Democracy in the sixteenth century
A radio interview with Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio from November 1975, where they discuss the new band they are starting.
Thanks to Ritchie Blackmore Official channel for posting this.
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse4.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/airey3.jpg)
A radio interview with Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio from November 1975, where they discuss the new band they are starting.
Thanks to Ritchie Blackmore Official channel for posting this.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
“Catch the Rainbow, who wrote this one?”
Silly question, Jimi Hendrix did. “When evening comes, she calls me Little Wing …” 😁
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35luFxHO5E0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lISOlo2_SBc
“Inspired by Judy Garland actually.” Yeah, my ass.
Lovely how Ritchie and Ronnie valiantly try to explain their escapist poetry. It’s all very deep (just not purple …). And utterly medieval of course, sure thing.
April 30th, 2025 at 21:11I don’t know where to put this, but I found it interesting and it kinda fits here:
As is well-known in these quarters, I’m no great Cozy Powell fan as regards his drumming, but I follow his history and recently bought a very good boxed set from Cherry Red Records entitled “The Bedlam Anthology”. It not only features Bedlam,
https://youtu.be/ewybnGR5Zns
https://youtu.be/SSkaAxdy0NM
(Apologies for the out-of-tune guitar!)
but also his previous work with Ideal Milk, Ace Kefford Stand and Big Bertha.
Anyway, we all know Cozy’s penchant for Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture which graced his drum solos with Rainbow, MSG and WS for God knows how long, you wanna hear what a 20 year old Cozy recorded with Ideal Milk (a pun on Cream if you are wondering …) already in March 1968?
https://youtu.be/rujz3Dvykpc
I had no idea!
Also, have you ever wondered why Lazy made an – albeit only instrumental – entry into the Rainbow set? I always thought it was a weird choice of a Purple number for Rainbow to do, now it turns out that perhaps it was Cozy’s idea because he played with Ideal Milk “Steppin’ Out”, the blues instrumental/guitar lick showcase played by Eric Clapton both in his Bluesbreakers and Cream days (which by his own admission let Ritchie write the Lazy riff):
https://youtu.be/2i0Onoss7oY
Innuhresting, ain’t it? Or too nerdy from me? 🤗
I wonder if Ritchie, while living in Hamburg “off the immoral earnings” (his words, not mine) of his his later to be wife no 2, Bärbel Hardie
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2c/a7/d8/2ca7d895a414867bb0b889a307cf808d.jpg
[Die Bärbel ohne Rock was a – hopefully smooth – dancer on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, albeit less of the classical ballet type and more of the exotic variant —-> Karin, ask René for what that means, please!],
ever got to know Cozy there? The Ace Kefford Stand
https://i.discogs.com/Lgmt0t0dhP1GcSJZ3kC6LwuRMf7N7FudMpcp4-yM6YM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:314/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTM2OTQ2/MS0xNTQxMDY4NDQx/LTcwNjIuanBlZw.jpeg
had a lengthy engagement in Hamburg venues (the Star-Club among them) and thanks to Cozy’s drumming (unusually powerful and upfront for the late 60s) built up quite a reputation as a live act wiff ze Krauts.
May 4th, 2025 at 22:11Interesting indeed Uwe, thanks for that Cozy and friends information and the links. Bedlam, while a decent band and good musicians do sound a little too Cream like. And being the early towards the mid 1970’s it has that sound and feel to it, probably a touch out dated by then. Wasn’t Cozy gigging in Germany in the late 60’s with a band called the Sorcerers before returning to England. Blackmore may have bumped into Cozy even earlier than the Ace Kefford Stand. Anyway he knew plenty of people who soon became big names in the English rock scene in Plant, Bonham, Iommi, Noddy Holder and Dave Pegg apparently. Cozy was certainly in the scene well and truly by the 1970’s emerged, playing at the Isle of Wright festival and then as we know, joining up with Jeff Beck and company. If Blackmore hadn’t noticed Cozy during the late 60’s, he certainly would have by the time of the Jeff Beck Group. So yes indeed, late 60’s Germany by the look of it. Cheers.
May 5th, 2025 at 05:26Interesting indeed, Uwe!
May 5th, 2025 at 10:42I didn’t know Cozy did drag that 1812 thingy around even looonger. Good heavens. And I never saw the point in boring us with it in his time with Whitesnake … anybody out there who wants to boogie…?
To be fair, first time I saw it in late 1976 I was hellishly impressed. When he still did with WS, it had long overstayed its welcome.
I am readjusting my judgement on him a bit: With Bedlam he played a lot more unconventionally and improvisational than with Rainbow. He’s wasn’t the most precise drummer (especially in rolls), I understand Bob Daisley’s comment now that “Cozy would cut corners in his playing, you had to adjust to that as a bass player, and it didn’t fit with Gary’s (Moore) philosophy of everything being exact at all”, but I lersonally prefer a lively drummer to a meter-perfect, boring one.
BTW, I forgot to mention, Bedlam were openers for Sabbath on their Sabbath Bloody Sabbath US tour and got along well with them (though they had to abridge their set after going down a bit too well for Sabbath’s liking), it is likely that Iommi and Powell first got to know each other then.
May 5th, 2025 at 15:59@2
“Karin, ask René for what that means, please!],”
Uwe I would rather hear yours and Max’ explanations 😉☺️
May 5th, 2025 at 16:06I can imagine Coverdale saying ‘here’s a song for ya’ and then Cozy playing along with the 1812 Overture, ha ha ha. Seriously though I cannot imagine that at a Whitesnake concert to be honest. As Uwe rightfully suggested, it should have been long gone before then. It really should have stayed with the Dio era Rainbow and then have been put to bed. Cheers.
May 5th, 2025 at 22:46@6
May 6th, 2025 at 06:17.
C’mon Karin, even I know what “dancer on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg” implies. You’ve got to get out more…
@8
I didn’t say I don’t know what it is!
Uwe asked me to ask René, and I replied that I would rather hear the two German gentlemen, Uwe and Max, and their explanation ☺️
May 7th, 2025 at 08:01It sounds like a really exciting place to be, the Reeperbahn in Hamburg especially that St Pauli area. But it would have to be in the summer time, you know us gents don’t like really cold weather or even a cold shower etc, what would be the point of being there? Uwe could no doubt give us a preview or even a review, but perhaps that should be left for another site and another forum somewhere? Cheers.
May 7th, 2025 at 22:21@9
I guess you’re not as naive as I thought. 😇
Not sure how Max would answer but Uwe would probably write a somewhat-long and detailed history (with photos) of the St. Pauli district (bemoaning the fact that it’s not as good as it was in the old days) accompanied by a youtube link to Mitzi DuPree and probably some advice on which establishments give you the bang for your buck.
May 8th, 2025 at 03:51Well it can be chilly and raining in Hamburg in summer too, dear MacGregor.
Went there just some time ago to took photos in front of the “Ritze” – you know the one from the Perfect Strangers inner sleeve – Ritchie’s posing in front of the door and so did my sons. Hamburg and the Reeperbahn are worth a visit of course.
May 8th, 2025 at 08:28@11
Well Russ, I’m just a dumb blond!
But I get by….
Yeah, it’s rather peculiar why none of the gentlemen have been commenting regarding this very interesting phenomenon ☺️😉
I guess you’re right regarding Uwe and the photos, and if he didn’t have any photos I guess he would be able to produce very lifelike drawings 😄
Have you been cooking the Danish dish, Fulskager?
May 8th, 2025 at 10:47I am really looking forward to hear what you think about it 😊
@10
Entre nous MacGregor, I actually have been visited the area, many many many years ago!
To be honest I was a bit surprised!
May 8th, 2025 at 10:49And I do not feel the urge to revisit 😄
@13
Haven’t attempted Fulskager yet… not for a lack of wanting to but rather a lack of time & energy. I’ll probably retire again this fall and after getting some much needed rest I will attempt it and report the results to you.
I really expected Uwe to answer you by now and was kind of looking forward to it. Its not like he’s a shy person. At least not here anyway. Maybe he’s afraid it will tarnish his squeaky-clean, hotshot lawyer reputation. 😈
May 9th, 2025 at 07:02@15
“Maybe he’s afraid it will tarnish his squeaky-clean, hotshot lawyer reputation. 😈”
🤣🤣🤣🤣 ohhh yeah you’ve got something there!
Russ, Fulskager is an easy dish to prepare! Just do as I told ya 😉
May 9th, 2025 at 07:38No need for retirement to make that!
Sigh, if you guys so lewdly insist, back then it was of course all very innocent and young Ritchie at an impressionable age …
https://i.makeagif.com/media/9-18-2017/KUHjX5.gif
See the happy couple, so inseparable …
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bb/44/b8/bb44b85e345b88e6250633de0b2586aa.jpg
(wedding pic, Ealing Town Hall, September 1969)
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSipGuK_grZVVdqaNf_XKUw6Mb52pmqMEBD4w&usqp=CAU
(joyously in Mark I days, still unmarried)
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2c/a7/d8/2ca7d895a414867bb0b889a307cf808d.jpg
(All existentialist moody, Bärbel/Babs has reverted to her natural color …)
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9d/8e/bc/9d8ebcede5bd12e9ba80601c8b19f923.jpg
May 9th, 2025 at 13:40(Frohe Weihnachten!)