A rock and roll legend has revealed the “medical reasons” that led him to cancel his tour tour dates.
Ritchie Blackmore, the co-founding guitarist of Deep Purple and Rainbow, announced Sunday that his band Blackmore’s Night axed all remaining concerts for a variety of health problems. In between two shows, he was taken to the hospital after suffering migraines, vomiting, and dizziness, leading to a diagnosis of “severe vertigo.”
“Very quick history, for those who have nothing better to do: I have a long history of lumbar and neck herniated discs. Consequently, I would have back injections before a tour to help me over the pain. Recently, I have acquired debilitating migraines. They come and go very quickly. When I see the visual disturbance of these ocular migraines, I know they are coming,” Blackmore said in a statement.
“When we did the long drive from Pennsylvania to Newton NJ we were booked into a hotel that had a wedding party going all night in the corridors. There was no heat in the room and the sheets were still damp. Which I assume culminated in me having a severe migraine attack. I couldn’t stop vomiting. The room wouldn’t stop spinning and I was extremely dizzy to the point of not being able to stand. Ambulance was called. I was taken to hospital and they gave me CAT scans and other tests. They were very gracious. The doctors came to the conclusion that my official diagnosis was severe vertigo. The results of this went on for days on end. I am now following up how serious these migraines are with various doctors.”
“When one tours, you have a lot of people who have to be healthy. Unfortunately, I was the one who got hit this time. Hope to see you all one day again when I’m healthy.”
Shows that were scuttled include performances scheduled for Nov. 15 in Newtown, N.J.; Nov. 20 in Wilmington, Delaware; Nov. 23 in Cohoes, N.Y.; and Nov. 29 in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dates are officially listed as “postponed,” but no new dates have been announced.
Blackmore, 80, is an English guitar player best known for his work with hard rock band Deep Purple (including on songs like “Smoke on the Water”) and heavy metal group Rainbow (with Cortland native Ronnie James Dio). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Deep Purple in 2016 and has been named one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone and Guitar Player magazines.
Blackmore formed Blackmore’s Night in 1997 with his wife, Candice Night. The group plays medieval-themed folk music, though Ultimate Classic Rock reports Blackmore surprised the crowd at a Virginia concert earlier this month with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Child in Time.”
“We’ve never done that before, and we’re never doing it again!” Blackmore said.
Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1975 to form Rainbow, but reunited with Deep Purple in 1993. The rock band, also known for songs like “Hush,” “Highway Star” and “Black Night, still performs under the Deep Purple name with singer Ian Gillan.
Former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale announced his own retirement last week.
“After 50 years-plus of an incredible journey with you — with Deep Purple, with Whitesnake, Jimmy Page — the last few years it has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock ‘n’ roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans,“ Coverdale, 75, said.
“And as you can see, we’ve taken care of the lion’s wig,” he continued, touching his gray hair. “But it’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey: all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It’s amazing. But it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement, and I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well.”
