Harder Beat Magazine June 2006, USA

Blackmore’s Night
Creating a whole new genre
By Andy Laudano

Ritchie Blackmore had done it all in the world of rock music. With Deep Purple, he pioneered heavy metal. In Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio, he created what would become known as power metal, and with Joe Lynn Turner he defined the genre known as melodic hard rock. But those closest to him knew Ritchie’s heart was elsewhere. Enter the beautiful Candice Night, who not only encouraged Blackmore to follow his dream of making modern day Renaissance music, but has also been there from the beginning with her wonderful lyrics and equally beautiful voice.

Candice and Ritchie actually met on a soccer field. “I was 18 and working for a radio station in Long Island,” Night recalls. “Deep Purple and our station were having a charity soccer match. After they beat us mercilessly, I went up to Ritchie on the sidelines and asked him for an autograph. He sent a roadie to find out who I was and asked me to meet him afterwards at a local pub. We wound up talking all night long. We just clicked immediately, and realized we had so much in common. Later he would send me postcards and call me from the road. We’d talk for hours. It was a really beautiful friendship at first. After a few years, we got together romantically and eventually we started writing music together.”

As their relationship grew, Blackmore introduced Night to his love of Medieval Renaissance music. “I’d never heard of any of that stuff before I met Ritchie,” Candice reveals. “I’d gone to Renaissance Faires before, but that was more about fantasy, dressing up and the romantic aspects of it all. The music side of that time period was completely Ritchie’s thing. What a lot of people don’t know about Ritchie is that he’d be onstage playing all the rock stuff, but as soon as he stepped off that stage, he’d take off the electric guitar and put on some Renaissance music. That was his escape from the rock world.”

After Blackmore left Deep Purple and reformed Rainbow, Night found herself co-writing songs with Ritchie for the Strangers In Us All album and singing background vocals. They also began working on material that would become the first Blackmore’s Night album. “When we originally wrote the songs, we just did them for ourselves,” Candice shares. “We’d have these parties at our house, and we’d always pick up the guitar and start singing. When our friends started telling us that they would rather hear our songs instead of the usual standards, we began to think maybe we should record a CD and see if anyone else liked it too.”

Nearly ten years later, with five studio releases, a live album, various collections and the amazing Castles and Dreams DVD to their credit, Blackmore’s Night is still going strong. Word continues to spread about their amazing live performances. “We want people to know they’re coming to see something completely different,” Candice states. “It’s not just a rock show, it’s a little of everything. Renaissance, rock, pop, folk, ballads, instrumentals; we do it all. Ritchie’s a completely improvisational player. He never plays the same songs twice. If you see the show three times in a row, not only would we play all different songs, but he’ll play all different arrangements. That’s why people keep coming back. A lot of our fans have written in and said it was the best show they’ve ever seen, because it’s so different from everything else.”

Longtime fans needn’t worry that Blackmore has abandoned his rock roots. Along with the wonderful instrumentals, beautiful ballads and festive songs that take you back to another time and place, Blackmore’s Night also enjoys revisiting songs from Ritchie’s past. “We love doing the rock songs,” Candice shares. “He’s written some of the most amazing songs. We do “Since You Been Gone” every now and then, “16th Century Greensleeves,” “Temple of the King” and, once in a while in a very rare blue moon, Ritchie will even break into “Smoke On the Water.”

Their latest album, The Village Lanterne, offers a brand new reworking of Deep Purple classic, “Child In Time” and the huge Rainbow hit, “Street of Dreams.” Joe Lynn Turner, who sang the song originally, makes a special guest appearance. “That’s always been one of my very favorite Rainbow tracks,” Candice relates. “Joe’s one of the few members from any of Ritchie’s former bands who’s been in constant contact. He’s always been supportive of anything Ritchie wanted to do. So when the idea to do that song came up, we thought of Joe. He did a great job, and I love the way it came out.”

Over the years the band’s fan base has grown to include more than just diehard Blackmore fans. “A lot of the guys who’ve followed Ritchie for so many years will pick up a Blackmore’s Night CD, because they see the Blackmore name,” Candice explains. “They know that whether it’s electric or acoustic, Ritchie’s name is synonymous with brilliant guitar playing. They bring the CDs home and, when their wives hear them, they steal the CDs because they enjoy hearing a female singer and the romantic lyrics. Then, their kids love to dress up in costumes and sing along to the songs, so now it’s the whole family that’s listening. We’re bringing Ritchie’s music to a whole new generation, and he’s enjoying the creative freedom of this whole new genre we’re creating.”

Currently Blackmore’s Night is working on a new Christmas holiday album that they hope to have out by the end of the year. Look for a PBS special later in the year as well.

Special Blackmore’s Night Contest: If you’d like a free copy of The Village Lanterne CD and/or the Castles and Dreams DVD - be one of the first five readers to e-mail linda@harderbeat.com with your name, address and the correct answer to this trivia question: “Where did Candice and Ritchie first meet?”