Q+A / Story (1/4): BLACKMORE’S NIGHT: What Ritchie Never Hears

… my heart has been beating to the beat of the Renaissance period for a good 20 years now.

The earthy, organic sound of Blackmore’s Night has always been inspired by nature. With “Nature’s Light” the couple dedicates a beautiful album to Mother Nature, which musically bridges the gap from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance to the present. The cover image (painted by their eight-year-old son) also features a sun: “I loved the idea of the simplicity of the rising sun,” Ritchie Blackmore explains, continuing, “As far as we know, the sun will always rise…”

Ritchie Blackmore sees himself “like a wandering minstrel. I draw mostly from the music of the Renaissance period in the 1500s, whereas Candice is more into the modern music of today. She also listens to the radio, whereas I never do.” Candice Night grins and nods knowingly, and so it is she who adds a modern touch to the sound in just the right measure. By his own admission, Ritchie feels too old for his Gibson, which he has exchanged for a Fender Stratocaster. “I already enjoy playing rock and rocking out, but my heart has been beating to the beat of the Renaissance period for a good 20 years now,” he confirms.

In the next part, we’ll talk about the Deep Purple founding member‘s musical about-face, among other things.

(Interview: Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg)