On August 12, 2026, at Jones Beach Arena on Long Island, New York, Ritchie Blackmore reunited with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years.
It was an astonishing feat, and not something anyone – including Purple’s current guitarist, Simon McBride – saw coming.
“It was all very last-minute,” McBride tells Guitar World. “Gillan got an email from Ritchie about a week before the gig, requesting to get up and play with us.”
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Given the perceived layer of thick, unthawed ice between the camps, one would think there was a lot to hash out. It wasn’t the case. “The talks were very short,” McBride says. “Gillan asked us if we’d mind, and there were no objections from anyone.”
And really, how could they say no? “Ritchie was a big part of the band’s legacy,” McBride reminds. “I know they’ve had their differences, so it was nice to see them put that aside. From my point of view, it’s not every day you get to appear on stage beside one of the greatest icons in guitar history.”
Naturally, Blackmore’s legend status had McBride more than willing to step aside for his one-song cameo.
“I just said to Ritchie, ‘I’ll be your rhythm guitar player today. Just do your thing.’”
Blackmore did indeed do his thing, as only he can. “It was pretty cool,” McBride, who grew up digging Blackmore’s licks and, at 47, is the youngest member of Deep Purple.
“I got to stand on stage beside the guy who started this whole thing,” he says. “Ritchie is a legend, a great player, and a great innovator. I think all musicians grew up listening to his work.”
McBride joined Deep Purple in 2022 as a replacement for Steve Morse. Before that, he’d been around the blues-rock scene for decades, but he and Blackmore had never crossed paths before the Jones Beach jam.
“I was a little curious as to what he was gonna think of me,” McBride admits. “But he was a super-cool, nice guy.”
In fact, Blackmore liked what McBride was putting down. “He was really complimentary, which was a shock to me,” McBride says. “It’s very bizarre when these legends admire my playing. My head starts to explode! [laughs]”
But McBride is in no danger of getting a big head; he knows that evening was all about Blackmore. “It was a magical moment,” he says. “I think there were a lot of tears in the audience. And on stage, there were just smiles everywhere. I’m very lucky to have been part of such an iconic situation.”
That magic hasn’t stopped internet trolls from criticizing Blackmore’s playing. McBride isn’t having it. “People will always say stupid things,” he says with an eye roll. “I ignore that. Ritchie is in his 80s and plays great.
“He has health issues. If I can play that well when I’m that age, I’ll be happy. People should look at it for what it was: a magical night. There’s a lot of history in this band. That show was a part of it. A reunion between old mates who haven’t seen each other in years.”
In the days since the reunion, good vibes have flowed from Blackmore and Deep Purple’s camps. There have been photos showing old friends sharing laughs over cold beers. “That was great,” McBride says. “There were a lot of stories.”
“It’s a little bit of closure for the guys, he concludes. “There’s a lot of history, and not all good. But they are older and wiser… it was great to see them close the door on all the negative history.
“As for me, I just wanted Ritchie to be happy and do his thing, which he did. Ritchie is and always will be a great player.”
