The day the Major died

[Ritchie200]

I was looking at the recent Ritchie Blackmore Rainbow shows on youtube and it looks like they are still at it and playing for huge crowds.  The sound is a little better but lots of lulls and the keyboardist doesn't have the balls or cred to compete with Ritchie like Jon did.  Although Ritchie's sound is better, it is a far cry from the days of yore!  I got to thinking about when Ritchie abandoned the Major.  I remember talking to Dawk and he said Ritchie recorded The Battle Rages On with one and started the tour in 93 with them but sent them all to Dawk for repair and storage as he went to ENGL.  Ritchie's live stuff from 93 sounds ratty and blatty and not good in my humble opinion. So, I went looking for the last gasp live recordings of the Major roar and came up with the Deep Purple/Deep Rainbow version with Joe Lyn Turner singing in 1991.  Here is a great example of the tonal qualities this amp can do in the right hands - not mine obviously! Some of this is played with a synth and sounds a little too trebley until he turns it off.  If only he could dig one out for the current tour....

Jim going down memory lane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cffaLWrOxH8