![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse5.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/airey.jpg)
Guitar heroes and guilty pleasures
Classic Rock online has a short, but informative interview with Simon McBride. From the first music he remembers, to the song he’d want to play at his funeral, it’s all there.
The best record I’ve made
The Deep Purple record [2024’s =1]. It’s not every day you get to be a part of history. For me, doing that record was incredible, because at the minute with the guys in the band they’re just mates. But these guys are icons. I stand back in awe and go: “That’s me, that’s Ian Gillan, that’s Ian Paice… Jesus, why is my name in there?!”
Read more in Louder Sound
In other Simon news, he will be playing a string of European dates as a solo artist this summer. They are a combination of festival appearances and support slots for Lynyrd Skynyrd. The dates are so far unconfirmed on the artist side, but whatever we managed to collect from promoters and ticket vendors is in our calendar.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Aww man, he is a good guy!
Fascinating banjo-player and a personality that highlights the other members in the band ☺️
It’s like when you’re mixing something up in the kitchen, and finally end the preparation with a touch of salvie (or whatever herb you like) and then the whole dish is alive and tasteful!
😊
May 2nd, 2025 at 05:24What the Danish girl said, very nicely put!
There is – like with Coverdale – also a romantic rags to riches component to Simon’s story with the Purps, I like that.
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Financially, Steve joining DP was of course similar, but he had unlike Simon all those guitar mag and prog instrumental music credentials so those hardly filled any bank accounts.
May 2nd, 2025 at 13:02I like Simon’s taste in music (let’s not dwell on Gary Moore too much!), especially Toto. Loved Gorgy Porgy on the debut (that is the wonderful Sisters Sledge singing background on it!), somehow I never imagined that it was the lead guitarist who sang it (I always get confused about who sings what on Toto albums).
Simon was/is a good choice for DP. Very musicianly (as was Steve, but he was more the scholarly guitar player).
May 2nd, 2025 at 13:24The albums “Infinite” and “Whoosh” (2020) seemed like DP was getting ready for retirement. The tour of the “Infinite” album was called “The Long Goodbye Tour”, but the “goodbye” did not happen. “Whoosh” was clearly intended to be the last album of the group, because the song with which the album ends; “And the Address” is actually a cover of the song that begins the group’s first album ” SODP, it would be a symbolic discographical closing of the circle.
May 2nd, 2025 at 14:38On the tour where he replaced Morse, it was obvious that he grew up listening to Deep Purple. This can also be heard on the new album. Technically brilliant in solos, and at the same time a creative rhythm guitarist with astonishing solutions. Without any complex, he walks in the boots worn by Blackmore, Bolin and Morse before him.
The first thing that may surprise you is the aggressiveness of the new album, the heavy groove that stretches from the first thing to the last thing. There are few boring moments, because there are constant interludes between the players, especially between McBride and Airey, but Paice often chimes in with his great transitions. Gillan, despite his 78 years, sounds surprisingly good, not like he sounded 50 years ago, but his voice color has remained intact. The songs are shorter and more concise, no longer than 5 minutes, except for the final six-minute” Bleedin Obvious”. Songs that I like..
” A Bit on the Side” the second song, my favorite, has an interlude between Paice, Airey, on a moog synth and McBride, and multiple solos. That song sounds great, my favorite. “Portable Door”, one of the three excellent songs that announced the album, an interlude between Hammond and guitar that sounds like Jon Lord and Blackmore are still in their places. It could be on any Deep Purple album from the classic period.
“Old-Fangled Thing” starts with a hammond riff, with a wild, aggressive McBride solo and Paic’s incredible groovy drumming.
” If I Were You” is a light blues where McBride accompanies with some jazz phrasing with a solo that sounds like it was performed by Steve Morse. Perhaps it is a kind of tribute to its predecessor? .
“Pictures of You”, another one of those who announced the album. Gillan is back on form. At the end, the song turns into a beautiful phrase on the organ and bass. But the thing is great. Lazy Sod, is Paice in the shuffle, and Airey perversely enjoys the hammond. And finally, an excellent McBride solo. Indefinable.
“Now You Talkin”
begins with a shorter phrase reminiscent of the beginning of Speed King, followed by a catchy guitar and hammond solo reminiscent of Cascades: I’m Not Your Lover.
“.I’ll Catch You “is a beautiful blues on the track of Wasted Sunsetic. The album ends with a first class prog rock piece.
“Bleeding Obvious” is a six-minute song full of rhythm changes and contrasts between more aggressive and calmer parts. The band is in raptures, because it is obvious that this is one of those things that has the potential of a future classic. The lyrics are good, and Bob Ezrin as the informal sixth member of the band has again done a top job. The production is excellent. DP’s main forte is the instrumental sections, four masters. The rhythm section is excellent, Airey and McBride have become the heart and soul of the curre.Big Ian leads the story
I am eagerly awaiting the new work of DP
@4
“I am eagerly awaiting the new work of DP”
Oh man I second that 😍
May 2nd, 2025 at 17:50