![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/gillan2.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/airey2.jpg)
The super-cool, nice guy Ritchie
Guitar World has a short interview with Simon McBride on what the Blackmore’s guest appearance at the Deep Purple gig in Jones Beach looked like from his perspective:
I got to stand on stage beside the guy who started this whole thing. Ritchie is a legend, a great player, and a great innovator. I think all musicians grew up listening to his work.
I was a little curious as to what he was gonna think of me. But he was a super-cool, nice guy. He was really complimentary, which was a shock to me. It’s very bizarre when these legends admire my playing. My head starts to explode! [laughs]
Read more in Guitar World.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Yo,
It’s a good short read & follow-up by Guitar World here, turning a few questions into a few good paragraphs. And more importantly, Simon gets his say ! *( This is the same story as linked via another thread in here ).
Ciao !
August 22nd, 2026 at 01:09You just close it and go on a beautiful musical journey and enjoy its phrasing, its melodies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHlTGVi4lgY
August 22nd, 2026 at 09:36Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad this reunion happened and I realize that it was done when it was because of the timing of it but I can’t help but wonder what Steve Morse thinks about it. After all he’s in the band for 28 years, records many studio and live albums and many tours around the world and he’s always said he’s never met Ritchie and he’s never spoken with him. I just wonder, does he care and wishes it was him out there with Ritchie playing on this special night or maybe he doesn’t give a shit. I would love to ask him that question.
August 23rd, 2026 at 19:49Yo,
@3…
Some time ago it was noted in a thread here, that RB & SM have communicated via e-mail a few times. From memory, it was a question asked by someone to Steve around the time he was dismissed.
Ciao !
August 24th, 2026 at 00:20@4
Gregster, guess you already know about it, but Don was talking about the Steve Morse “case” in an interview, and sorry don’t have the time to dig it out, but he actually said that ‘someone’ (and I honestly don’t remember who it was) said on Highway Star that the situation between them wasn’t ok, but it really was, he said (not me, Don!)
So, my wild guess here is that they all get along. They are grownups, they know – as our dear in-house lawyer mentions now and then – that it is good for business for them, and it is wise to be getting along 😊
Am I beyond happy to have seen Ian and Ritchie hugging away like old chums on stage?
You bet ya!
And my girlish heart beats a bit faster because people get along amiably 😊
And SMcB’s attention to RB and his very honourable courtesy towards the old guitarist was just LOVELY!
August 27th, 2026 at 08:36@5: https://www.thehighwaystar.com/news/2026/07/17/never-any-animosity-at-all/
August 27th, 2026 at 11:17@6
Thank you very much Svante 🙏🏼😊
August 27th, 2026 at 12:01No one who has ever played in DP in the last half-century + x did walk away any poorer for it – that goes a long way.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:23@8
I tend to doubt this.
Nicky made a bad choice and never again reached the audience he deserved.
Rod choose smart and then phucked up his credits.
I think his royalties only reccently re started after paying off the courtcases to which he was exposed.
Damn, I d love to see him again and talk.
September 1st, 2026 at 11:45