Ritchie Blackmore is a guitarist whose musical journey defies both time and genre. Known for always pushing the boundaries of his guitar playing, Blackmore was never content with his style—he was constantly seeking new influences to fuel his sound. His restless drive for innovation shines through in Deep Purple’s evolving music.
When Deep Purple first formed, the band aimed to create music fit for the grandest of stadiums. Blackmore’s riffs drew from classical music, while the band added orchestral elements to some tracks. This classical influence worked for a time, but Blackmore’s desire to explore heavier sounds eventually led to their iconic album In Rock.
“We were trying to find our way as a band, trying to fit into some sort of ‘category,’” Blackmore explained. “Jon [Lord] loved classical music, and although I appreciate it too, I wanted something heavier, more pure rock. If that didn’t work, I thought we could always return to orchestral music.”
This shift paid off. In Rock became a critical success, solidifying Deep Purple as a heavyweight in the hard rock world. However, even within this new hard rock legacy, there was still a band whose sound shocked Blackmore.
“I was blown away by the sound of Mountain,” Blackmore admitted. “Ian Paice and I were in a bar in Germany in 1970, feeling proud of our In Rock album when suddenly this song came on.
It was so big, so hard, and we didn’t even know who it was. We asked the DJ, and it turned out to be ‘Mississippi Queen’ by Mountain. We just looked at each other, stunned. It was one hell of a sound!”
For Blackmore, hearing Mountain’s thunderous, powerful sound was a wake-up call. As one of the era’s top guitarists, he was already immersed in hard rock, yet Mountain’s raw energy opened his eyes to the untapped potential in the genre. It was a moment that motivated him to continue pushing the boundaries of Deep Purple’s music.
