Watch The Infamous Ritchie Blackmore Incident In 1974

The California Jam in 1974 became an unforgettable chapter in rock history, thanks to a dramatic episode involving Deep Purple’s guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore. The festival, held at the Ontario Motor Speedway, featured Deep Purple as the headliner, and it quickly became a notorious event due to Blackmore’s explosive antics.

By 1974, Deep Purple became one of rock’s biggest bands. Their album Burn, released earlier that year, was a massive success. This record marked the debut of David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, who brought fresh influences to the band—Coverdale with his bluesy vocal style and Hughes with his blend of soul and funk. The album was a monumental success, earning gold status with over 3 million sales, a testament to its impact on rock music.

During their set at the California Jam, Blackmore, known for his volatile behavior, took the audience by surprise. Frustrated with a camera that had been distracting him throughout the performance, Blackmore took matters into his own hands. He smashed his guitar against the camera, breaking the lens in the process. The chaos didn’t stop there; he proceeded to spray another guitar with what looked like a liquid before throwing it into the crowd. Blackmore’s rampage continued as he threw a speaker into the pit and destroyed his instruments. His pièce de résistance was setting fire to his amplifiers, which had been doused in gasoline at his request. All this destruction occurred while the rest of the band continued to play, seemingly oblivious to the mayhem.

What made the situation even more dramatic was that the organizers had planned a grand finale involving explosions to conclude the show. As Blackmore was engulfed in his own destruction, the planned fireworks went off, adding to the chaos. The combination of Blackmore’s pyrotechnic antics and the planned explosions created a scene of rock and roll havoc that has become legendary.

In the end, the California Jam became a defining moment not just for Deep Purple, but for rock concerts in general.