DON AIREY: 'Guitar Players Are Very Strange People; They're Very Insecure'

In a new interview with Rock 'N' Roll Grad School, Don Airey, who has played with countless hard rock greats, including BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, OZZY OSBOURNE, DEEP PURPLE and WHITESNAKE, spoke about a keyboardist's role in a rock band, particularly when it comes to collaborating with legendary guitar players like Ritchie Blackmore, Gary Moore and Randy Rhoads. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Part of the job of being a keyboard player is you provide the backing, especially in rock, to the guitar player. Now guitar players are very strange people; they're very insecure. The more talented they are, the more eccentric and unsure of themselves [they are], 'cause they don't really know how they do what they do."

Don continued: "I remember a story about Randy California, who was in a band with [Jimi] Hendrix early on, and he said, 'Jimi, how are you getting those sounds?' And Jimi went, 'I don't know, man.' He just didn't know. When you're a keyboard player, you do know how you do it. So you've just gotta take charge of the situation, to a certain extent, without letting the guitar player know and just make him feel comfortable. And that's part of the thing.

"I'm very proud of some of the backing tracks I've done, to Ritchie and to Randy and Gary Moore especially," Airey added. "I think I really helped Gary to just be happy with what he was doing, because I went, 'Well, this is how we do it. How about doing something different at the end?' You've just gotta collaborate with them and hope that the magic happens, and it usually always does."

When one of the interviewers noted that being a keyboardist also means, in some ways, learning how to be a band leader, Don, who is currently promoting his new solo album "Pushed To The Edge", said: "There's two arts of leading. You can lead from behind, which is what I do, say, in a group situation like RAINBOW or something, or even with PURPLE; you've just got to be at the back, but trying to push things forward. But with this situation, with 'Pushed To The Edge', I really was leading the charge and just trying to get the best out of people. That's what you hope for.

"You can't tell people what to do; you just have to provide the milieu which sparks something in them — and in yourself as well, you hope. [Laughs] Most of all."

"Pushed To The Edge" will be released on March 28 via earMUSIC.

As one of the most recorded keyboardists of all time, with over 300 albums featuring his unmistakable sound, Airey's skills have been valued by nearly every rock 'n' roll superstar. The list includes legendary artists and bands such as Ozzy Osbourne, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE, JUDAS PRIEST, Gary Moore, Brian May, JETHRO TULL, BLACK SABBATH, and, of course, DEEP PURPLE, the band Airey has been a full-time member of for over 20 years. After last year's success, when DEEP PURPLE secured their fourth consecutive No. 1 album with "=1" and a subsequent global tour, Airey kicks off 2025 with the same energy in his solo work.

Joining Airey on the new album is an all-star lineup featuring Carl Sentance (NAZARETH) and Mitchell Emms ("The Voice UK") on vocals, DEEP PURPLE guitarist Simon McBride, drummer Jon Finnigan, and bassist Dave Marks. Produced in the finest hard rock tradition, "Pushed To The Edge" is a raw gem — crafted without tricks or shortcuts, staying true to the pure musicianship of world-class artists.

Last September, Airey told Roppongi Rocks' Stefan Nilsson about his plans to release a new solo album: "Well, I've always kept the solo… I had my own band. That's how we found Simon, 'cause Simon became part of my band, and a very big part of it. We started writing together, and it was a very good partnership. And I always had it in my head, 'If Steve [Morse, former DEEP PURPLE guitarist] decides to leave PURPLE, we won't have to look very far for someone.'"

Photo credit: Franz Schepers