Apparently not a vampire
Ultimate Classic Rock publishes the next part of The interview they recently did with Ritchie Blackmore. They call it the first part, so apparently the Christopher Cross story that appeared a few days ago, was part zero. Ritchie talks about hi recent heals problems, prospects for touring (spoiler: very little), and also motivation for leaving Deep Purple the first time around.
When I left Deep Purple, I just felt that the band wasn’t pulling [its weight] as a musical venture. It became a committee. It was like if there were some answers to be had, there were five different answers. And I got a little bit tired of the committee meetings. But like what John Cleese said about Monty Python, I basically thought I’m going to get four other musicians where I don’t. need to have a committee meeting and just get on with playing the music.
Read more in Ultimate Classic Rock.


Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Blackmore not a vampire? There is documentary cinematic evidence to the contrary!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqUx84-ljPE
And donโt give me: โBut there is a mirror image of him on the Machine Head cover so he canโt be!โ That reflection is so blurry, it could be anybody! โ๏ธ๐
May 19th, 2026 at 00:45I remember the MTV video of Blackmore living out his fantasy. Those videos from the 1980’s are cringe factor, so many of them from different artists. Some are good for a laugh I suppose. Cheers.
May 20th, 2026 at 14:35Joe wasnโt feeling well that day, he was a little pale. On the other hand: Without his wig he could have played Uncle Fester no sweat!
https://i.makeagif.com/media/11-01-2019/sBr7lG.gif
May 20th, 2026 at 16:01Why does Roger wear Ritchies hat on the Machine Head cover?
The pics inside MADE IN JAPAN…. It looks Roger has no beard.
Or is it something else cluttering in my brain?
May 21st, 2026 at 15:38@4 Ritchie is to the left of Roger on the Machine Head cover.
I don’t have access to my copy of Made in Japan at the moment so can’t answer the other question.
May 21st, 2026 at 19:45I wouldn’t call Roger’s unkempt peach fuzz in the 70s a real “beard”. ๐
And I think he just wore the hat to be recognized – if you’re hardly heard between the god-awful racket Blackmore, Lord and Paice make, you at least want to be seen. ๐คฃ
May 21st, 2026 at 20:07@6
My late grandma had more of a beard on a good day ๐
Me? Iโm just very grateful for tweezers โบ๏ธ๐
May 25th, 2026 at 08:09