I met Eddie Van Halen and his wife in the late 90s and he was the nicest guy ever and so was his wife, they were amazing to me and I will never ever forget that.
I met Paul Gilbert and his wife back in 2008 and they both were super nice. They both are massively talented (his wife is a classically trained musician) They talked to us as if were already buddies and no mention of their talents.
@@vinaymulukutla358 Dude I was thinking of the time I got to go to a pre show meet and greet with Mr Big when they were opening for Aerosmith in Berlin on a European tour when I was a 20 year old GI stationed there. The guys in the band were cool, but Paul was the best! He was incredibly engaging and was asking me what it was like being a young person being stationed in Germany, and I was completely taken aback! I was like what is it like being a guitar legend on tour in Europe. It turns out I was born in the same town he grew up in, but my family moved about 30 miles away when I was 2. We had a lot to talk about! I told him I’d been kind of horsing around with guitar for about 2 years, and he showed me how to do the patented Paul Gilbert pick scrape on his own guitar he took on stage and played with that night! I still have the pick we used. Never played with it again, but it’s got gouges from the low E and A string about 1/10th of the way across it from digging into the strings. Truly a classy gentleman and amazing guitar player!
I played on Ritchie's soccer team for 2 years when he lived on Long Island in the late 80's. We were friends and went out on weekends. I remember him wanting to keep a low profile. I've heard the stories, but he ws always nice to me, and very generous.
I met Ritchie briefly after Deep Purple's concert in Rio de Janeiro in 1991. After the concert, he came out of the dressing room to go back to the hotel with 2 bottles of white German wine in his hands. Then he stopped in front of me and the other guy who was also waiting to see him. He gave each bottle to one of us, just looked at our faces and entered the car and disappeared into the night. I will never forget having received a bottle of German wine from my favorite guitarist, the Man in Black himself!
I met Ritchie in the mid 90s at a Hardware store in Long Island New York, He gave me an autograph and was really cool , something that I will never forget, the man is a Guitar God, one of the greatest ever
I met Ritchie when my band opened for Rainbow somewhere in Maine USA. They did "Man on the Silver Mountain" and "Mistreated" at their soundcheck! Pretty epic. I was about 16. Their road manager took a liking to me and when I told him Blackmore was a big idol of mine he insisted I meet him and right when they got off stage he basically pushed me into Blackmores dressing room. He was freshly off stage and sweaty but nice. I was very nervous and mentioned seeing him with Deep Purple on Boston Common. He told me he remembered the gig because he smashed one of his favorite guitars on that gig. I made it quick and left not wanting to push my luck.
@Timothy McCaskey Ritchie was once asked in an interview if he knew Yngwie's music to which he replied: "I get royalties from everything he records". The guy might be a massive asshole but he's got a brilliant sense of humour.
If I had to act any different than I am in presence of my "idol" that person weren't my idol. Don't ever lose your dignity just because someone can do something better than you.
@@KennyBoyd6 No. The only reason they are where they are is because of the fans. They do a job,and fans ultimately pay their salaries. It's so easy for them to forget where their money and "fame" came from. If they want to bedicks to their fans, I hope they return the money those same fans gave to them!
@@billyblynde Yep, I completely agree. Maybe it’s cause I grew up a KISS fan and had to hear Gene yap on and on about how without the fans, they’d be nothing, but it’s true. Fuck people who get big and then decide to shit on the fans. If you’re an introvert and you don’t wanna talk, that’s okay - but don’t be a dick ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw Deep Purple at the Long Beach Arena in 84 and after the show I was able to get backstage when they were done performing, I ran into Richie Blackmore and all the other guys, we all walked outside to their limo, got pictures and they all autographed my program, Ian Paice gave my husband his drum sticks and we talked for a good 30 minutes.. What a bunch of Great Guys and A Great Concert... Richie Blackmore, Ian Gillian, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and the late Great Jon Lord, May he Rest In Peace🙏🏻
Yas, he is a gentleman that lives to be entertained by you and the other lowly folk ambling about backstage of HIS show. AS. IF. The guy, by even the most conservative accounts, is a huge asshole. I wonder if he'll ever admit to actually playing an Eric Clapton sig Stratocaster, and thinking it was so nice that he began using the same pickups right after?
@@michaelcarey9359 He may very well be an arsehole (and probably is from everything that I have heard about him). However, the kind of behaviour described in this video is annoying and rude, and in each story it seems to me he acted in a reasonable manner. If some random guy came upto me every 10 minutes when I am trying to have a quiet beer or something, just to go 'Hey, dude! It's you!', I'd be pretty pissy about it.
I met Ritchie back in '87 A hotel bar in Toledo on House of Blue Light tour.He was sitting with 2 girls and i went up to him asked if he would have his picture taken with me.He said sure and also signed my Long Live R&R album along with In Rock LP..He was very nice
Awesome! It's really cool to be with two girls. I remember I once went with two girls, that was very funny. Unfortunately, they ended up quarreling with each other because they couldn't share me. And the one I really liked stayed with me
Great show in Toledo. Bad Company opened with Brian Howe on vocals. Gillan sounded very good and they were cranking it out quite nicely. Didn't get to meet any of the band members, but The Blade ran an interview with Paice while they were at the Sofitel. Great times.
AC/DC is one of the few old school bands that never let their fans down. I remember once when it was raining in Sydney, Australia he advised his chofeur to stop and give us all autographs in the pouring rain Brian Johnson once said, that when he was on tour with Chuck Berry he didnt give them autographs even they (Geordie) were their opening band on the tour. Maybe thats why Brian is so nice to all of his fans
He's grown really tame in his older years. My mom and dad (and later I) worked at this bar on Long Island and he would come there a lot. Super chill, but he always made them stay open late so he could make everyone sing with him. He did tip good! Plus his wife is super nice.
I am originally from Long Island thinking about sending him a nice fan letter hope for the best. Great advice glad I read the comments before sending a letter.
I'm a drummer that got to meet Ritchie in New York back in the 70s. There was a club called Trax and it was a great place to hang. A guitar player friend of mine was there and he was friends with Ritchie but I took it upon myself to approach Ritchie and say hi. I remember telling Ritchie how much I loved his playing, as I was huge Purple fan. I remember he told me that he listened to a lot of violins for ideas. I kept the conversation short and then let him be. So overall it was a good experience.
I remember that when Purple released the 'Perfect Strangers' album, it was a very big deal because it was so great, brought them into the modern era. Gotta be the greatest comeback album ever.
My first cover band played Perfect Strangers and Knocking At Your Back Door. That was around '90-'91 because back then records would spread through word of mouth over time.
Met Blackmore backstage last year after a Rainbow concert in Europe. Very polite and nice man to talk to if only brief, shook my hand after and went on his way.
I met him around 1988 with some friends. We followed him into a hotel bar after a Deep Purple show. He was fine, no problems. He was very soft-spoken. I could hardly hear what he was saying. I was the only one of us that got my picture taken with him, and I've never seen the photo! I had a camera too and got a picture of just him. So we were popping flashes in his face and asking for autographs, and he didn't shoo us away. We said "great show", he said "thank you".
I was told the same story by Craig Goldy himself. Craig is such an amazing guitar player and person. I'm so glad he got to have such a good experience with his idol.
@Gerhard Geficky absolutely 💯! He's been criminally underrated, underappreciated and underestimated. And he's incredibly generous and a great guy. He's taken his own time to reply to me on several different occasions and now even communicates with me directly by email, sharing demos and other stuff that isn't available. All beginning from a comment I made here on YT it's developed into a genuine friendship. Can't give him enough credit and praise
I'll try to be brief, but I met Ritchie a few times because I was good friends with Black Sabbath's manager, Mark Forster, and Mark was friends with Rainbow's stage manger, Raymond D'addario. Ritchie was not at all put off or aloof during our momentarily hellos and in our second encounter a year later he even said he "remembered the face", but of course he was also not an extrovert either. I am 66 today and still consider Blackmore the greatest guitarist ever if you factor in all aspects of what constitutes that claim. By why I am writing is to give you a quote on what Eddie Van Halen said about Ritchie when I briefly talked to him during a sound check when Van Halen opened for Black sabbath in 1978 Never Say Die Tour. I asked Eddie what he thought about Ritchie and he said: "He has always been an influence, but he needs to play with his band more rather than blow out a solo then retract back into his own world". That was the entire answer. I disagree mostly with it as I have heard many of Ritchie's virtues expressed through his unique talent. Nobody has the feel, the impromptu versatility and just deep, rich, emaculate tone that Blackmore has given us for eternity.
@@crusheverything4449 Yes Ronnie was special, I believe the songwriting they did together was unparalleled. I think they each knew what the other brought to the table and Ronnie understood the importance of Ritchie's usually spectacular solo segments. I spoke with Ronnie by phone from his Connecticutt home in 1978 about the "Long Live Rock n Roll" album on its release and he was specifically proud of the tune "Rainbow Eyes" and hoped I would listen to it carefully. Dio was a very kind and open man to all who would listen...
I met Blackmore numerous times between 1990 and 2013,never had a problem with him and even said to him some very risky subjects that could have had a disastrous response, and he was still very polite to me. But I've seen Blackmore get irritated by fans.As for Edward Van Halen, I knew him,he knew me as a fan,from 1991 to 2015,and was always nice to me,but I've seen him blow off fans.
I can't help but smile and crack up at all these videos about Blackmore (walking on eggshells, preparing for danger, etc.) It's just hilarious how different he is, and his unique ways of throwing people off.
The one time I met him he was great and people that know him tell me Candice has a lot to do with it. But I used to work in a big music store where a lot of "rock stars" used to come in and have custom guitars made and amps modified. Man, I lost my fascination for celebrities. Many of those jerks couldn't pump gas if they had to.
True in a lot of ways, but I have to say BB King treated me so great when I was in my 20’s. He asked me if I played and when I said I really try. He said keep practicing and grabbed my hand with both hands. I have been playing for 30 years and I think of him often. I never hit it big and probably never will but I would always treat someone like he treated me if I did. He was a true hero. RIP Mr. King.
i have meet Keith Emerson backstage in mexico city , well we chat more than half an hour , mainly talking about keyboards gears , really he was a gentleman
I think the Malmsteen being an AH is mostly a fabricated stereotype myth. He used to be wild and in people's faces if there was a real issue and maybe a diva but since at least the last couple of decades (and even before) there is much testimony, footage and recordings on how he really is down to earth and meeting people at same level. There is a distinct difference in being confident about one's capabilities and just having some god complex.
The way I read his personality, FWIW, is introverted.Sometimes shy and actually lacking in confidence. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. He gets bored and frustrated often,at least back then. He was always attracted by the supernatural and life's darker side. He loves a wind-up and doesn't appreciate insincerity and chit-chat. I see nothing too bad there and have always loved his music and vibe.
Hello Kar. Guess I was lucky that I only talked to Ritchie on the phone. He was, I believe it was, on KLOS or KMET radio station in Los Angeles, being interviewed, and I called in and got to talk to him. SInce I asked some questions about their songs they really let me talk to Ritchie for a long time and he was quite cool. I remember asking him about the lyrics of one song and he said it was because Ian Gillan was into rats and snakes, etc. Oh, and I asked him why Gillan left Purple back in 1973. Ritchie said he was surprised about how many people alwasy ask him about Ian Gillan. How I wish I had that conversation on tape. Oh well...
@@karsguitarchannel6088 Thank you for posting these great videos. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I met Ian Gillan at the Long beach arena and I talked to Ritchie on the phone.
I met Blackmore in a club in Aurora IL in ‘69. They had just arrived from the airport where baggage handlers had dropped the band’s B3. Blackmore did an outstanding job covering for a thinner sound. Jon Lord later tried to play a friend of mine’s Vox organ but gave up after one song. Eventually a B3 was acquired from a local dealer and the 2nd show was great!
I'm glad Craig (anyone in fact) finally acknowledged how great the Deep Purple song, "Burn" is. It is an amazing song! The guitar riff is awesome, iconic. Ian Paice's drumming blows me away and he never seems to receive any recognition. Jon Lorde's keyboard work and solo is pure wizardry. And David Coverdale's vocal operettic.
In my opinion and especially when considering it isn't thematic in the manner of Tommy or Dark Side, Burn is about as perfect a collection of powerhouse performances to ever emerge from the 70s or any decade. The tracks don't lose their edge like many do. The playing is stellar throughout and the writing isn't forced or contrived to fit around one or two 'hits' as one may expect/excuse considering the circumstances but instead effortless, dynamic and full of excitement throughout. An excellent example of why DP writing credits are shared equally amongst the band. And yes, the arrangement of the title track is wholly original. Hats off to Paicey for 'doing his bit' out of boredom in the studio waiting for the others to agree on the verse structure. To say they don't write them like that any more is quite an understatement.
As a teenager, I was very fortunate to meet Richie, at (UK) Newcastle City Hall 'TWICE'. I didn't have any tickets, but knew how to get in! (another story!). First night, I met and saw them all enter the side stage door. Most of the time there was only me there, so managed to meet and speak to them all. I recall Cozy and his Dad being so nice. 1st night, I was allowed inside to mix with everyone backstage. Cozy's Dad gave me a tour, I remember this like it was yesterday. We got to Richie's room, (with his notorious sign on the door). Richie was at the far end of the room, with one of his Strat's, with his back to us. He was fine, invited me in and gave me his autograph FACT!. It was unbelievable to mix with all of the band, family members and loads of people that I didn't know. Anyway, I returned for their second night (same venue, Newcastle City Hall). I was at the same place (stage door access), and saw all of the band again. When Blackmore arrived, I thanked him for his autograph the previous night. He looked at me, recognised me, and said that this was the only autograph given that night. I remember it raining very hard, and Richie had to gain access through a different door. As we spoke, I asked him if he would be smashing up his guitar that night, (as he didn't the previous night). He smiled at me and said, 'that depends on the audience'. I 'managed' to get in again with no ticket, (sorry Richie!), to see that performance. Hid did demolish his Strat that night. He is human, he is an individual, he is not rude and moody, he was fine, helpful and considerate. Both shows were AWESOME, Rainbow in their prime. I consider myself VERY luck. Thanks Richie.
I met Ritchie after a Rainbow gig in London. My friend and i just happened to be hiding from the bad weather outside the fire escape he was using to slip past the crowd of fans waiting. He was friendly and chatty, particularly when asked about how his Strat was set up.
That is such a great story , and you know how much I love Blackmore so I'm your biggest fan with stories like this !!! A band called the Boys , never heard ...And man so much research and work you are putting on for us and always greatly documented !!! Would be so happy too to play (even football) with Ritchie !!!!!!!!
I met Richie with a school friend at the stage door before a rainbow gig which was completely sold out. we thought just hang around & maybe we might see Richie from a distance, Richie turned up & when he approached he stopped & asked us did we have tickets to the show, I said unfortunately it's sold out, he said let these boys in, I couldn't believe it, I said that's really kind to let us in, then I said is there any chance I could have a guitar pick please, he reached into his pocket & gave me a pick, its strange very thin tortoise shell shaped like a house, I couldn't believe it, I will never forget his kindness, he was obviously in a very good mood that evening
@@crusheverything4449 fantastic stuff I'm sure your a great singer, Doogie is a fantastic guy he used to play in a rock cover band with the guitarist from FM & i was the stand in bass player so i got to know him well & played many gigs with him, i never talked to him about rainbow, the last time i saw him was at the MSG gig in london & he was happy to see me, very glad to know another rocker, keep in touch
@@crusheverything4449 wow brilliant Andy Barnett he is such a crazy guy really funny & a good friend, i think he either lives in sweeden or malta now, i saw him a few years ago when he came to london, i haven't listened to FM i knew about them through Andy, i should check them out, i met Glen Hughes & got to know him when he did a few tracks on my friend Bill Liesgangs album no strings attached John Wetton played & sang on a few tracks as well, i met the drummer Tom Lang coz he was a good friend of Bill, its a small world & great to make your acquaintance as well from leon
@@crusheverything4449 Bill will be very happy you like the albums, i only spoke to him a few weeks ago now we have lockdown in london i have been in touch with a lot of people i haven't seen for a while, if ever you visit london he would be glad to meet you i'm sure, i played gigs with him many times he's a really nice guy & his wife, unfortunately i never played on any of his albums i just done gigs with him, you can find me on facebook i don't really use it or post much stuff i just use it to chat really, it's leon lawson the profile photo is a cartoon character atom ant, probably better to keep in touch that way, many thanks leon
I ran into Ritchie at the Rainbow and approached him. I asked him for his autograph and he looked at me and asked “why would you want my autograph”. I replied, “because you’re the greatest guitar player”. He said, “I guess that’s good enough”. So I got his autograph and was on my merry way. That was about 1977 or so.
Do a utube search and you can listen to Ritchie on the Strat covering a B.B. King song "The Thrill Is Gone", the song is on William Shatner's new album "The Blues" that was released 10/02/2020. I guess Ritchie had worked on a previous album from Shatner and so Captain Kirk rang up Ritchie to see if he would lay down a track on this album. Now we all know about Ritchie's approach-ability and what not, so that means Shatner must have super powers to pull off that seemingly impossible feat, twice. Strange but true.
I met Ritchie once in a club in CT in the early 80's. I was practically like Wayne or Garth in Wayne's world (I'm not worthy!) I could see him rolling his eyes after a minute or two, so I told him I loved his music and let the next obsessed fan invade his privacy.
If I have to know what not to do before meeting someone I'll just leave them alone. Not worth my time. People like that need to realize I think just as much of myself as they do of themselves.
On the other hands, if your fans smile a lot, it means they are happy to meet you. Be kind and understanding to your fans! They are probaly also intimidated to meet their hero
I've met members of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon...pretty much guys from the Golden era of Metal and they were all super nice and approachable. They signed whatever I wanted and posed for pics. But I do know that some artists probably don't like fan attention.
I met Ritchie when Rainbow rehearsed at the studio I was running,(LI NY) for the "Down to Earth" record and tour. He was a gentleman, as were all the band members, Roger, Cozy, Don, and Graham. I accompanied Ritchie and the Band to the local mall, where they purchased sound equipment for the tour vehicles. That is a favorite memory, walking thru the mall with a famous group, and none of the teenage kids knew anything ! Most of the time they stayed in the lounge and watched football.....
Personally, I don't like when someone on the street stares at me like they know me. I usually spit in their direction and they usually turn their glance away from me
Usually those kind of people don't look friendly at all. And they look as if they want to show their superiority. I don't need that, so I just spit at them. Probably Blackmore feels the same.
I don't like eye contact at all or talking getting the mail or tv or knocks on doors dogs barking guitars or music root beer floats or myself I don't like eye contact the most it usually means I might get my ads handed to me because I am arrogant
True story: way back in the MySpace days, I got an IM from Candice Night (singer with Blackmore's Night). I had just released an album, and had been promoting it like a madman. She said "Ritchie really likes your music." I was amazed!! This was completely unsolicited. I thanked her, and asked her to convey my thanks to Ritchie for the compliment, and added I have admired what he has done for many years.
I read a commentary from Doogie White ( vocalist on Rainbow's Stranger in Us All album, 1995, one of the best guitar driven albums, Rainbow recorded) that Ritchie fired the original bass player that was supposed to record the album, because the guy would constantly step out of the studio, to smoke a cigarette or drink some wine, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LAYING DOWN TRACKS FOR THE ALBUM. Doogie said that the bass player did it so much, that Ritchie asked his supporters to go to the pub, after the recording session, and fire the bassist. I read several comments from readers, putting down Ritchie for doing this, but you have to understand, Recording studios cost money, and time is of the essence, the longer it takes to record something, the more money it costs. This guy was literally stepping out repeatedly, in the middle of recordings, and making everyone else wait. As a musician, myself, this behavior is very unprofessional, and Ritchie being the perfectionist, that he is, I don't blame him for firing the guy, I think Ritchie gets a raw deal. It's easy to hate or judge someone. There's always 2 sides to every story.
There is an interview with Glenn Hughes where he admits Blackmore was actually only extremely professional and would get mad at people like him and before him Gillan because they wouldn't take the business so seriously...Hughes says he regrets not being more mature, sober and focused on Deep Purple days...
I met him in about 1988 in Connecticut and he signed his autograph. He was playing soccer and was taking a rest. I walked up and said Sir Im a big fan may I have your autograph. He smiled and signed my check stub. I thanked him and walked away. He was very nice and polite.
''Don't go in my dressing room, don't through shit on the stage, don't touch my guitars or any of my personal things''....I would say the same, can't see the problem with that! I agree with Blackmore. I judge him on all the masterpieces he has given us, not if he isn't interested in fan boys.
I am proud to say I've met two of my guitar heroes: Joe Bonamassa and Paul Dean. Both super nice guys. Paul Dean was really cool. He's not going to appear on any top 100 guitarists list but I still loved his work with Loverboy. I shook his hand and told him he was a favorite of mine. He looked at me and said, "No way! Get outta here!" Like he couldn't believe he'd top anyone's list. He then posed with my wife as I took a picture... I have that picture still. It is very special to me. Also, I bumped into Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers at a biker event. I wanted to greet him but he had just gotten off his bike, a vintage Harley, after a very long ride. The poor guy looked WASTED. I'm sure all he wanted to do was go to the beer tent and rest. We locked eyes for a split second and I'm sure he saw that I recognized him... I didn't wish to bother him so I just let the chance to meet him pass.
We met him four times, maybe five times. We met Candice and Blackmores Mother in law as well. For some month they used to live here in Bavaria in an old Castle, not far from my home. They are very, very nice people, no doubt. Don‘t forget, Blackmore is pure british! He‘s a Soccer, tea and monthy python kind of man 😄
My friends and I happened to be staying at the Apollo Hotel on the Australian Gold Coast, while most of the band were taking a break from their tour. This was in the 1970s! We were having fun in the bar one night, and for some reason Ritchie's personal roadie invited us to join them. Apparently, Ritchie likes to have a bit of a coterie around him when he's hanging out! We had a bloody great weekend with the guys, especially Jimmy Bain. who was happily living on mandies much of the time, and Cozy Powell who was a fantastically personable and funny guy! Ronnie was just mainly sight-seeing and we didn't see him too much, but he was an absolutely lovely person to talk to. We had some in-room parties, and we even jammed with Ritchie on acoustics, especially Beatles songs and that sort of thing! We all got on well with Ritchie and I didn't see any of the prima donna stuff going on. He is a serious sort of guy, but he does have a very humorous side to him. I feel very fortunate to have had that experience!
I can easily imagine that the whole fame/fan thing would get old and weird kinda quickly. I can attest to how cool George Lynch is. Very friendly and personable, and even wrote out some absolutely insane solo for me to try.
I met George doing a guitar clinic at a huge music shop here in Canada and he just couldn't be bothered and right after Doug Aldrich comes out was incredibly and spoke to loads of us very nice fella!
My guitar hero was Frank Marino. I wrote him a letter once thanking him for the inspiration and he actually wrote me back. The man is a class act. It's cool when your heroes don't disappoint.
I was the first one in line to meet Pat Travers after a show in San Diego. After 1am and he still had time to meet and greet a long line of fans. Top Man. Sometimes meeting your guitar hero is a really cool thing.
@@morlokvestai-kurak9680 I stood right in front of Pat Travers when he played a small venue in Victoria BC. After he played 'Hammerhead' he tossed me his pick. That was pretty cool. I still have it somewhere. Travers band with Tommy Aldridge, Mars Cowling and PatThrall was a good one. :)
When i saw Richies band Rainbow in 75 i felt i had witnessed one of the best musicians ever in history. Like Mozart or something. I felt really fortunate to carch that show. Plus got introduced to Ronnie Dio.
I was fortunate enough to hang with Richie... We were at the Rainbow where my band Mandrake were opening for Quit Riot in 1976.. He was sitting at the VIP bar upstairs by himself. Everyone was afraid to go over and introduce themselves, not me. I marched right over to him said hi, my nome is Mark i'm the drummer in the band you just watched, can I buy you a beer. Sat their all night getting hammered with Richie, awesome, he drinks Heineken beer.
It‘s funny to read all of this here. I met Ritchie on several occasions, mostly before or after a concert. I can‘t imagine anyone more relaxed or willing to talk about anything than him. The first time I met him, I just walked up to him after a concert. That was in the time when there were no barriers and no security people. Ritchie stayed after the concert to check out a small amp he‘d placed on top of his Marshall stack. I asked him what that was about and he politely answered that he was just trying something out and didn‘t know if it would work like he thought it would. The second time I met him in a dressing room that he shared with Ian. Ian was drying his hair or something and they both leafed through my then already sizeable autograph collection, commenting on each and every band as they went. Ritchie even asked some questions on the guitars they were playing (there were pictures that went along with the autographs, some of them showed the instruments). With that we had a common subject and we talked about different guitar types and features for some time. Ritchie even let me play on one of his guitars. (He carefully wiped the strings afterwards 😁) Talk music and not people with a musician, and you can‘t go wrong.
Everyone should take note of this comment the next time they meet a famous musician (especially the classic rock greats). Something I would never do to someone like Ritchie is treat him like he is my bro (like Eddie did)... Have respect when you talk to an English gentleman.... He isn't your buddy Eddie ! lol
I am getting a kick out of the awesome stories people have posted here. The closest I got to meeting him was having a Japanese poster of him with the 25th anniversary strat on my bedroom wall in '79. He was perfectly polite there.
I met Ritchie on 1977 at a Dominos Pizza. We were both at the counter. We both wanted the pepperoni pizza but the pizza guy told us there was pepperoni enough for only one pizza. I told Blackmore i am pepperoni's biggest fan and i begged him to let me have it. He ordered it anyway and ate it in front of me.. He even ordered ice cream
I met Lemmy in Las Vegas and he actually shook my hand and thanked me for going to see Motörhead later. I thought he gave me a very sparse, lame response but in retrospect I walked up and bugged the dude during a likely precious moment of relaxation. His image would have definitely allowed him to be a huge ass to me but he was not.
I think, the people got it wrong, he just didn't want to be approached in a rude way, or to be "challenged", it was just a defense mechanism, you can see that with many celebrities who get mad when they get "called up" on the street or in restaurant, etc.
Like any genius, Ritchies attitude strange and different from regular people.Just listen his music and you forgive him anything.Every his solo is piece of art, his feeling of music impossible to teach.So guys relax and enjoy genius of RITCHIE BLACKMORE !
When I met Eddie and Ritchie it was at the Whiskey . I was a kid. My cousin owned the place . Eddie was the nicest guy always teasing me and showing me guitar licks.
I would imagine that fans can be very intrusive. Honestly, I’d think twice before introducing myself to my idol if he was otherwise engaged. I’m not even famous and I don’t enjoy being interrupted, if it happened regularly I’d go nuts. It must get old after a while. I don’t think Blackmore was ever interested in being famous, he just wanted to create great guitar driven music. I understand his aloofness..
When I met my musical hero I found out the hard way that he also had a few do's and don'ts. I got abused but it was worth it. The guy is a legend and meeting him was awesome but damn, that Zamfir sure can be a miserable bastard.
All of us have our stupid moments. Ritchie is no exemption. But he's just keeping it real. I suppose being a rockstar - and a guitar wizard at that - is very stressful at times.
I worked on Gillan's Double Trouble tour. At the Poole gig, I arranged with Ian's manager for my first wife to meet him. I took her to the dressing room and was let in. Ian looked at her, stood up and threw up in front of her. The manager made up for it by giving me a signed poster for her. I also ended up with a piece of one of John McCoy's broken basses.
@@crusheverything4449 Man, she she fell outta the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Every night when she came home, the mice would throw themselves on the traps!
The English can be very reserved at times. I know because I am from England myself and I too have a highly reserved and introverted personality. My father's former boss was like Blackmore in many ways, not very trusting and was extremely selective about who he associated with. He was super nice to my sister and I though as we grew up in front of him, I guess that was unconditional given that he loved my father a lot but on the whole, he wasn't an easy man to crack. I guess Blackmore is a very complex personality and if you catch him at the wrong moment, it probably won't end well.
I bet Blackmore let AC/DC get away with it. They came across like a jolly bunch but Malcolm and Bon seemed like the type of working class guys you just didn't mess with if you know what I mean. Don't even get me started on Phil...🤣
I met Ritchie in 2009, at a blackmores night show in germany. Had a job as backstage security. Wanted to meet him, but he don't wanna see anybody. Later that day Candice took me by the hand and brought me to Richies dressing room. We sat together drank some of his Whisky and had a nice talk about guitars. But he didn't wanne give any autographs.
I met Eddie Van Halen and his wife in the late 90s and he was the nicest guy ever and so was his wife, they were amazing to me and I will never ever forget that.
I met Paul Gilbert and his wife back in 2008 and they both were super nice. They both are massively talented (his wife is a classically trained musician) They talked to us as if were already buddies and no mention of their talents.
His wife was also the nicest guy?? I had no idea.
em diar gay
@@vinaymulukutla358 Dude I was thinking of the time I got to go to a pre show meet and greet with Mr Big when they were opening for Aerosmith in Berlin on a European tour when I was a 20 year old GI stationed there.
The guys in the band were cool, but Paul was the best! He was incredibly engaging and was asking me what it was like being a young person being stationed in Germany, and I was completely taken aback! I was like what is it like being a guitar legend on tour in Europe.
It turns out I was born in the same town he grew up in, but my family moved about 30 miles away when I was 2. We had a lot to talk about!
I told him I’d been kind of horsing around with guitar for about 2 years, and he showed me how to do the patented Paul Gilbert pick scrape on his own guitar he took on stage and played with that night! I still have the pick we used. Never played with it again, but it’s got gouges from the low E and A string about 1/10th of the way across it from digging into the strings.
Truly a classy gentleman and amazing guitar player!
To be nice is free
I played on Ritchie's soccer team for 2 years when he lived on Long Island in the late 80's. We were friends and went out on weekends. I remember him wanting to keep a low profile. I've heard the stories, but he ws always nice to me, and very generous.
Fantastic, thanks for sharing!
that makes sense. You shared a common interest of soccer, and related to him as a team mate, not a fanboy.
I met Ritchie briefly after Deep Purple's concert in Rio de Janeiro in 1991. After the concert, he came out of the dressing room to go back to the hotel with 2 bottles of white German wine in his hands. Then he stopped in front of me and the other guy who was also waiting to see him. He gave each bottle to one of us, just looked at our faces and entered the car and disappeared into the night. I will never forget having received a bottle of German wine from my favorite guitarist, the Man in Black himself!
Awesome!
No no no, the Man in Black is Johnny Cash
@Agustín Risatti unfortunately not. It was such a long time ago. I keep only the memories...
Wow!!!! I love Ritchie Blackmore!
There is only one Man in Black and his name is Johnny Cash.
Tell him you loved his solo in Stairway to Heaven🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
HAHAHAHHA...Comment of the Month
Oh man that’s gold 😂🤟
Ahahahahahahahhaahha
Best comment ever
Sometimes Blackmore jokes about it and says he was the guitarist of Led Zeppelin 😂
I met Ritchie in the mid 90s at a Hardware store in Long Island New York, He gave me an autograph and was really cool , something that I will never forget, the man is a Guitar God, one of the greatest ever
Amazing
@Samí Warrior no Sears Hardware in Port Jefferson Suffolk County
I met Ritchie when my band opened for Rainbow somewhere in Maine USA. They did "Man on the Silver Mountain" and "Mistreated" at their soundcheck! Pretty epic. I was about 16. Their road manager took a liking to me and when I told him Blackmore was a big idol of mine he insisted I meet him and right when they got off stage he basically pushed me into Blackmores dressing room. He was freshly off stage and sweaty but nice. I was very nervous and mentioned seeing him with Deep Purple on Boston Common. He told me he remembered the gig because he smashed one of his favorite guitars on that gig. I made it quick and left not wanting to push my luck.
Awesome story, many thanks for sharing!
I met Blackmore once and he was an absolute gentleman, was very polite and took time to chat - a nice guy 👍
SAME HERE... He was very polite... I met John Bonham at the Rainbow... man he was pretty aggressive...
Chris: Robert's nickname in the band was "Percy".
(Possibly bestowed upon him by Bonzo.)
Timothy McCaskey
Could never get into Malmsteem or Nugent - tried, but just couldn't
@Timothy McCaskey Ritchie was once asked in an interview if he knew Yngwie's music to which he replied: "I get royalties from everything he records". The guy might be a massive asshole but he's got a brilliant sense of humour.
Timothy McCaskey
Ok - nice one 👍
If I had to act any different than I am in presence of my "idol" that person weren't my idol. Don't ever lose your dignity just because someone can do something better than you.
Yeah right always be yourself
But Rock stars like Ritchie earned it and you gotta give em rockstar space, and respect. It's their world
@@KennyBoyd6 No. The only reason they are where they are is because of the fans. They do a job,and fans ultimately pay their salaries. It's so easy for them to forget where their money and "fame" came from. If they want to bedicks to their fans, I hope they return the money those same fans gave to them!
Even I like Richie Blackmore's solos .. but he's just a guitar player .. not a prophet .. be your self .. that's the rile
@@billyblynde Yep, I completely agree. Maybe it’s cause I grew up a KISS fan and had to hear Gene yap on and on about how without the fans, they’d be nothing, but it’s true. Fuck people who get big and then decide to shit on the fans. If you’re an introvert and you don’t wanna talk, that’s okay - but don’t be a dick ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw Deep Purple at the Long Beach Arena in 84 and after the show I was able to get backstage when they were done performing, I ran into Richie Blackmore and all the other guys, we all walked outside to their limo, got pictures and they all autographed my program, Ian Paice gave my husband his drum sticks and we talked for a good 30 minutes.. What a bunch of Great Guys and A Great Concert... Richie Blackmore, Ian Gillian, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and the late Great Jon Lord, May he Rest In Peace🙏🏻
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
I was at the show
U had w good experience least
Basically, Ritchie Blackmore gets annoyed by random strangers coming upto him uninvited and saying nothing interesting.
Yas, he is a gentleman that lives to be entertained by you and the other lowly folk ambling about backstage of HIS show.
AS. IF.
The guy, by even the most conservative accounts, is a huge asshole. I wonder if he'll ever admit to actually playing an Eric Clapton sig Stratocaster, and thinking it was so nice that he began using the same pickups right after?
@@michaelcarey9359 He may very well be an arsehole (and probably is from everything that I have heard about him). However, the kind of behaviour described in this video is annoying and rude, and in each story it seems to me he acted in a reasonable manner.
If some random guy came upto me every 10 minutes when I am trying to have a quiet beer or something, just to go 'Hey, dude! It's you!', I'd be pretty pissy about it.
Who wouldn’t?
Yes he just gets annoyed too quickly
very impatient kind of person
I met Ritchie back in '87 A hotel bar in Toledo on House of Blue Light tour.He was sitting with 2 girls and i went up to him asked if he would have his picture taken with me.He said sure and also signed my Long Live R&R album along with In Rock LP..He was very nice
Awesome! It's really cool to be with two girls. I remember I once went with two girls, that was very funny. Unfortunately, they ended up quarreling with each other because they couldn't share me. And the one I really liked stayed with me
Did you go to the hotel with your LPs specifically to look for him, or did you just happen to have them on you when you ran into him?
Great show in Toledo. Bad Company opened with Brian Howe on vocals. Gillan sounded very good and they were cranking it out quite nicely. Didn't get to meet any of the band members, but The Blade ran an interview with Paice while they were at the Sofitel. Great times.
I Met him 2004 in Nürnberg on the Street. I Just told him i Love His Work. He gave me His Hand and Put His Arm around me. A nice Guy.
I saw AC/DC open up for Rainbow in 1976. I had never heard of AC/DC and that was one of the best concerts I have ever seen in my life.
AC/DC is one of the few old school bands that never let their fans down. I remember once when it was raining in Sydney, Australia he advised his chofeur to stop and give us all autographs in the pouring rain
Brian Johnson once said, that when he was on tour with Chuck Berry he didnt give them autographs even they (Geordie) were their opening band on the tour. Maybe thats why Brian is so nice to all of his fans
He's grown really tame in his older years. My mom and dad (and later I) worked at this bar on Long Island and he would come there a lot. Super chill, but he always made them stay open late so he could make everyone sing with him. He did tip good! Plus his wife is super nice.
Awesome!
he would come to rapsons in stamford, jump on stage and jam, spoke with him a few times, nice guy
I am originally from Long Island thinking about sending him a nice fan letter hope for the best. Great advice glad I read the comments before sending a letter.
I'm a drummer that got to meet Ritchie in New York back in the 70s. There was a club called Trax and it was a great place to hang. A guitar player friend of mine was there and he was friends with Ritchie but I took it upon myself to approach Ritchie and say hi. I remember telling Ritchie how much I loved his playing, as I was huge Purple fan. I remember he told me that he listened to
a lot of violins for ideas. I kept the conversation short and then let him be. So overall it was a good experience.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
I remember that when Purple released the 'Perfect Strangers' album, it was a very big deal because it was so great, brought them into the modern era. Gotta be the greatest comeback album ever.
I agree, it's one hell of an album. Especially the title track.
My first cover band played Perfect Strangers and Knocking At Your Back Door. That was around '90-'91 because back then records would spread through word of mouth over time.
Met Blackmore backstage last year after a Rainbow concert in Europe. Very polite and nice man to talk to if only brief, shook my hand after and went on his way.
I think Blackmore doesn't have much to say, he gets annoyed very quickly and he likes to be left alone
I met him around 1988 with some friends. We followed him into a hotel bar after a Deep Purple show. He was fine, no problems. He was very soft-spoken. I could hardly hear what he was saying. I was the only one of us that got my picture taken with him, and I've never seen the photo! I had a camera too and got a picture of just him. So we were popping flashes in his face and asking for autographs, and he didn't shoo us away. We said "great show", he said "thank you".
I was told the same story by Craig Goldy himself. Craig is such an amazing guitar player and person. I'm so glad he got to have such a good experience with his idol.
Craig is one of best guitar players of the 80s
@Gerhard Geficky absolutely 💯! He's been criminally underrated, underappreciated and underestimated. And he's incredibly generous and a great guy. He's taken his own time to reply to me on several different occasions and now even communicates with me directly by email, sharing demos and other stuff that isn't available. All beginning from a comment I made here on YT it's developed into a genuine friendship. Can't give him enough credit and praise
I'll try to be brief, but I met Ritchie a few times because I was good friends with Black Sabbath's manager, Mark Forster, and Mark was friends with Rainbow's stage manger, Raymond D'addario. Ritchie was not at all put off or aloof during our momentarily hellos and in our second encounter a year later he even said he "remembered the face", but of course he was also not an extrovert either. I am 66 today and still consider Blackmore the greatest guitarist ever if you factor in all aspects of what constitutes that claim. By why I am writing is to give you a quote on what Eddie Van Halen said about Ritchie when I briefly talked to him during a sound check when Van Halen opened for Black sabbath in 1978 Never Say Die Tour. I asked Eddie what he thought about Ritchie and he said: "He has always been an influence, but he needs to play with his band more rather than blow out a solo then retract back into his own world". That was the entire answer. I disagree mostly with it as I have heard many of Ritchie's virtues expressed through his unique talent. Nobody has the feel, the impromptu versatility and just deep, rich, emaculate tone that Blackmore has given us for eternity.
Big thanks for sharing that Patrick, very much appreciated!
@@crusheverything4449 Yes Ronnie was special, I believe the songwriting they did together was unparalleled. I think they each knew what the other brought to the table and Ronnie understood the importance of Ritchie's usually spectacular solo segments. I spoke with Ronnie by phone from his Connecticutt home in 1978 about the "Long Live Rock n Roll" album on its release and he was specifically proud of the tune "Rainbow Eyes" and hoped I would listen to it carefully. Dio was a very kind and open man to all who would listen...
I met Blackmore numerous times between 1990 and 2013,never had a problem with him and even said to him some very risky subjects that could have had a disastrous response, and he was still very polite to me. But I've seen Blackmore get irritated by fans.As for Edward Van Halen, I knew him,he knew me as a fan,from 1991 to 2015,and was always nice to me,but I've seen him blow off fans.
Eddie was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Even came back to ask me what my name was again. So nice.
I can't help but smile and crack up at all these videos about Blackmore (walking on eggshells, preparing for danger, etc.) It's just hilarious how different he is, and his unique ways of throwing people off.
I heard he's mellowed out a lot over the years, but don't ever meet your idols, you'll be disappointed.
I meet Johnny Rotten, he was great. Stood outside (with a cab waiting) and talked to us for 10 minutes, signed autographs. Was nothing but friendly.
@@Vichedges I believe that, saw that compassion, caring thing when he spoke about the loss of Keith Flint,
The Prodigy.
The one time I met him he was great and people that know him tell me Candice has a lot to do with it. But I used to work in a big music store where a lot of "rock stars" used to come in and have custom guitars made and amps modified. Man, I lost my fascination for celebrities. Many of those jerks couldn't pump gas if they had to.
True in a lot of ways, but I have to say BB King treated me so great when I was in my 20’s. He asked me if I played and when I said I really try. He said keep practicing and grabbed my hand with both hands. I have been playing for 30 years and I think of him often. I never hit it big and probably never will but I would always treat someone like he treated me if I did. He was a true hero. RIP Mr. King.
Bullshit I met Alvin Lee a few times. He was always a gentleman , and listened to what you had say.
Richie can be how he likes. I don't expect anything from him except great music
i have meet Keith Emerson backstage in mexico city , well we chat more than half an hour , mainly talking about keyboards gears , really he was a gentleman
I met, and hung out with Keith 3 times. Total gentleman. Great man, may he RIP.
Late 80s I had dinner with Keith's girlfriend and my girlfriend at my gf's apartment in NoHo... long story..
After all Ritchie was Ritchie, he was aloof, he was arrogant, he was Ritchie Blackmore!!!
Sounds awesome!
I would agree he was aloof. But arrogant? How so?
And was he anymore 'arrogant' than other guitar luminaries? Before or since?
I can see why Ritchie Blackmore was such a big influence for Yngwie Malmsteen xD
Yngwie Malmsteen is Blackmore 2.0
Of course I think Malmsteen had many influences like Uli Jon Roth, Al Di Meola, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Gary Moore
I think the Malmsteen being an AH is mostly a fabricated stereotype myth.
He used to be wild and in people's faces if there was a real issue and maybe a diva but since at least the last couple of decades (and even before) there is much testimony, footage and recordings on how he really is down to earth and meeting people at same level.
There is a distinct difference in being confident about one's capabilities
and just having some god complex.
Just don't mention donuts to Yngwie (certainly don't offer him one).
@@hedgehog1965uk I know.
If i see him, i will offer him a Berliner xD
The way I read his personality, FWIW, is introverted.Sometimes shy and actually lacking in confidence.
He doesn't suffer fools gladly.
He gets bored and frustrated often,at least back then.
He was always attracted by the supernatural and life's darker side.
He loves a wind-up and doesn't appreciate insincerity and chit-chat.
I see nothing too bad there and have always loved his music and vibe.
Spot on 100%
you are such a person yourself right ,, me too
Hello Kar. Guess I was lucky that I only talked to Ritchie on the phone. He was, I believe it was, on KLOS or KMET radio station in Los Angeles, being interviewed, and I called in and got to talk to him. SInce I asked some questions about their songs they really let me talk to Ritchie for a long time and he was quite cool. I remember asking him about the lyrics of one song and he said it was because Ian Gillan was into rats and snakes, etc. Oh, and I asked him why Gillan left Purple back in 1973. Ritchie said he was surprised about how many people alwasy ask him about Ian Gillan. How I wish I had that conversation on tape. Oh well...
Hi Joe, great to hear from you! Awesome story, very interesting. Big thanks for sharing! Rock on!!!
@@karsguitarchannel6088 Thank you for posting these great videos. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I met Ian Gillan at the Long beach arena and I talked to Ritchie on the phone.
I met Blackmore in a club in Aurora IL in ‘69. They had just arrived from the airport where baggage handlers had dropped the band’s B3. Blackmore did an outstanding job covering for a thinner sound. Jon Lord later tried to play a friend of mine’s Vox organ but gave up after one song. Eventually a B3 was acquired from a local dealer and the 2nd show was great!
I'm glad Craig (anyone in fact) finally acknowledged how great the Deep Purple song, "Burn" is. It is an amazing song! The guitar riff is awesome, iconic. Ian Paice's drumming blows me away and he never seems to receive any recognition. Jon Lorde's keyboard work and solo is pure wizardry. And David Coverdale's vocal operettic.
In my opinion and especially when considering it isn't thematic in the manner of Tommy or Dark Side, Burn is about as perfect a collection of powerhouse performances to ever emerge from the 70s or any decade. The tracks don't lose their edge like many do. The playing is stellar throughout and the writing isn't forced or contrived to fit around one or two 'hits' as one may expect/excuse considering the circumstances but instead effortless, dynamic and full of excitement throughout. An excellent example of why DP writing credits are shared equally amongst the band. And yes, the arrangement of the title track is wholly original. Hats off to Paicey for 'doing his bit' out of boredom in the studio waiting for the others to agree on the verse
structure. To say they don't write them like that any more is quite an understatement.
How dare you forget Glen Hughes' contribution to that vocal track!
@@leeaycock8602 Sorry man, I didn't know Glen sang on it. Is it the, "You know we had no time" part? Yes it is great! Thanks for the reminder.
@@leeaycock8602 'How dare' you tell a fellow rock off, do you think you are Greta Thundeberg? lol!
As a teenager, I was very fortunate to meet Richie, at (UK) Newcastle City Hall 'TWICE'.
I didn't have any tickets, but knew how to get in! (another story!).
First night, I met and saw them all enter the side stage door. Most of the time there was only me there, so managed to meet and speak to them all. I recall Cozy and his Dad being so nice.
1st night, I was allowed inside to mix with everyone backstage. Cozy's Dad gave me a tour, I remember this like it was yesterday.
We got to Richie's room, (with his notorious sign on the door). Richie was at the far end of the room, with one of his Strat's, with his back to us. He was fine, invited me in and gave me his autograph FACT!.
It was unbelievable to mix with all of the band, family members and loads of people that I didn't know.
Anyway, I returned for their second night (same venue, Newcastle City Hall). I was at the same place (stage door access), and saw all of the band again.
When Blackmore arrived, I thanked him for his autograph the previous night. He looked at me, recognised me, and said that this was the only autograph given that night.
I remember it raining very hard, and Richie had to gain access through a different door.
As we spoke, I asked him if he would be smashing up his guitar that night, (as he didn't the previous night).
He smiled at me and said, 'that depends on the audience'.
I 'managed' to get in again with no ticket, (sorry Richie!), to see that performance. Hid did demolish his Strat that night.
He is human, he is an individual, he is not rude and moody, he was fine, helpful and considerate.
Both shows were AWESOME, Rainbow in their prime.
I consider myself VERY luck.
Thanks Richie.
Awesome story!
I met Ritchie after a Rainbow gig in London. My friend and i just happened to be hiding from the bad weather outside the fire escape he was using to slip past the crowd of fans waiting. He was friendly and chatty, particularly when asked about how his Strat was set up.
So tell us how it was set-up?
As an Englishman Blackmore has probably never been the kind of "hey, what's up dude?" kind of guy...
My thoughts exactly.
When you meet Blackmore, say "Hello, it's a great honor to meet you!"
@@karsguitarchannel6088 how about "what's happening asshole?"
A man should never idolize another man...
😂
@@elonmust7470 Neither idolize nor disrespect
That is such a great story , and you know how much I love Blackmore so I'm your biggest fan with stories like this !!!
A band called the Boys , never heard ...And man so much research and work you are putting on for us and always greatly documented !!!
Would be so happy too to play (even football) with Ritchie !!!!!!!!
Thank you very much Christophe! Have an awesome rocking day!!!
If you ever meet Ritchie Blackmore, tell him ian Gillan said hello.
Nice one lol
The list of legendary guitarist that were influenced by Ritchie blackmore is staggering
I met Richie with a school friend at the stage door before a rainbow gig which was completely sold out. we thought just hang around & maybe we might see Richie from a distance, Richie turned up & when he approached he stopped & asked us did we have tickets to the show, I said unfortunately it's sold out, he said let these boys in, I couldn't believe it, I said that's really kind to let us in, then I said is there any chance I could have a guitar pick please, he reached into his pocket & gave me a pick, its strange very thin tortoise shell shaped like a house, I couldn't believe it, I will never forget his kindness, he was obviously in a very good mood that evening
@@crusheverything4449 brilliant glad you got a pick as well, will never forget that evening still have the pick
@@crusheverything4449 fantastic stuff I'm sure your a great singer, Doogie is a fantastic guy he used to play in a rock cover band with the guitarist from FM & i was the stand in bass player so i got to know him well & played many gigs with him, i never talked to him about rainbow, the last time i saw him was at the MSG gig in london & he was happy to see me, very glad to know another rocker, keep in touch
@@crusheverything4449 wow brilliant Andy Barnett he is such a crazy guy really funny & a good friend, i think he either lives in sweeden or malta now, i saw him a few years ago when he came to london, i haven't listened to FM i knew about them through Andy, i should check them out, i met Glen Hughes & got to know him when he did a few tracks on my friend Bill Liesgangs album no strings attached John Wetton played & sang on a few tracks as well, i met the drummer Tom Lang coz he was a good friend of Bill, its a small world & great to make your acquaintance as well from leon
@@crusheverything4449 Bill will be very happy you like the albums, i only spoke to him a few weeks ago now we have lockdown in london i have been in touch with a lot of people i haven't seen for a while, if ever you visit london he would be glad to meet you i'm sure, i played gigs with him many times he's a really nice guy & his wife, unfortunately i never played on any of his albums i just done gigs with him, you can find me on facebook i don't really use it or post much stuff i just use it to chat really, it's leon lawson the profile photo is a cartoon character atom ant, probably better to keep in touch that way, many thanks leon
@@crusheverything4449 no problem at all totally respect your privacy & wish you all the best from leon
I ran into Ritchie at the Rainbow and approached him. I asked him for his autograph and he looked at me and asked “why would you want my autograph”. I replied, “because you’re the greatest guitar player”. He said, “I guess that’s good enough”. So I got his autograph and was on my merry way. That was about 1977 or so.
Very interesting story, thanks!
Do a utube search and you can listen to Ritchie on the Strat covering a B.B. King song "The Thrill Is Gone", the song is on William Shatner's new album "The Blues" that was released 10/02/2020. I guess Ritchie had worked on a previous album from Shatner and so Captain Kirk rang up Ritchie to see if he would lay down a track on this album. Now we all know about Ritchie's approach-ability and what not, so that means Shatner must have super powers to pull off that seemingly impossible feat, twice. Strange but true.
I think I just Shat myself.
Well Shatner is an ass too
Wait...william shatner have an album? I dont even know he is a singer 🤣
@@brogoram Technically he isnt ! Its mostly talked not sung properly 😂
As a fan, I met EVH and got his autograph,he was kind to me and a true gentleman!!
I met Ritchie once in a club in CT in the early 80's. I was practically like Wayne or Garth in Wayne's world (I'm not worthy!) I could see him rolling his eyes after a minute or two, so I told him I loved his music and let the next obsessed fan invade his privacy.
Eddie is a cool guy. Never turns off his fans man.
You should know not to bother these people, when they're having a private conversation.
Agreed
If I have to know what not to do before meeting someone I'll just leave them alone. Not worth my time. People like that need to realize I think just as much of myself as they do of themselves.
He was/is very English. When you meet a stranger its a " Oh hello and pleased to meet you" vibe. You extend hands to shake them. Hi dude doesn't work!
I did some work at his house about 3 years ago here in NY. He didn’t seem bad at all.
If you meet Ritchie Blackmore it's a mistake to smile too quickly and too often, he won't trust you.
Well said - he won't trust you. Like Gillan said Blackmore's very insecure
On the other hands, if your fans smile a lot, it means they are happy to meet you. Be kind and understanding to your fans! They are probaly also intimidated to meet their hero
I've met members of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon...pretty much guys from the Golden era of Metal and they were all super nice and approachable. They signed whatever I wanted and posed for pics. But I do know that some artists probably don't like fan attention.
What, is he an animal? That's ok if you are a baby, not a man in his 70s..
It's better to wink and ruffle his hair. He responds positively to that.
I met Ritchie when Rainbow rehearsed at the studio I was running,(LI NY) for the "Down to Earth" record and tour.
He was a gentleman, as were all the band members, Roger, Cozy, Don, and Graham.
I accompanied Ritchie and the Band to the local mall, where they purchased sound equipment for the tour vehicles. That is a favorite memory, walking thru the mall with a famous group, and none of the teenage kids knew anything ! Most of the time they stayed in the lounge and watched football.....
Never make eye contact with Ritchie Blackmore for too long, he sees it as a challenge.
Personally, I don't like when someone on the street stares at me like they know me. I usually spit in their direction and they usually turn their glance away from me
Usually those kind of people don't look friendly at all. And they look as if they want to show their superiority. I don't need that, so I just spit at them. Probably Blackmore feels the same.
On the other hand, those people are not my fans
I don't like eye contact at all or talking getting the mail or tv or knocks on doors dogs barking guitars or music root beer floats or myself I don't like eye contact the most it usually means I might get my ads handed to me because I am arrogant
Never approach Blackmore if he is injured. He has movement based vision, and won't breed in captivity.
True story: way back in the MySpace days, I got an IM from Candice Night (singer with Blackmore's Night). I had just released an album, and had been promoting it like a madman. She said "Ritchie really likes your music." I was amazed!! This was completely unsolicited. I thanked her, and asked her to convey my thanks to Ritchie for the compliment, and added I have admired what he has done for many years.
Sweet Candice!
god damn thats next level
@@Losrandir Candice seems like a sweet heart
I read a commentary from Doogie White ( vocalist on Rainbow's Stranger in Us All album, 1995, one of the best guitar driven albums, Rainbow recorded) that Ritchie fired the original bass player that was supposed to record the album, because the guy would constantly step out of the studio, to smoke a cigarette or drink some wine, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LAYING DOWN TRACKS FOR THE ALBUM. Doogie said that the bass player did it so much, that Ritchie asked his supporters to go to the pub, after the recording session, and fire the bassist. I read several comments from readers, putting down Ritchie for doing this, but you have to understand, Recording studios cost money, and time is of the essence, the longer it takes to record something, the more money it costs. This guy was literally stepping out repeatedly, in the middle of recordings, and making everyone else wait. As a musician, myself, this behavior is very unprofessional, and Ritchie being the perfectionist, that he is, I don't blame him for firing the guy, I think Ritchie gets a raw deal. It's easy to hate or judge someone. There's always 2 sides to every story.
As a musician myself, I totally agree. Unprofessionalism is not to be tolerated. 👍🤘
@Chris Manzi stop inserting politics into everything ffs
There is an interview with Glenn Hughes where he admits Blackmore was actually only extremely professional and would get mad at people like him and before him Gillan because they wouldn't take the business so seriously...Hughes says he regrets not being more mature, sober and focused on Deep Purple days...
I saw that tour at the Billboard Live in LA, was awesome.
I agree with Blackmore totally here.
I met him in about 1988 in Connecticut and he signed his autograph. He was playing soccer and was taking a rest. I walked up and said Sir Im a big fan may I have your autograph. He smiled and signed my check stub. I thanked him and walked away. He was very nice and polite.
Awesome
I met him after a Rainbow concert in 1975. He was perfectly pleasant and friendly--readily gave me an autograph.
''Don't go in my dressing room, don't through shit on the stage, don't touch my guitars or any of my personal things''....I would say the same, can't see the problem with that! I agree with Blackmore. I judge him on all the masterpieces he has given us, not if he isn't interested in fan boys.
I judge him on the kind of person he is. Don't care how talented you are if you're an asshole.
@@TheJpep2424 I judge him for all the great music he has given us! Why do you care about his personality? You'll never meet him so who cares.
@@crusheverything4449 Good ! because this makes me feel sick!
So the AC/DC lads did this in '76, so it was after the brawl they had with Deep Purple at the Sunbury festival in '75. Awesome story!
I am proud to say I've met two of my guitar heroes: Joe Bonamassa and Paul Dean. Both super nice guys. Paul Dean was really cool. He's not going to appear on any top 100 guitarists list but I still loved his work with Loverboy. I shook his hand and told him he was a favorite of mine. He looked at me and said, "No way! Get outta here!" Like he couldn't believe he'd top anyone's list. He then posed with my wife as I took a picture... I have that picture still. It is very special to me.
Also, I bumped into Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers at a biker event. I wanted to greet him but he had just gotten off his bike, a vintage Harley, after a very long ride. The poor guy looked WASTED. I'm sure all he wanted to do was go to the beer tent and rest. We locked eyes for a split second and I'm sure he saw that I recognized him... I didn't wish to bother him so I just let the chance to meet him pass.
I met Blackmore, but i didn't give him my autograph lol
We met him four times, maybe five times. We met Candice and Blackmores Mother in law as well. For some month they used to live here in Bavaria in an old Castle, not far from my home. They are very, very nice people, no doubt. Don‘t forget, Blackmore is pure british! He‘s a Soccer, tea and monthy python kind of man 😄
Football.
My friends and I happened to be staying at the Apollo Hotel on the Australian Gold Coast, while most of the band were taking a break from their tour. This was in the 1970s! We were having fun in the bar one night, and for some reason Ritchie's personal roadie invited us to join them. Apparently, Ritchie likes to have a bit of a coterie around him when he's hanging out! We had a bloody great weekend with the guys, especially Jimmy Bain. who was happily living on mandies much of the time, and Cozy Powell who was a fantastically personable and funny guy! Ronnie was just mainly sight-seeing and we didn't see him too much, but he was an absolutely lovely person to talk to. We had some in-room parties, and we even jammed with Ritchie on acoustics, especially Beatles songs and that sort of thing! We all got on well with Ritchie and I didn't see any of the prima donna stuff going on. He is a serious sort of guy, but he does have a very humorous side to him. I feel very fortunate to have had that experience!
Fantastic, thanks for sharing!
That is the reason I love Tony Iommi...such a sweet soul...God bless him
I can easily imagine that the whole fame/fan thing would get old and weird kinda quickly.
I can attest to how cool George Lynch is.
Very friendly and personable, and even wrote out some absolutely insane solo for me to try.
I met George doing a guitar clinic at a huge music shop here in Canada and he just couldn't be bothered and right after Doug Aldrich comes out was incredibly and spoke to loads of us very nice fella!
I love and respect all guiter famouse.they are the same,no one is the top,they are famouse in each own and scret talents.
3:47 that's a really cute 80s girl right there...
Lmao yeah your kinda right
Now he looks like hannibal lecter
😂😂😂😂😂 ok you owe me a beer cause I done spit mine out in laughter 😂😂😂😂
My guitar hero was Frank Marino. I wrote him a letter once thanking him for the inspiration and he actually wrote me back. The man is a class act. It's cool when your heroes don't disappoint.
Same here. Love Frank Marino. He is an absolutely amazing guitar player!
I was the first one in line to meet Pat Travers after a show in San Diego. After 1am and he still had time to meet and greet a long line of fans. Top Man. Sometimes meeting your guitar hero is a really cool thing.
I’ve met PAT TRAVERS.... he was just the nicest guy in the world!!
Of course Marino and Travers are nice guys. They're Canadian.
@@morlokvestai-kurak9680 I stood right in front of Pat Travers when he played a small venue in Victoria BC. After he played 'Hammerhead' he tossed me his pick. That was pretty cool. I still have it somewhere. Travers band with Tommy Aldridge, Mars Cowling and PatThrall was a good one. :)
Lars said that somebody was "arrogant"... Oh wait.
And he also said he loved that
Awesome review, enjoyed it!
Thank you Callahan, glad you liked the video!
When i saw Richies band Rainbow in 75 i felt i had witnessed one of the best musicians ever in history. Like Mozart or something. I felt really fortunate to carch that show. Plus got introduced to Ronnie Dio.
Imaging people like Van Halen, Ulrich and Lynch come to you fanboying and you say: "go away!" :-D
Lol good one
Excellent As Always :)
Thank you very much Scott for checking out, rock on!!!
I was fortunate enough to hang with Richie... We were at the Rainbow where my band Mandrake were opening for Quit Riot in 1976.. He was sitting at the VIP bar upstairs by himself. Everyone was afraid to go over and introduce themselves, not me. I marched right over to him said hi, my nome is Mark i'm the drummer in the band you just watched, can I buy you a beer. Sat their all night getting hammered with Richie, awesome, he drinks Heineken beer.
It‘s funny to read all of this here. I met Ritchie on several occasions, mostly before or after a concert. I can‘t imagine anyone more relaxed or willing to talk about anything than him.
The first time I met him, I just walked up to him after a concert. That was in the time when there were no barriers and no security people. Ritchie stayed after the concert to check out a small amp he‘d placed on top of his Marshall stack. I asked him what that was about and he politely answered that he was just trying something out and didn‘t know if it would work like he thought it would.
The second time I met him in a dressing room that he shared with Ian. Ian was drying his hair or something and they both leafed through my then already sizeable autograph collection, commenting on each and every band as they went. Ritchie even asked some questions on the guitars they were playing (there were pictures that went along with the autographs, some of them showed the instruments). With that we had a common subject and we talked about different guitar types and features for some time. Ritchie even let me play on one of his guitars. (He carefully wiped the strings afterwards 😁)
Talk music and not people with a musician, and you can‘t go wrong.
Many thanks for sharing, very interesting!
Everyone should take note of this comment the next time they meet a famous musician (especially the classic rock greats). Something I would never do to someone like Ritchie is treat him like he is my bro (like Eddie did)... Have respect when you talk to an English gentleman.... He isn't your buddy Eddie ! lol
Ritchie is a genius on the guitar but still human. No one achieves perfection in music or humanity.
Everyone has a "bad day" from time to time, but when you're a true asshole, people will eventually find out.
I am getting a kick out of the awesome stories people have posted here. The closest I got to meeting him was having a Japanese poster of him with the 25th anniversary strat on my bedroom wall in '79. He was perfectly polite there.
I met Ritchie on 1977 at a Dominos Pizza. We were both at the counter. We both wanted the pepperoni pizza but the pizza guy told us there was pepperoni enough for only one pizza. I told Blackmore i am pepperoni's biggest fan and i begged him to let me have it. He ordered it anyway and ate it in front of me.. He even ordered ice cream
I met Lemmy in Las Vegas and he actually shook my hand and thanked me for going to see Motörhead later. I thought he gave me a very sparse, lame response but in retrospect I walked up and bugged the dude during a likely precious moment of relaxation. His image would have definitely allowed him to be a huge ass to me but he was not.
That's awesome! I've heard several times that he was a really approachable guy
I think, the people got it wrong, he just didn't want to be approached in a rude way, or to be "challenged", it was just a defense mechanism, you can see that with many celebrities who get mad when they get "called up" on the street or in restaurant, etc.
AC DC blew the candles out, love it!
Like any genius, Ritchies attitude strange and different from regular people.Just listen his music and you forgive him anything.Every his solo is piece of art, his feeling of music impossible to teach.So guys relax and enjoy genius of RITCHIE BLACKMORE !
I was told by someone prominent in the music business (at the time) to never meet your idols, as you’ll be disappointed. So I never have.
When I met Eddie and Ritchie it was at the Whiskey . I was a kid. My cousin owned the place . Eddie was the nicest guy always teasing me and showing me guitar licks.
Be good to people on the way up and they will be good to you on the way down. There will always be gravity to bring you down.
love the stories, thanks for sharing
Big thanks Robert, much appreciated!!!
I would imagine that fans can be very intrusive. Honestly, I’d think twice before introducing myself to my idol if he was otherwise engaged. I’m not even famous and I don’t enjoy being interrupted, if it happened regularly I’d go nuts. It must get old after a while. I don’t think Blackmore was ever interested in being famous, he just wanted to create great guitar driven music. I understand his aloofness..
I think some celebrities probably act surly on purpose to discourage people from bothering them.
Thank You for sharing 🙂😊
You are very welcome Greg, my pleasure!
Like Neil Peart of Rush wrote, I can’t pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend.
The picture of Ritchie in the black hat almost looks like Ritchie has horns.
When I met my musical hero I found out the hard way that he also had a few do's and don'ts. I got abused but it was worth it. The guy is a legend and meeting him was awesome but damn, that Zamfir sure can be a miserable bastard.
😆
He was a really decent guy....shook my hand when I met him.
All of us have our stupid moments. Ritchie is no exemption. But he's just keeping it real. I suppose being a rockstar - and a guitar wizard at that - is very stressful at times.
I worked on Gillan's Double Trouble tour. At the Poole gig, I arranged with Ian's manager for my first wife to meet him. I took her to the dressing room and was let in. Ian looked at her, stood up and threw up in front of her. The manager made up for it by giving me a signed poster for her. I also ended up with a piece of one of John McCoy's broken basses.
Unbelievable!
@@crusheverything4449 Man, she she fell outta the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Every night when she came home, the mice would throw themselves on the traps!
The English can be very reserved at times. I know because I am from England myself and I too have a highly reserved and introverted personality. My father's former boss was like Blackmore in many ways, not very trusting and was extremely selective about who he associated with. He was super nice to my sister and I though as we grew up in front of him, I guess that was unconditional given that he loved my father a lot but on the whole, he wasn't an easy man to crack.
I guess Blackmore is a very complex personality and if you catch him at the wrong moment, it probably won't end well.
I remember a quote from Joe Lynn Turner: "Yngwie thought he was god, but Richie was god". Or something like that.
I bet Blackmore let AC/DC get away with it.
They came across like a jolly bunch but Malcolm and Bon seemed like the type of working class guys you just didn't mess with if you know what I mean.
Don't even get me started on Phil...🤣
Lol Phil literally tried to get dirty deeds done dirt cheap and was caught.
Especially Bon
Guns for hire ! They don't just write about it, they live it! 🤣
One of my friends meet Blackmore in record studies He got a positive impressions of him
I love blackmore
I met Ritchie in 2009, at a blackmores night show in germany. Had a job as backstage security. Wanted to meet him, but he don't wanna see anybody. Later that day Candice took me by the hand and brought me to Richies dressing room. We sat together drank some of his Whisky and had a nice talk about guitars.
But he didn't wanne give any autographs.
The Man in Black, The Maestro, GOAT for me
Thanks this will come in handy when I never get to meet him.