Ian Gillan Says that Ritchie Blackmore is a Genius

[@tiborkovacs4827]

it wasn't formed by gillan and Blackmore, it was put together by Blackmore, Lord & Paice.

[@Stefan-]

Yeah.Gillan isnt the original singer, the first album that he is on is the 4th album, Deep purple in rock.

[@tomborgenkristiansen9581]

Yes, by three worldclass musicians😊

[@marknieuweboer8099]

Actually the first album with Gillan is the Concerto.

[@Gk2003m]

Narrator did not claim that the band was formed by those five. Narrator claimed “the classic lineup” of the band was formed by those five. And regift one’s opinion on the quality of other lineups, indeed Mk2 is THE classic lineup of that band. And yes, Blackmore is a guitar genius. That said, he was also very insecure and immature - which created havoc for many members of his bands (such as Tony Carey).

[@carlocalarco6718]

It was actually Ritchie Blackmore that got things started with the classic line up when he said Rod Evan’s just ain’t cutting it, we need a singer who can scream like Robert Plant. So they being Blackmore, lord and Paice went to see episode six and snatched up Ian Gillan and also roger glover only because he tagged along with Ian so they decided to keep him as the new bass player.

[@squid667]

Mr. Blackmore has said that he and Mr. Gillan always respected each other very much. They just could not be in the same room together.

[@goldenstreets29]

I love Ian and Ritchie both highly talented superstars.

[@Alexanderpaal67]

Mr. Richard Hugh Blackmore ♈️ Thank You For The: Music, Inspiration & All Your iconic performances around the world. Cheers From Norway 🇳🇴

[@bobiggy1162]

And certainly Amen to that!🎸👍🎹🎸🎤👍❤️🔥

[@Bryan-lg3fn]

Over the last 30 + years Occasionally i listen to " Made in Japan " and it always even nowadays still blows my mind how good these musicians were and still are . Pure brilliance

[@Heisenberg-to4bq]

They pi55 all over today's talentless wanna be's

[@bobiggy1162]

Great Post, Bryan! Truth!🎸👍

[@magpiesfan]

Drove past Festival Hall in Osaka a couple of weeks ago, where the majority of Made in Japan was recorded. Blew my mind.

[@guitarslinger32269]

Nice to hear Ian say nice things about Ritchie. I know Ritchie has stated he'd like to do one more...one-off show with DP; sure would love to see that...just one more time ;)

[@dontbetonit813]

He also said that he and Ian can get along and talk to each other now. But he would not want to do a tour as they would be at each others throats in no time.

[@sharkmanyt4431]

There is no deep purple without Ritchie Blackmore

[@benmitchner2172]

Nice that Ian Gillan praised Blackmore and holds himself accountable for some of the issues. Ritchie is a Guitar God no doubt about it. I have loved Purple from Shades Of all the way to the Coverdale/Hughes era and reunions. Nothing but respect for the entire band and their incredible performances, but Mr. Blackmore is no doubt in the top 5 British Rock Guitarists and near the top of that list!

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

@@benmitchner2172 I’d struggle to name a better British guitarist than Ritchie Blackmore. I’d put the top 5 as Blackmore, Gilmour, Beck, Iommi and Mick Ronson. If Irishman Gary Moore doesn’t object being included as British, I’ll include him too. Nothing to separate those blokes. Others like Page, Clapton, Green, May, Townsend, Knopfler etc are all absolutely magic, but not quite as magic. Perhaps add John Williams to that top list

[@benmitchner2172]

@@rorygilmoreNZ TOTALLY AGREE! Your top 5 are also my top 5. Ritchie Blackmore has such an expressive, powerful, emotive playing style. Your other top 5 really impress me same here and same for the great guitarists who don't quite make it there. Gary Moore- excellent musician gone way too soon. Brian May almost, but not quite makes it for me too.

[@kennethmoh9042]

Malmsteen said, nobody can replace Blackmoore. That's the reason why Malmsteen never wanted to play in the band.

[@albedo0point39]

Malmsteens noodling would be completely out of place in Purple. You need a guitarist with soul.

[@otnoirhc]

@@albedo0point39 Malmsteen has plenty of soul, he is very articulate in his playing if you actually listen. His phrasing is top of the line.

[@albedo0point39]

@@otnoirhc loved Malmsteen back in the day, went to see him live at his peak in the mid 80s… nobody could touch him. Wasted money seeing him a couple of years ago and he’s turned into a cartoon character. Emotionless shred and ego.

[@scythianarcher4133]

@@albedo0point39and incredibly sloppy as well

[@dontbetonit813]

When you replace someone as key to a bands success as Ritchie was you are always compared to them. Not the best position to put yourself in no matter how good you are.

[@nossenisse6537]

Blackmore was my man 70-75. Fantastic!

[@louise_rose]

Both of these guys are brilliant, or the entire classic Mark II line-up really - I've been a fan snce before I was ten years old and still love this band. Ian Gillan himself was dubbed a genius by none other than Luciano Pavarotti. :)

[@gustavoheberle6265]

Welcome aboard, Simon !!! Keep the rock rolling !

[@juanharocorbera1577]

ritchie blackmore is absolutle a guitar master. i have heared him playing things that cut off the breath. when ritchie and jon lord join is another dimension

[@harrynewiss4630]

Note how Ritchie got more hair as time went on. That is certainly genius.

[@drytool]

I'm impressed with Don Airey. Her definitely fits the Deep Purple sound!

[@arisjostrom3522]

He is brilliant. Always has been

[@scythianarcher4133]

I totally dislike Airey. He doesn’t fit Purple at all. Neither in terms of sound, nor in terms of technique. He sounds static and stale. A total disgrace of Jon Lord’s legacy. I can’t listen to his interviews as well. He is neither fish nor flesh.

[@drytool]

@@scythianarcher4133 You are entitled to your opinion just like I am mine. I'm a sucker for anyone who plays a Hammond organ to some extent, I guess. Haha!

[@scythianarcher4133]

@@drytool sure. Well, he is a pretty good synthesizer player, but not an organ player. He has no dynamics in his playing at all. Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, even Ken Hensley-these guys are real organ players. But not Don.

[@drytool]

@@scythianarcher4133 Isn't he playing a Hammond organ in the video. I'm not a musician, but it sounds like one to me. Should I pretend not to like his playing because all these self-proclaimed experts tell me he's a crap player? I like what I like, plain and simple. I don't like to compare musicians to each other really but I like all the people you mentioned as well (Rick Wakeman is MY all time favorite).

[@walterevans2118]

Of COURSE Ritchie was a GENIUS.....In the late 1960s & 1970s Ritchie was leading the pack in Rock.....He was so effortlessly brilliant in his improvisations he was MIND BOGGLING. Not just the 'speed' but the phrasings, melodic ideas & dynamic range & tone. Listen to his solo improvs on 'Strange Kind of Woman' on Made in Japan . He came out with those lines that melodically intriguing OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD ??? ....Just astonishing. Ritchie had played with so many different artists before Purple (&Medieval Music) that he had the range of influences to change the instrument for other players. To be honest I also thought IAN GILLAN was ALSO a genius from when I would hear IN ROCK & Child in Time onwards from the 1970s ....His abilities were ALSO mind boggling..... But what breaks my f*ck**g heart is something has gone horribly wrong with him with his recent lyrics....saying people who look nervous & scared are 'guilty' (utterly false) & their hair is 'all over the place' ( well, ok,,,true) He needs to remember his better ,earlier lyrics......'See the BLIND man. SHOOTING AT THE WORLD' ..😔 (Paul. sharing computer with his Dad Walter both here in Pevensey )

[@MusicMelange]

Agreed 100%.. I think he was underrated!

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

The only real downside to Ritchie is his pseudo scientific oddball beliefs. Thankfully it doesn’t limit his guitar playing.

[@bobiggy1162]

Highly well said! We saw Ritchie & Purple twice in the midwest US in the early to mid 70s, & no one..no one was better! We were fed that it was Ritchie’s fault, & were angry galore! But we forgave Ritchie, & he’s in the top 4 all time for sure! Rock On, Mates!🎸🎸🎹🥁🎤👍❤️I still have Deep Purple tunes swirling in my head 50+ years later!

[@user-Stephen-1967]

Ritchie is not only an improvisational genius but a Pioneering Legend with six strings. 😮😮😮😊😊😊

[@otnoirhc]

His Rainbow years are even more impressive, he could explore more exotic scales and chord changes there.

[@michaelstephen819]

Simon, god help him, can never be seen in the same light as Ritchie, even if he is a greater genius. We all grew up with Ritchie and he's part of our lives and souls. You can't come and slot into an old band and achieve that status overnight.

[@coldsolitude4417]

respect to Gillian for admitting he's part of the problem

[@adambana5857]

Formed by Lord and Blackmore

[@mikekelly9851]

Ritchie's replacement are great players BUT they did not write the great songs Ritchie did with the others in the band. They just ride on the fame of Ritchie. You cannot reap where you do not sow.

[@jamesmoore1456]

Those early purple records with blackmore ripping leads caught the ear of hendrix beck claptout ... they knew ...everything louder than everything else😊

[@radwulfeboraci7504]

Funny, that's exactly what Blackmore has been telling everyone forever.

[@Greenbluesforever-yj3el]

The fans still waiting for a reuniunion between Deep Purple and Ritchie Blackmore, they must do it for fans, otherwise when we pass away we cannot take any money with us, be friends and make a reuniunion tour with Ritchie Blacmore. Money are not everything in this world, only friends family and children are important.

[@dontbetonit813]

Probably not going to happen Ritchie said he would maybe do a one time thing but everything would have to align for everyone. Now without Jon Lord it still would not be the same.

[@Greenbluesforever-yj3el]

@@dontbetonit813 Ritchie Blackmore is the second greatest guitarist ever after Jimmy Page from my opinion, and yes RIP John Lord, but Ian Paice and Gillan and Blackmore still exist so a reunion is possible if they love their fans.

[@Mili-gn8ct]

But you dont say the must important , Blackmore was the COMPOSER , hes not only a gitar god .

[@johnmaclean9318]

Rubbish!!! Gillan is still playing RB’s songs. RB is DP.

[@arisjostrom3522]

DP play what they want, no limits.

[@VasilBelezhkov]

Gillan sings songs written by Blackmore and co-written by Gillan himself. He does not sing the songs from the albums with Coverdale, Hughes and Turner.

[@balticstain7150]

I actually preferred jon lord as a genius...

[@richardwoodhouse6738]

Jon and Ritchie and little Ian, were all incredibly talented. For just pure musical ability, not many were better and most important they had chemistry on stage, big time.

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

Jon Lord… man oh man… we lost a giant of a genius when he left us.

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

@@richardwoodhouse6738 I’m glad you mentioned Ian Paice as well. As a drummer Ian Paice is to rock, what Gene Krupa was to jazz. A great influence and a generational talent.

[@williameltringham7559]

Saw Deep Purple last month still kicking a$$

[@EuanElliott]

My biggest regret is that Ritchie and the late Tommy Bolin never jammed together and recorded it. They were so different in style: i would have loved to have heard them together. God bless Ritchie. God rest Tommy, Jon and Janine Morse.

[@SpiritintheSky.]

Why don't we hear Ian Gillan speak for himself?

[@pete8707]

Initially, the band was formed by Blackmore and John Lord. Ian Gillan is right about Blackmore's genius. I never tire of listening to DP Mark I, II, III and Rainbow, but after Blackmore departed, permanently, while do I liked the first couple of albums with Steve Morse I then lost interest DP.

[@guitarworks2546]

Simon is the perfect fit for the band....but Blackmore is the seed , the influence, the legacy and the force that propelled the band into the bedrooms and onto the turntables of countless young guitar players looking for some creative way to interact with their instruments

[@leopolitan1914]

Yes, I´m right with you there. When Jon Lord left, after the `Abandon´ album, the standard of DP fell away.

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

@@leopolitan1914for a bit, but they’re last few albums have been great. Especially since Ezrin came on board as producer.

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

Add Ian Paice to that formation list. And Simper and Evans to that too. Would DP be what they became if Simper and Evans were not there at the start? They deserve recognition too.

[@leopolitan1914]

​@@rorygilmoreNZ Everybody has different tastes and I always respect that. But for me, they´ve gone more cumbersome in musical style and way more serious in lyrical content. There´s enough `doom and gloom´ in the world. The old Purple would release me from that, in half their songs. Even allowing for the fact that they ain´t that age anymore. `Après Vous´ on the `Now What´ album still recalls the old `slick´ Purple. Wish there was more of that. The `production´ IS much better now, though.

[@juanharocorbera1577]

deep purple´s classic band mark 2 is simply an explosive cocktail.

[@Kouros-t6d]

What I love about all the DP members of all thier formations is that all HATE METAL!!!!

[@reubenkrasnogor8447]

it wasn't formed by gillan and blackmore it was by John lord and Ritchie blackmore

[@gordy3714]

Lord, Blackmore and Chris Curtis.

[@AndorSolymos]

Okay! So… Mr Gillan finally woke up! Congratulations! Is he a genius? Really? Good morning! It took “only” 55 years for you to realize that, but it is better late than never.

[@bruceprice8882]

A fat genius, saw a recent live video of Blackmore's Night, and that boy's really packed it on, his huge gut has gotta be putting him at 225-250 lbs.

[@-dimar-]

Gillan didn't say a word, I only heard some guy saying stuff.

[@jameshoyle5918]

Annoying background music

[@tristanrl1940]

Technically, Deep Purple continues as a band and to be fair, they have remained somewhat active by continuing to record. The last couple of albums with Morse were blasé at best. And tho Purpendicular was as good as any DP in their vast catalogue and Morse is a true giant amongst the elite guitarists ever. But Blackmore was far better a fit for the band

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

I think Steve Morse is an amazingly talented guitarist and a genius in his own right. H fitted in with the bands sound but added a uniquely Morse tone and feel. Satriani is of course brilliant but sadly never made an album with them. I’d love to hear that. But Morse is top notch, even with arthritis in his right hand forcing him to change his technique a bit. . One of the best.

[@karisaisa]

Ritchie Blackmore, the guy who played guitar in Deep Purple 100 years ago 🥳

[@Losrandir]

And in the hall of the Mountain King thousands of years ago

[@EbyGuitares]

Forget T. Bolin... not while Gillan was in the band though...

[@EddieRivera1988]

Noticed how Tommy Bolin was not mentioned in this interview. Bolin was the first to replace Blackmore in Purple. Bolin should be given more credit and respect than that!

[@sergiofrei]

What are you talking about...?? Blackmore was thhe founder.....not besides...!! If gillan wants to add comments its about pubblicity. You see the devaluation since he (black..) s gone...

[@royphillips7435]

Should have been in a pop group , everyone is a genius ! If only I'd known in my youth ! 😮

[@roywilliams1001]

NO IT WAS BLACKMORE AND JON LORD HE FOUND GILLAN FROM BLOWING TRUMPETS IN EPISODE 6

[@BEYEaZMENA]

pravda je taka ze blackmore uz s gillanom nechcel tvorit ziadnu muziku,,2krat gillana vyrazil z deep purple,a nakoniec odisiel blackmore sam1993,lebo ho uz nevedel vystat,povedane,,neznasal,,gillana.30 rokov preslo,tak uz co teraz,ked pomali obaja maju po 80-siat rokov!!!!

Hate these AI channels

[@SquirrelMan1332]

Unfortunately, Blackmore from a few sources said he was a douche. Unapproachable....

[@phredzilla]

Mark II was the greatest rock band ever...

[@ValDowding]

Mr Gillan, I suppose you are entitled to your opinion, misguided though it is.

[@albart2521]

Steve Simon never wrote a song just copied.

[@Uncleescher]

Hey , it seems like TOMMY BOLIN slip out of everyone’s mind 🤔

[@michaelstevenson470]

While brilliant in the studio (and Blackmore had described him as 'worth listening to'), Tommy's well-known 'problem' was a very large albatross. As I'm sure you know.

[@seabud6408]

God .. this Ai 🤖 rubbish. It’s true Ritchie has said “We are all friends now” and it’s been reciprocated by the remaining band members from 1969. Just leave it at that.

[@volpeverde6441]

BLACKMORE/LORD/PAICE were the energy behind PURPLE....Glover and Gillan got the job after Simper and Evans were no longer suitable for the music they were writing....

[@NoDramatix]

No one is denying that. The classic line up contains Glover & Gillan which is what was said. Unless you’re denying that’s the case of course.

[@kennethmoh9042]

@@NoDramatix . I think nowadays that Hughes and Coverdale were as good.

[@maxmeister5064]

​@@kennethmoh9042 Coverdale was, but Hughes wasn't. Altho he had the voice, and still has it by the way. Both Coverdale and Hughes came from R&B/Soul backgrounds. However, contrary to Coverdale, Hughes never realised what type of group he had joined in Purple. With both his playing and singing/desperate squealing he seemed to have thought he could turn Deep Purple into the Stevie Wonder Group. There is a reason why Made In Europe doesn't include Smoke On The Water or Space Trucking, namely Glenn's dreadful Georgia On My Mind and You Got To Dance To The Rock And Roll "feature spots". Or as well, why on Last Concert In Japan you have Soldier Of Fortune and Woman From Tokyo taken off of Jon Lord's solo and inserted into the Smoke On The Water past song part.

[@kennethmoh9042]

@@maxmeister5064 . Yeah, I think you have a good point.

[@robertmyers8852]

As far as i'm concerned , Deep Purple ended back in 1995 when Blackmore left!!! This Band now , is just a disgusting Money - Making Machine !!!!!!!!!!!🖕🖕🖕

[@brucedickinson12]

Lots of back pedalling from gillan

[@elpablosky6300]

For style the replacement must be Yngwie!

[@WölS2025]

Of course but Gillan is not!

[@imagine9265]

Blackmore is gifted but not when it comes to a out going personality i personally dont like him and there's been way better Guitarists since he STARTED

[@guitarslinger32269]

He's not outgoing for sure...but I think he's very likeable. I've met him at a few shows; he's always been kind, gracious...with handshakes...letting you express yourself....and he's one of the funniest people; he's like a Python character ;)

[@rorygilmoreNZ]

Who do you think is better?

[@trevorgwelch7412]

Yngwie J Malmsteen is a bigger genius - who is superior than Richie Blackmore . ✨🎸✨🎼🎼🎼🇺🇸

[@michaelstevenson470]

Malmsteen would agree.

[@vitom5513]

Hahahahaha hahahaha hahahaha.

[@thomasgood3472]

🥱🥱

[@spleefthedude7747]

How could Ian Gilliam help form a band? He wasn’t even in at first?

[@leostawicki7283]

Can`t Touch Page/Plant

[@thomasgood3472]

🤣🤣