Monday Metal

Deep Purple is a proto-metal band and Ritchie Blackmore the inspiration for thousands of metal and hard rock guitar players. Manic Metal virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen said Ritchie Blackmore was his most important influence.

But before is was proto-metal Deep Purple was a groovy, psychedelic late 60's band. 

Here's Deep Purple before Ian Gillan joined the band:

Dig it, man. Check out those birds.

Monday Metal

Funked Edition.

During the first season of That Metal Show, someone would ask a guitar player, 'So who was a bigger influence, Iomi or Page?'

Several times the answer was 'Ritchie Blackmore.'

Indeed Blackmore created some epic leads in songs like Highway Star.

But in our opinion the band didn't get really good until David Coverdale took the lead vocals gig and Glenn Hughes played bass.

One of our favorite Deep Purple songs was recorded after Blackmore left the band.

And it's funky: