Ritchie Blackmore

Richard Hugh Blackmore, (born April 14, 1945) is a noted British guitarist. Born in Weston-super-Mare, He is famous for being the guitarist in the revolutionary band Deep Purple and the highly successful band Rainbow

Other

Blackmore almost exclusively played a Fender Stratocaster, often with the middle of its three pickups ripped out or disconnected. His most famous riff (and forbidden in many guitar stores) is probably the one from Smoke on the Water. The riff is properly played without a pick, using two fingers to pluck two adjecent strings held in a IV interval. In his soloing, Blackmore combined blues scales and phrases with minor scales and ideas from European classical music and established what some call the "neoclassical" school of guitar, often heard in so-called Neo-classical metal.

Related Topics:
Stratocaster - Smoke on the Water - Neo-classical metal

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The name of the band Rainbow was inspired by a world famous Hollywood Bar and Grill called the Rainbow that catered to rock stars and rock enthusiasts. It was here that Ritchie spent his off time from Deep Purple with Ronnie James Dio, a vocalist in the band ELF. Elf toured regularly as an opening act for Deep Purple.

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