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That allergy to major sevenths
Ritchie Blackmore continues his 2026 birthday celebration livestream at an “interesting hour in the morning”. And it may even be not the last instalment!
Previously on this livestream: part 1, part 2, part 3.
Thanks to Candice for making this happen, to Igor’s Rock Universe for posting it, and to Uwe for bringing it to your attention.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Ritchie apologising to AC DC, well I never! Interesting that he didn’t answer the bass guitarist question, ‘who is or was your favourite bass guitarist’ Uwe will not be happy with that one, although he has often said that Blackmore doesn’t praise bass guitarists, for whatever reason. A pity so many of these comments or questions are so inane. But I suppose we probably wouldn’t get Ritchie saying anything at all otherwise. I fast forward through so much of these, so much of it isn’t relevant. The little bits of interest are worth it of course. Apologising to AC DC, ha ha ha. I can imagine what those guys would have been thinking. Especially Malcom Young and Bon Scott. Thanks for posting. Cheers.
April 23rd, 2026 at 01:20In a 90s interview with a Japanese magazine, Ritchie said positive things about Glenn (“no question the best bassist Deep Purple ever had”) and 90s Rainbow alumni Greg Smith (“Rainbow bassist I thought best”). Roger received faint, if not entirely damning praise (“good as long as the music stays straight eighths”).
I’m not saying that these judgements are fair, I’m just quoting them. Smith was certainly a very organic (finger) player, Ted Nugent always had an ear for good bassists.
With Glenn, it seems like Ritchie dug his bass playing (and apparently his ability to pick up quickly anything Ritchie showed him where Roger might have taken a while longer) and pretty much nothing else: not his lead voice (unless relegated to background harmony duties) and not his songwriting. Which of course created friction with a musician like Glenn who is a composite package of all three (bassist + singer + songwriter) and sees himself that way.
April 23rd, 2026 at 14:45Uwe, if we’re talking about the same interview, his comment was specifically that Glover’s playing was flat (da da da) while Hughes’s was more funky (da boop da boop). Strange, because he supposedly didn’t like funk music. In general, in the 70s, he seems to have had a lot of ups and downs in his choices. He didn’t want an operatic singer (Gillan), he wanted to turn to blues voices (Rogers), and then he got an operatic singer again (Dio), in just 3 years time. He wanted to play, as Dio said at least, rock and roll with classical elements, but he got bored of it and wanted to play more pop-rock.
April 23rd, 2026 at 20:28Personally, I really liked these contradictions. It keeps me from getting bored, both musically and as a person. On the one hand, I recognize that Gary Moore and Bonamassa are much more talented guitarists (as Hughes says), but on the other hand, neither of them would play a setlist of heavy rock, pop-rock, operatic-rock, blues songs at the same time and sometimes all of them in a 5 minutes jam. I don’t think any other guitarist has dealt with so many musical genres while maintaining a personal playing style recognizable by anyone.
I personally think this is the element that Βlackers’ like the most.
Alas!, the Major 7ths chords Ritchie so much dislikes are – along with minor 9ths – Glenn’s all time favorite ones (he mentions that in every second interview), Trapeze’s music is littered with them:
https://youtu.be/8zM2SVLreaw
https://youtu.be/Svqr_1HEKIY
https://youtu.be/85gcjXQc2ok
You do wonder: Ritchie is looking for a replacement for Roger Glover, witnesses Glenn at Trapeze gigs, doesn’t like his voice nor his songwriting nor the jazzy chords he prefers nor his penchant for Black Music, but wants him as the bass player for DP. And then wakes up one morning realizing that someone who plays bass the way Glenn does has – surprise, surprise – a strong urge to also play the music that bass style emanated from. Some brilliant due diligence there. 😂 But, to be fair, he does call Glenn “talented” in this Q&A.
I’m baffled that BN never toured Romania – with all the castles, bats and vampire burial sites there! Talk about a match made in heaven (or hell)!
https://youtu.be/Mw9iEvqefHU
April 23rd, 2026 at 21:30Without sounding like I am looking for a ‘problem’, I thought there was a sort of stand off there when Ritchie was asked that question. A lot of hesitation from him and then, ‘which one’ referring to the different lineups and bands and then quickly moving onto the next topic. I was disappointed, I was genuinely hoping for a little commentary about some of the bass guitarists. Oh well, maybe if Ritchie was a drummer he would have plenty to say. Cheers.
April 23rd, 2026 at 22:18On the other hand, Ritchie fired Mark Clarke and kept telling him, “Roger Glover would’ve play it like this.” High praise from Blackmore, who also hired Glover into Rainbow and collaborated on songwriting there and with Purple after they reunited.
April 23rd, 2026 at 22:22Hello.
Thank You so very much Ritchie and Candice for this. Some serious birthday celebrating. If just one could have been there too!
It´s nice to hear a bit of this and a bit of that, but of course, if all this was made a bit more organised, it surely would be a treat for all of us old fans, and newer ones, too. But then again it wouldn´t be a relaxed situation anymore – it would be just like at school and Ritchie would look out of window. Ha ha.
There´s so many things talked about, and just can´t remember all of those, but now that Ritchie mentioned his idol John Cleese, who too is from Weston-Super-Mare, I´m glad to mention having seen Eric Idle this week in Helsinki. He did his entertaining show in Monty Python style and sang a couple of songs, too. He did his tribute to the late George Harrison, too. Very moving, but also funny evening too, of course. I absolutely recommend.
Green Bullfrog…beer did it´s thing to Ritchie. Of course it was Ian Paice on drums at that time. It´s a shame we didn´t hear more of those Mick Underwood stories.
And those ghost stories! There´s people who believe in those and people who don´t. But when you have experienced some peculiar things or things you just don´t get or understand…It´s not a question of believing. And while there´s other people around too experiencing exactly the same at the same time and all people involved are sober… I have witnessed some things and I know some things you can´t explain really do happen.
Which kind of leads me telling you when we were in Czech Republic in 2015. There was a Blackmore´s Night gig in Cesky Krumlov in July. Ritchie was asking for requests. I was quite near the stage to shout immediately “Ghost of A Rose”. “Oh, there´s Tilemann Susato himself”, was Ritchie´s rapid answer while pointing at me. They played the song next. Later I found a photo (from fb) of taken of (probably by Candice) the audience from the stage. Yep, there we were. Variety is the spice of life.
And of course – congratulations Ritchie! You are the man. Enjoy your days there and keep on playing!
Kippis.
April 24th, 2026 at 08:31@ 7 -a good story Hiza, that BN gig and a photo also, Happy days eh. Regarding naming the wrong drummer, yes, memory does that sort of thing at times. At least he remembers drummers. Those poor bass guitarists, who are they? Cheers. P.S. Who would ever think that I would go into bat for bass guitarists. I must be going crazy or something…………….But then again being a retired drummer, I did have a sort of connection to them, for good or bad……….so I guess I feel sorry for them all……..
April 24th, 2026 at 09:05@ 4- “I’m baffled that BN never toured Romania – with all the castles, bats and vampire burial sites there! Talk about a match made in heaven (or hell)!” Vlad the Impaler was from that part of the world wasn’t he?. A bit too close to the bone perhaps for Ritchie. Cheers.
April 24th, 2026 at 09:15Ritchie disliked the fact that Mark Clarke (a very good bassist) refused to play with a pick, yet both Greg Smith and Bob Nouveau/Curiano are finger players, go figure. Roger was a finger player too when he joined DP (you can see it in the old vids), but switched to pick playing because Ritchie asked him to. So there is really no rhyme or reason to what Ritchie wants or dislikes over the years.
Roger isn’t technically any worse than Glenn, the difference in their styles is very much an attitude thing. Glenn is more fearless and plays what he plays (which is often actually a bit simpler/less than what Roger would provide) with a more dominant projection while Roger provides this steady carpet of notes which for all its business remains unobtrusive. What appealed to Ritchie about Glenn’s bass playing was likely the drama and dynamics prevalent in it – characteristics Ritchie calls his own as a guitarist too after all.
Ghosts or no ghosts? I’ve participated in seances too, but I have a few questions: If there are ghosts shouldn’t there be more and more of them as the world population increases measurably? I have yet to see a marked increase in ghosts, they’re kinda rare where I live. And also: Most people while alive aren’t really evil, why is that then supposed to change once they are in the afterlife? If I turned ghost, I’d still be the same essentially gentle being haunting Karin and MacGregor just a little.
https://youtu.be/VDMqVrPXcdo?is=cZAfBvLzkAG87AOF
April 24th, 2026 at 10:19Herr Macgregor @5: I think Ritchie’s return question, but Candice didn’t follow up, rather moving on so an answer was lost. Of course it has to do with what era we’re talking about:
– In 1968, Nick Simper was a good bassist, but less solid and forward-looking/prepared to let new influences shape him than Roger.
– Roger Glover‘s bass playing – make no mistake – co-shaped the Mk II sound, especially on MH , MiJ and WDWTWA with that Rickenbacker upfront gnarl.
– Glenn Hughes is a very extrovert bassist. Not as metronomic precise as Roger, but more exciting/dynamic/spur of the moment. He plays funky with a mean hard rocker’s attitude, something that is rare. Contrary to conventional wisdom he played and plays overall less notes than Roger, not more.
– Craig Gruber had excellent groove and all these little nuances in his playing; I believe it was more of an image decision by Ritchie to let him go, I think he did not deem him “dedicated to hard rock” enough. Likely also not a great fit with Cozy. Come to think of it he was also a finger player (though he had changed to pick by the time he played with Paicey as the rhythm section to Gary Moore in the 80s).
– Which Jimmy Bain of course was, almost punkish in energy. Rising was his first professional recording and his style would really only develop into full bloom with Dio. Except for some melodic runs on Light In The Black, there is little that stands out in his bass playing with Rainbow, he produced notes to go alongside Cozy’s bass drum(s), that was his job.
– Mark Clarke had considerable experience from playing with Colosseum, Uriah Heep and Tempest. A nimble and busy finger player, he wasn’t really prepared to be lectured by Ritchie about using a pick.
– Bob Daisley was of course an excellent rock player, but it must be said that his bass playing with Rainbow did not show the same level of creativity as with Widowmaker or Ozzy Osbourne. That was likely down to Ritchie’s stern regime plus that Bob’s stint with Rainbow was comparatively short.
– Clive Chaman from the Jeff Beck Group (and there a colleague of Cozy) was never really a Rainbow member, but he rehearsed with them for a while after Bob Daisley had received his papers (= never got a call that his services were needed again after the failed1978 US tour opening for REO Speedwagon). Chaman was a dedicated fusion player which Cozy liked, but David Stone thought an ill fit for the band and which Ritchie hated because of his middish sound, going as far as to boycott the rehearsals with him which were left to Cozy and David Stone.
– Roger Glover with Rainbow 1979-84 never left as much a stamp there as with Mk II 1969-73. His bass playing with Rainbow sounded often like an afterthought, I think he (over)focused on his producer duties.
– Greg Smith was powerful and organic, not a root note chugger either, somewhere between Craig Gruber and Bob Daisley.
– Does anybody remember Mike Cervino, the first BN bassist? He was a good, even artistic player, but I have a hunch Ritchie thought he overplayed.
– Sir Robert of Normandy/Bob Nouveau/Bob Curiano had been the bass player in the Mink DeVille Band for years – a much more urban music than either BN or Rainbow – and it showed. He played tastefully, not dumb, but with Reunionbow you could tell that he wasn’t raised on hard rock or heavy metal. Stylistically a bit like Craig Gruber or John Gustafson of IGB – minus the gutsy attack, more laid back
– Earl Grey of Chimay/Mike Clemente was a Long Island regular playing in bars when Ritchie discovered him. I’ve been to countless BN gigs but can’t remember him ever playing something that made me take notice. He is not exactly Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull) if you know what I mean, but then Ritchie deems bass guitar largely irrelevant for BN, only requiring it to fill out the lower frequencies. He even had the nerve to once (1999-2000) tour BN with keyboard bass only, an unspeakable crime though Ms Marci Geller (a Long Island singer/songwriter) could not be blamed for what she was forced to do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPmRzNW95i8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWhkZRwLJn0&t=55s
Have I forgotten anyone? 😂
–
April 24th, 2026 at 17:30@ 11- no it doesn’t seem like you have forgotten anyone Uwe, but Ritchie certainly did. Thanks for the analysis. Clive Chaman, a fine bass guitarist and I do like what he did with the Jeff Beck Group. Man oh man, I CANNOT envisage Clive being in Rainbow at all. Not to worry. Regarding Bob Daisley, yes he didn’t get a lot of time did he, roped in at the last minute to contribute to a couple of studio tracks and then hit the road. A good co -songwriter is Daisley as is Roger Glover and Glenn Hughes too. A key ingredient if I was looking for a bass guitarist. Oh I forgot, and how well they make a cup of tea. Cheers.
April 24th, 2026 at 22:13Hello.
Thanks, Mac @8. You´re quite right. Happy days indeed! But every day is a happy day, if we just look at them properly enough? But why to retire from drumming? Is that possible at all? The sexiest instrument there is! Said once one of my dearest friends, now sadly passed. She had the point.
Now that Spring is here in the North part of the Tellus, too, it´s always so nice to see the various birds moving back where ever they´re returning from. Only last evening I stopped to listening to one Blackbird at the top of a tree. He really had some notes in his repertoire. And you know what? Had the pleasure and luck in seeing the one and only Sheila E. and her band at the Apollo Club in Helsinki 1st April. And that´s not a April Fool´s joke or something. They had the Beatles track “Blackbird” in their set, too. Sheila did her 5 minute drum solo, too. I think you would have enjoyed it as much as I did, Mac!
Profound job done there, Uwe @ 11! It´s really a shame that Craig Gruber hadn´t the time to finish his biography. I was so lucky to see him on stage with Gary Moore once. And yep, there was one IP on drums. First time I saw him live, actually.
And speaking of bassists and drummers… I had the pleasure in talking to Mr. Billy Sheehan once. What a gentleman. His knowledge of music in general is huge. But one thing he said I have always remembered since: “The nicest people in bands are the bassists and drummers. ”
I think it´s time for my coffee.
Kippis!
April 25th, 2026 at 08:55@10 To quote Jimmy Carr, there is an easy way to tell if a house is haunted : it isn’t!
April 25th, 2026 at 19:05@ 13 – Hiza, easy for me to give up drumming. They are noisy, difficult to maintain (I had a large Sonor rosewood veneer concert series kit) and a lot of polishing is required with all that chrome and cymbals etc. The neighbours don’t enjoy it and they are above all, difficult to move and also to have the space to set them up, depending on the house I may be living in at the time. Above all though they require energy to play and to keep in touch with. As I grow older my energy levels became a problem and also I don’t bump into musicians anymore, well not as often as I use to when younger. They seemed to be everywhere back in the good old days. I do miss it at times, but that is what nostalgia does to us occasionally, we yearn somethings from the past, even if briefly. It was a huge relief to sell them 10 year ago, for most of the above reasons. Cheers.
April 26th, 2026 at 00:00@10
Well Uwe, I’m really happy to know that if you turn into a ghost, you will make sure I’m not bored 😁
April 26th, 2026 at 06:24But please use the doorbell so I know when to make you some lovely coffee 😃
@16- ha ha ha Karin, good one. Still trying to teach the Mr Hornung manners, good on you. Seriously though Anton would have given him up well before he gets to ring the door bell. Doggies KNOW when devious things are appearing, even if they are unseen. So much for Uwe’s ‘surprise’ Halloween trick or treat visit eh? Let Anton sort him out Karin and just hope that Uwe doesn’t have that drumstick with him. Anton might take it off him and go and bury it. Cheers.
April 26th, 2026 at 10:01@17
MacGregor, I am afraid it’s way too late to learn the nice German lawyer some manners 😄
Anton is used to me laughing out loud whenever I read in here!
And since his momma don’t believe in dead people coming by to scare me, he is very calm and collected too ☺️
This one is something I sing along too whenever I get the chance 🥰
April 26th, 2026 at 12:45https://youtu.be/RTXszRHc0qs?is=khbP8PZVlyUr-_EI
But sadly I can never sing as wonderful as her 😍
I grew up in a household of two German Shepherd dogs and two poodles (and the poodles were always the bosses because they were smarter, also more ill-tempered 😂), so I’m absolutely relaxed with dogs and do not even fear aggressive ones. During my red light district days I remember this pimp who had this hugely aggressive bull terrier (as pimps do) everyone dreaded and I just bowed down to it and patted its head (it’s difficult to impress pimps, but I think I did that one time) when I first met it.
I can “read” dogs better than some humans. Anton would have a ball with me.
April 26th, 2026 at 14:30But Karin, of course I will politely ask for entrance and also bring along a few friends for coffee …
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k8uQHmyvj2U
April 26th, 2026 at 18:32These livestreams are pretty neat, but there have been a few questions asked more than once, like what do you think of Beck, Page ect. Most of us know the answers to those players. How about asking him about some other banjo players ? Like Terry Kath, Ronnie Montrose, ( a friend saw Ronnie warm up for Rainbow when Bonnet was the singer and he said Ronnie was smokin hot, he said when Rainbow came on they played a very short set and said Richie was in a bad mood, friend thought Ronnie showed him up) Rod Price, Uli Roth and Gary Moore. I have never heard Ritchie talk about any of these guys. another good question would be what he thought of the Glenn Hughes Purple shows ? I saw a few and they were very good, Glenn really put a good band together for that, Soren Andersen did a great job on those songs. Wonder what he thought of Burton Cummings ? I thought back when Gillian left in 73 Burton could have been and interesting replacement. Back in the day he really had a great voice.
April 26th, 2026 at 21:36Do I really need to use the bell? Back in the old days in Denmark, we could just politely knock …
https://preview.redd.it/the-germans-break-down-the-door-of-the-house-during-the-v0-pa9hlicedtba1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=8514baa0dd12c0f9cbd3c8495e21b9f97b1d6f63
April 26th, 2026 at 22:53I cannot resist! My cut and paste tabloid journo instincts just kicked in. Uwe’s comment at 19- ” During my red light district days I remember this pimp and I just bowed down to it and patted its head (it’s difficult to impress pimps, but I think I did that one time.”
April 27th, 2026 at 09:15@19, 29 & 22
Well Uwe please dont be alarmed that Anton wouldn’t like you, because he loves everyone 😁
Should any intruders come by that weren’t on the guest list, he would gladly bring his toys and ask for playing 😊
(And no, owners do not look alike their dogs, or is it the other way around?, because I do not bring my toys to people I don’t know 😃)
In the good old days all the house-frontdoors were open – also at night time, because not so many criminals lived here.
April 27th, 2026 at 10:37But today burglars and other types of criminals sadly have made us more worried.
However at my front door is a doorbell with a camera in, also a microphone, so should any person come along I don’t wanna let in, I don’t have to open the door to see who it is. I just look at my phone.
Clever, huh?! 😁
Bjorn, Ronnie Montrose once did an interview with Circus, Creem or Hit Parader (I forgot which, but it was one of them) in the later 80s where he not only controversially held that Bruce Springsteen was as musically straight-jacketed as AC/DC (“People don’t like to hear that, but it is just as narrow a format.”), but also very charmingly answered to the question who his dream band would consist of: “That’s an easy one, Deep Purple without Ritchie Blackmore. I think those guys are all great, I’d love to do something with them.” Anybody who knows how demanding Ronnie M could be of people playing with him, realizes b what a compliment that was.
Ronnie M was by all accounts – just like Ritchie – a difficult person, but I’m sure that he could give Ritchie a run for his money when Ritchie had one of his diva nights again.
As for Ritchie’s view on Glenn’s Mk III Revue, I’m sure he would appreciate the deftness (not daftness! 😂) of it, but probably also slip in some sardonic comment along the lines of: “Nice to see Glenn celebrate the music he so badly tried to get away from fifty years ago!” 😈
April 27th, 2026 at 12:00Herr MacGregor, no worries, the pimp in question was a really handsome one who enjoyed great popularity among the girls, I’m sure he did not require my amateur services! 🤗 He did like Deep Purple though and always appreciated the amount of rock I played during my shift.
I was privy to such “initiation rites” when one pimp took over the territory (and the women) of another, but not as an active participant! 😂
April 27th, 2026 at 12:11@ 11
Yes, Uwe, you forgot one important person : Chas Hodges (RIP), one of Ritchie’s favourite bass players, and as a bass player myself one of mine, along with Paul Martinez (RIP) and the one and only Jack Bruce (RIP)! Unfortunetaly Ritchie never played with the latter two. The best bass player of all time was and will always be imho JACO PASTORIUS (RIP) !! Conclusion : all my favourite bass players are gone. But fortunately, there is still Glenn Hughes !!! And Roger Glover of course.
Rudy Schoukens
April 28th, 2026 at 19:45@ 26- we are all very relieved to hear that Uwe. Cheers.
April 28th, 2026 at 22:09Hello.
Me and my ever worsening memory…
Uwe@11.
I think we must add one late Philip Lynott there, too. It´s so huge shame that they didn´t get any songs ready and published. That Babyface -project. It would surely have been a very interesting line-up to witness! A power-trio in the very meaning of the word.
…Ritchie himself once told me that John Coletta might have had those tapes lying somewhere…unfinished, but…
Happy 1st of May / May Day everyone!
Kippis.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:06Rudy, I actually thought about Chas, but then decided he might be too far removed/esoteric a choice – most people are not really acquainted with his joint oeuvre with Ritchie in The Outlaws – yet you’re right he should have been in the list. Very nimble with his pick, sort of an Albert Lee on bass, here he his together with him:
https://youtu.be/kGU63KqXuZk
Jaco was great of course, but speaking of fusion players I tend to prefer Stanley Clarke a bit more, I find his playing more “manly” and perhaps also more “rocky” than Jaco’s.
https://youtu.be/OOVasAri0kU
I agree that Paul Martinez was an unsung bass hero!
As was/is Jim Lea!
April 29th, 2026 at 14:02I have to ask, Rudy: John Gustafson is not among your favorite DP family four-stringers? I thought he was amazing, both with Roxy Music (he should have taken that offer!) and IGB. And he had a great sound with that WAL Mk I of his. I’m listening to Scarabus (the album) as I write and his bass sound is – don’t read this Karin and Beate – to cream in your pants to.
PS: Worried MacGregor @28: We’ll I didn’t want you gagging about it or anythin’, so I took a gulp, swallowed my pride and wrote a clarifying post …
April 29th, 2026 at 15:32re Bass Players: what about Dave LaRue??
April 30th, 2026 at 14:07Dave is excellent, Beate. I love what he does here, even when wearing a muscle shirt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZlpIoUL3UU
Flying Colors were great, I wish they had left that project stage and become a permanent band. And you have to be blind and deaf not to see and hear that Steve was enjoying that music more than DP.
As for Dave’s bass line, a little inspiration never did nobody no harm …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yb6-FWnJG8
April 30th, 2026 at 22:25@ 32 – interesting about Dave LaRue. A wonderful bass guitarist in the SMB but I do wish that Morse had not brought him into The Dregs. I can understand why he did it for convenience and friendship etc, but to my ears???????? Cheers.
April 30th, 2026 at 22:36Talking of bass guitars and guitarists. Hawkwind leader Dave Brock is ropable that the band and particularly former member Dik Mik aka Michael Davies, have been mentioned for the wrong reasons on the lost bass guitar documentary. Wrongfully accused of stealing Paul McCartney’s original Hofner bass guitar in 1972. Sounds like a good case for some legal action perhaps. Sadly Dik Mik is no longer around to be able to defend himself either. Oh dear!
https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/documentary/dave-brock-hawkwind-paul-mccartney-stolen-bass
May 1st, 2026 at 04:39You think Dave LaRue overplayed in The Dregs, Herr MacGregor? I’ve never given it a thought.
That story about Paul’s Höfner, I don’t buy it. The little bass became of course iconic, but in 1972 you couldn’t get arrested with a Höfner. Even McCartney fans have a hard time liking to play that flimsy and hollow bass, only Macca himself sounds good with it. Now if they had purloined his Sgt. Pepper Rickenbacker 4001 …
May 2nd, 2026 at 00:52I much prefer Andy West in the Dregs Uwe. Predominantly a plectrum player and never too busy. Although he did ‘slap’ a little here and there and played finger style occasionally. LaRue gets a bit too ‘slap happy’ at times for me, which is fine in the three piece Steve Morse band. I noticed West rejoined the Dregs around the 2017 era, thankfully. Regarding that documentary, I cannot believe a film was made about that guitar. Well, it is a media story of something to do with a Beatle, so I guess it is sort of predictable. I haven’t and will not be watching that doco, a load of beat up about nothing really by the sound of it. To say that the Hawkwind guys loathed the Beatles and wrote ‘anti’ Beatles songs says it all. Cheers.
May 3rd, 2026 at 00:14That’s how I remember Andy West, a more deliberate player, but not as bubbly-busy as Dave LaRue. Dave’s style likely has to do with his role within SMB, where he not only fills the position of a traditional bassist, but also in effect the one of Steve’s harmony second guitarist, albeit an octave lower. I know no other trio that is the solo vehicle of its guitarist where the bassist gets to play as much (and basically all the time) as Dave in Steve’s SMB. He could sometimes use an extra pair of hands.
May 3rd, 2026 at 11:42@38
May 3rd, 2026 at 16:52Well said, Uwe!
Dave is perfect for the SMB. I love their interaction, Dave seems to be connected to Steve‘s brain somehow, esp. when they play the „classic“ duets like „go for baroque“.
Dave is really more than a normal bass-player. Just think of his wonderful part that was originally thought for the violin on „Odyssey“ performed by Flying Colors live.
https://youtu.be/_lHLeEOmsLo?si=w1Kvyg_MfC_bPVtT
The Steve Morse Band live back in 1984 when Uwe witnessed them. Am I right Uwe, I think I remember you mentioning this sometime ago. Jerry Peek on the bass guitar and a Dregs cohort in the esteemed Rod Morgenstein on the drums. Separating the Dregs from the SMB and vice versa, a little harder than it seems at times. Love the Telecaster back in those days. Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mus3LgORqBE
May 4th, 2026 at 22:54That Mo Foster’ish bass solo by Dave @02:00 is beautiful and adorably musical, Beate!
May 5th, 2026 at 01:17Yeah, that’s how I saw him first, with Jerry Peek and the guy who went to Winger. The bearded guy jamming with them is Dieter Roesberg, then the editor-in-chief of Fachblatt, German’s top musicians’ monthly magazine which later on became Gitarre & Bass. He adored Steve and the constant coverage did a lot to establish Steve in Germany.
Jerry Peek was an excellent bassist (even though he looked like an auditor/accountant), but also a bit of a show-off (it was of course also the times for that), LaRue is the more organic player I believe. For all hs chops, LaRue has more of a rock feel, Peek was more academic.
With Beate making all these knowledgeable remarks about bassists, I have now decided for myself that she is just using a female alter ego here and is in fact some bespectacled male fusion fan still living with his mother! 🤣
May 5th, 2026 at 22:44@42
May 6th, 2026 at 14:37Hello Uwe, only “bespectacled” and “fusion fan” (re Dixie Dregs) is right!
Uwe #10: Why do you think ghosts are all evil, and living people are (mostly) not? Like living people, some ghosts are, some aren’t. I haven’t met any ghosts (just read a lot about them, and heard from friends who have met them), but I have known many people still alive who are genuine living Satans. If you’d known some of my former bosses, you would not underestimate the true wickedness of living people…
May 10th, 2026 at 03:11