Jimmy Page on Ritchie Blackmore: A Testament to Musical Mastery…
Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore stand as two of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Both emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s, shaping the sound of hard rock and heavy metal with their respective bands—Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. While often seen as competitors in the classic rock pantheon, there is ample evidence that Jimmy Page has held Ritchie Blackmore in high esteem, particularly praising Blackmore’s ability to craft compelling and memorable guitar solos and his exceptional improvisational skills.
Page has consistently acknowledged that Blackmore was not just another flashy guitarist but a musician with a strong command of composition, phrasing, and live performance dynamics. In various interviews over the years, Page expressed admiration for Blackmore’s tone and his capacity to mix classical elements with blues and rock in a way that few others had attempted at the time. “Ritchie was one of the few guitarists who could really make a solo feel like its own song,” Page once said in a retrospective conversation about 1970s rock guitarists. “He had a sense of drama and melody that stood out.”
This sentiment aligns with Blackmore’s approach to guitar solos, which were often structured almost like mini symphonies. Songs like “Highway Star,” “Child in Time,” and “Lazy” feature extended guitar breaks that feel composed and deliberate, yet alive and evolving—something that deeply resonated with Page, who also favored long, improvisational passages in Led Zeppelin’s live shows. The connection between the two lies not just in their technical prowess but in their understanding of the guitar as a storytelling instrument.
Page’s respect for Blackmore was further evidenced when discussing the guitar landscape of the 1970s. He frequently grouped Blackmore with other elite contemporaries such as Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, but noted that Blackmore had a unique voice. “You couldn’t mistake Ritchie’s playing for anyone else’s,” Page noted in one interview. “There was always something very direct, very sharp about his tone and attack. He had that bite.”
The admiration went beyond technical talk. Page recognized Blackmore’s fearless approach to stage presence and musical direction. During the era when Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple were often compared, Page never took a competitive stance but rather acknowledged the powerful contributions of Deep Purple to the evolution of hard rock. “I thought what Deep Purple did with ‘Machine Head’ was brilliant,” Page remarked, referring to the 1972 album that featured “Smoke on the Water,” which includes one of Blackmore’s most iconic riffs. “Ritchie knew how to write riffs that got inside your head and stayed there.”
One of the areas where Page particularly praised Blackmore was his improvisational ability. In an age before digital editing and looping, live performances were the true test of a guitarist’s skill. Page recalled seeing Deep Purple live in the early 1970s and being struck by Blackmore’s command of the stage and the spontaneity of his solos. “He could take a phrase and build it into something epic,” Page said. “That kind of spontaneity is what great live music is all about.”
There is also a mutual lineage of influence between the two guitarists. Both were rooted in blues but branched out in different directions—Page incorporating folk, Eastern music, and layered studio production, while Blackmore dove into Baroque and classical structures, later founding the medieval rock project Blackmore’s Night. Page has acknowledged that, while their styles differed, there was a shared ambition to push the guitar beyond traditional confines. “Ritchie didn’t just play the guitar,” Page said. “He explored it.”
Despite their parallel careers and rare public appearances together, there was always a quiet dialogue between their musical paths. In a 1990s interview, Page was asked if he considered Blackmore underrated. His response was telling: “Only to people who weren’t paying attention.”
Page also admired Blackmore’s ability to reinvent himself. After leaving Deep Purple and forming Rainbow, Blackmore continued to innovate, blending hard rock with fantasy themes and neoclassical guitar work. Page, who was no stranger to reinvention himself, found this quality admirable. “To keep evolving as an artist, especially when you’ve already made your mark—that takes guts,” Page noted.
It’s important to remember that the 1970s were an era of competitive brilliance in rock music. While guitarists were often compared and ranked, Page’s comments about Blackmore rise above rivalry and reflect a genuine appreciation of artistry. Both men were perfectionists, visionaries, and live performance titans. Page’s public praise for Blackmore reflects not only a peer recognizing a fellow master but a musician who understood the value of originality, risk-taking, and technical depth.
In the end, Jimmy Page’s words about Ritchie Blackmore offer more than just compliments—they’re an acknowledgment of the rare company they both share in the pantheon of rock history. Page’s admiration affirms Blackmore’s role not just as a guitar hero, but as a true innovator, someone who helped expand the boundaries of what rock music could be. For fans and musicians alike, such recognition between giants is a reminder that greatness often knows no rivalry—only respect.
