Watch German TV Report On DEEP PURPLE's Hamburg Concert Featuring New Touring Guitarist SIMON MCBRIDE

A German TV report on DEEP PURPLE's June 23 concert at Stadtpark Open Air in Hamburg can be seen below.

DEEP PURPLE's new touring guitarist Simon McBride, who has previously played with both singer Ian Gillan and keyboardist Don Airey, among others, is filling in for longtime DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse. Steve is taking a temporary hiatus from live shows but remains a full member of the band.

In a recent interview with VWMusic, Gillan stated about McBride's addition to the group: "[It's going] fantastic. Absolutely great. Everyone's full of energy. And when the band is cranking as we are, and the audience is giving you help, it's just wonderful stuff. And with Simon, it's just human chemistry. I mean, he's a professional. He's a great player. It didn't take him five minutes to mesh in with us. It was completely natural, and he slotted right in with no problem at all. We didn't even have to think about it."

Asked if Simon brings anything style-wise that's different from what he is used to with Steve, Ian said: "Well, he's not English. He's Northern Irish, so he's got that attitude, and that's different. For that reason, he's probably more compatible with the stuff that we used to play in the old days. But at the same time, he's handling the new material like it's nothing at all. I mean, he's handling this thing just absolutely brilliantly, and the audiences love it."

Morse's hiatus from the classic rock icons was announced on March 31. In a statement, he said that his wife Janine is battling cancer and added that he hopes he can rejoin PURPLE on tour "after she gets a clean bill of health."

Added the rest of the band: "All of our thoughts are with Janine during her fight against cancer and also with Steve while he supports his wife at a very difficult time. We hope that Steve will be able to join us back on the road later this year."

McBride said: "I'm deeply honored to be asked to stand-in for Steve and play for such an iconic rock band like DEEP PURPLE. They are amazing musicians and amazing people… I'm very excited to get out and play all those iconic songs and rock the stage with such legends. My thoughts are with Steve and Janine and their family."

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

In a 1997 interview, Blackmore stated about Morse: "I'm just glad they [DEEP PURPLE] found a guitar player to carry on because I thought I was going to be shackled to this band for the rest of my life. It was like a ball-and-chain thing, and luckily, they said, 'Well, we found someone.' 'Thank God, I can get out!'

"I haven't listened much [to DEEP PURPLE's recent recordings]. I just know that Steve Morse [is a] brilliant player. I remember Steve Morse with the DIXIE DREGS; they're fantastic."

Morse's solo career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical and fusion. Having started playing guitar around the age of 11, he later on attended University of Miami's School of Music, where he studied classical guitar and jazz. A "guitarist's guitarist", he was voted "Best Overall Guitarist" in the Guitar Player Readers' Poll for five consecutive years, before being removed from eligibility to open the award to other musicians, and being inducted into their Gallery Of Greats. His work has received seven Grammy Award nominations, and he has appeared on over 200 albums.

DEEP PURPLE's latest album, "Turning To Crime", came out in November via earMUSIC. The LP contains DEEP PURPLE's versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.