Black Knight: Ritchie Blackmore

(Omnibus Press). Ritchie Blackmore's early days saw him mixing with colorful characters like Screaming Lord Sutch, Joe Meek, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Then he became a defining member of Seventies legends Deep Purple, creating the rock anthems "Black Knight" and "Smoke on the Water." Over the years Blackmore's moodiness and eccentric behavior, his three marriages, and his clashes with the law have earned him a reputation as one of rock's most abrasive figures. Yet there are many unexpected sides to this complex man. Black Knight has been written and researched by Jerry Bloom, a fan who first met Ritchie more than twenty years ago and has followed his varied career ever since. The result is a biography rich in detail and full of surprising insights.

Jerry Bloom is a freelance writer and designer who first heard Ritchie Blackmore's fiery guitar in 1971 and has passionately followed Blackmore's career for the past thirty years. He first met Ritchie in 1984 and in 1996 he jointly established the international Ritchie Blackmore magazine More Black Than Purple which he has edited since 2000.