https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ritchie-blackmore-photo-book-from-ross-halfin-coming-in-december/
Rufus Publications and Ross Halfin have announced a new, limited-edition book, "Ritchie Blackmore By Ross Halfin", featuring hundreds of unseen images from Ross's extensive library. Blackmore, from DEEP PURPLE through to RAINBOW and now BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, is one of our most influential guitarists and Ross started photographing him and RAINBOW from 1980 onwards.
This new book is an intimate portrait of Blackmore both on and off stage and captures the brilliance and madness of RAINBOW during those years. Ross had unparalleled access for several years and the images in this book often show Ritchie as you've never seen him before. It finishes with shots of early BLACKMORE'S NIGHT in action.
"Ritchie Blackmore By Ross Halfin" includes an introduction by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, who first saw Blackmore on stage at the age of 14 (and features in a photograph on the legendary "Made In Japan" cover), and words by Ross and journalist Pete Makowski who knew and worked with Ritchie and RAINBOW at the time.
Ross states: "Around this time, I met writer Peter Makowski who Geoff Barton (the features editor at Sounds) introduced us with the prophetic words, 'You two will be bad for each other.' Never has a truer word been spoken. Now the one thing I knew about Pete was he knew Blackmore — and I don't mean 'knew' him in a music industry sense — he really did know Ritchie and was a friend of his and as Pete said one day, 'Let's go and do Blackmore.' I actually can't remember where I finally met him but I was pleasantly surprised. Ritchie, who I expected to be off and aloof, was completely the opposite. Once I'd met him, he was funny, liked a drink and was fantastic company. Pete and I for the period around this book, I suppose you could say, were in his inner circle. We traveled with him, we hung out with him. As you can see from some of the pictures in this book, Ritchie, once you knew him, was very accessible, and as a photographer, I could shoot with him more or less anything I wanted. He would never say no — or I would have to give him a funny, twisted reason to want to do it."
The book also includes contributions from Billy Corgan and Colin Hart.
At 304 pages, this deluxe hardback book measuring 245mm x 345mm is signed by Ross and comes in two very limited editions. The main edition, bound in white leather with a black sleeve, is just 350 numbered copies worldwide and sells for £199 plus delivery and a super limited, large format A3 edition at just 50 copies will sell for £599 worldwide. Both editions feature an animated 3D lenticular on the cover of Ritchie throwing his guitar into the air.
The book will go on pre-sale at 3 p.m. U.K. time on Wednesday, September 29 and will ship in mid-December.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
One of the BEST electric guitarist I ever saw. When I saw Deep Purple the first time, Hush was a hit and Smoke On The Water was still on the radio back in 1974 I think was the year.
He knows how to get a lot out of a Stratocaster. I've always liked Strats and Les Pauls the best but usually a good sounding Strat has been tinkered with.
I think it goes back to the first few times I saw The Allman Brothers and Duane Allman was on a Gold Top Les Paul and Dickey played a Stratocaster. Later that year Dickey moved to a SG and that became a guitar I like.
But in recent years it seems more and more it's the player more so that what guitar or amp. Jack Pearson playing those cheap Squire guitars from Fender and still sounding great is one reason I now feel it more the player than the type of equipment.
Thanks for sharing. Big fan of Ritchie's and Purple and Rainbow. Never saw Rainbow but got to see Blackmore with the Gillan MKII band, Coverdale MKIII band and MK V band with Joe Lynn Turner
Short story on my meeting, or rather running into Blackmore. I was living in Bethel, CT back in the 1980' & 1990's and Blackmore lived in the next town over that did not have much in the way of retail shops so he used to hang out in my town.
I was in the local CVS one day and turned down an aisle and there was Ritchie looking at some product. I politely said "Hello Ritchie" and he was startled and, with wide eyes, he hurried away without saying a word as if he had seen a ghost. We had a good laugh about it later when I told my friends about the encounter.
I heard he used to hang out at the bar of a local Bethel restaurant, The J. Lawrence Downtown, and would occasionally strum on an acoustic guitar but I never saw him there.
This an excellent biography on Blackmore is you like those kind of books.
Hey Bill Graham, you and I probably crossed paths! I lived on Greenwood Ave in 1989-1990 and then worked at MacKenzie's Olde Ale House (now the Putnam House), right next to Greenwoods/ J Laurence, from 1993-1996. I too met Ritchie in Bethel.
I had heard that he would stop in at Mackenzie's every now and again, and we had "The Very Best of Deep Purple" on the CD jukebox for just that occasion, but sure enough, one night in 1993, he got sat at one of my tables! He was with Candace, and this was post-JLT / pre-Battle Rages on. Pre-internet too.
I had heard that he was prickly, so I didn't engage with him at all during dinner. But I was quietly freaking out. I'm a huge Purple / Rainbow fan, had seen DP at the Hartford Civic Center in 1987 (HOBL with Joan Jett) and in 1991 at the Bushnell with JLT (ugh). I had (and still have!) a denim jacket with the cover of Rainbow: Rising painted on the back, etc. So, finally, after dinner, he asked for the check, and I had to tell him that I was a major fan, had all the albums, etc. I told him I even had that Green Bullfrog album. He laughed and said that it was rubbish. I asked him if Purple would be doing anything soon, and he confirmed that they had finished The Battle Rages On and it would be out soon. Very pleasant exchange. He and Candace ended up hanging out at the bar afterward.
A pal of mine who was a major Deadhead worked there, and I was telling him all about this, and he was like, "They did Smoke on the Water, maybe, right? I should go say hey." I told him to read lightly. He went to the bar where Ritchie was watching European soccer and he tapped his shoulder and said, "Hey - you're Ritchie Blackmore, right?"
Blackmore looked at him and said, "No," and turned back to the game.
As it happened, my buddy was a major soccer fan, so he then casually started talking about the game, and once Blackmore saw that he wouldn't have to discuss music, he happily chatted about soccer with my pal.
Cool Ritchie stories & the book looks the same - there was a lot of excitement among us northern NE Purple fans when they recorded their 1984 Perfect Strangers reunion album in Stowe, Vt - some good photos w/that record, incl one of Ritchie sitting on a bench talking w/a local
Hey Bill Graham, you and I probably crossed paths! I lived on Greenwood Ave in 1989-1990 and then worked at MacKenzie's Olde Ale House (now the Putnam House), right next to Greenwoods/ J Laurence, from 1993-1996. I too met Ritchie in Bethel.
I had heard that he would stop in at Mackenzie's every now and again, and we had "The Very Best of Deep Purple" on the CD jukebox for just that occasion, but sure enough, one night in 1993, he got sat at one of my tables! He was with Candace, and this was post-JLT / pre-Battle Rages on. Pre-internet too.
I had heard that he was prickly, so I didn't engage with him at all during dinner. But I was quietly freaking out. I'm a huge Purple / Rainbow fan, had seen DP at the Hartford Civic Center in 1987 (HOBL with Joan Jett) and in 1991 at the Bushnell with JLT (ugh). I had (and still have!) a denim jacket with the cover of Rainbow: Rising painted on the back, etc. So, finally, after dinner, he asked for the check, and I had to tell him that I was a major fan, had all the albums, etc. I told him I even had that Green Bullfrog album. He laughed and said that it was rubbish. I asked him if Purple would be doing anything soon, and he confirmed that they had finished The Battle Rages On and it would be out soon. Very pleasant exchange. He and Candace ended up hanging out at the bar afterward.
A pal of mine who was a major Deadhead worked there, and I was telling him all about this, and he was like, "They did Smoke on the Water, maybe, right? I should go say hey." I told him to read lightly. He went to the bar where Ritchie was watching European soccer and he tapped his shoulder and said, "Hey - you're Ritchie Blackmore, right?"
Blackmore looked at him and said, "No," and turned back to the game.
As it happened, my buddy was a major soccer fan, so he then casually started talking about the game, and once Blackmore saw that he wouldn't have to discuss music, he happily chatted about soccer with my pal.
I bet we did cross paths Jim as I lived in Bethel from 1986 until 1999 and used to hit the local bars. Used to hang out at Pippa's Sports bar in Danbury after my then girlfriends softball games.
Maybe it was MacKenzie's I was thinking of? It was the pub on the corner of Greenwood and Depot st. Where the bartender told me Ritchie used to come in for a pint or two.
Great story about meeting Ritchie. Salty personality but an amazing talent.
It is a small world as I was at the Bucknell concert also with a buddy. A friend of his had contacts with someone who ran the theater and got us backstage passes. We were hustled into A small windowless room after the show where some female rock station jock came in with a bunch of radio contest winners. The only band member I remember coming in was Roger Glover. We chatted with him a bit, really nice guy, ate some from a fruit platter, drank a few free beers and left.
Not Purples greatest moments with JLT but worth it just to see Ritchie play.
Ritchie Blackmore was a major reason many a young lad like myself wanted to play guitar. Always one of my favorites.
Enjoyed the stories about running in to him. Good stuff. I really have never met anyone famous. I dont think I could approach someone of that stature, due to nerves and not wanting to bother them. Would not know what to say anyways!! I am sure they have heard it all, the same ,over and over. Lord knows they have gotten it most of their lives. Like it was mentioned above you would probably have to approach him in a sense to stay away from music , like European football to strike up a conversation. BUT, given all of that, if I ever had the chance to meet one person, it would have to be him....on a good day. I dont think showing up in a Deep Purple t shirt would be a good idea and having him sign my vinyl copy of Come Taste The Band. But he might get the humor in signing it under Bolins picture!!!
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
