Former Rainbow frontman Joe Lynn Turner talked about his former Rainbow bandmate Ritchie Blackmore recently reuniting with his former band Deep Purple on stage for one show. He also explained what he thought about the reunion and Blackmore’s performance, which was criticized by some fans.
Asked about the reunion between Deep Purple and Ritchie Blackmore, Turner said: “Oh, yeah. Of course. Well, what I think is that I really honestly sincerely hope that healing has happened. I honestly don’t hope it was not a dog and pony show, as we say, that it was just for uh publicity or notoriety. I really hope that Richie and Ian have sort of buried the hatchet as we say, you know, the healing that there’s no animosity.”
“I mean, everybody’s so much older and time and life is short and I hope they all realize that the nonsense that everybody went through back then doesn’t mean anything compared to what they really did together as a unit. And I really hope that’s the sincere part of it.”
“You know, I’m not going to get into the fact of whether Ritchie played brilliantly or not or whether it was this or he look, he’s 80 years old. He’s slowing down. He’s got certain ailments and all that. That’s not the important part. The important thing is in his heart and hopefully in Ian’s heart, especially because it was those two guys who were at friction with each other, that there’s healing. So, I think it’s good.”
“I think it shows people that you’ve got to let things go. You cannot carry anger or hate. It’s absolutely destructive in our lives. None of that matters, you know. None of it. You have to look always at the positive side of things. These guys created just incredible music. I mean, these, you know, they were my heroes. I sat with my guitar and learned every Blackmore lick possible and uh was honored and blessed to play with them and at the same and to be part of that family and to see families or individuals in a family at odds is always heartbreaking. So, I hope that repaired it. That’s what I think. I hope it repaired all of those problems.”
The reunion Turner discussed was a rare onstage appearance that carried considerable history for Deep Purple fans. It also brought Blackmore back into the orbit of a band and a singer with whom he had shared one of hard rock’s most influential creative partnerships.
Blackmore joined Deep Purple for a one-off performance on August 12, 2015, at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. It was his first appearance with the band in 22 years.
The performance included several of Deep Purple’s best-known songs, including “Highway Star,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Perfect Strangers,” and “Black Night.” Blackmore’s return attracted attention not only because of the setlist, but also because of the unresolved history between him and singer Ian Gillan.
The tension between Blackmore and Gillan was a major factor in the collapse of Deep Purple’s classic lineup. In an interview, Blackmore described how the two musicians “butted heads” because they both wanted control, adding that they “weren’t speaking” by the end of that era.
Turner understood that history from personal experience. He fronted Rainbow from 1980 to 1984 and recorded three albums with Blackmore: Difficult to Cure, Straight Between the Eyes, and Bent Out of Shape. Blackmore later dissolved Rainbow and returned to Deep Purple, further connecting Turner’s career to the band’s long and complicated history.
