up on the Rainbow release.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
It pains me to hear Burn like that – with clumsy drums and a guitarist that can no longer keep up – the idea of Ritchie revisiting his rock past (without the aid of another guitarist handling the parts Ritchie can no longer credibly do) should be laid to rest for the future, please. The only good thing about Reunionbow was that (i) not too many people saw how a legend was tarnished, and (ii) it was luckily not financially successful enough to invite a third repeat. Or maybe the pandemic was good for something after all. 😂
As for Ritchie’s air travel habits: Can anybody please explain to me why a man his age, health and wealth doesn’t travel first class (or in a private plane?) and if need be with an accompanying doctor? No first class passenger has to wait in line for anything. You get picked up and dropped off. If Ritchie is too much a miser regarding his own circumstance/amenities, a word of advice to him: You can’t take it with you./Das letzte Hemd hat keine Taschen.
I once read that Mick Jagger always travels first class (when he doesn’t fly private) and that on transatlantic flights the first thing he does on board is change into – suitable expensive – pajamas (not any worse than tights, Ritchie!) so he can comfortably sleep most of the flight through. For chrissakes be an aging rock star and travel in comfort and don’t have your wife drive you to gigs! 🙄
The mind boggles. 🤯 You know there is cottage industry charm AND there is outright curmudgeonly silliness/stubbornness.
Ritchie’s past heart attack, the gout and his back problems all make me feel for him, but unlike many people he is in a position to accommodate for all that if he really still wants to tour (it’s equally fine if he says he simply doesn’t want to anymore!).
August 6th, 2025 at 03:30Heart troubles, gout and back pains, poor guy 🥺
Good for him he has a sweet woman who takes care of him 😊
“With Ritchie, if you try to pressure him to do something, he instantly says no. He’s like a teenager.”
– 😄😄
“But honestly, I’d much rather take something than nothing at all.”
August 6th, 2025 at 04:34– awww 🥰
Ok, maybe he acts like a teenager! But a guy that can do this riff
https://youtu.be/y5y7vCTBrtc?si=ZITKSDvQ7Z_nE0Og
He is forgiven for everything 😃
August 6th, 2025 at 04:38The Rainbow clips from Sweden Rock on par with DP 1980. Why did you do it, Ritchie?
August 6th, 2025 at 05:22Uwe’s amazing health and travel advice for someone he doesn’t even know and what the real issues are. And how old is Uwe? And we know how old Ritchie is. Add the sums up and what do we have. Someone talking utter bollocks. Cheers
August 6th, 2025 at 07:29the man is 80, and his health isn’t great it seems. he owes the world nothing. sit back, relax, and enjoy the time that’s let. he’s left an incredible legacy that will live forever
sweden rock; I look forward to the release. wish it was the final gig in Spain, but there you go
while the 2016-2019 Rainbow era pales compared to what came before does not equal that the shows shouldn’t have happened. imo, plenty of stuff that made it worthwhile.
yes, Blackmore should have rehearsed more. he definitely underestimated how playing largely acoustic for 19 years affects your ability to play electric.
and they should have played more shows – road legs and confidence is what you need.
regardless; I know a properly produced Sweden Rock film will give me lots of enjoyment. And while it’s probably a cheaper production than Germany 2016 (beautifully shot), it will be nice to have a document of the last run of dates which saw Ritchie playing rock.
August 6th, 2025 at 08:17Cause that won’t happen again. And as someone who was too young to catch Rainbow (pun intended) before 2016, I’m grateful that I got to see them a few times since 2016
In response to your comment, Uwe in #1, I have to say that I find it quite harsh and heartless how you think and write about Ritchie. This is still Ritchie’s private decision, and to accuse him of being stingy and incapable (in playing the guitar) is quite cheeky, presumptuous, and disrespectful. Writing something on the web is different than saying it to his face… I experienced it live in Biedigheim with the Rainbow reunion, and it was one of the most touching experiences singing Stargazer with my buddies while Blackmore stood in front of us on stage. And let’s finally stop bashing 75-80 year olds, who still bring us fans joy – there are still millions of fans who love to hear and see this, even Gillan is old, and no one criticizes him and his limited singing. If you don’t like something, don’t dwell on it; there is plenty of music you can listen to if you don’t like Blackmore actual. Had to be said , sorry.
August 6th, 2025 at 08:46to #4:
August 6th, 2025 at 08:49there was no Deep Purple any more in 1980…and in 1984 they did a very cool record called “Perfect Strangers” which was another style but good!
I am fairly sure Ritchie doesn’t fly economy, Uwe. He mostly plays gigs in the NY/NJ area these days. No reason to fly there.
August 6th, 2025 at 09:53@ 1…Uwe, Just be glad Ritchie is around still performing, fans still pay a lot more these days going to see Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson and their terrible. But they go because we just don’t know how much time we have left here on Earth.
August 6th, 2025 at 11:53@ 8 It was a Deep Purple in 1980.. Bogus Purple.. ;-D
August 6th, 2025 at 13:27#8. I am not sure I follow. Is it enough to have RB standing onstage regardless of the state of his playing?
August 6th, 2025 at 14:18Oh come all ye faithful and pour your just wrath on me! 😂
I was in Bietigheim too. And at Lorelei. Glasgow too. Plus Berlin. I had tickets for Munich as well, but gave them away for free to the IT guy in our firm who wanted to see Blackmore one more time (he was terminally ill) when it turned out I had a surprise conflicting appointment. I’ve thus been to four Reunionbow gigs and therefore believe to have some authority on the matter. Not at a single one of these performances could they handle Burn as a song. If something is crap I say it and don’t rinse it in sugar water first. When Whitesnake do better at Burn than Ritchie something is wrong.
If that is disrespectful to you, fine. Ritchie’s refusal to tour with a credible Rainbow line-up, properly rehearse and get into shape to play Rock’n’Roll again must have then been the opposite: a demonstration of undying love and respect for his fans, my bad for not realizing this earlier.
May I quote Candice for a sec:
It’s not so much the travel on a plane. Honestly, it’s the aggravation before you even get into the plane and after you get into the plane and it’s all the sitting of traveling. So that’ll affect his back and all the rest of it. And the jet lag that stresses your heart. All of these things. Waiting on those lines when you have to get to JFK [New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport] and you have to go transatlantic, and then coming off and going back through the security lines and the customs lines and all the rest of that stuff, and all of that stuff, it really does take a toll on a human — on a healthy human, so forget about someone who’s 80 years old and going through these issues.
Those issues Candice raises could 90% be avoided by first class airline travel, just sayin’. For those of you who interject that Ritchie maybe doesn’t want to spend that much money: If he raised ticket prices at his castle gigs in Europe by just one Euro per ticket, he would have plenty balanced even first class airline fares for himself, his wife and his children plus his mom-in-lawnand I don’t believe that BN fans would have issues paying one Euro more so Ritchie & family can travel in safety and comfort. I certainly wouldn’t. Hey, I’m Catholic, I pay church tax and therefore co-finance how the Pope lives, where should my qualms for such an arrangement come from? 😆
Finally, I never said I’m just a “fan” of DP – Taylor Swift has “fans” and I think they’re called Swifties, I’m not a Purpliftie! – and the people in its universe. I’m a chronicler and that entails pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.
And I repeat: Should Ritchie come to the decision that the touring part of his life is over, then that is a perfectly respectable to me. He’s paid his dues. But asking Candice as a mother of two to chauffeur him around gig to gig is hilarious. As Little Ian once so aptly put it: ”I hear he’s doing folk songs on acoustic guitar with his girlfriend singing – and her mother being their manager … so I’m sure it’s all very professional.” 🤣
You may now resume pouncing on me. Who’s next? 😎
August 6th, 2025 at 16:14Herr MacGregor, since you asked:
I’m turning 65 in a few months, my health is neither terrible nor amazing, I never smoked or took drugs on a regular basis and only consume alcohol to dinner about three times a week (a glass or two of red wine) i.e. a lot less than Ritchie who is a functioning alcoholic (as many men are), I have bad leg circulation (a family affliction, my leg venous valves are pretty much shot as they were with my mom and dad when they were old), morning glory lamentably ain’t what it used to be either, I’m afraid my testosterone levels are likely low – a doctor once told me “within the age bracket“ which as we all know is doctor speak for “pretty darn low” 😂, my in California dwelling son keeps pestering me to do something about it via testosterone supplements (“Everybody does them!“), but I don’t believe in dietary supplements of whatever kind, my prostate is enlarged (but I don’t need to take a leak all the time) and one of my knee joints is “made of metal, its circuits gleam” as Rob Halford would put it. I consider all those slimming injections that now make the rounds health-hazardous as they mess with your natural metabolism and a catastrophe waiting to happen. Look what they did to Elon Musk, but then he was stark raving mad before already.
Any flight exceeding three hours, I will not fly economy/coach, I’m (or used to be) 1,90 meters tall and even as a young man found flying economy for extended periods of time difficult, so I simply stopped doing it and flew business. I don’t care about on-board amenities, free alcohol (I don’t drink on planes, alcohol tastes weird up high) or better food (airplane food is airplane food no matter what class you are in), but I need room to comfortably sleep which is how I spent most of my flights because I find flying incredibly boring. And when I’m bored I fall asleep immediately.
Any further questions? Are you now worried? 😎
August 6th, 2025 at 18:03Herr MacGregor, since you asked:
I’m turning 65 in a few months, my health is neither terrible nor amazing, I never smoked or took drugs on a regular basis and only consume alcohol to dinner about three times a week (a glass or two of red wine) i.e. a lot less than Ritchie who is a functioning alcoholic (as many men are), I have bad leg circulation (a family affliction, my leg venous valves are pretty much shot as they were with my mom and dad when they were old), morning glory lamentably ain’t what it used to be either, I’m afraid my testosterone levels are likely low – a doctor once told me “within the age bracket“ which as we all know is doctor speak for “pretty darn low” 😂, my in California dwelling son keeps pestering me to do something about it via testosterone supplements (“Everybody does them!“), but I don’t believe in dietary supplements of whatever kind, my prostate is enlarged (but I don’t need to take a leak all the time) and one of my knee joints is “made of metal, its circuits gleam” as Rob Halford would put it. I consider all those slimming injections that now make the rounds health-hazardous as they mess with your natural metabolism and a catastrophe waiting to happen. Look what they did to Elon Musk, but then he was stark raving mad before already.
Any flight exceeding three hours, I will not fly economy/coach, I’m (or used to be) 1,90 meters tall and even as a young man found flying economy for extended periods of time difficult, so I simply stopped doing it and flew business. I don’t care about on-board amenities, free alcohol (I don’t drink on planes, alcohol tastes weird up high) or better food (airplane food is airplane food no matter what class you are in), but I need room to comfortably sleep which is how I spent most of my flights because I find flying incredibly boring. And when I’m bored I fall asleep immediately.
Any further questions? Are you now worried? 😎
August 6th, 2025 at 18:03#12
“no not regardeless of his playing” because he played good enough and played fine solos in another way than in the 70ies, not aggressiv but good and although the hole band wasn´t really heavy it was a good band and a holy atmosphere. I know, that the original Rainbow in the 70ies were much better…but i liked the playing in Biedigheim and it was a good concert where we celebrated Rainbow, sometimes you must relax your mind to feel the important things in life…
August 6th, 2025 at 20:31Hi Uwe, who are you to judge Ritchie? A little humility would do you good. I don’t know if you’re a musician, but I don’t think so. Otherwise, you wouldn’t talk about Ritchie as if he were a supermarket product or a consumer item that you buy and then evaluate. That’s not how you treat artists. That’s consumer speak, sorry. You’re completely forgetting the historical context and significance of these Rainbow memory concerts, and believe me, Ritchie certainly won’t care what we think about him. He’s an artist who does what he thinks is right, and he’s always done it that way, and that’s why he’s so popular with his fans. If you’re not a fan, then you’re probably a music critic, and for those, there’s the famous quote by Frank Zappa, which you surely know: “Fuck all them writers with the pen in their hand.” (Zappa)
August 6th, 2025 at 20:43Only Ritchie could play the Burn riff properly; he had a unique way of powering it along. So if now even he can’t do it, then no one can.
I’m deeply saddened to learn of his ills, but touched by Candice’s evident love for him.
August 6th, 2025 at 21:11Uwe, your comments were of the ‘get over it’ mind set. Easy to criticise and no one is really interested in anyone’s health anyway are they? Health is a private matter. Cheers
August 6th, 2025 at 21:49