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Ritchie Blackmore

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ritchie Blackmore, in full Richard Hugh Blackmore, is an English guitarist, born in 1945 in Weston-super-Mare. At eleven he was given a guitar by his father, on condition that he learn to play it properly, and he took a year of classical guitar lessons. Later he took lessons from the session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan. In the 1960s he worked as a studio musician and played in groups such as the Outlaws and with Screaming Lord Sutch.

Music and breakthrough

In 1968 he was a co-founder of Deep Purple. The name came from him: it was his grandmother's favourite song. The first line-up, around the organist Jon Lord, played psychedelic and progressive rock. Later Blackmore also founded Rainbow and Blackmore's Night. His solos are partly classically inspired and partly based on the blues.

Influence

Blackmore is known as one of the most influential guitarists, and with Deep Purple he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. In School of Rock he appears as the maker of a famous riff, built from two-note chords in fourths. That is the inversion of a fifth, and it gives the riff a solid, open sound.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Smoke on the Water and focus on the riff: two guitar notes at once, always at the same distance. Try singing along to how that riff rises and falls.

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists