ritchie Blackmore’s Surprising Confession: A Love for ABBA
Picture this: Ritchie Blackmore, Cozy Powell, and Ronnie James Dio gathered around a cozy fireplace in a picturesque French château, sipping drinks and struggling to pen new tracks for Rainbow’s iconic album, Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll. inspiration was elusive, and frustration was mounting.
The Unexpected Revelation
In the midst of their creative drought, Cozy Powell decided it was time to share a secret. “We were all feeling quite uninspired,” Blackmore recounted during a 2024 Instagram Q&A. “I remember feeling a bit irritated as we just couldn’t come up with anything.”
Then, Cozy broke the silence: “I have to confess something.” The others, slightly tipsy, looked at him curiously. “Are you ready?” he asked. “I like ABBA.”
Blackmore’s reaction was immediate and enthusiastic. “Oh my God. I love ABBA!” he exclaimed, with Dio chiming in, “Yes, so do I!” In that moment, three of rock’s most prominent figures revealed their shared admiration for Sweden’s pop sensation.
ABBA Over Originality
“With that, Cozy dashed off to gather all the ABBA songs, and we spent hours playing them by the fireside,” Blackmore continued. ”We should have been writing our own music, but listening to ABBA was far more enjoyable.”
(Image credit: Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images)
Blackmore’s Enduring Affection for ABBA
This tale may sound almost too good to be true, yet Blackmore has consistently expressed his fondness for ABBA. In a December 1979 interview with the U.K. music magazine Sounds, while promoting Rainbow’s Down to Earth album, he stated, “I enjoy popular music, and I have a great appreciation for ABBA. There’s a stigma attached to it-like,’You can’t like this if you’re in a heavy band’-but that’s nonsense. You should embrace what you love.”
Fast forward over forty years,and Blackmore’s admiration remains unchanged. “I believe ABBA was the greatest band,” he declared in the 2024 Q&A. “Their melodies were incredible, and they just clicked. They are probably my all-time favorite band. I know it’s not considered cool to say that in some circles, but they were truly remarkable.”
A Glimpse of Collaboration
Blackmore’s appreciation for ABBA extended beyond mere fandom. In 1980, he had the chance to meet Agnetha Fältskog, one of ABBA’s lead singers, and they discussed the potential for collaboration.
Agnetha visited us during a soundcheck in Stockholm. Cozy and I were playing something, and when she walked in, there was a moment of awe-she was stunning.
– Don Airey
On January 18 of that year, rainbow performed in Stockholm as part of their Down to Earth world tour. During a soundcheck at Johanneshovs isstadion, Fältskog made an appearance.
in his 2006 book, Black Knight: Ritchie Blackmore, author Jerry Bloom recounted Airey’s memories of the encounter. “Agnetha came down to a soundcheck in Stockholm. Cozy and I were playing something, and she walked in, and there was a moment of disbelief-she was so lovely. I believe they had a meeting the next day; it was going to be rainbow with Agnetha, and we were set to record an album together.”
Airey’s account takes an even more intriguing turn. “I remember it vividly because there was a Russian ice-skating troupe on their day off, and we took over the ice rink. The Russians gathered to watch, and we started playing ’Kalinka,’ and they began dancing just as Agnetha walked in, and everything came to a halt.”
(Image credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Blackmore later confirmed his meeting with Fältskog and mentioned that their management teams had explored the idea of a collaboration, but ultimately, it never materialized. Fältskog whent on to launch her solo career, releasing her first English-language album, Wrap your Arms Around Me, in 1983.
The Mystery of ”Once Burned, Twice Shy”
This brings us to the track ”Once Burned, Twice Shy,” which features an electric guitar part that bears a striking resemblance to Blackmore’s style. While this might not seem particularly unusual-many guitarists can emulate his sound-the official credit for the track goes to Lasse Wellander, the Swedish session guitarist known for his work on numerous ABBA recordings.
Though, upon closer inspection of the phrasing, tone, and especially the slide guitar, one can’t help but hear echoes of Blackmore’s signature style.
Could it be possible that Blackmore contributed to Fältskog’s recording? Currently, there’s no definitive evidence to support this claim.Wellander is credited as the guitarist on “Once Burned, Twice shy,” and he passed away in 2023.
Though, the absence of a credit for Blackmore doesn’t necessarily close the case. uncredited contributions to other artists’ works are not uncommon; for instance, Eric Clapton played the iconic guitar solo on The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” without receiving credit on the original album.
Thus, the theory surrounding Blackmore’s involvement remains speculative until either he or Fältskog clarifies the matter. Until then, it stands as one of rock music’s most captivating mysteries.
