The former Rainbow and Deep Purple star has announced plans for a short European tour, during which he'll hit the stage with ex-bandmates and other classic rockers.

He tells Noisey.com, "I am doing four dates in June, which will be all rock. I have the band basically together and it will be (the best of) Rainbow and Deep Purple."

Blackmore has yet to reveal who will be with him onstage, but reports suggest Joe Lynn Turner and David Coverdale will be part of the show.

Since stepping away from rock music in the mid-1990s, the guitar great has been recording and performing with folk act Blackmore's Night, which he formed with his wife, Candice Night.

The rocker insists the 2016 European dates will not extend to a full tour, because he'd rather concentrate on folk music.

He adds, "I don't want to do anymore (shows) because I take what I'm doing now much more seriously."

Blackmore's Night will release a new album, titled All Our Yesterdays, on 18 September (15).