The music that guitarist Ritchie Blackmore created as a part of Deep Purple and then later with Rainbow has forever solidified his place as a rock and metal guitar legend. For the past 18 years however, Blackmore gave up hard rock music to perform in his medieval folk band Blackmore’s Night. But, it looks like the musician will be heading back to his rock roots next year to play some shows.

French newspaper Le Parisien talked with the guitarist about heading back to rock and metal [translation provided by Google Translate], "There's some truth, but also a bit of confusion and uncertainty. I'm thinking about playing rock again, just for a few days, next June, Deep Purple and Rainbow songs. But for now, I'm not decided on the persons I want to work with. I've got a good idea about the ideal candidates, but it wouldn't be fair to say anything now. I will know exactly in one month who I want to have in this band to play Deep Purple and Rainbow songs. We will probably play three or four shows in June; that's all."

Before this interview there had been some rumors of a possible Rainbow reunion circulating, fueled in part by Joe Lynn Turner, who sang in the group in the early ‘80s. However, Blackmore told the French outlet that Lynn Turner won’t be part of the shows. "I think that Joe [Lynn Turner] will not be part of the adventure, and he doesn't know it yet,” said Blackmore. “He does his thing, I like him, and I made good albums and good songs with him, like 'Street of Dreams'. But I'm thinking about doing a mixture in the band, with famous people and not so famous ones. That's my state of mind at the moment, and you're the first person I talk to about it."

Blackmore also talked about why he decided to leave Deep Purple in 1993. "I appreciate the very simple fact of sitting down and playing a song," he said. "It gets tiring to play in places that are similar and to travel all the time, not for the pleasure of traveling, but just to make money. It becomes a monstrous machine, and I think that's what Deep Purple had become."

Before his rock gigs this coming year, the guitarist's group Blackmore's Night has announced they will release a new album. The effort is called All Our Yesterdays and it's set for release on Sep. 18.

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