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Rock

Jun 18, 2010

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RITCHIE BLACKMORE A MUSICAL HISTORY... 1967 - RITCHIE BLACKMORE - who has previously played with such bands as the Outlaws, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Neil Christian & The Crusaders - is invited by ex-Artwoods/The Flowerpot Men keybordist Jon Lord (who was invited by The Searchers ex-drummer, Chris Curtis) to form a new band. Other musician's would be auditioned from a Melody Maker ad in Deeves Hall in Hertfordshire. 1968 - In February, the group would form as Roundabout, consisting of the three (with Chris Curtis on vocals) along with Dave Curtis on bass and Bobby Woodman on drums. After only a month of uncompromising rehearsals, BLACKMORE and LORD would be the only two remaining, bringing in vocalist Rod Evans (formally of the groups M15 and Maze), bassist Nick Simper (ex-Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) and drummer Ian Paice. In April, the band would change its name to DEEP PURPLE, and forego the name Concrete God. Using Vanilla Fudge as its model, the group records an album and is signed to EMI in the United Kingdom and Tetragrammation (Bill Cosby's label) in the United States. A few months later, the band performs its first major UK performance at the Sunbury Festival. In September, the band would release the first single from the album, "Hush", which reaches #4 on the US charts. The album, itself, Shades of Deep Purple, would reach the Top 25. In December, the band would release their rendition of Neil Diamond's "Kentucky Woman" a single which would also experience considerable chart success. 1969 - Early in the year, the band would release The Book to Taliesyn which would feature a revival of Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High." In July, the band would release their self-titled album, Deep Purple. Shortly thereafter, their record label would go under and Rod Evans and Nick Simper would both leave the band. They would be replaced by singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, who were both previously members of the group, Episode Six. The two would add a dynamic chemistry to the band, complimenting BLACKMORE, who was quickly rising as one of most omnipotent British lead guitarists around. In September, the band would perform what many believed to be their most adventurous album to date, Concerto For Group And Orchestra, which featured The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London. 1970 - By August, the band's newest album, Deep Purple In Rock, would stay on the UK charts for over a year, and hit #4. To this day, the album remains a landmark of sorts in heavy rock, with Gillan's screeching vocals pitted against BLACKMORE'S fierce guitar playing. Such Deep Purple classics as "Black Night," and " Child in Time" were featured on the album which mainly generated interest in the UK. 1971 - In July, Deep Purple would tour the United States with The Faces. Two months later, the band would release, Fireball, an album that would also go Top 40 in the United States and be their first chart-topping album in the UK. The band would form their own label, Purple (distributed by EMI) in October before heading to Montreux to record. On December 3rd, the band is recording in the Montreux Casino in Switzerland when it burns down during a set by Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. The rest is history, as RITCHIE BLACKMORE and the group immortalize the incident in the song, "Smoke on The Water," which would appear on the bands next album. 1972 - Deep Purple release Machine Head, which would also top the UK charts (and go to #7 in the U.S. charts) and feature such worldwide rock classics as "Smoke on the Water," "Space Truckin'," "Lazy," and "Highway Star." The band - who now had a monstrous live set only second to Led Zeppelin - would remain on the road for 44 weeks of the year mainly in support of Machine Head (as well as a compilation album on Warner Bros. Titled Purple Passages). Twenty five years later, Machine Head is still considered one of rock's all-time greatest albums.

1973 - Made In Japan - an album that would result from live recordings of their summer tour in '72 - is released in January and reaches #6 in the United States. However, prior to its release, it would sell huge quantities as an import. Another album, Who Do We Think We Are, is released virtually simultaneously and reaches #15 in the U.S. charts. In the middle of the year, Gillan and Glover quit the band just prior to "Smoke on the Water" reaching #4 on the singles charts and selling over a million copies. In September, David Coverdale (who would be performing as the vocalist for a band called The Fabuloser Brothers and would later go on to form Whitesnake five years later) and bassist Glenn Hughes (ex-Trapeze) would both answer an ad placed by Purple. 1974 - In March, the band releases Burn, which features the new line-up consisting of Coverdale and Hughes. The change wouldn't affect the band's stride as the album reaches the Top 10 in the U.S. charts. Deep Purple would release another album toward the end of the year titled, Stormbringer, that would make the Top 20. Also in November, an impostor posing as BLACKMORE borrows a Porsche in Iowa City, IA, and wrecks it, having already conned food and shelter from several Deep Purple fans, BLACKMORE is actually with the band in San Francisco. The impostor is arrested and charged with misrepresentation. 1975 - In April, RITCHIE BLACKMORE would depart Deep Purple to form a new band, RAINBOW. He teams up with the core of the American band Elf, which contains Ronnie James Dio on vocals (who along with BLACKMORE, would become one of the main songwriters), Mickey Lee Soule on keyboards, Craig Gruber on bass, and Gary Driscoll on drums. Prior to this formation, BLACKMORE recorded "Black Sheep Of The Family" with Elf (on Purple Records) which had toured as the support band for Deep Purple. In May, the band would record Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. As the album escalates up the charts (reaching #30 in U.S.), Soule, Gruber, and Driscoll would depart the band, and BLACKMORE would recruit ex-Hariot bassist Jimmy Bain, ex-Blessings keyboardist Tony Carey, and ex-Jeff Beck Group drummer Cozy Powell. 1976 - In July, the band would release their first album with the new line-up, Rainbow Rising. Beginning in August, the band would tour the U.S. , Japan, Europe, and Canada for the remainder of the year. 1977 - Early in the year, ex-Uriah Heep bassist Mark Clarke would replace Jimmy Bain in the group. In May, shortly after the band begins to record a new album Tony Carey and Mark Clarke would depart, and BLACKMORE would concentrate instead on a live album. Their replacements would be David Stone and Bob Daisley, respectively. On Stage - the double-live album that BLACKMORE has been concentrating on - is released. It would feature the line-up of BLACKMORE, Dio, Carey, Bain, and Powell. A single from the album, "Kill The King," would be RAINBOW'S first charting single. Later in the year, the band would begin recording at Paris Studios to complete their third studio album. 1978 - Beginning in January, the band would tour both the U.S. and Japan throughout most of the year. Long Live Rock'n'Roll would be released in May, and enter the Top100. In November, after ten months of touring, BLACKMORE becomes disillusioned with the current line-up, keeping only Cozy Powell in the fold (Dio would become a member of Black Sabbath). A month later, he plays at London's Marquee club with ex-Deep Purple colleague Ian Gillan, and recruits keyboardist Don Alrey to RAINBOW. 1979 - RITCHIE BLACKMORE adds singer Graham Bonnet (who had formerly recorded with The Marbles) and one-time Deep Purple bandmate Roger Glover, completing the line-up. The Glover-produced Down To Earth is released in September, and the first single "Since You've Been Gone" (written by ex-Argent singer Russ Ballard) would reach considerable success before the end of the year. 1980 - In March, a single written by BLACKMORE and Glover, "All Night Long," is released, reaching #5 in the UK charts. In August, the band would headline the first annual Monsters Of Rock festival in Castle Donnington. Powell and Bonnet depart for solo careers shortly thereafter. Vocalist Joe Lynn Turner and drummer Bob Rondinelli would join band. In the mean time, original Deep Purple vocalist puts together a bogus line-up and tours as Deep Purple. BLACKMORE and Glover need to take legal action to preserve credibility of band and keep Evans from using name. Deepest Purple / The Very Best of Deep Purple would be released. Toward the end of the year, a Deep Purple live album, In Concert, would be released featuring tracks recorded between 1970-72.