Ritchie Blackmore insists he won’t be present if Deep Purple are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.
The iconic band have been nominated for the first time after having been eligible for 20 years. Also on the 2013 list are Rush, who have been entitled for 15 years, plus Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Procol Harum.
But guitarist Blackmore, who left Deep Purple in 1993 after three stints with the band he formed, tells Billboard: “Personally I couldn’t care less.
“I would never go – I’m not really a fan of that stuff. Considering some of the people that are in the Hall of Fame, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea.
“I think our fans seem to care more than I do. They’re always saying, ‘You should be in the Hall of Fame.’ If I can pay the bills that’s all I care about.”
Blackmore and wife Candice Night are working on what will be the eighth studio album of their band Blackmore’s Night.
The guitarist says: “From my point of view it’s the same of crap we’ve been doing for a long time. I’m not a person that goes in any direction – I just play whatever I feel like at the time.”
Deep Purple have been working on a new album with producer Bob Ezrin, although no release date has been set. Founding keyboardist Jon Lord died in July after a fight against cancer.
Meanwhile, two albums by Blackmore’s post-Purple band Rainbow will be re-released in two-disc deluxe format on November 5. Live recording On Stage from 1977, and third studio album Long Live Rock’n'Roll from the following year, both feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals. The second disc in each set includes bonus material, some of which has never been released before.
source: classicrockmagazine.com
