Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1994
In an interview with Radio Rock Deep Purple vocalist spoke about a possible reunion with Ritchie Blackmore .
“Let me give you an example. Let’s say you got divorced, and there was bitterness and hardship. And many relatives and children were affected, and life went on. Then you remarried and someone says, ‘Oh, we want you to get together with your old wife and your new wife, all together, and we’ll have wonderful times.’ Can you imagine how difficult that is in human terms? Now, I understand that we are professionals and we have a kind of responsibility, but, to be honest, we never consider the business aspects or the fan aspect or any of those things when making decisions, because what we always do is what is most natural and we follow our passion and hope that the audience likes it.”.
Everyone knows the story. Deep Purple was in decline when Ritchie left, and with Steve Morse , we started to rise again. So it would be impossible to do that. And I think it will become increasingly difficult as the years go by, because nobody is very interested in that kind of thing.
We don't have much passion or dislike for Ritchie – in fact, we're exchanging ideas through our offices, so there are no unpleasant feelings. But I think it's too late. We're thinking about the end now.
As far as I know, everyone in the band would think it's a bad idea. Let's just let it rest. Let's just wish Ritchie well, and do what he does, and we'll do what we do. Things are going very well now.”
Gillan also said that not many people are asking for this reunion. “It’s not something we hear much about. It’s just a small fraction, a small number who would like it,” he explained. “And I don’t think those are the guys who go to the shows; I don’t believe in that.”.
“If you have a wound and it’s about to heal and you have a good scab on it, and you think that in two or three days it will be completely healed, then someone comes along and pokes it with a stick and opens it up again…that’s what happens with the Ritchie-Deep Purple situation. Every time it starts to heal, someone comes along and pokes it with a stick. So that’s the issue.”.
We're so close to the end now – within a year or two, three, four… I don't know. Who knows? But it's close. And I think probably, as Ian Paice said, we're happy now. It's stopped raining. The sun is shining. Let's enjoy it.
