To celebrate his 81st birthday earlier today (Tuesday, April 14), Ritchie Blackmore took part in a surprise Instagram livestream where he answered a number of fan-submitted questions from his home in Long Island, New York.

You can now watch the nearly one-hour discussion — hosted by Ritchie's wife/music partner Candice Night — below.

Asked for his opinion of Tommy Bolin, who replaced Blackmore on lead guitar in DEEP PURPLE more than 50 years ago, Ritchie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I knew him more as a friend.

And he was such a nice guy that I couldn't believe he was a guitar player, because most guitar players aren't nice people.

He was so nice, and he was an Indian — I think Sioux Indian or something — and I would go around his house, and we'd often have fun just talking to each other.

There was never ever any envy, no competition whatsoever." I said to Tommy once, 'When did you last change your strings?' Blackmore recalled.

"And he looked at me, like, 'I should change them?' And I said, 'Well, yeah.' And he said, 'Well, probably about five years ago,' 'cause they were so caked in dirt and grit." As for whether he still keeps in contact with the members of DEEP PURPLE, Ritchie said: "Yes.

[DEEP PURPLE drummer] Ian Paice sends me regards now and again, and I talked to [DEEP PURPLE singer] Ian Gillan and [former DEEP PURPLE vocalist] David Coverdale.

But I don't know the new people in the band." I mean, obviously [current DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] Don Airey was in RAINBOW.

Don is a brilliant keyboard player, but he has been in every band in the business,"After one fan suggested that Ritchie could undergo surgery for foot gout in order to help him return to touring, Blackmore said: "I don't play with my feet.

It's not just my feet that I have a problem on tour with.

I have a problem with my back, my heart, and my feet." And to go on tour at 81 is pushing it.

And I don't really wanna just sit down on stage, which I would have to do anyway.\