The early Seventies were the age of the great guitar heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Toni Iommi. It was also the era of Ritchie Blackmore and his extravagant stage show and unusual style, which helped to make Deep Purple one of the most important hard rock acts of their generation. When Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1975, the heir to his throne was Tommy Bolin, a young guitarist who had the world at his feet and a promising future at the tender age of 23.