Why the hell aren't there more female guitar shredders? I get the impression that in most orchestral instruments the male/female expertise balance is about even. I dont' think anyone but a total malechauvenist could ever doubt that women can be truly kicking guitar players.
If they do it's time they heard Jennifer Batten's Momentum. The only other female shredder i've heard is a classical guitarist called galina vernigora. A bloke called rak wrote a guitar piece and had to wait many years for someone who could play it, guess who did? Not me that's for sure! I saw her play in a tiny town hall once, I don't know why she didn't stick to auditoriums! How much ass kicking?
The only potential problem I can envisage for women playing guitar is that most women have slightly smaller hands but then i guess there is always the possibility of a 3/4 size guitar but I guess they're usually crap ones for kiddies.

Anyway; as for Ritchie blackmore check out "Burn" by purple, cool or what?!!