Blackmore's Night: Renaissance man

Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore pines for ye olde days of the 14th century

By Dave Surratt

In the time it takes you to read this sentence, an estimated 40 to 50 guitar-store loiterers worldwide will have crunched out that ironclad opening riff from Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water." Hundreds more--secretaries to CEOs--will feel a random surge of the same diabolically arranged four-note melody from deep within, enslaving them for hours and spreading to others via indiscreet humming at the water cooler.

Don't blame Ritchie Blackmore. He may be the one who wrote that supernaturally catchy lick 33 years ago, but once it was out, it was ours. He's since moved on, and although his mind is on old school, it's now the several-centuries-old school of medieval and Renaissance composition.

"[Renaissance musicians] were playing for the people, playing for themselves, whereas today's melodies usually revolve around how much money you can make--whether it's going to be hit," he explains. "It takes on a whole different meaning, a superficial meaning today."

For the past eight years, the ever-prolific Blackmore and longtime collaborator Candice Night have been Blackmore's Night. It all started when the two met on a soccer field in 1989.

"Actually, '93 was the first time Ritchie asked me to go on the road with him," says Night. "He was with Deep Purple, and was touring with [the album] The Battle Rages On--that was a very appropriate title for that time period I think, with all the turmoil that was going on with the band."

The live shows offered by Blackmore's Night have become an exhilarating escape for the seriously retro-minded, and European castles have become the band's favorite backdrop. To complete the package, sweeter seats are regularly offered to audience members in period dress.

"It makes for a very interesting sight," says Night. "Everybody dresses up in Renaissance garb and the moon is rising over the castle wall...it really transports you back. It's unbelievable."

A recent five-track DVD captures some of the essence Night describes. It was shot at a castle in Burg Solingen, Germany, with the two gracing a quaint outdoor stage in their own modest medieval attire, making good use of a natural push-and-pull chemistry between Night's ethereal vocals and Blackmore's still dark and formidable (if more refined) string virtuosity.

"There's not much ambient lighting," Night says. "You see everything, millions of stars overhead. You get to absorb everything from the ghosts to the owls in the forest. We even play ruins."

"We like to play to about 1,000 to 2,000 people at most," adds Blackmore, "otherwise you lose that intimate atmosphere."

He's equally tickled by the archaic environs, even if it's ultimately all about the music. "For me, music is the number one issue, although I love the lifestyle, the clothes, the architecture, the streets, the houses...it was a much simpler, nobler time in a way."

"Also, there's a great romance to it," says Night, "the chivalry and the honor..."

"Outside toilets," Blackmore deadpans.

The duo's west coast tour begins in Las Vegas, with last year's romantic collection, Beyond The Sunset, freshest on the minds of fans. Maybe the band will find inspiration by staring up at the smoldering, stained-glass motif around the House of Blues balcony, which might be the closest thing they'll find to their old-world haunts of choice.

"Well," says Night, "there's the Excalibur."