![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/paice1.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/paice2.jpg)
Can’t happen here
More details have surfaced on the William Shatner’s upcoming “metal” album, and it sounds like Blackmore will not be appearing on it after all. AntiMusic reports:
Cleopatra Records shared a new update on William Shatner’s forthcoming metal album and revealed that the Star Trek icon reached out to Deep Purple legend Ritchie Blackmore to record a guitar solo for the song “The Grim Reaper”, which Blackmore felt that he could not improve on the solo that has already been recorded by Marcus Nand.
The label shared these details: When you’re looking for a great guitar solo, you need a great guitarist to play it. That’s what William Shatner thought as he was playing through the early material that he has already gathered for his upcoming Metal album, and that’s exactly what he did.
Shatner was listening back to “The Grim Reaper,” a new song that he cowrote with guitarist Marcus Nand, and while he was personally happy with the performance, he also sent their demo to the Rainbow/Deep Purple legend to ask what he thought, and what he might do different. Ritchie got back to him directly. “”The guitar solo on what you sent is very good. I don’t feel I can add anything to change or improve it.”
Thanks to AntiMusic for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Well, since sadly, we will not get to hear our Hero, Ritchie, play again with William, what will all of you decide to listen to, by him, instead on his (Ritchie’s) 81st birthday on 14 April? (and days after…)
I am going with the 1993 tour, all of the shows that I have in my collection. It’s not every night, but it is probably 75% of that tour.
25 minutes of Child in Time and Anya? Wonderful!
Happy Birthday to Ritchie Blackmore.
(He is the main reason why all of us click on this website every day).*
*Probably.
April 14th, 2026 at 02:21As a collector I can only say: What a loss and an opportunity missed …
Phew! 😅
April 14th, 2026 at 07:23…. And I immediately checked the date: oh it is the 14th of April (yes thought it was the 1st!)
Sorry dear Ladies and Sirs but William Shatner has never felt like ‘metal album’ to me 😄
April 14th, 2026 at 08:56But when the Blackmore appears on it, then I have to give it a try 😊
Well, live and learn (somehow!)
Shudder the thought, but was Ritchie perhaps miffed at the insolence of being presented with a backing track that already had a solo on it?
https://youtu.be/Ift8V0Qix2w?is=WdrTnk6pvtqeU_fK
The man has a reputation of being difficult and capricious so I’ve heard …
April 14th, 2026 at 09:06Ritchie B’s birhday today! Congratulations….Cheers PJ
April 14th, 2026 at 09:07That’s a shame Ritchie refused to take the offer, considering that the name the Grim Reaper fits him perfectly 🤷🏻♂️
April 14th, 2026 at 12:16Happy 81st birthday, Ritchie!
April 14th, 2026 at 18:42@ 2- Uwe Hornung as usual looking for a negative for the sake of simply looking at things negatively. Perhaps it was that Ritchie just does NOT need to add to anything? Simple really Uwe. No different to not feeling like a solo is necessary in a song, let someone else do it or simply don’t have a solo. Not to also mention Ritchie’s health at present either. Hang on, that is being a touch too realistic. Cheers.
April 14th, 2026 at 22:51Happy Birthday Mr. the Man in Black!
Thank you for the masterpieces you’ve written and played with your immense class, and for all the guitars you’ve smashed on stage! (And amps and cameras too!)
April 14th, 2026 at 22:59Long live Ritchie!
April 15th, 2026 at 08:52