![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/mcbride7.jpg)
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It was a short nap
Don Airey has appeared on the Music Buzzz podcast talking about his latest solo album Pushed to the Edge and many other things — from Duke Ellington to John Sykes.
How did the Deep Purple job came about for you?
DA: Jon fell ill. And they had some sessions, they had some festivals [lined up] and Roger phoned me up. He said, ‘What are you doing tomorrow?’ ‘I’m conducting an orchestra at a Welsh festival.’ He said, ‘What are you doing the day after?’ I said, ‘Nothing much.’ He said, ‘Well, DEEP PURPLE needs you. We’re doing the [a festival in] Skanderborg [Denmark]. Jon’s ill. Can you stand in for him? Just three gigs.’ I said, ‘Okay. Can you send me the setlist, Rog?’ He said, ‘Oh, setlist?’ He said, ‘Whatever you fancy.’ I had a run-through in the afternoon with Steve Morse. He had a number called ‘The Well-Dressed Guitar’ that Jon would never learn. So with me coming in, he saw his chance to get it in the set. So he taught me ‘The Well-Dressed Guitar’. So that was included in the set as well. So I went on stage and I just had to wing it, really. You either do or you don’t… I stood in for Jon for 20 gigs and then thought nothing more of it except how wonderful it’d been. And then they phoned me up and said, ‘Jon’s left. We’ve got four names on the to-do list, all of ’em yours. Would you join?’ I said, ‘I’ll have to sleep on it. Yes.’
You can find the podcast on Megaphone and many other podcast platforms. Look for Music Buzzz Episode 118. It is about half an hour long.
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the heads-up and the quote.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Having seen three of his first four concerts, Don fitted in from the start. Given how little time he had in Skanderborg, he put on an amazing show.
May 27th, 2025 at 18:02I saw him in Bonn in 2001 with DP the first time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT2oB042jBw
(Sorry for the shaky vid, but audio ain’t bad.)
He was still a little stiff and angular in his solos (and he has never become as rhythm-groovy and giftedly sloppy as Jon, but improved greatly in his own way), but I knew after the gig that it would work out. And not for a second did I think this was anything else but an audition for him (which he passed with flying colors), I felt Jon would not be returning other than to say good-bye for good. He had found closure with the Concerto gigs and tours and wanted to do something else. Good for him. And Don picking up the baton of course opened – inter alia due to his songwriting contributions – a whole new era of DP for us that lasts to this day for us to enjoy.
One correction: Sure Jon could play The Well-Dressed Guitar, it was right up his alley!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D0M-lWNAac
May 27th, 2025 at 22:51It’s nice to see Don’s new album receiving such widespread acclaim, people really seem to be enthusiastic about it. You might think that a Don Airey solo release has more of a curio/nerd factor, but he really has his fans. I can’t remember one of Jon’s releases garnering that much media attention.
And the guys interviewing him really know their keyboard and piano shit. Admittedly, I had never heard of Floyd Kramer before this interview either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Cramer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X08orJN4oJw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFtUHY5dgE
And so this is the music that inspires Don:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhmGwTDpPf0
Finally, Don with Ozzy, Jake E. Lee, Bob Daisley & Tommy Aldridge at the US Festival in 1983:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPizQ2xlTlE
May 28th, 2025 at 01:51I saw them in Copenhagen (5 Øren), August 12th 2001.
It started in the rain but soon the rain stopped and it was a great show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djvS7YSXOP8
Janbl
May 28th, 2025 at 09:12Also saw them in CPH. Just a few looks and signals from Steve and Paice and everything worked out.
May 28th, 2025 at 15:27