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Gonna find a way
Music Radar has an interview with Steve Morse, where he speaks about his ongoing struggle with arthritis and how it affects his playing style and career choices.
[…] If the call came in with an offer to join a band, Morse is not sure that he would accept it. He’s not sure his body would hold out.
“I don’t think I could. I’m not rock solid. When I say I’ll do something, I’m used to doing it, and doing it excellent. Right now, I don’t know,” he says. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. When I wake up, am I going to be able move my hand or not? I don’t know. So far I have been able to. So far I have been able to make every gig. But I dunno.
“I think my time of doing the performance grind is closing. That window is closing but my time for writing, and possibly performing with some help, with some other musicians, is very possible. I see a future but I don’t see me being a hired gun because I couldn’t stand up to the level of players you can get now. And guitarists are literally dime a dozen.”
Read more in Music Radar.
And here’s a music video for TexUS from SMB latest album Triangulation, with the behind-the-scene second guitar courtesy of Eric Johnson:
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
The music that Steve plays with his band leaves me cold, I’m afraid. It’s not unpleasant, and I admire the musicianship, but I don’t need ever to hear it again. I don’t even want to hear it again to understand it better. But perhaps it would grow on me if I had it on as background music a few times.
October 23rd, 2025 at 00:21The song – with a distinct Wishbone Ash vibe in places – is pleasant, but interchangeable. He‘s overdoing it with the double- and triple-tracked lead harmonies and in the absence of a second and third guitarist live how is he ever going to replicate that live without some gadget adding the additional harmonies electronically?
It‘s really not for me to say, but Steve is acting like an athlete who refuses to live up to the fact that his time in pro sports is physically over – trying to compete with/stay on top of physically fresher 20-year-0lds. And I question the health wisdom of wringing even the smallest bit of playing ability out of an already damaged arm/wrist/finger system.
What would be so terrible if he played only 25% of the notes he used to play, scaled down the over-embellished guitar clinic arrangements (which have frankly grown a bit long in the tooth) and play half his usual speed? Is he scared that people would no longer recognize him and rate his playing? I certainly would. And maybe his arm/wrist/fingers would then rebel less too.
October 23rd, 2025 at 00:50It is a difficult one Uwe. Steve Morse possibly could back off and change at this late stage of his life. However, old habits do die hard as they say. I remember reading decades ago and quite often too about how much playing he did, all the time. Everywhere and anywhere and obsessive practising too. It happens in life and not only with musicians and athletes etc. How many old school auto mechanics have I known who have problems later in life with their hands and elbows from using the ratchet socket set up, spanners, screwdrivers and other tools. Same with carpenters and builders with their older day tools. Decades of work and repetitive strain. These days technology and new gadgets help to alleviate many of the repetitive strain issues for the modern day craftsmen. I hope Steve Morse can find some easier technique or perhaps a different approach so he can still play, compose and enjoy creating music. Cheers.
October 23rd, 2025 at 08:32This is sad to hear. I’ve been listening to the new single TexUs, and I think it’s great. Although nothing extremely original and unique, I enjoy it. Playing is great and the composition is great. Those who tend to snipe Steve’s new music and playing: this is the man who saved Deep Purple in the 1990s. He did absolutely fantastic job with Purple. He brought Purple to the new millennium. Go back to Purpendicular, Rapture, and Whoosh, and have a listen. (With full volume.) — Well, I know you all love him, too.
October 23rd, 2025 at 08:41@2 Dear Uwe, I’m fully with you. Steve needs to play less, in all respects. And yet… The musicians are often hostages to the reputation and image they have created themselves. Steve is used to playing fast and he expects it from himself. Fans are used to Steve playing fast and expect it from him. If he slows down, literally, and simplifies the arrangements, a lot of people start voice their frustration: ‘oh, he’s not what he used to be. Where are his fast runs?’ It is difficult to handle this frustration and it is even more difficult to to break from the vicious circle and reinvent oneself as a composer and musician.
It will be similar to what people are saying about Blackmore. ‘Ricthie? He betrayed hard rock. He plays those childish acoustic tunes. Where’s his Fender pyrotechnics? Where’s his dexterity?’ And Blackmore, for all his flaws, was one of the few who actually dared to reinvent himself and start playing something more properly fitting his age and in line with his creative evolution.
The saddest story to me is the one of poor late Keith Emerson who literally killed himself not being able to play with the dexterity he used to have.
So, I would be happy if Steve would be playing 75 per cent of what he actually does, for starters.
October 23rd, 2025 at 08:59