Ritchie Blackmore, the iconic guitarist, has had a career that spans decades, from his early days in ‘Swinging London‘ to becoming a founding member of Deep Purple and later leading Rainbow. A true innovator of heavy metal and rock, Blackmore’s musical journey is as rich as his legacy. However, beyond his technical brilliance, he is also known for his bold and often controversial opinions, which have made him one of the most outspoken figures in rock.
While many rockstars make quick, thoughtless critiques, Blackmore’s opinions come with careful reflection—particularly when it comes to the band he has the most complex relationship with: Deep Purple. Despite his pivotal role in their success, Blackmore has always been candid about the band’s work, and not everything in their catalog gets his stamp of approval.
One of the more surprising moments came when Blackmore revealed, in a 1975 interview with Creem, his disdain for one of Deep Purple’s most famous tracks: “Space Truckin’.” The song, part of their 1972 album Machine Head, is considered a classic by many, but for Blackmore, it was a track he couldn’t stand. “I never listen to all that stuff. I don’t know if other artists get this, but I can’t listen to much that I play at all,” he admitted.
According to Blackmore, the only time he could tolerate listening to his own music was when he was “drunk out of my head in a discotheque somewhere.” Even then, he was still critical. “When I hear our records, I’ll go, ‘Oh … that’s all right,’” he said. “But if someone puts it on at home, I’ll feel very embarrassed.”
He explained that he felt limited by what he could achieve on record, comparing his performance on Machine Head to what he was truly capable of.
“I’m only playin’ a third of what I can really put out,” Blackmore confessed. “You can never excel yourself on record; it’s just hopeless. I listen to our records and think, ‘Christ. That’s awful.’ Things like ‘Space Truckin’.”
Despite his disapproval of some of his work, Blackmore remained pragmatic, acknowledging that compared to other music in the rock world, Deep Purple’s sound was still “acceptable” and “better than most.”
This candid reflection on his legacy shows that even the most legendary musicians can be their own harshest critics—an insight into the mind of one of rock’s greatest guitarists.
