Here is the RB interview from Hard & Heavy, a French HM magazine.
[NOTE: French is not my mother tongue, so there may be inaccuracies.]

Enjoy,
Makoto

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[On the cover one of the bylines says "Ritchie Blackmore, finally he speaks!"]

Can anyone find a musician today who has an equally as bad a
reputation as Ritchie Blackmore?  For nearly 30 years this taciturn
guitarist has been taken to be one of the worst plagues that the world
has ever carried, a hypochondriac forever unsatisfied doubling as an
unpredictable maniac who can put an end to a group or resurrect it the
next day (as in the case of Rainbow) or even more to ditch a group
right in the middle of a tour (as he had done with DP).  Blackmore is
like a sorcerer, an evil demon who had signed a pact with the great
horned beast and one can easily imagine the musicians and singer doing
the sign of the cross at his approach.

HH: After 10 years with DP, is it the start of a new decade of
Rainbow?

RB: It wasn't an act of reformation but it is a new group.  I wanted
to differentiate this group from Rainbow by christening it Rainbow
Moon, the principle reason being that I feel a strange attraction to
this heavenly body.  In addition it was the name of my grandmother for
whom I have a great admiration.  I finally changed my mind, noting
that a bunch of groups were calling themselves Moon this or Moon that.
I am happy with "Rainbow".  At least the people will know what they
will deal with.

HH: On listening to this album, one can effectively believe that
nothing has happened since "Bent Out of Shape".  The ambiance, the
care for the melody, the arrangements of great sophistication seems
similiar.

RB: That's correct. These days the principal preoccupation of mine is
the melody.  I care for it a lot more than the preparation of my
guitar parts.  I may take 2 to 3 weeks to compose a piece but I
consecrate rarely more than a half hour to record a solo.  Some
guitarists will find that strange, but I inquire a lot on putting the
rhythm and melody in place.  Most guitarists think too much on how
they can put their playing in better relief.  I played guitar for 39
years and I have passed this stage.  The guitar does not represent my
principal interest.  The essential for me is that a song will succeed
and that the people will be moved by its sound.

HH: For a lot of people, you are the guitarist with the worst
reputation of the world, that of a solitary wolf, without a real
attachment to a group.  Why not terminate once and for all all these
group names and content yourself by producing under your own name?

RB: I do not look to attaching all the responsibilities of a project
on my shoulders.  I need the ambiance which reigns in the heart of a
group, being moved by the enthusiasm of young musicians.  They inspire
me a lot more.  It takes a lot to satisfy me.  I am a bit like a
vampire: I need to have new blood regularly.  This always pose serious
problems, but I get bored quickly when I stay a long time with the
same people.  Although my music appears similiar, I feel a lot more
inspired among new musicians.  Even more, I like seeing those who have
accompanied me, standing on their own feet, after having passed some
time with me as Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, and others have
done.

HH: Rainbow is considered generally to be on of the most subtle
groups, even more than DP for certain.  This hyper-sophisticated
method of playing heavy metal seems to correspond a lot more to your
convictions than the music of DP, save for "Slaves & Masters" which
was more of Rainbow album than anything else.

RB: That album was much more melodic than the other albums of DP and a
lot of people have confided in me that not only do they find it good,
it is the one that they preferred.  I do not like the last DP album
("The Battle Rages On") at all.  I very much believe that it is the
worst of which I have participated in.  Rainbow proposes a form of
rock that is sufficiently sophisticated to put the melodic work up
front.  I do not like to interpret music that does not possess a
certain structure.  I see no interest.  I have done it in the past.
In 30 years, I have the impression of playing pieces that only have
noise.  True "Speed King" wasn't too bad for the period, but I take no
pleasure re-listening to it and even less to play it.  It is only a
short riff played at high speed.  I don't listen to this genre of rock
anymore.  Before anything, I look for the melodies that are within
classical, folk, and blues.  What make an album successful is that
great soothing feeling when one leaves the studio satisfied by what
one has recorded.  That comes to me very rarely, but this album is one
that comes the closest.

HH: Yet how do you find musicians crazy enough to play for you?

RB: I don't know my repuation at all, but I think it comes essentially
from those who left the group and I have never had difficulties
finding good musicians to accompany me.  I often change musicians
because I am not totally satisfied musically.  It is very rarely a
problem of personality, the principal reasons of leaving is musical.
If I separate myself from someone it is not because I don't support
him, but it is because I don't play what I want to hear.

HH: How do these "divorces" happen?  Do you write them a note, send
them your lawyer, or does it happen amicably?

RB: No in general it is the management who sends a letter.  To take an
example of RJD, I don't deny that he sings marvelously, but the
problem is that he always sings in the same way.  And then he married
this strange woman who seems to have a lot of influence over him...

HH: And the new kid, Dougie White...

RB: Hmm. He's left already (big laugh).  No I'm joking... He's
Scottish and that affects his character.  He is really the comical
type.  We often go to play in the pubs.  I take my acoustic
guitar... He has an incredible repertoire of hilarious English and
Scottish folk songs.  He is always very inspiring, you give him 2 or 3
notes, an idea of a melody, and he writes out a title in no time.  A
singer has rarely made me laugh as much as him.

HH: Haven't your felt a certain apprehension of finding yourself after
10 years in DP?

RB: I am always anxious.  Perhaps one can find someone more negative
and anxious than me but with difficulty.  But on the other hand that
does not displease me.  For the moment everything is going ok in the
group and I don't think of anything else.  We are the best of friends
and I believe it will go well at least for another 2 or 3 months
(smiles mockingly) before any bad ambiance is felt...

HH: When you left Purple, we said: "Dio is available, Bonnet as well,
JLT is unemployed" therefore we can expect that you will call one of
them up.  You finally chose an unknown who just left the school desks.

RB: It's a gamble.  But I don't want to commit the error of playing
again with the same people.  It's a bit overblown.  I did it with DP
but I was not completely enchanted to find myself with them.  I
appreciate them as musicians even if it did not go the same with the
"singer"; but it's necessary to recognize that I did not involve
myself 100% with them.  I say though that I left because of the said
"singer".  I like singers who can sing; they are perhaps useful.  I
don't support those who are incapable.

HH: The register of Dougie White evokes those of JLT.

RB: Don't tell that to him if you see him.  Dougie does not like Joe's
voice at all.  He adores Dio, but he does not support Joe.  For me
it's not a problem and it's even more reassuring that one find
similiarties with Rainbow of the JLT period.

HH: Nevertheless, this album tends to prove that none of the groups
born these last years seems to have enthused you to the point of
bringing in new styles.

RB: In fact... I have not heard many things that have impressed me
apart from King's X.  It is one of the best groups that I have heard
since many years.  They are probably too good to succeed.  The masses
generally prefer that one would play to them the same ridiculous
songs...  The connection between the popularity and the music, the
fashion, etc. makes me want to vomit.  I hate fashions.  What I don't
like in the current business is if a group plays music in which it
believes in but it's style is not very popular, the group is condemned
in advance.  The record companies cut its lifeline.  Everyone is then
more-or-less obliged to follow the latest fashion: "Let's go sound
like Pearl Jam!"  And suddenly a multitude of similiar groups looms
up.  The radio, the record stores have chosen a stake on certain
groups.  In the end the masses don't ask any more questions and buy
what they are told to buy.  It is a form of communism where the public
buys what is in line with the party.

HH: What is your position vis-a-vis of all the journalists who will
not miss the chance to remark: "Ritchie a lot of things have passed
since 1984.  There has been the rise of HM, then grunge.  How can you
ignore the existence of groups like Nirvana and Pearl Jam?  And how
can you play that music with Rainbow today? Do you really hope that
the kids are going to go out of their way to see that?  You got to be
joking!"

RB: It is evident that a lot of people must think that, but I remain
honest.  I won't compromise.  It's the music that I play, that's all.

END