“The material by Steve Morse differs greatly from that by Ritchie Blackmore in the early stages. Simon McBride on how he has infused his own personality into the Deep Purple library while honoring the legends that came before him: “Nobody can do it better than them.”
Simon McBride was destined to become the permanent lead electric guitar player for Deep Purple when he set out on this journey just over two years ago.
Following his original temporary leave of absence announced in March 2022 for personal reasons, McBride was appointed on a full-time basis in September of the same year.
Since then, he has played live with Deep Purple and contributed to the recording of =1, the band’s 23rd studio album and the first to have guitarist Jimmy McBride. It is a record that solidifies McBride’s status as a blues-rock legend.
It was widely known that McBride was filling some rather big shoes, joining the ranks of former Deep Purple guitarists that included members like Ritchie Blackmore and Morse.
Speaking in the most recent edition of Total Guitar, McBride explains how he was able to emulate Blackmore and Morse and how he adjusted to his new position.
He adds that the secret has been to stay loyal to his identity as a guitarist, understanding that, although he can pay respect to the players who have gone before him, he will never be able to be them fully, and that’s okay.
You simply have to be who you are, you know? You’ll become a little musically strangled if you attempt to think about the past, and this is true in any circumstance, McBride muses. “Trying to compete with Steve Morse or Ritchie Blackmore is pointless.
Speaking in the most recent issue of Total Guitar, McBride discusses adjusting to his new role and how he was able to mimic Blackmore and Morse.
He continues, saying that the key has been to remain true to his identity as a guitarist and to the knowledge that, while he can honor the musicians who have come before him, he will never be able to embody them completely, and that’s good.
You know, you just have to be who you are. Thinking about the past will make you sound a little musically strangled, McBride remarks, and this is true regardless of the situation.It’s useless to try to compete with Steve Morse or Ritchie Blackmore.
As he points out, McBride must choose from a library of songs that were put together by two distinctly different guitarists, each of whom has a unique style of playing. For their most iconic sections, every song calls for a distinct strategy.
McBride notes, “The Steve Morse stuff is very different from the early Ritchie Blackmore stuff.” Steve doesn’t play as well as he did in Dixie Dregs because of a minor wrist injury. I would give up if I had to play like he did there!
“And there’s a solo like Highway Star in Ritchie’s style, for instance, that I can’t alter. It’s like, “Okay, I am so glad I did not change this at all,” when you have 65,000 people singing the solo back at you note-for-note. However, I altered several solos and added my own flavor to others, such as the one in Smoke On the Water.
Get the most recent edition of Total Guitar from Magazines Direct to read the complete interview with Simon McBride.
