New DEEP PURPLE Guitarist SIMON MCBRIDE: 'I Try To Be Very Respectful To What's Been Done Before'

In a new interview with Thomas Blug of BluGuitar, Irish guitarist Simon McBride, who joined DEEP PURPLE in September 2022 as the permanent replacement for Steve Morse, spoke about what it has been like for me him to step into the shoes previously filled by Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Joe Satriani and Steve Morse. Regarding his approach to playing DEEP PURPLE's classic songs, Simon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I try to be very respectful to what's been done before, because, obviously, there's things I can change and there's things I can't change. That's probably why I sound a little bit like Steve or like Ritchie at times 'cause I'm playing their solos, and I'm trying to put a bit of my own influence into it as well. But it's the only way you can do it. I think if I tried to play like Ritchie or play like Steve, they'd sack me. 'Cause they said, 'We want you. We don't want any copies.'"

McBride also talked about his pre-DEEP PURPLE work with PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey on Don's solo tours as a member of THE DON AIREY BAND or DON AIREY & FRIENDS. He said: "Don's what we call rock royalty. He's been around for years and he's done everything. But yeah, in his band, we basically did lots of his stuff from RAINBOW, Ozzy [Osbourne], Gary Moore, the list goes on, WHITESNAKE and all that stuff. So it was a lot of fun. We actually only really played ever one DEEP PURPLE song in his set 'cause he has so many songs he could choose from. And he always wanted to play his own solo stuff as well, which I was part of. But yeah, it's been a fun last ten years for me."

Back in April 2023, McBride was asked by Colombia's El Expreso Del Rock how he landed the DEEP PURPLE gig. He responded: "I know Don Airey very well. I played with Don for [about] 10 years now. And I also know [PURPLE singer] Ian Gillan very well, and I played with him off and on. I also know Roger [Glover, PURPLE bassist] and I know Paicey [PURPLE drummer Ian Paice] as well. I've known them all, I've played with them all, but never at the same time. And I get on very well [with them]… I think I was kind of the natural fit for the band because… as I know Don and played with him and played with Gillan and I know the rest of the guys. We all get on very well. But, yeah, it was still… When I got a call to do it, it was just a bizarre feeling. I think I was jumping for joy."

Regarding how he feels being a member of such a legendary band, McBride said: "It's a great thing to be part of DEEP PURPLE. The name DEEP PURPLE is just iconic, and I'm very lucky that I can put my name through that, as being a part of it. But, yeah, the guys are great, and all the crew. It's like a big family on the road. And we all have a lot of fun and we all get on very well. Yeah, I'm very honored to be a part of the whole thing."

Simon previously recounted the initial call he received to fill in for Morse in an October 2022 interview with Andrew Daly of Vinyl Writer Music. At the time, he said: "Well, there was talk of me stepping in for Steve temporarily towards the end of 2021, but I never really thought much of it. I never thought much of it because it was always a case of, 'It may happen or it may not happen,' because it depended on Steve's wife's condition as to whether he would be able to tour. But it just got to the stage where Steve decided enough was enough, and he needed to look after his wife, which is an amazing thing he's doing. So, I knew it was possible, but I didn't know for sure; I only really found out recently that I was being confirmed as a permanent replacement."

McBride went on to say that the chemistry was "immediate" between him and the other members of DEEP PURPLE. "We had a few days of rehearsal in May [2022], and that's all we needed. And then we did a few shows in Israel, and places like that, which were my first shows, and all we had was those few days of rehearsal. I know Don very well, and I've played with Ian [Gillan] and Roger for a long time, so it clicked quickly. But yeah, it was a funny thing — we did the three or four days of rehearsals, but we really only needed one. After the first day, we all looked at each other and said, 'Well, we think it sounds pretty good. We don't really need two extra days.' We got to work straight away, and everybody was very happy. It helps that I'm a very easygoing person, and I get on well with everybody, I think. So, there was never an issue or a thought about if I would get on with them or not. And as I said, I've met them before, knew their personalities, and knew what to expect, so it's been a great atmosphere."

In August 2022, McBride told the "Scars And Guitars" podcast about his approach to playing DEEP PURPLE's classic songs: "At the end of the day, for me, with this gig, there's been lots of people saying, or asking me will I play like Ritchie or will I play like Steve or will I do this like Tommy or Satriani or whatever. So that thing initially kind of confused me a little bit; I didn't know what to do. It was only when I was talking to Don Airey about it, and he just said, 'Forget about it all. Just be you. Play your own thing.' That's it. Which I did. And I kind of started to relax a little bit and just be myself.

"When you start to think about who else has been in the band, you get a little bit confused what to play or when to play or what to do or 'should I play this like Ritchie?' or 'should I play it like Steve?'" he continued.

"Everybody has their own opinion on the guitar players in DEEP PURPLE and which ones worked better or whatnot. I [am] respectful to everybody who's played there, because they're all good players — every single one of 'em — so whether it's Ritchie or Tommy or Steve, I just kind of [am] respectful to what they've done in the past, and I just do my own thing most of the time.

"There's certain things you have to play. Like 'Highway Star', for example, I'm not gonna play anything different to what's there in the original, because why the hell would I? [Laughs] That's my attitude. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

McBride, who had previously toured with both Gillan and Airey, among others, added: "I learned a lot from Don Airey over the years, playing with him, because when he plays some of the Jon Lord parts, he's, like, 'Well, have you heard the keyboard solo?' I was, like, 'Yeah.' And he said, 'Well, why in the hell would you change it?'

"Some people can be, like, 'Oh, I need to do my own thing.' And I go, 'Well, I'm sorry. But these guys spent a lot of time in the studio, or wherever it is, creating these pieces of music that fit the song. So why would I be so arrogant to say, 'I'm gonna change that just because I wanna play my own thing'? 'Cause I know, really, I wouldn't come up with anything better.

"It's case of just… I just go on and do my thing and I don't really think about it too much, what people say. People will either like me or hate me. I don't know."

As for the response he has gotten from the DEEP PURPLE fans, the Irish blues-rock guitarist said: "To be honest, everybody's been so nice and so cool and so kind, especially on the social media stuff where it's all been very positive. You get the odd negative one, but I don't read a lot of it anyway. But it's really cool that people accept me, because it is a legacy band and they've been around a long time. I really appreciate that people are digging what I do, and I feel it every night onstage. Some of the shows we've done, some of the audience reaction has been incredible.

"We played a show in Macedonia. We came off. We did an encore and stuff. And then 20 minutes later, the audience are still shouting," he recalled. "I'd never heard this my entire life — 15, 20 minutes of 10 thousand people shouting for more, just constantly, and they wouldn't leave. Even Don Airey and Roger Glover were standing there in shock, going, 'We haven't heard this in a long, long time.' I'm not saying that's all for me; I'm just saying that's just for the band.

"I'm very [happy] that people like what I'm doing because it is always hard stepping into a band where you've had [laughs] Ritchie Blackmore, Steve Morse, Joe Satriani and Tommy Bolin. They're not small names by any means, so it's always very… I think if you just play and have fun, that comes across and people respect that and people will really see.

"I'm [45], so I kind of grew up in that old-school playing method anyway. 'Cause I grew up in the '80s and '90s, so I guess I'm still part of that older generation, if you wanna call it. So the way that I play would still fit very well, whereas maybe some of the new, modern players wouldn't fit. I don't know.

"Yeah, the response has been brilliant. I can't complain at all. And I thank every single person that has said a nice thing about me."

In July 2022, Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer.

Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved. He was then replaced on the road by McBride.

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had since been in the group longer than Ritchie.

McBride, who is guitar player, singer, songwriter and a band leader all in one, hails from Belfast in Northern Ireland — a place that resonates of the best music traditions like Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher, as well as bands such as THIN LIZZY, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS and obviously U2. His biography tells many stories — from his band touring with no sound engineer, driver, or roadie, playing 30 shows in 35 days, to him regularly sharing stages with Gillan and Airey.