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

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

- 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 always stuck in a musical no man's land.

- Ritchie Blackmore

Pete Townshend used to crash chords and let the guitar feed back. He's overrated.

- Ritchie Blackmore

When you're recording, if you're not really clean in your playing, it sounds like a mess.

- Ritchie Blackmore

I have never met one person who likes Grand Funk.

- Ritchie Blackmore

What's the point of re-releasing an album? The original sounded good, why change something about it?

- Ritchie Blackmore

Jimi... He was the gov'nor and that's it. He was brilliant, wasn't he?

- Ritchie Blackmore

When you've toured for about 10 years like me, you end up feeling like you're always waiting for somebody or something. The whole day is a drag.

- Ritchie Blackmore

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

- Ritchie Blackmore

I never work out my leads. Everything I do is usually totally spontaneous. If someone says, 'That was good; play that again,' I'm not able to do it.

- 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 found the blues too limiting, and classical was too disciplined.

- Ritchie Blackmore

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

- 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 can never remember what I do even in the studio.

- Ritchie Blackmore

When I was 20, I didn't give a damn about song construction. I just wanted to make as much noise and play as fast and as loud as possible.

- Ritchie Blackmore

Those record companies don't know what's happening at all.

- Ritchie Blackmore