#449 - Deep Purple Perfect Strangers - RITCHIE'S SECRET CRISIS - Nearly Failed

In 1984, something unexpected happened in the world of hard rock — the classic Mark II lineup of Deep Purple reunited and released Perfect Strangers. For fans who discovered the band in the ’80s — like Robert John Hadfield — this wasn’t just a reunion… it was a moment. In this episode, Robert digs into the comeback album, pulls out original vinyl, shares his faded tour shirt from seeing them live, and revisits the era through the pages of Hit Parader magazine. But this isn’t just nostalgia. Robert reads from a fascinating 1985 Hit Parader interview featuring Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, John Lord, and Ian Paice — and uncovers a deeply personal story about Ritchie Blackmore breaking down under the relentless pressure of a 44-week tour in the early ’70s. It’s a rare glimpse behind the myth of one of rock’s most enigmatic guitarists — and a reminder that even legends crack. Along the way, Robert explores: Why Perfect Strangers succeeded in the MTV-era metal landscape Whether the reunion was chemistry… or smart business timing How producer Roger Glover’s evolution shaped the album Why Machine Head remains their commercial peak And why Robert thinks only two songs on Perfect Strangers truly knock it out of the park ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – John Lord’s shocking Blackmore story teaser 00:17 – Perfect Strangers drops (Oct 29, 1984) 00:36 – The Hit Parader article that started it all 01:07 – Robert’s “back in the day” tour shirt show-and-tell 01:30 – Why many of us discovered Deep Purple in the ’80s 02:02 – “Deepest Purple” as the gateway drug 02:21 – “Child in Time” and the Banshee Scream moment 03:11 – The reunion announcement hits at the perfect time 03:35 – Mark II lineup breakdown (why it mattered) 03:58 – Machine Head nostalgia + Robert roasts the cover 05:11 – Martin Birch’s name… and the heavy metal domino effect 05:54 – Who Do We Think We Are? (and another cover roast) 06:30 – “Zep IV came out 4 months earlier…” comparison 07:02 – Last “official” pre-reunion era: Come Taste the Band 07:31 – Tommy Bolin enters the chat (underrated guitar hero) 08:09 – “This album rocks” — surprise praise moment 08:35 – Time to read: Hit Parader, August 1985 09:06 – 1985 rock landscape: Crüe, Ozzy, Priest, VH, Ratt 09:42 – Metallica/Maiden/Dio era context (new world for Purple) 10:16 – Sponsor shoutout: Digitech 10:40 – Interview begins: Roger Glover meets the writer 11:47 – Ian Gillan: “Best album we’ve ever done” 12:19 – Where’s Blackmore? “Ritchie wanted to be alone” 12:36 – Chemistry is back… but is the album? 13:07 – Robert’s take: two killer songs, rest is “almost…” 14:10 – “Luck and chemistry” + reunion momentum 14:35 – Platinum comeback + arena tour success 15:47 – McNichols Arena memory + opening band connections 16:24 – Deep Purple family tree (Rainbow/Dio threads) 17:07 – “Chemistry” vs the real reason: money + timing 18:30 – Roger Glover’s producer era + Priest connection 19:07 – “What if Martin Birch produced it?” thought experiment 20:08 – The metal explosion list that made reunions tempting 22:22 – John Lord on “helping the music scene” 23:18 – Ian Paice on spontaneity vs choreographed rock 24:12 – No-frills show vibe (old-school rock and roll) 24:18 – They had to re-buy their own albums to remember songs 25:37 – Wait… Gillan’s sister had a solo career? 26:15 – “Here’s the weird part…” pressure cracks the legend 27:23 – Hotel hallway breakdown: Blackmore crying in silence 28:00 – The new rule: slow down, take days off, see the cities 28:45 – Gillan quote: “Blow you off the stage” 29:10 – Wrap-up: your Perfect Strangers verdict + comments 29:45 – Digitech thanks + sendoff