The Rods guitarist David ‘Rock’ Feinstein has spoken to Classic Rock about the time when Ritchie Blackmore caused a riot – because it looked like it was going to rain.

“It happened when I was in Elf in the early 1970s. We supported Deep Purple at an outdoor show in the grounds of Cornell University, in Ithaca, Upstate New York. It was a three-band bill. We had the middle slot, with ZZ Top opening!

“Anyway, I was in the car park beforehand with Ritchie, when he looked up at the sky and said: ‘I think we’re gonna get a storm.’ The next thing, he’s telling his guitar road to pack up his gear because he wasn’t gonna play in such conditions – remember, it was still dry!”

Feinstein was the man who to break the news to the Purple camp that their guitarist had gone back to the hotel, and was refusing to play because it might rain.

“ZZ Top were already on stage, but we were advised to pack up and get out of there, because once the crowd – and it was a full stadium –  realised Purple weren’t gonna appear there would be real trouble.”

The warning proved to be true. There was a full-scale riot, with all the bands having equipment trashed.

“The upshot was that it was the last rock gig Cornell University allowed to happen there.”

So, did it rain?

“It did, yes. Ritchie was right all along!”

For further info, go to www.rockfeinstein.com