Blackmore Shuns Hall Of Fame Nomination

Richie Blackmore has reacted to Deep Purple's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination by saying he won't turn up if they are inducted.

The band have been eligible for induction for 20 years, but Blackmore who founded the band but left for the final time in 1993 told Billboard he "couldn't care less."

"I would never go - I'm not really a fan of that stuff. Considering some of the people that are in the Hall of Fame, I'm not sure if it’s a good idea," he said. "I think our fans seem to care more than I do. They’re always saying, 'You should be in the Hall of Fame.' If I can pay the bills that's all I care about."

Instead he'll continue work with his wife on an eighth album as Blackmore's Night.

Meanwhile, Deep Purple have been working on a new album with producer Bob Ezrin. Sadly, founding keyboardist Jon Lord died following a battle with cancer in July.

In other Blackmore news, Classic Rock reports that his classic band Rainbow which was fronted by Ronnie James Dio will release a two-disc deluxe version of the live "On Stage From 1977" and their third LP "Long Live Rock'n'Roll" which will include previously unreleased material.

Is Blackmore right to shun the ceremony, or would Deep Purple fans appreciate an appearance? Let us know in the comments.

Comments

[goremetal22]

He's a legend, he can do whatever the hell he wants.

[Blackdog71]

I saw him play the Michael Sobell Sports Centre in London in 1982 (I think)with Rainbow. He was in a foul mood, he didn't want to be there and it showed. Never seen him since. Love the music but not him.

[TheDashboard]

Always a pathetic excuse...

[PGilbert]

Rock n Roll hall of fame is a joke & Richie knows it.

[gkex]

Nuh Uh, N.W.A. is totally rock n' roll dude. DUH

[Vedicardi]

N.W.A does indeed rock, ABBA however does not.

[Ain_Elohim]

You do realize that ABBA is classified as glam rock, right?

[goochmaster15]

ABBA is disco

[FoxAndTheHound]

Dave Grohl likes Abba, so does Corey Taylor. Don't hate just because it's different

[adambauman31]

just cause dave grohl and corey taylor like them doesn't mean they deserve to be in.

[FoxAndTheHound]

True, but they were influential. In fact, Dave Grohl says he loves the dissonance of some of ABBA's stuff and it influenced parts of his writing on Wasting Light.

[Ghost_Dancer]

Does that same rule apply for NWA then?

[FoxAndTheHound]

I would say sure, why not? A lot of guitar players were influenced by rap music. In one particular interview with Guitar World, Tom Morello cites rap music as one of his biggest influences. In the interview he even jokes that he was originally the "DJ" of RATM because he was playing guitar like he heard it in rap songs.

[offspringfan41]

They also incorporate some metalcore elements in their songs.

[Jmoarguitar]

Everyone enjoys a little bit of Abba once and awhile! Especially if it's John Frusciante singing it


I think what we should really appreciate is that Rush has finally been recognized and is a nominee.

[ZeligtheAxMan]

Still, it's like Slah said last year (I can't believe I'm quoting Slash to make a point). "I don't give a f*ck but if the fans want it, I'm there" that's paraphrased...
Point is, if hundreds of thousands of DP fans want him there, he should at least consider it...

[Psycho Pigeon]

If hundreds of thousands of fans wanted him to walk around naked and moo like a cow then he should do that too, according to your stupid logic. F the hall of fame, load of TOSH.

[ironBLSmaiden]

Right, cause wanting to see a guitar legend play non folk music again is exactly the same as asking him walk around naked and moo like a cow...

[ZeligtheAxMan]

Thank you sir, and I believe this: is what you're looking for

[dewitt]

If it's not something he wants to do, it may as well be.

Just because he's written and recorded things you've liked in the past, that doesn't make him your puppet, and he owes you nothing.

[LotusBrommel]

thats right. he is a musician, not a hero. for whatever reason, people who call themselves "fans" believe people need to bow to their every whim. I may get some negative votage here, but not everyone "*****s" themselves out to people like SOME people...**coughs**slash**coughs**

[kakapoo]

although blackmore may have the right to do as he pleases he still owes the fans something for allowing him to live the rock and roll dream. w/o the fans hed b wiping pubic hairs off toilets and mopping up vomit and piss so the least he could do is pull it together for one goddamn nite and show his appreciation.

[kakapoo]

we all made the ******* rich!!!!!

[mnewland1]

Agree with this. He's who he is because of the fans, regardless of what people want to say. He should show respect to the fans. That being said, it is a certified fact that HOF has several questionable inductees and a strange case of selectism.

[mnewland1]

Ps. I do think that it would be hilarious if a band as profound as Rush were to get offered and induction (finally) and completely turn it down.

[GameSkate]

Blackmore: Ok, I'm not playing folk anymore.
Fans: OMFG HE SOLD OUT

[Rob E]

I completely agree he can do whatever the hell he wants, but doing something with Deep Purple sure wouldn't harm him in the bill-paying department...

[2NaFish]

The HOF is an excuse to emotionally blackmail legends in to playing a gig to make other people money.

[ne14t]

I don't blame him at all, I wouldn't blame any of the bands in the same position. Think about it they have been eligible for 20 years, in that 20 years they probably watched copious non rock acts get admitted in their first year or two of eligibility. I personally wouldn't give two shits myself, RRHOF is so diluted and fake now it just doesn't carry the same meaning as it did before. I mean no rock act wants to be compared to the likes of The Beastie Boys or NWA...even if those acts had monumental and ground breaking music. I don't know if it exists but you would never see Joe Bonamassa getting admitted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame...

[thrashmonkey]

I'm just glad to hear about another Blackmore's Night album

[kratos379]

Ritchie Blackmore is definitely one of my favorite guitarists. He deserves the recognition. If he doesn't want to go, that's up to him. Isn't Rush also declining to go? Hardly anyone deserves to be inducted more than either Rush or Deep Purple, but if they've been snubbed for this long, they have the right to not want to be involved with them.

[dewitt]

Snubbed for years or not, anyone has the right to deny this leech of an organization to leech off of their success.

[swave75]

Don't forget KISS!!!

[diehard666]

S**t dude Deep Purple and KISS are just the very point on the tip of the iceberg

Don't forget:
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Thin Lizzy
Metallica
Megadeth
Anthrax
Slayer
Whitesnake
Rai nbow
Ozzy (Solo Career)
Steve Vai
Yngwie Malmsteen
Joe Satriani
Montrose
Sammy Hagar (Solo)
Queensryche
Dio
Def Leppard
etc.

[diehard666]

Rainbow*

[kratos379]

Metallica actually got in four years ago, but really Judas Priest isn't in? I knew Iron Maiden wasn't. Actually Thin Lizzy surprises me too. A lot of the other bands don't surprise me as much, since they don't put that much metal into the hall of fame. Still those are a lot of great bands.

[diehard666]

I know I'm used to putting every band of the big 4 when I list them that was an accident lol

[marianoarnaiz]

I am going to be EXTRA hated for this, BUT. I don't care about blackmore... Steve Morse is now in DP... if they get in i want to see STEVE playing as he has beed doing for some years now!!!

[diehard666]

Yeah but you know for a fact if it was up to Steve he'd put up his guitar in a heart beat to see Blackmore play with Purple at least one more time.

[xonty]

Deep purple suffers without Blackmore

[Brandon1993]

If he doesn't want to play don't make him play.
If I were in the same position he's in right now having a band I was in getting inducted id be a bit on the fence about having anything to do with it.

[CaliforniaKid]

He is absolutely right in not caring at all. Besides, who the hell would want to have to go to Cleveland?

[Camron62\m/]

but... i'd like to see a performance. eh whatever. he's right along with most other people on this site anyway.

[Anjohl]

So are Steve Morse, Coverdale, Hughes, and Airey included in the induction? I would rather hear.Coverdale/Hughes/Blackmore doing Burn than Glover/Gillan/Blackmore.doing Smoke.

[diehard666]

It'll probably just the Mark II line-up; Ian Gillan (Vocals), Blackmore (Guitar), Jon Lord (Keyboard), Roger Glover (Bass), & Ian Paice (Drums); and the Mark III line-up; David Coverdale (Vocals), Blackmore (Guitar), Glenn Hughes (Bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), & Ian Paice (Drums). Those are the two line-ups that made the most impact. Like I said though it would probably just the Mark II & III line-ups but the people who decide what bands get are too stupid to know that so more than likely it'll just be the Mark II line-up.

[Skullivan]

You can tell the UG Team tried so hard not to put SLAM in place of "shun."

[iommi600]

'Ultimate Guitar SHUNS the word slam'

[TombOfHorror]

LOL. A while back UG used 'slam' in the articles title, and someone posted a truckload of synonyms to use in place of slam. Now UG is apparently using some of those synonyms, and people criticize.

Slammed if they do, slammed if they don't.

[bogdanminut]

Now let me get this straight: When Axl Rose decided not to show up, everyone called him an *******/ douchebag/ buzzkill (bare with). But when Richie Blackmore says he won't show up, everyone is like "aw, nvm it's a stupid joke of a show, he's right to not show up". I'm not saying that Axl Rose isn't a douchebag, nor that Richie isn't a genius guitarist, but come on. This is pure hypocrisy.

[Vicious_Turtle]

richie who? a little overrated arnt you sir?

[deadlydictator]

Says the guy with the metallica avatar....

[Vicious_Turtle]

yeah, james hetfield > richie blackmore.
tell me im worng

[iommi600]

You're wrong. Awfully wrong.

[Vicious_Turtle]

but im not

[iommi600]

Yes, yes you are.

[gypsyblues7373]

You just proved you know absolutely zilch about playing guitar.

[gypsyblues7373]

Vicious_Turtle, I mean

[Vicious_Turtle]

i know everybody here is going to say that blackmore is god, but lets faces it. he is not that great. im not saying hes bad. but hes not as good as everyone says. juts like jimi hendrix, jimmy page, kurt cobain, brian may. lets just be honest with ourselves

[gypsyblues7373]

I'm not quite understanding your point when you're lumping Kurt Cobain into the same sentence as Page, Hendrix, and May. I'm not even a Blackmore fan, but to say James Hetfield is a better guitarist is beyond absurd.

[Vicious_Turtle]

becasuse everyobdy has a hardon for him, (cobain) just like they do for pertucci, gilber, vai, blackmore. page. i like zeppelin. i do, but i hate how everydobdy thinks jimmy page is the guitar god, dont get me wrong, hes made some great music. but saying hes the greatests is pushing it. pertucci, hes a great player. but his music sucks, when i hear him plays its like im listening to a zelda soundtrack

[gypsyblues7373]

Everybody has a hard-on for Cobain? I think you over-estimate everyone's hard-ons.

[rickyvanh]

I was about to post something similar,but I agree with him about some of the acts already in there.It's kind of an insult , isn't it?I mean he's not Jimi Hendrix,but he's not Joan Jet either.

[facebagel]

I think a lot of people take this as him just telling people on his own will "NAH FUCK THIS WAH WAH WAH". But really he was asked a question and he answered with an honest sentence.

[diehard666]

I agree with him if we the fans want Purple then put them in and remove everyone that isn't even rock. I'm sorry but Michael Jackson shouldn't even be in there just because he played a few songs with EVH and Slash doesn't make him rock his nickname even gives it away for crying out loud the "King of POP". Also, I side with Blackmore with on the paying the bills part if he can pay the bills and release new music that's all that matters because its prove that even though with illegal downloading at an all time high and with him not playing with Deep Purple or releasing new Rainbow material the fans are still BUYING the albums

[dewitt]

I agree with almost everything you said here, and I think there are many acts in the R&RHOF that are completely out of place there, but I think Michael Jackson certainly has earned his spot.

He might not have played hard rock, but a good majority of his pop music is a form of rock music. For instance, I would say that the style present in Billie Jean , etc., is immediately comparable to the style like that of Queen's Another One Bites the Dust .

Also, are you completely forgetting the fact that the Jackson 5 were HUGE ? If they weren't rock & roll, what were they?

[Blackdog71]

Jackson 5 huge...yes! Absolutely. They were very very good.
Rock n Roll....No!

[dewitt]

Well, if it wasn't rock & roll, what was it?

That's like saying Black Sabbath isn't metal because there's been 'heavier' sounding music recorded since then.

[diehard666]

Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson=POP! people its the ROCK 'N' ROLL hall of fame (more like hall of shame). If 95% of your albums aren't rock, hard rock, or metal (any sub-genre of metal) you don't deserve to be in and if you are you should be kicked out bottom line

[dewitt]

Well, if the Jackson 5 weren't playing Motown rock & roll, then that means that most rock & roll from the first 20 years or so of rock & roll also doesn't count as rock & roll, because it is just as much blues, country, folk, or pop as it is rock.

Therefore, Freddie King, Albert King, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Dion, Hank Williams, etc., etc. should not be in the R&RHOF, by your line of thinking. Also, that would mean that bands like Led Zeppelin should only be partially inducted because, although they're inarguably rock and roll, they are just as much blues and folk, and there are numerous full songs in those styles on their albums, as well as being featured in every single song. I would argue that they are below 95% of your image of pure rock & roll.

[diehard666]

Blues is a type of rock, country isn't its a completely different genre and hank williams should not be in he isn't rock Led Zeppelin is 100% qualified to be fully inducted

[chaoticfables]

'Shun'? It's too late, UG. There's no walking away from that word.

[pwrmax]

Bring back the slams!

[gypsyblues7373]

It's his prerogative, he can do whatever the hell he wants, legend or not. Having said that...Blackmore is one weird, eccentric dude.

[iscreamicecream]

But Richie will show up when Rainbow is inducted =)

[iscreamicecream]

I heard Richie is Axl's butler...must be true.

[Spychosis]

Sounds like he doesn't care. He sorta outright says everybody else cares more than him about this. Meaning he's not really making a statement about anything.

[Paro_metalhead]

If Jon Lord didn't die, they wouldn't of got inducted, I hate how bands get so much more sympathy after someone dies. If the Hall respected Deep Purple, they would be inducted already for their importance in influencing hard rock and metal, not just "boom! it took a death to realize how important they are!" Just to make themselves look good for the public. FUCK you Hall of Fame!

[sn00ze]

Wanna do something for fans? Make a record. Screw HoF, no one cares about it.

[Northernmight]

Well. GOOD. Screw the Hall of Fame. It's a joke.

[triglide5]

The Hall Of Fame is an "honor". Nothing more nothing less. Backmores music speaks for itself. Just make more and honor your self Ritchie!

[WardLucas]

The first song most people learn on guitar is Smoke On The Water written by Blackmore. It's that easy. Why is he a 'legend' again?

[gypsyblues7373]

Easy to play doesn't equal bad though, any more than difficult to play equals good. There are tons of songs that are easy to play, but are classics ("Iron Man", "Satisfaction", "Whole Lotta Love", "Cocaine", etc.).

[ehopes]

I can't believe you can process the thought to ask why is Blackmore a legend on a guitar site? Go to youtube, type Ritchie Blackmore guitar solo compilation, look in the mirror, and say "I am a ****ing idiot"

[RC52190]

@ehopes: Seriously. My exact thoughts.

@WardLucas: I don't know you can even claim to appreciate music when you make a statement like "why is this guy good when he made such an easy but TOTALLY INFAMOUS riff??"

You're actually contradicting yourself because that's what makes him phenomenal. You try making a riff that popular with 4 power chords.

By the way, it's nice to meet you, Derp.

[Charlie4]

Some people are either working on the art of trolling or are just plain sh!t for brains. Music without appreciation is generic modern pop/whatever fills the charts.
RRHoF IS a Joke.

[necrosis1193]

I think it'd be nice if he acknowledged it. Not because I think the HoF is a legitimate piece of acknowledgement, but because having gone there, it's really cool seeing all the artists gear, props, writings, etc. in-person, and I'd love to see a Blackmore guitar in there.

[RC52190]

It is a complete joke. The article shows that in itself by providing the fact that Deep Purple hasn't even been inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL Hall Of Fame. The simplest, most memorable early rock riff; the basic for any guitarist to learn when he/she picks up a guitar -- came from these guys (you all know which song I'm talking about and if not, then blasphemy, sinners). How could they not be in a Hall Of Fame dedicated to the best rock bands?

If I were to make a pie chart about what types of bands get picked to be inducted in to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, it would be split into 4 sections:

17% Would be "Bands that are not-so-deserving of their place in the Hall of Fame, yet are still there, among the other legendary bands that influenced the inductee but somehow still slipped through the cracks of the R&RHoF"

22% Would be "Bands that were picked to be be inducted but were 'too cool' to accept the award because they know the R&RHoF is a circus act"

58% Would be "Bands that aren't even classified as 'rock'"

And 3% would be "Legendary rock acts that meet the criteria to be inducted (i.e. THEY ARE A ROCK BAND) and are deserving of their place there"

[Iommianity]

Probably because the Hip Hop Hall of Fame would be devoted entirely to hip hop, whereas the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been to open to all forms of music since day one. By your logic, only actual rock and roll, like Chuck Berry, is deserving of being in the hall of fame.

Nevermind the fact The Beastie Boys were a legitimate punk band, and still put harder rocking tracks on their albums than half the 'rock' in the Rock Hall of Fame.

[Demon Wolf]

It's amusing to see how people can be so two-faced about these things. Axl Rose was called a selfish bastard (to put it mildly) for declining the invitation, even though he issued a polite statement on his exact reasons. But when Ritchie Blackmore does the same thing, he gets heaps of praise? Interesting to see the double standads.

[blackwingbat]

See, Axl Rose just refused to play live with the band that made him famous because he's a selfish prick. Blackmore just doesn't see it as important to make an appearance so long as he's making the music that he loves. Can't compare that to Axl's blatant fame-whoring.

[noamshouseparty]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't Madonna in this *beep* 'Hall of Fame'? Blackmore is right to ridicule it, just like Axl & the Sex Pistols did :p