There is no other way of putting it: Steve Morse is permanently retiring from the band.

The following message was circulated today, July 23, 2022, on social media:

Deep Purple announces that Steve Morse will be stepping back from the band, having been its guitarist for more than a quarter of a century.

Steve’s personal circumstances have made it impossible for him to commit to the band’s schedule throughout 2022 and beyond. A few months ago, Steve openly shared with the band´s fans the sad fact that his wife, Janine, is battling cancer and, in his own words, “I simply must be there with her.”

Since joining the band in 1994, Steve has written and recorded eight studio albums with the band:

Purpendicular
Abandon
Bananas
Rapture of the Deep
Now What?!
Infinite
Whoosh!
Turning to Crime

In addition, Steve has also recorded many live records with Deep Purple over the years.

Steve will be greatly missed by band, crew, management, record label and all those that had the pleasure of working with him over the years.

Steve has always been hugely grateful for the support and love of Deep Purple fans across the globe.

A true master…

In the words of Steve Morse:

Last Autumn, I suddenly left the Purple writing session in Germany because my wife was having a real medical crisis. Almost a year later, we are learning to accept stage 4 aggressive cancer and chemo treatment for the rest of her life. We both miss being at shows, but I simply couldn’t commit to long, or far away tours, since things can change quickly at home. I suggested lining up a substitute guitarist last Autumn, hoping we could see the miraculous cancer cure all of us have heard about. As time went by, I could see the way things were heading though, after 28 years of being in the band.

I’ve already played my last show with Purple back in Florida on the Rock Legends Cruise. I wish to thank the listeners who so strongly supported live music and turned every show from a dress rehearsal to a thundering, exciting experience. I’ll miss everybody in the band and crew but being Janine’s helper and advocate has made a real difference at many key points.

As Janine adjusts to her limitations, she is able to do many things on her own, so we will try to play some shorter nearby concert tours with friends to, hopefully, get both of us out of the house!

I know Simon has the gig nailed already, but I’m now handing over the keys to the vault which holds the secret of how Ritchie’s “Smoke on the Water” intro was recorded. I guess you have to jiggle the key just right because I never got it open.

In the words of Ian Gillan:

In circumstances like these it is normally difficult to find the right words, but not in the case of Steve Morse; I know what I want to say.

He came from a different background to the rest of us in Deep Purple and yet his musical genius has been somehow compatible and played a big part in the fresh direction adopted by the group when he joined and made his first album with us in 1996, and then onwards, for over a quarter of a century, enjoying the longest incumbency of any DP guitarist and contributing to the longest unchanging line-up, which started when Don Airey replaced Jon Lord – who retired in 2002 – until the present day.

I first became aware of Steve through the Dixie Dregs, particularly the track ‘Take it off the Top’ which was the theme tune for Tommy Vance’s BBC rock show and impressed me mightily. I didn’t realise at the time that one day I would be lucky enough to stand on stage with Steve and enjoy his consummate skills up close and dangerous.

I got to know him as a very kind man, full of ideas and the patience to see them developed. He would say, ‘You never know until you try it’. We sure had some fun debating that approach, but mostly in good humour and he always gave as good as he got.

Steve has a legacy with Deep Purple that can never be forgotten, and that smile will be missed. It would be wrong to comment on his personal circumstances, suffice to say he’s in a bad place right now but dealing with it bravely and as best he can; we all admire his devotion; he’s been a strong family man all his life.

All this has come at a terrible time for everybody, including the other musicians in Deep Purple. After two years off the road because of quarantines everywhere, we had to get back to what we do, and that is perform live around the world and make music in the way we have always done, since 1968. As we get older, we realise that we’re much closer to the end, and that triggers an urgency that won’t be tamed. From Steve’s perspective, I can only imagine that there is no possible ‘nice’ way of continuing with a new man, but it is either that or call it a day, because the lack of momentum was gradually becoming something more significant; it felt terminal.

The best way I can describe this is by using Steve’s own words; when I sent him a love letter a few weeks ago, he replied that it was weird being at home whilst we guys were out there, but ‘reality intervenes’… and that’s what has happened.

I can only put out love and respect, and positive vibes at the memories of good times together.

In the words of Ian Paice:

From the moment Steve joined us in Purple, it was obvious he could open up new musical possibilities for us. Like most great creative musicians, he has the ability to come up with musical ideas that no one else has thought of.

I think the easiest way to say it is he’s always “thinking outside the box”. Not many of us can do that!

We learnt he is also an incredibly nice man, who put up with our lack of knowledge of US sports teams and stars, and our continual talk of UK football, (soccer to our US friends!), with great patience. But there is one important truth here and that is “family comes first”.

Steve is adhering to that truth with his wife Janine’s health situation. We will miss him.

In the words of Roger Glover:

In the early 80’s, on tour with Rainbow in Germany, I heard ‘Go for Baroque’ by the Dixie Dregs on a car radio. I was captivated and immediately bought Unsung Heroes. Then I bought Steve’s first solo album. What a guitar player. Never could I have dreamed that twelve years later we would be in a band together.

Deep Purple was at a pivotal point in the mid-90’s and needed to refresh itself. Steve was an inspired choice and brought his talent and limitless imagination to us – evidenced by ‘Purpendicular’, a favourite album of mine – enabling the band to start an amazing journey for the next twenty-eight years… no mean feat. He’s a teacher, he inspired us, me in particular, with his energy, encouragement and wisdom, and his contribution and legacy in this band is beyond words. He will be missed but our friendship will remain. Sadly, life has intervened, and different challenges are upon us. Janine needs him now, and my best wishes and thoughts go out to them.

In the words of Don Airey:

Thanks Steve for being such a shining light both musically and personally to me over the last few (20 !!) years. All I can do is wish you and Janine
the best for the future, in the new course that life has taken you. I know it would take a lot more than this to extinguish your talent and your music, so hopefully we’ll see you down the road a-piece.
Cheers DA

There will be no further comment from the band. We kindly ask that Steve and Janine’s privacy is respected and to keep them in your thoughts at this time.

Thanks to Merlijn Rotte for the heads up.

Bernie Marsden is releasing another album in his Inspirations series, following up on last year’s Kings and Chess. This one is called Trios and is a tribute (mostly) to power trios of the 1960s and 70s. The album us due out on August 5 via Conquest Music, and can be pre-ordered via this link.

Tracklist:

1. Black Cat Moan (originally by Beck, Bogert & Appice)
2. Driftin’ Blues (various artists, starting from the 1940s)
3. Funk #49 (James Gang)
4. Never In My Life (Mountain)
5. Outside Woman Blues (trad., Cream)
6. Drifting (Jimi Hendrix)
7. Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo (Rick Derringer/Johnny Winter)
8. Same Old Story (Stevie Wonder?)
9. Spanish Castle Magic (Jimi Hendrix)
10. Too Rolling Stoned (Robin Trower)
11. Na Na Na (Cozy Powell’s Hammer)

Video for Bernie’s version of Na Na Na:

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Vocal teacher Ken Tramplin did a Who Did It Better? series of videos comparing different singers who were in the same band at different times. Here is the episode on Ian Gillan vs. David Coverdale vs. Glenn Hughes (Rod Evans didn’t make the cut for some reason). There are some keen insights interspersed between his own promotions is there. Continue Reading »

Cult favourite Anya made it back into the setlist for the first time since what… 1995-ish? Here it is performed on July 15, 2022, at the Peißnitzinsel in Halle, Germany Continue Reading »

Today, July 16th, marks 10 years since dear Jon is no longer with is. Here’s something-something for you to raise a glass in his memory.

Back in 2003 he arrived to Australia to endulge his classical side, but could not play the piano due to an injury. Fortunately, he could still play the Hammond (we are being told that the muscles involved are rather different). An impromptu performance of blues standards with local talent featuring Bob Daisley was arranged and filmed. We’ll take that, thankyouverymuch.

Thanks to Bob Daisley for the clips.

Louder Sound has profiled Simon McBride, including quotes from a recent interview with him:

[…] McBride was always going to be the obvious candidate. He’d already played in the solo bands of Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan and Don Airey, knew how to wrangle Smoke On The Water and all the rest.

“They are quite fussy about how that song should be played,” he says with a laugh. “And there are certain Ritchie Blackmore solos, too, like Highway Star. You can’t get away with playing anything else. But I don’t try to copy how Blackmore or Steve played. You just take the concepts they used and put your own thing to it.”

Morse has described McBride as “a certified world-class guitarist”. Any word from Blackmore?

“It would be lovely if Ritchie gave me his blessing,” McBride says. “But am I worried if he doesn’t? No, I’m not worried. Joe Satriani gave me his blessing, so that’s good enough for me. That’s my childhood hero, so it’s like the hand of God saying: ‘You’re okay.’”

At last, after a career of ebb and flow, McBride seems to have found the win- win scenario his talent deserves. “Y’know, it’s Deep Purple,” he says, grinning. “Who would not want to play with them? They’re all still shit-hot players. On the other hand, I can look at this and think: ‘Well, it’s probably going to help my solo career a little bit too.’ It does feel like I’m living a quadruple life right now. But I’ve become an expert plate-spinner over the years.”

Read more in Louder Sound.

Thanks to Gary Poronovich for the info.

An online lifestyle magazine thrillist has profiled a certain Swiss town with a rich history connected to arts and music — from Lord Byron and Stravinski to Charlie Chaplin and Freddie Mercury. And it starts with a story of Frank Zappa and The Mothers being at the best place around, with a few instances of poetic license. Continue Reading »

The founding member of Nazareth guitarist Manuel “Manny” Charlton has passed away at the age of 80. Roger Glover writes:

Very sad to hear that Nazareth’s guitarist, Manny Charlton, has died.

I last met him about five years ago in Spain after losing touch for many years, and it was a lovely reunion. Nazareth played a huge part in my life in the 70’s. My thoughts go to his family and friends. He shall be missed.

RG

Charlton was the guitar player for Nazareth from 1968 until 1990. After leaving Nazareth he continued a successful career, releasing 14 albums solo and with his own band.

The official Ritchie Blackmore Youtube channel we’ve discovered yesterday has posted 10 more clips of him talking about everything from Jimmy Page to his future in rock, along with a couple of live tracks. The spoken word bits for the most part are taken from the previousy released DVDs. Continue Reading »

A new Ritchie Blackmore Youtube channel, ostensibly official, was inaugurated on June 23, 2022, with this unlisted video. It promises weekly updates of which not much has materialized since then Continue Reading »