Rainbow

BLACKMORE TO QUIT PURPLE?

Ritchie Blackmore may split from Deep Purple. Rumours concerning this have been rife for three weeks now, so much so that EMI issued a press release denying the possibility of a break-up. But Sounds believes that, following the completion of his solo album Rainbow in Munich, Blackmore may amicably depart from Purple and form a band with the musicians who backed him on his solo effort. The remaining Purple members will stay together.

A spokesman from Purple’s offices said this week: “The band is splitting, but only for three or four months to enable Ritchie to promote his solo album. Also, Jon Lord is going to Germany to record his own classical record and there’s a possibility that Glenn Hughes may make an album with David Bowie. At the moment they’re having a break for a while – you’ll hear about the band, obviously, though not necessarily as a unit. But if one of the solo ventures really takes off – especially by one of the older, original members of the band – then it could be that someone could well leave for good.” – Sounds, April 26, 1975.