On April 8th, rock legends Deep Purple were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. Ritchie Blackmore was absent from the ceremony, and later posted the following message online:

“Obviously, as you know from the post here, I have my reason for not attending the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction ceremony, although I appreciate the award - however, I do think that they should've given an award to Joe Lynn Turner for when he was in Deep Purple - for his singing and writing on Slaves And Masters -a great record, one of my favorites."

Joe Lynn Turner has since responded to Blackmore’s statement. Says Joe: “Congrats to Deep Purple for their long overdue induction... And I am proud and blessed to be a part of the DP legacy.

“However... Blackmore's absence at the ceremony was truly noticed. His credo always was and is to know your own truth and walk your own path... follow no one. A true 'outlaw' til the end.

“So I am humbled and touched by the recent Blackmore post concerning my work with the band. His respectful and supportive comments of my efforts on the Slaves And Masters album were better than any 'award' I could receive, especially from an organization that has 'lost the point' many years ago.
I agree that Slaves And Masters is a great album as our collaborations have always been a mix of magical chemistry and artful integrity that will stand the test of time.
 
My heartfelt thanks and sincere respect to a true original."

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, who has never made a secret of his love for the band, had been pushing for Deep Purple's induction for years. Check out his speech below.