(From Kerrang! No 82 Nov. 29 - Dec. 12 1984, p. 19)
FOR THE FINAL two interviews with Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover, we adjourned from the wine bar and the interestingly-named 'Antico Room', where Deep Purple were rehearsing, to a nearby Bedford hotel.
Although said hotel was, at most, 500 yards away, this was obviously too much of a distance to handle without the benefit of a strength-sustaining snifter. So, after we'd been walking for approximately 45 seconds and had worked up a powerful thirst, it was decided that we should descend on to a nearby pub.
Ian Gillan was there, as were his DP compatriots Jon Lord, Ian Paice and Glover, as well as manager Bruce Payne, Roland 'Sex Shocker In Paris' Hyams and sundry road crew and soundmen... virtually the whole Purple contingent in fact, except Ritchie Blackmore who, almost inevitably, had 'disappeared'.
No-one seemed particularly concerned, however, and soon enough hardened Bedford boozers were standing back in amazement as drink after drink was downed, the tables around us became packed with empty glasses and the landlord started phoning the brewery with a view to obtaining additional supplies.
After about half an hour Ritchie waltzed in, familiar hat on head, two girls in tow, apologised for his tardiness and revealed that he'd spent most of the evening jamming onstage with a small-time local band just down the road!
Now it's been a long time since I've met Mr Blackmore; indeed I must admit I've kinda fought shy of him ever since I gave (I think it was) Rainbow's 'Difficult To Cure' album a severe drubbing when I was still writing for Spunos.
But I needn't have worried. Ritchie was in a good-natured mood and, indeed, revealed to me that on more than one occasion he'd tried to persuade the likes of Makowski and Halfin to cajole me down to the odd Rainbow show, because, hell, he didn't give a damn about reviews and it would have just been nice to see me. Fair brings a tear to the eye doesn't it? To say that I felt like a prize asshole would be a supreme understatement.
So we had a friendly chat, making up for the lost years, and then finally returned back to the hotel for the interview proper. Ritchie, like I said earlier, was in fine, lucid form - although, having said that, the taped conversation I eventually had with him was more than somewhat... weird. Glover, meanwhile, was healthily cynical about the whole Purple reunion thang, even revealing that, for six years or so, he'd actually fought vehemently against it!
As with last issue's interviews, I'm basically leaving the guys to talk for themselves, with the barest amount of Bartonian verbiage. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...
[ RITCHIE BLACKMORE | ROGER GLOVER | PART 1 ]
Transcription and HTML by Benjamin Weaver