Ritchie Blackmore, the legendary guitarist from Deep Purple, has expressed his thoughts on Taylor Swift and modern music during an episode of Tales From The Tavern, his ongoing YouTube series. In the conversation, Blackmore candidly shared why he doesn’t connect with the pop superstar’s music.
Reflecting on family road trips, Blackmore explained, “When the family all get into the truck and we go on a bit of a holiday – which probably is like 20 miles down the road ’cause I don’t like to travel – all I hear is Taylor Swift or something.” He added that while he doesn’t particularly enjoy her music, he acknowledges it holds significance for a new generation, saying, “I find it hard to relate to that, but it’s not wrong, it’s the new generation wanting to hear that. That’s probably as great to them as The Beatles and Cream and Jimi Hendrix was to me.”
However, the guitarist made it clear he isn’t fond of today’s popular music. Calling it “crap,” he stated, “So I can’t really complain, but I do like to complain, and I will complain, and I think the crap that they’re playing on the radio today is bloody awful.”
In the same interview, Blackmore went on to reveal what type of music he truly enjoys. Surprisingly, it’s not rock ‘n’ roll. The guitarist explained that he keeps his musical passion alive by listening to works from the 15th and 16th centuries. While he’s moved away from rock music, his preference for older sounds led him to shift his focus after leaving Deep Purple during their 1993 tour. He later founded Blackmore’s Night, a medieval-inspired music project with his wife, Candice Night.
Blackmore elaborated on his dedication to music from earlier centuries, saying, “I’m not really interested in the modern approach with modern instruments.” He also noted that while Blackmore’s Night does use synthesizers, they are used “to see how we’re going to progress with the other instruments,” emphasizing that his musical philosophy is all about returning to basics with “simple music.”
As a result, Blackmore’s perspective on modern-day music and his continued exploration of medieval sounds show just how far he’s distanced himself from mainstream genres.
