brown/who do we think they are, 6. Taking the Lead: Ritchie Blackmore and Tommy Bolin (re)shape Heavy rock virtuosity

Part One ends with a detailed and thought-provoking comparative discussion by Kevin Fellezs that seeks to compare the guitar virtuosity of Blackmore with that of Tommy Bolin. By offering a detailed overview of the musical trajectory of both guitarists – Blackmore in terms of the studio and ‘live’ performances of his Purple career, and Bolin in terms of his jazz-rock career prior to joining Mk4, as well as his innovative contribution to Come Taste The Band (1975) – Fellezs seeks to ‘think through’ the changing role of the lead guitarist in 1970s rock, particularly in the way their contrasting modes of virtuosity transformed ideas about rock music at the time and where it would go in the future.