Ritchie Blackmore Breaks Down 'Smoke on the Water' Like You've Never Heard

Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple didn’t set out to write the most recognizable riff in rock history. He was just messing around with Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, trying to flip it backwards. What came out was Smoke on the Water. Blackmore explains it in his own words: the riff works because of parallel fourths, a sound that feels ancient, simple, and heavy all at once. It’s proof that sometimes the most legendary music comes from experimenting, breaking rules, and not overthinking.