...Nugent is not the Good Lord

Back to the matter at hand: Ritchie's shirt is authentic, IMO. Looking closely at the shirt, it doesn't seem to be photoshopped. The lettering bends and shades over Ritchie's birdcage quite naturally, and the shadows on the letters are too well done for a hack job. Note the natural shape and shading letters on the upper right side of chest and the letter curving under his left armpit. It looks like an amateur job, maybe iron-on letters. Perhaps he had his girlfriend do it for him, but the sloppy work suggests that he did it himself, being unfamiliar with any activities other than guitar playing and drinking. I figure this would have taken at least an hour or more to pull off, what with planning, materials purchase, layout, and ironing. Which would indicate that Blackmore was really taking some time out to make this statement. Here is a man who's time is worth millions, so this is no small joke, he really wants to say this. I can only conclude that he was threatened and perhaps mystified by the incredible success of the Grateful Dead as a live concern, and was chagrined that his own light as an arena star was burning out. It must have been quite a blow to his ego and vanity to have his field usurped by a pack of scruffy hippies, none of whom had any chops whatsoever.

[Edited on 8/12/2015 by BrerRabbit]

please I hear the same thing on phish.net about the Allman brothers
usually it's from people that don't know the band ...so I am assuming your talking out of your a@s again

So, to recap, folks are sniping on each other over a pic that was probably taken over 30 years ago of a guy that hasn't played rock guitar live in 20 years as well as comparing that same guy to another guy that died 20 years ago...

Par for the course round here, I'd say... 😛

please I hear the same thing on phish.net about the Allman brothers
usually it's from people that don't know the band ...so I am assuming your talking out of your a@s again

Well put. I would have to agree, and support your position by saying that anyone posting on a thread about a t-shirt worn by Ritchie Blackmore is talking out of their *ss.

A little weak in the sarcasm detection departmentt, is the only suggestion I might offer here.

All that said, Nugent has more in common with Blackmore than Garcia, even though Nugent is not as schooled as Blackmore. Nugent and Deep Purple could have easily been, and probably were, on double bills, while you would never find them on a bill with the Grateful Dead.

Whether or not that is an insult to any of these bands is of course a matter of personal opinion.

none of whom had any chops whatsoever.

I didn't make that up, I was paraphrasing Ted Nugent, who said it about Garcia. Ted Nugent loves Ritchie Blackmore, so by extension he and Ritchie Blackmore are unanimous in their opinion of Garcia and the Dead. I don't know if Ritchie Blackmore liked Ted Nugent, perhaps not at all, but it is a safe bet that if he had to choose he would prefer Nugent to Garcia.

Of course, as in most discussions that involve The Grateful Dead, the focus is all on Garcia, while Blackmore's t-shirt is a jab at the whole band, and probably the fans that were turning away from Deep Purple and flocking to Dead shows in the 1970's. He was certainly mocking everyone involved, including Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, whoever the keyboard player was at the time, and Hart and Kreutzmann, as well as the entire Deadhead family and fans.

And to be fair, this is all pretty one-sided. It would be helpful to this debate if we could find any pics of the Dead wearing t-shirts with opinions on Blackmore, or Deep Purple. Only band shirt immediately comes to mind is Bobby wearing a Madonna shirt at where was that, Alpine Valley? Winterland? Both? Can't remember, but it really doesn't matter, since Madonna is probably the worst guitar player in the world.

[Edited on 8/13/2015 by BrerRabbit]

The shirt looks real to me.
& for those over analyzing everything particularly how much effort & time Ritchie put into the shirt - give me a break.

Iron on T-shirt shops were common place in the 70s, they were everywhere.
Likely some high school kid pressed it up within 5 minutes of the order being placed for a whopping $6.

Oh yeah, Blackmore!

[Edited on 8/13/2015 by Slyckyr]

The shirt looks real to me.
& for those over analyzing everything particularly how much effort & time Ritchie put into the shirt - give me a break.

Iron on T-shirt shops were common place in the 70s, they were everywhere.
Likely some high school kid pressed it up within 5 minutes of the order being placed for a whopping $6

Good point. I agree the shirt looks real to me too. I could have overestimated the time and concern that Blackmore put into the shirt, I'll concede. Or maybe not. Still, he had to have the idea, which came from some deliberation, think up a slogan, then go to the iron-on store and place his order, couldn't just punch out an online order in those days. So you figure, idea, planning, driving, parking, store, order, then pickup, probably still at least an hour, so maybe not an overestimate. As far as his motive, I will stand by my opinion that he was directly threatened and mystified by the success of the Grateful Dead, and went out of his way to demonstrate his disdain.

Blackmore says the Dead suck, says Hendrix is not a great player, takes a dump on Stevie Ray Vaughn . . .

I remember, in 1977, dithering about whether to get an AC/DC ticket as Blackmore had suggested in an interview that they were "A new low in Rock n Roll" In my defence I was only 16 years old ..........and in the end I ignored the miserable ****

So, to recap, folks are sniping on each other over a pic that was probably taken over 30 years ago of a guy that hasn't played rock guitar live in 20 years as well as comparing that same guy to another guy that died 20 years ago...

Par for the course round here, I'd say... 😛

Hey we only have so much material to work with. We already even have threads Bringing Dickey Back to a band that doesn't exist.

Even Jerry had a shirt that said " If Bob can pretend to play and sing then anyone can."

Aha! I knew there was more to this than just Blackmore. This narrows it down some, and it seems to be pointing towards Bobby.

How couldn't it? 😛

I love all the artistic input involved in the various scripts of how Ritchie really thought and felt at the time. The drama of his deepest fears. The decline of his mighty empire as the hippies flow across the street to a Dead show leaving Ritchie and company staring at empty seats. Ritchie's need to strike back at the very heart of Dead Nation 40 years later. What genius to plan this all so far ahead. The man is like Dr. Evil. This has the makings of a Prime Time Soap.

Of course, some groupie may have handed him a shirt which made him laugh and he wore it as he had no other clean shirts. But that's no fun.

Another shirt Jerry was seen in " Hey Jerry Why Do You Let Bob Sing? I Have To Otherwise Phil Will Have An Open Mic" 😛

This does leave us with the question of whether Garcia's shirt was a poorly made iron-on, or a carefully done silkscreen.

Tune in next week to "As the World Rocks" when we find out what Ritchie Blackmore and his drooling henchman The Nuge are plotting against the ghosts of guitarists past. And witness the startling Revenge of the Rock Zombies, as Hendrix, Garcia, Stevie Ray claw up from the earth to find Blackmore...moaning and wailing... "RRiiiitttcchhieeeeeee.....RRRRRIIIIITTTTCCCCHHHHIIIIEEEE...." their unearthly voices a ghastly chorus from hell....

Tune in next week to "As the World Rocks" when we find out what Ritchie Blackmore and his drooling henchman The Nuge are plotting against the ghosts of guitarists past. And witness the startling Revenge of the Rock Zombies, as Hendrix, Garcia, Stevie Ray claw up from the earth to find Blackmore...moaning and wailing... "RRiiiitttcchhieeeeeee.....RRRRRIIIIITTTTCCCCHHHHIIIIEEEE...." their unearthly voices a ghastly chorus from hell....

Sorry to generalize but it seems Brit guitar players have heavy opinions about a lot of American players. There was a story on the original ABB site about a gig in Detroit and the ABB opened for Alvin Lee & Ten Years After. Duane asked if he could sit in with Alvin and Alvin said no and, to the effect that, Duane couldn't keep up...or wasn't good enough to sit in with Ten Years After....So Ritchie isn't the only Brit guitarist that walks around with his head firmly planted up his arse....

Having seen Blackmore swing a chunk of Strat still attached to the chord over our heads, I know that he will slay the Zombie hoards. Nugent will keep them distracted as he always does while Blackmore takes them out one at a time. Thousands of balloon sucking hippies retaliate by debating what Nugent said on social media. Drawn by the sounds of out of tune singing, they find themselves at a Phish show. They find Jerry walking around the crowds wearing a shirt that say "Phish??? Oh well - just suck on two balloons and pretend it's The Dead".

Meanwhile Warren Haynes replaces everybody and joins every band. Can't wait for the Season One finale - Will Ritchie and his band of Merrymen save the world from the endless jam of the 6 string Zombie Dead?

Jerry's shirt - " Bob's Not Dead! He just plays like he is."

Having seen Blackmore swing a chunk of Strat still attached to the chord over our heads, I know that he will slay the Zombie hoards. Nugent will keep them distracted as he always does while Blackmore takes them out one at a time. Thousands of balloon sucking hippies retaliate by debating what Nugent said on social media. Drawn by the sounds of out of tune singing, they find themselves at a Phish show. They find Jerry walking around the crowds wearing a shirt that say "Phish??? Oh well - just suck on two balloons and pretend it's The Dead".

Meanwhile Warren Haynes replaces everybody and joins every band. Can't wait for the Season One finale - Will Ritchie and his band of Merrymen save the world from the endless jam of the 6 string Zombie Dead?

Jerry's shirt - " Bob's Not Dead! He just plays like he is."

HA HA HA!!! Very funny!!!!!

Having seen Blackmore swing a chunk of Strat still attached to the chord over our heads, I know that he will slay the Zombie hoards. Nugent will keep them distracted as he always does while Blackmore takes them out one at a time. Thousands of balloon sucking hippies retaliate by debating what Nugent said on social media. Drawn by the sounds of out of tune singing, they find themselves at a Phish show. They find Jerry walking around the crowds wearing a shirt that say "Phish??? Oh well - just suck on two balloons and pretend it's The Dead".

Meanwhile Warren Haynes replaces everybody and joins every band. Can't wait for the Season One finale - Will Ritchie and his band of Merrymen save the world from the endless jam of the 6 string Zombie Dead?

Jerry's shirt - " Bob's Not Dead! He just plays like he is."

THAT, is funny as fork!

Scene: A mist shrouded castle somewhere in the Scottish highlands. Alchemist Blackmore and his slavering hunchback Nuge are in a dungeon laboratory, deep within a silver mountain.

Blackmore: "Theodore? Theodore? "
No answer. Nearby Nuge cleans an AK-47, drooling.
Blackmore: "THEODORE!!!!"
Nuge: "YYYYeeessss, master Ritchie?"
Blackmore: "Are you deaf? Never mind, of course you are. Bring me my strat, I believe I am nearing completion of THE RIFF!"
Nuge (wide-eyed, terrified, yet gloating): "YYYesss, master Ritchie! Heeheehee, I hope this is the ONE, we can't afford another dud can we master?"
Blackmore: "SILENCE, mortal! Smoke On the Water was anything but a dud! It was a masterpiece of its time! Look how many young musicians were diverted into mainlining cocaine and speed and worshipping satan instead of actually learning to play music! And best of all, look what happened to the folk-rock movement in America! In 1973 Watkins Glen was the last gasp, and then Metal and Disco took over!!!! BBBWWWWAAAAAHHHAAA HAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
Nuge (sheepish): Yess master Ritchie. I'm sorry. I will get your strat for you! But, master Ritchie, one question, if I may?"
Blackmore: "You dare question The Man From The Silver Mountain? Imbecile? What?"
Nuge: "Disco, Master Ritchie? But I thought..?"
Blackmore: "Disco is a regrettable but essential part of the plan, it is to be regarded as collateral damage. The ultimate goal is to kill any hope of music being a means of free expression and collective celebration!!! Disco is our ugly streetwalker, Metal is the Pimp! When people leave one they are trapped in the other! BBBBWWWWWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!!"
Blackmore: "About time! You American guitarists are pathetic! Fetch me my strat!"
Nuge brings guitar
Blackmore: "Thank you Theodore. Yes, with this RIFF I will put to rest any hope of the legions of aspiring young guitarists, in particular those dim acidhead jammers who think that guitar playing can be a fun way to hang out! The ones who copy this riff will instantly be transformed into egomaniac idiots who will not be welcome at any "jam" because they will have no ability to improvise or communicate with sound, they will only be able to showcase KILLER CHOPS!"
Nuge: "Heeeheeehheeee!!!!"
Blackmore: "BBWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAA!!!! Soon Theodore, SOON!!! The Dead will die!"

with all due respect Ritchie doesn't just crap all over the dead ..he says Hendrix isn't that good or stevie ray Vaughn

GW: Around Fireball and Machine Head [1972], your playing took on a blues and funk edge. Did Hendrix have anything to do with that?

BLACKMORE: I was impressed by Hendrix. Not so much by his playing, as his attitude - he wasn't a great player, but everything else about him was brilliant. Even the way he walked was amazing. His guitar playing, though, was always a little bit weird.
Hendrix inspired me, but I was still more into Wes Montgomery. I was also into the Allman Brothers around the time of those albums.

GW: What did you think of Stevie Ray Vaughan?

BLACKMORE: I knew that question was coming. His death was very tragic, but I'm surprised that everybody thinks he was such a brilliant player when there are people like Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Peter Green and Mick Taylor; Johnny Winter, who is one of the best blues players in the world, is also very underrated. His vibrato is incredible.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was very intense. Maybe that's what caught everybody's attention. As a player, he didn't do anything amazing.

GW: How did you develop your own unique finger vibrato style?

BLACKMORE: In my early days, I never used finger vibrato at all. I originally carved my reputation as one of the "fast" guitar players. Then I heard Eric Clapton. I remember saying to him, "You have a strange style. Do you play with that vibrato stuff?" Really an idiotic question. But he was a nice guy about it. Right after that I started working on my vibrato. It took about two or three years for me to develop any technique. Around '68 or '69 you suddenly hear it in my playing.

GW: I've noticed that your rhythm parts aren't always played with a pick.

BLACKMORE: That's from being lazy. It's like Jeff Beck - when he can't find a pick, he just plays with his fingers. You know how it is. You're watching television and you can't find a pick, so you just play with your fingers.
Even on something as simple as the riff to "Smoke On The Water," you'd be surprised how many people play that with down strokes, which makes a world of difference. Otherwise, you're just hitting the tonic before the fifth.

GW: Why do you think of that, of all your work, "Smoke On The Water" is so enduring? The riff is the rock equivalent to the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

BLACKMORE: Simplicity is the key. And it is simple - you can still hear people playing it at music stores. I never had the courage to write until I heard "I Can't Explain" and "My Generation." Those riffs were so straightforward that I thought, "All right, if Pete Townshend can get away with that, then I can, too!"

GW: What did you think of Tommy Bolin when he took your place in Deep Purple, following your '74 departure?

BLACKMORE: I originally heard him on Billy Cobham's Spectrum album, and thought, "Who is this guy?" Then I saw him on television and he looked incredible - like Elvis Presley. I knew he was gonna be big.
When I heard that Purple hired him I thought it was great. He was always so humble. I remember he would always invite me out to his house in Hollywood to see his guitar. One day I went to his place. I walked in and tried to find him, but no one was around. There was no furnishings - nothing. I stayed there for ten minutes before he finally appeared. He showed me his guitar, and the strings must have had a quarter-inch of grime on them, as though he hadn't changed them in four years. I asked him when was the last time he'd changed strings, and he said very seriously, "Gee, I don't know. Do you think I should change them?"

GW: Following your departure from Purple, you drifted back to a slightly classical direction in Rainbow.

BLACKMORE: I was never sure what I wanted to be. I found the blues too limiting, too confining. I'd always thought - with all due respect to B.B. King - that you couldn't just play four notes. Classical, on the other hand, was always too disciplined. I was always playing between the two, stuck in a musical no-man's land.

GW: Did you ever toy with the idea of playing strictly classical music?

BLACKMORE: Yes, I would love to go back to the 1520's, the time of my favorite music. A few of my friends in Germany have a very authentic four-piece, and they play medieval music. I've always wanted to play with them, but it hasn't panned out yet.
But In general, I'm not good enough, technically, to be a classic musician. I lack discipline. When you're dealing with classical music, you have to be rigid. I'm not a rigid player. I like to improvise.

GW: The song "Stargazer," from the second Rainbow album [Rainbow Rising, 1976], has a strong classical feel. How did you come up with that one?

BLACKMORE: That was a good tune. I wrote that on the cello. I had given up on the guitar between '75 and '78. I completely lost interest. I was sick of hearing other guitar players and I was tired of my tunes. What I really wanted to be was Jacqueline Du Prey on cello. So I started playing cello.

GW: Did you ever record with a cello?

BLACKMORE: Yes, just on a small backing track - I can't remember on what. But you have to give your whole life to a cello. When I realized that, I went back to the guitar and just turned the volume up a bit louder.

GW: Was there anything you learned from the cello that you applied to the guitar?

BLACKMORE: Not really. The cello is such a melancholy instrument, such an isolated, miserable instrument. ...But it was an appropriate choice for me at the time, because my girlfriend had left me and I was going through this miserable phase.

GW: What do you think of Yngwie Malmsteen? He's often credited you as an influence.

BLACKMORE: He's always been very nice to me, and I always get on very well with him. I don't understand him, though - his playing, what he wears. His movements are also a bit creepy. Normally you say, "Well, the guy's just an idiot." But, when you hear him play you think, "That guy's no idiot. He knows what he's doing." He's got to calm down. He's not Paganini - though he thinks he is. When Yngwie can break all of his strings but one, and play the same piece on one string, then I'll be impressed.
In three or four years, we'll probably hear some good stuff from him.

GW: What do you think of tapping?

BLACKMORE: Thank goodness it's come to an end. The first person I saw doing that hammer-on stuff was Harvey Mandel, at the Whisky A Go-Go in '68. I thought "What the hell is he doing?" It was so funny [laughs], Jim Morrison was carried out because he was shouting abuse at the band. Jimi Hendrix was there. We were all getting drunk. Then Harvey Mandel starts doing this stuff [mimes tapping]. "What's he doing?" everybody was saying. Even the audience stopped dancing. Obviously, Eddie Van Halen must have picked up a few of those things.

GW: What do you think of him?

BLACKMORE: It depends on my mood. He is probably the most influential player in the last 15 years 'cause everybody's gone out and bought one of those, what does he play, Charvel, Carvel...

GW: Kramer, with the locking nut.

BLACKMORE: Yes, with the locking nut! And everyone's gone hammer-on crazy! So he's obviously done something. He's a great guitar player, but I'm more impressed by his recent songwriting and keyboard work. I think he's going to be remembered - he could be the next Cole Porter.

GW: How do you feel about your own guitarhero status?

BLACKMORE: It's funny to find myself in that position, because when I first came to America I thought, "Why go to America when they have these fantastic players?" I was brought up on [pedal steel great] Speedy West and [country guitarist] Jimmy Bryant, people like that. When I was 13 years old, I couldn't believe how good they were. I thought, "When I go to America, I'm going to get killed."
Everything changed when we had a hit with "Hush." I found people saying, "Oh, you play guitar very well." I'd say, "How can you say that when you've got these guys in Nashville who just tear me apart?" I still say it. If you tune into Hee Haw you'll see these guys who are absolutely amazing. Jeff Beck once told me that he went to Nashville to do a record. While he was in the studio, this guy who was sweeping up asked him, "Can I borrow your guitar for a second?" Jeff said, "Oh, of course." The guy started playing and completely blew Jeff away. He left soon after that. Thank goodness all those amazing players stay in Nashville

GW: Has your approach to sound processing changed? Have you checked out any of these multi-effect racks?

BLACKMORE: I don't put myself on Jeff Beck's level, but I can relate to him when he says he'd rather be working on his car collection than playing the guitar. I'm enjoying other things in life, but when I do pick up the guitar, I want to simply plug into a loud amplifier, and that's it. Maybe if I were 20, I'd pay more attention to equipment trends; at 45, you start to go in other directions. I get turned on by soccer shoes; I listen to Renaissance music - those are the things that really stir my soul.
There are so many effects and new guitar players. I can't comprehend it all. When you hear them, you suddenly realize that they all sound the same - like Eddie Van Halen, speeded up.

GW: Do you have a home studio?

BLACKMORE: No, I don't. It's gotten out of hand - everybody has their own studio. I'd rather write something on the spur of the moment, while doing a formal recording. I believe in inspiration.

GW: What does the furure hold for you?

BLACKMORE: I'm very moved by Renaissance music, but I still love to play hard rock - though only if it's sophisticated and has some thought behind it. I don't want to throw myself on a stage and act silly, 'cause I see so many bands doing that today. There's a lot going on today that disturbs me - so much derivative music. Where are the progressive bands like Cream, Procul Harum, Jethro Tull or the Experience? I could go on, but we have to live with it.

Deep Purple with rage: Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's £750,000 royalties fight

*Deep Purple lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore claims he's been underpaid
*Helped write many of the band's famous songs including Black Knight
*Now, 40 years after leaving the band, he says he is owed £750,000

By Jonathan Petre and Sarah Limbrick For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 20:01 EST, 11 July 2015 | Updated: 05:21 EST, 12 July 2015

As the lead guitarist with Deep Purple, he played scintillating solos on some of rock music’s greatest anthems. But Ritchie Blackmore also helped write many of the heavy metal band’s most famous songs, including Smoke On The Water, Black Knight and Highway Star.

And now, 40 years after leaving the band, he says he is owed £750,000 for his part in creating them and is locked in a legal battle for royalties and legal costs.

Blackmore, 70, who once declared ‘I just wanted to make as much noise and play as fast and as loud as possible,’ is suing two management companies, claiming he has been significantly underpaid over the years.

He joined Deep Purple in 1968 but left in 1975 to form his own band, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, following personality clashes with other band members.

In 2003, the surviving stalwarts from the band’s most successful line-up – Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice – sued the two management companies, HEC Enterprises and Deep Purple (Overseas). They reached a settlement over royalties, but Blackmore was not involved.

In documents seen by The Mail on Sunday, Blackmore is now arguing that the agreement they reached should have included him. He says he is entitled to receive one fifth of up to 85 per cent of the income from 14 of the band’s albums, including the 1972 Machine Head which featured Smoke On The Water.

And he says that an audit by a specialist accountant covering the years between 2007 and 2013 showed ‘very substantial’ under-accounting by both management companies.

The claim says HEC Enterprises, set up in 1967 by Deep Purple’s original investors, made incorrect adjustments, failed to report some publishing income and applied charges in excess of agreed limits, leading to a shortfall of £102,318.

The legal documents also say Deep Purple (Overseas) charged too much, failed to report income received, and used an incorrect exchange rate, and owes £607,797.

Blackmore, who lives in the US, also claims £43,400 costs for the audit. According to the documents, a former director of both management companies admitted last November that £370,561 was due to Blackmore, and later revised this upwards to £480,638.

Deep Purple were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book Of World Records as ‘the globe’s loudest band’ and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Blackmore’s financial situation is not known, but he has recently suggested he might be going back on tour. The four-times married guitarist plays in a folk band called Blackmore’s Night, formed with his girlfriend Candice Night.

His biographer Jerry Bloom said: ‘Ritchie is a shrewd guy. He always understood about publishing rights.’

A director of HEC Enterprises declined to comment.

@bill_graham why does speaking your mind bother you? It’s a strange thing, we had a president that told us exactly what he thinks when asked a question but some people prefer a standard bull shit answer that really doesn’t answer the question 

It's possible to both love the Dead AND that shirt!

Perfectly apropos for a band that didn't take themselves too seriously yet somehow got to where they did

Posted by: @forever_duane

That's funny as hell. And although I've come around to the Dead a bit more in recent years, I'd have to say that Deep Purple was and is a much more interesting and polished live act than the Dead.

No comparison. The Dead were the best live act in the world. Deep Purple was just standard arena rock.

Huh?!?! Standard arena rock? I guessI need to drink some of that bong water  you are chugging !