Ritchie Blackmore Reunites With Deep Purple — Did The Police Help Bring Them Back?

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we read a fascinating story about Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple, and one of the most unexpected influences behind the band’s 1984 reunion. Blackmore recently reunited with Deep Purple onstage for the first time in 33 years, joining his former bandmates at New York’s Jones Beach Theater for “Smoke on the Water.” It was an incredible moment for a guitarist who had spent decades away from the band he co-founded. But Blackmore’s first Deep Purple reunion in 1984 had a surprising connection to another legendary group — The Police. After leaving Deep Purple in 1975 to form Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio, Blackmore eventually saw an opportunity to bring the classic Mark II lineup back together. And according to Blackmore himself, part of the reason was what he felt was missing from the rock scene at the time. Speaking to Metal Hammer in 1987, Blackmore bluntly explained: “Everyone was playing like the Police. And can I state here that I hate the Police?” The timing is fascinating. The Police were at the height of their success following their massive 1983 album Synchronicity, while Blackmore felt there was a gap in rock music for something heavier, rawer, and more aggressive. As he put it, “There just wasn’t a band playing that earthy kind of rock.” Blackmore believed Deep Purple could fill that void with their hard-driving, blues-based sound — music he felt didn't have the polished sheen dominating much of the rock world. And he was right. In 1984, the classic Mark II lineup returned with Perfect Strangers, giving Deep Purple a remarkable second chapter. Blackmore remained with the band until 1993, when he left again. Now, more than three decades later, seeing him back onstage with Deep Purple makes this story even more fascinating. So, what do you think — did Ritchie Blackmore have a point about the state of rock music in the 1980s, or was he just being Ritchie Blackmore? #RitchieBlackmore #DeepPurple #ThePolice #TalkingGuitars