Ritchie Blackmore, the legendary guitarist of Deep Purple, shared a humorous yet slightly embarrassing story involving fellow guitarist Eric Clapton during a recent episode of his YouTube series. The anecdote, set in a hotel in Melbourne, Australia, transports listeners back to a vibrant time in rock history when touring bands faced the idiosyncrasies of life on the road.
Recalling the incident, Blackmore described a late-night scenario where he and his band were subjected to disruptive maintenance work taking place at 3 a.m. In a bid to protest the disturbance, they decided to retaliate by cranking up their music through several Marshall amplifiers.
However, they were blissfully unaware that Clapton was lodging in the adjacent room. The climactic moment arose when hotel staff directly approached Blackmore’s room, followed by a firm knock from Clapton's security team. The event left Blackmore feeling somewhat embarrassed, especially considering his earlier positive interactions with Clapton when his band supported Cream in 1968.
Reflecting on that memorable night, Blackmore humorously acknowledged, "I was in there having a drink, but I wasn't playing. That doesn't get me off the hook—it was really my idea to make all this noise."
This light-hearted reflection serves as a window into the unpredictable nature of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, especially during the golden era of touring. For fans eager for more anecdotes and insights, Blackmore's full stories can be accessed on his YouTube channel.