“Without Blackmore, I Wouldn’t Play the Way I Do”: Jimmy Page Admits Ritchie Blackmore Shaped His Guitar Style in the ’70s in Shocking New Revelation
In a revelation that’s shaking the rock world, Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page has openly credited none other than Ritchie Blackmore as a major influence on his iconic guitar style of the 1970s. The man behind some of rock’s greatest riffs—think “Whole Lotta Love” and “Stairway to Heaven”—has now confessed that Blackmore’s revolutionary technique helped shape his approach to hard rock guitar in ways fans never knew.
“People always compare us,” Page said in a recent interview. “But the truth is, without Ritchie Blackmore, I wouldn’t play the way I do.”
At a time when guitar heroes were battling for dominance, Blackmore, leading Deep Purple, pushed boundaries with his sharp, aggressive picking style, incorporating classical runs and Baroque influences into hard rock—a style that Page admits caught his attention early on.
“He was doing things with scales, with melody, that nobody else was touching in hard rock,” Page explained. “I was more blues-rooted, but hearing Ritchie opened my eyes to the power of classical precision blended with raw energy.”
This surprising admission has reignited debates over who truly defined ’70s rock guitar. While Page’s improvisational solos and epic Zeppelin riffs have stood the test of time, Blackmore’s intricate technique and bold exploration of neo-classical themes arguably paved the way for future generations of metal and shred guitarists.
Yet, Page insists there’s no rivalry. “I’ve always respected Ritchie. What he did with Deep Purple… it forced guys like me to push harder.”
Fans are now revisiting Deep Purple’s Machine Head and Burn alongside Zeppelin’s classics, comparing riffs and solos that once seemed worlds apart—but now feel like two sides of the same revolutionary coin.
In the end, Jimmy Page’s shocking confession reminds us that even guitar gods have their heroes.
Who’s the real guitar king of the ’70s? The debate just got a whole lot more interesting.
