But you have to give your whole life to a cello. When I realized that, I went back to the guitar and just turned the volume up a bit louder.
Ritchie Blackmore

Everything I do is usually totally spontaneous.
Ritchie Blackmore

I can do the old hand vibrato just fine, but I like attacking the strings.
Ritchie Blackmore

I can imagine that Rod Stewart likes giving autographs because he's pure showbusiness.
Ritchie Blackmore

I can never remember what I do even in the studio.
Ritchie Blackmore

I can turn on some jazz guitarist, and he won't do a thing for me, if he's not playing electrically. But Jeff Beck's great to listen to.
Ritchie Blackmore

I criticize my own work pretty harshly.
Ritchie Blackmore

I don't put myself on Jeff Beck's level, but I can relate to him when he says he'd rather be working on his car collection than playing the guitar.
Ritchie Blackmore

I don't see myself as such an important guitarist.
Ritchie Blackmore

I don't use the twang bar anymore. It's become too popular.
Ritchie Blackmore


I feel like I own the stage.
Ritchie Blackmore

I had given up the guitar between '75 and '78. I completely lost interest. I was sick of hearing other guitar players and I was tired of my tunes.
Ritchie Blackmore

I have never met one person who likes Grand Funk.
Ritchie Blackmore

I however don't go to clubs to show off and to be seen, and certainly not to make statements. I just want to be able to quietly watch a band.
Ritchie Blackmore

I like leaping around on stage as long as it's done with class. None of this jumping up in the air and doing the splits.
Ritchie Blackmore

I was impressed by Hendrix. His attitude was brilliant. Even the way he walked was amazing.
Ritchie Blackmore

I was impressed by Hendrix. Not so much by his playing, as his attitude - he wasn't a great player, but everything else about him was brilliant.
Ritchie Blackmore

I'm not good enough, technically, to be a classic musician. I lack discipline.
Ritchie Blackmore

I'm not into that Keith Richard trip of having all those guitars in different tunings. I never liked the Rolling Stones much anyway.
Ritchie Blackmore

I'm very moved by Renaissance music, but I still love to play hard rock - though only if it's sophisticated and has some thought behind it.
Ritchie Blackmore