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From two different sides of the world
Simon McBride gave an interview to the Ultimate Guitar. It is short on length, but not on substance:
I recently interviewed Steve Morse, and he praised your playing. Are you aware that Steve Morse is a fan of your playing?
No, I’m not aware of it. That’s an amazing thing to hear because Steve is one of the icons of the guitar world. He comes from that period of time of guitarists, which were just phenomenal stage playing. I know he has problems with his wrists due to arthritis and stuff like that.
But you know, when you get older, it’s hard to maintain all that technique anyway. But what he was doing back then was just frightening. I remember watching a few videos from the Dregs and his own thing, going, ‘How does he do that? That is unbelievable.’
So, I’m very, very, very privileged that he’s a fan. Because it’s always nice to hear when somebody of that caliber, he knows what they’re talking about. If Steve likes my playing, that means I’m doing something right.
Continue reading in Ultimate Guitar.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
In the week since the new album’s arrival, comments such as ” Simon is a better fit for Purple” have been plentiful. It’s nice that Simon has Steve’s praise and that Simon is gracious enough to appreciate the gesture,
July 24th, 2024 at 23:50I expected nothing else from Steve, he embodies decency. He was and is a great guy.
Simon throwing Ritchie and Steve into one pot makes sense from his generational perspective only. They both forged their guitar playing pre-EvH, Simon did it post-EvH. I’ve heard that young flashy guitarists of today describe the old virtuoso guard as “boomer guitarists”. Which is all fine. Any younger generation is entitled to think it does better than the ones preceding it, we weren’t any different.
July 25th, 2024 at 03:34See, there we have it.
Appreciation. Simple as that! 🙂
Nice read and really putting a smile on my face that Steve and Simon are talking good about each other.
Though for my taste the whole “he is a better fit” might go a bit far. I always liked Steve’s interpretation of the older songs and the variety of his contributions to new material.
Might be coming down to personal taste after all!
And now Simon put his stamp on the new album, which has to be a good thing. A change in the band has to be heard, doesn’t it? At least with a band so heavily relying on instrumental prowess.
Have a nice day!
July 25th, 2024 at 04:28Steve Is too nice sometime.
July 25th, 2024 at 05:44Due to his technical prowess and versatility that enabled him to emulate anyone (this is the guy who on Major Impacts made his guitar sound uncannily like the voice of Robert Plant!), Steve wasn’t a bad fit for Purple.He was by no means a headbanger, but he could rock, albeit in a very controlled, somewhat tutored (and tutoring) manner.
If you’re talking about a “bad fit” with Purple, then Tommy springs to mind because he really couldn’t emulate anyone, not McLaughlin on Spectrum, not Walsh with the James Gang and not Blackers with Purple. Tommy could only be his sparkling own self, but that strong identity gave us CTTB. (That he wouldn’t be the guy to help DP continue a Blackmore sound must have become clear to Jon, Ian, Glenn and David five minutes into his audition – they still wanted him because he excited them with his idiosyncratic style.)
Re the newfound raunch and energy of DP Mk IX, we should all be aware that by now both Blackmore (very evidently) and Morse (approaching) face physical impediments in their playing that would make it difficult to impossible for them to play “wild” with current DP. Simon – decades younger than both of them -is still (and hopefully for a long time) unhindered by the physical limitations of age. He is in the truest sense of the word “fresh blood”.
July 25th, 2024 at 13:18Well, I look forward to seeing the two men on stage together, for example at concerts in the USA! 😉
July 25th, 2024 at 14:14A lot of stuff Steve played with Purple would have simply been beyond Blackmore’s technical capabilities. And he was not the type to sit down and rehearse something if he didn’t get it right at once. Ritchie himself has said that he is awful at emulating anyone (though there was a period in the 70ies where you could clearly hear that he was VERY ATTENTIVE of Jimi Hendrix records 😆).
July 25th, 2024 at 16:10This here is complementary, an interview with Steve in Ultimate Guitar lauding Simon …
https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/steve_morse_reacts_to_joe_satriani_saying_hes_more_difficult_to_replace_than_ritchie_blackmore_shares_opinion_on_simon_mcbride.html
I think Joe Satriani has a point: Ritchie’s style can indeed be copied more easily than Steve’s. I’ve seen it myself, even among non-pro musicians, the son of my best friend had a “Ritchie Blackmore phase” that lasted several years and he played a Strat with a scalloped fret board and a large Marshall amp, he only played Blackmore’s mock-Arabic scales, adapted his mannerisms (like taking the fretting hand off the fretboard to shake it before resuming to play again) etc. And what can I say? Yes, he sounded like you heard an outtake from Made In Japan or On Stage. My friend (a Stones fan) and I laughed about it, his son turns into a Blackmore acolyte while my son picks Jimmy Page and Keith Richards as his musical role models. Was there a mix-up at the infant ward perhaps? I guess they were both just trying to bug their fathers. 😁
And then there were always people like Yngwie Malmsteen, Janick Gers and Craig Goldy who could approximate Ritchie pretty well.
But I’ve never heard anybody do a convincing Steve Morse. Not because Steve’s guitar playing is so complex (it is), I think it is that weird mix of his influences: late 60s and early 70s rock of the harder type, his C&W chicken picking derived from Albert Lee, his jazz rock education (I hear a lot of Pat Metheny in some of Steve’s more lyrical playing) and his love for classical melodies (which he performs not with Blackmore’s rocker’s abandon, but with the mindset of a classically trained musician). There are not a lot of people out there who can muster that same mix and have spent as much time delving into the different genres as Steve did (as he put it: “It’s ok to be good at not just one thing, you know.”) That makes him unique and hard to emulate.
Ritchie is not just a one-trick-pony either, but he’s much narrower in style than Steve. He chose to be because he’s not really inquisitive about other forms of music (that he is not acquainted with already).
July 25th, 2024 at 20:09De todos los Guitarristas que han pasado después de Ritchie Blackmore en Deep Purple el que mejor ha encajado es Joe Satriani el fue que introdujo un cambio en set list y el sonido era fantástico, desafortunadamente no hay un álbum oficial en vivo con Joe. SImmon también lo hace muy bien, y después de Blackmore y Satriani está Simón, y en el nuevo álbum se destaca
July 25th, 2024 at 20:52This is an enlightening comment from Steve too:
https://blabbermouth.net/news/steve-morse-on-deep-purple-simon-mcbride-is-fitting-them-better-than-i-was
Asked in a new interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility if he thinks it was time for him to leave DEEP PURPLE anyway, even if it hadn’t been for his wife’s cancer battle, and move on to other projects, Steve responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):
“Well, that’s a really impossible question to know the answer to. I think when you’re close to a situation, you don’t see it the same as when you’re away from the situation. As I’ve been away for actually now a couple of years, I can see that my, I guess, natural inclination and talent and drawbacks and everything just fit the instrumental — well, the stuff I do with FLYING COLORS, [THE DIXIE] DREGS and STEVE MORSE BAND, all that fits me… It’s an easy fit, that’s what I’m saying.
However, I don’t think think I would have just quit because I thought we were going to go a little more, maybe one more album project and tour and be done. So I wanted to finish with the band. That was my mantra. And I thought by being part of the band for so long that I’d be able to, and welcome to be part of things, future events involving DEEP PURPLE, whether they be a celebration of all the little splinter groups that were associated with DEEP PURPLE — you know, family tree kind of thing. So, yeah, I wasn’t saying, ‘No, I’m glad I’m out of here.’
But the situation happened the way it did, and having stepped back, I think I’m in a better place musically that fits me. And I think Simon, he’s fitting them better than I was, as far as… they’re churning out gigs. And I was always the guy that said, ‘This is a really long tour. There’s a point where tour fatigue comes in. We could make shorter legs.’ And nobody wanted to hear that, especially not management.”
He added: “But I think they’re exactly where they wanna be. And they’re a great rock and roll band and will continue to make great music.”
July 25th, 2024 at 21:56Steve Morse Is a fan of tour playing
July 25th, 2024 at 23:21just seems like an exaggeration.
I think Steve is just being nice and doesn’t want to throw shit at anyone.. what reason would he have?
and to resume #9
he was simply more realistic than the others in the band… family situation aside, he had an intuition that they can’t continue forever. simple the band and the management don’t want to accept it. Simon’s solos are all the same..the riffs are just riffs. practically half plagiarized… it’s not about comparing guitarists on a technical level. Govan is a phenomenon but he wouldn’t fit in purple. it’s about style, the way of approaching the songs, the way of writing the songs.
I’m not saying you don’t know how to play. it simply sounds like any other professional guitarist.
the world is full of good musicians who don’t fall into the “great” category.
I didn’t think he had a great name before he joined the band. it is one of many.
some might like him because he has glitter on his head… and when he plays solos he opens his legs and maybe even pulls up the neck of his guitar and makes faces… he has a torn jacket and all the clichés of a rock guy.
you have to accept that it is a convenient replacement. for earmusic, for management, for the band etc. a replacement put there because selling an album with a new lineup is easier because it exploits people’s curiosity. because the critics will say the same old things “never too old to rock”..”reborn, fresh” “unstoppable” blah blah, bob ezrin is a legend..the wall and blah blah.
that’s how it is. does simon sound better than ritchie? Yes.
Simon made history? NO.
will you ever find lessons on mc bride’s style? I do not believe.
Those who play the guitar know that they need to study Blackmore.
Satriani. Morse. because they have something to teach. I’m sorry but Simon no…maybe in the future. I hope for him.
Take It Easy! Bye bye
Steve Morse was always joining & playing & composing etc in someone else’s band. The same situation when he joined Kansas. That is always (or most times) going to end up with the joining member being out of that already existing ensemble, for whatever reason. He would have always been aware of that situation, even when things were going really well. It is the way of a ‘ruthless’ approach to a busy touring band. Look at what happened to Jon Anderson, a permanent & founding member of Yes when he became ill. No waiting around for the other established members, let’s get on with it, we WILL find someone else. The Show MUST go on. It is the way of show business & has been since day one hasn’t it? Steve is better off as he says, at home or close to it & not being told what to do etc. That is one of the main reasons certain musicians end up going ‘solo’. Getting out of a situation they are not happy with & also to do things on their own terms. Morse has travelled Full Circle, pun intended. Cheers.
July 26th, 2024 at 00:36Yo,
Well done Steve, really encouraging, thoughtful, & pleasing words to hear, especially for Simon, if there were any unsettling concerns about being up on stage where you once stood lol ! And those words will go a long way too for any bad-slagging from fans with a dated mindset, & inability to move-on…( There’s always one or two yes ) ???…
There’s a lot to consider when measuring-up a new person in a band with a multi-decades-long-career for some people, especially an originally successful guitar-driven-band. IMO, Simon ticks all the boxes of stage-presence, musical ability & knowing-his-place…
Those who doubt his abilities are in for a real shock. On the basis that he’s cutting-it really well with all the past glory & sounds of the past guitarists, in time, once fully settled-in, he’s going to stretch-things-out well beyond anyone’s expectations. There’s quite a few tracks on the new album that have simply glorious solos throughout, & these are the tell-tales of what’s to come. And Don is not being left behind either…
Plus there’s quite a few tunes on the new album that have simply amazing melody-lines & music through the chorus’s, that I don’t think the band have ever delivered before on any album. These tunes generally feature a descending guide-tone-line that moves downwards featuring the b5/#11, & really kick-ass for my ears…( Think STP Vasoline as a reference ). So the whole band is-on-the-up for sure !
Much to look forward to !
Peace !
July 26th, 2024 at 02:22The diversity of Steve Morse was what drew me to him & his music. My younger brother learning guitar introduced me to him, via the Industry Standard album. I was into Yes & my brother knew of Steve Howe from the Guitar Player magazine, Howe winning the poll 5 times in that mag. A big difference is that Howe has many different guitars to play for the sound & feel he wants & needs depending on the musical arrangement. A collector & traditionalist that he is. From my knowledge & I could be wrong, Morse plays everything on the one electric guitar & a few different acoustics, possibly one these days. A very different approach to their individual guitar, amp & effects rigs. As I have stated many times, I do admire diversity in rock music, especially when delivered like those two guys do. Howe & Yes were an influence on Morse in certain aspects & Howe also guests on a track on the IS album by The Dregs. A lot of respect there both ways. Wonderful musicians. Cheers.
July 26th, 2024 at 06:07I’m amazed how dismissive some people here are about Simon’s abilities and talent. Not only did he at age 15 win the Young Guitarist of the Year Contest of Guitarist Magazine at Wembley Conference Center, but Wikipedia also reveals:
“As a teenage guitarist McBride caught the ear of the world’s leading independent guitar builder Paul Reed Smith, and to this day McBride is a PRS Guitars-endorsed artist, a role that has taken him to music events around Europe and to The PRS Experience, an event held annually at the PRS Guitars factory in Maryland, US, where McBride has played alongside such names as Santana and Buddy Guy. He also endorses Victory amplifiers and D’Addario Strings.
He is a visiting tutor at the Dublin school of BIMM (Brighton Institute of Modern Music) and has also been a guest tutor at the International Guitar Foundation summer school and at BIMM in Bristol.”
But then Guitarist Magazine, Paul Reed Smith and BIMM (plus Don Airey and his band mates) must be thoroughly unqualified to judge if a guitarist is any good. Don has only played with Gary Moore, Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Martin Barre, Jake E. Lee, Michael Schenker , Glenn Tipton, John Sykes, Uli Jon Roth and Tony Iommi, so what does he know, totally clueless.
July 26th, 2024 at 06:19@11 NAC
It’s clear from what you wrote that you would like to see a “guitarist with the name and legacy” in DP now, rather than Simon. Who would be a good fit for you here?
The time of guitarists making history with their approach and ability on the instrument is over by now, so I don’t see anyone like that going in there. There was a moment when I hoped the boys would invite Satch again, but this would be unrealistic of course.
As for the articles – I’m glad that the guys go down the way of the mutual respect, it’s always better than the cocky war of the potato throws against each other. Plus, I met Steve a few times – he would never do that, it’s not his nature. He’s a gentleman and a lovely soul, a wonderfuly positive character. Simon is a nice guy, too. Looks like they both know it’s useless to be a nasty type – that doesn’t build the musician image anymore.
July 26th, 2024 at 06:41All this talk of guitarists & I thought I had better mention John Mayall’s passing a few days ago at 90. RIP. What an influence he was on so many musicians. Rest easy Sir.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/john-mayall-tributes
July 26th, 2024 at 13:52I like Simon’s work so much, I even forgive him his overt Gary Moore influence, and that is saying something because I really struggle (and always have) with Moore’s style whose relentless intensity is not my thing at all.
July 26th, 2024 at 14:37John Mayall and Alexis Korner were pivotal for the music we hear today. Rhythm & blues in peace, John.
July 26th, 2024 at 16:30It’s important to remember that Steve Morse started playing songs in concert that we’d never (or almost never – single performances…) heard performed by Blackmore outside the studio.
This is very important, because these live versions of e.g. Pictures of Home, Fireball, When a Blind Man Cries, No One Came, Maybe I’m a Leo, Fools (premiered live in March 2000, sic!), Hard Lovin’ Man performed by Morse have been recorded on disc, video and in excellent quality! And it is these live versions that will go down in history!
I never thought of it that way – but that’s how Steve took over part of the legacy and legend of classic Deep Purple. He chose how the guitar parts in them should be played in concerts, here he didn’t have to imitate, he had a free hand.
And I was delighted with that. E.g. Live at the Olympia ’96 was (and is) completely new Deep Purple material for me because of this. A fresh and brilliant live album! I don’t know if Ritchie would have been able to play it like that… 😉
July 26th, 2024 at 17:08@MacGregor
> That is always (or most times) going to end up with the joining member being out of that already existing ensemble, for whatever reason
Poor Don… Can’t get sick. ;-(
> It is the way of a ‘ruthless’ approach to a busy touring band. Look at what happened to Jon Anderson…
We all know very well that in the case of… big Ian it would be the end of Deep Purple.
If you think about it carefully, the current Deep Purple is madness. If only these concerts were still somehow interesting, and it has to be (due to nostalgics looking for a good time and “music tourists” who always buy tickets) exactly the same show. If they could afford to do fewer concerts, experiment with the setlist (e.g., play only newer stuff) and, for example, expand the lineup to two guitarists. But the Deep Purple factory has to work and make a profit. As I wrote in the review =1 – it’s good that they still record these albums for us. And then they go again…
July 26th, 2024 at 17:35RIP mayall.
I don’t know how to report something so I’ll post it here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=405Qtm5VuiI&pp=ygULU3RldmUgbW9yc2U%3D
July 26th, 2024 at 18:49Classic Rock, issue 330, has this about Steve’s parting of ways from DP, excerpts (and I hope CR will forgive one of their devoted subscribers for sharing vital news):
QUOTE
According to Glover, Morse had never been happy with Purple’s touring schedule, “Steve really wanted to end the band around the Infinite album: ‘We’re back on top, we’re doing something great, let’s end now with a bang,’” says the bassist. “That didn’t go too well with me or anybody else, really. First of all, I don‘t want to stop. Second of all, going out with a bang is not the way this band does things. [Adopts hokey showman‘s voice] ‘The last final gig of DP, where’s it gonna be?’”
…
Morse returned to play a handful of shows with the band in early 2022. But there was a further tour later that summer.
…
Glover: “The thing is, there was no guarantee how long Steve was going to be away. It could have been a week, it could have been a year. There was no way of knowing. We couldn‘t stop, we had commitments, we had tours. Steve‘s always complained about the length of the tours, so the writing was on the wall, in a way. But we had to make a really tough decision.“
On July 31, 2022, it was announced that Steve Morse was leaving DP to concentrate on caring for his wife, who was suffering from stage-four cancer. Today, Glover admits that it was the band‘s decision to part ways with him.
“It was really tough,” he says. “We talked about it, discussed it back and forth: ‘What are we going to do?’ We couldn’t take no action, something had to happen. He got he news [that he was being let go] from the management [Uwe’s comment: some unfortunate DP habits seem to stick …], but I called him and we talked. He was not happy, either. It was hard and it was sad, and after 28 years of making some great music with Steve, it was … for me it was a tough decision. But that’s life sometimes.”
Glover says he’s talked to Morse since he left the band. “I’ve spoken to Steve several times. He was my choice in the band in the first place. There’s a connection between us that the others don’t have. So yeah, it’s difficult. But we talk, and we laugh. He’s a survivor.”
UNQUOTE
So there we have it, those of us here who always mused that Steve’s departure was not quite so lovey-dovey were right I guess. I stand corrected. I understand DP’s decision though, it was truly a business one. The way it was communicated is another matter … 😑
To end this posting on a positive note, here’s a little uplifting rags to riches story, also from the same source:
QUOTE
As it did many people, COVID hit Simon McBride hard. “I had three years of doing nothing,” he remembers, speaking to CLASSIC ROCK via Zoom from his home just outside of Belfast, where an impressive collection of guitars is visible hanging on the wall behind him. “I even applied a for a job in ASDA [Uwe’s edit: a food retailer]. I didn’t get it. I thought: ‘I’m not even good enough to work in ASDA …’”
So I’ll join DP instead?
“I mean, basically, that’s what happened, yeah,” he says with a laugh.
UNQUOTE
July 27th, 2024 at 18:18I don’t find it strange that it is the management that gives the formal notice when a band member is let go. A band like DP is not five guys playing in a basement a couple of times a week, it is a business.
July 27th, 2024 at 21:05So my sensing of how the affairs were being solved between Purple and Steve was intuitially correct, he’d fallen into a position of being neglected with his wishes and views…
Business requirements aside, after such a huge impact and input of 28 years by Morse – if only Roger was the guy maintaining the friendly, humanly connection with Steve… Well, that’s just lame. After decades of talk of – “we love him, we endorse him, we praise him”. Aha, my ass. The fans did, yes. And Roger did, to aforementioned extent. But once Steven wanted to quit the business – the monarch’s favour cover has ended… Out the window goes all the ‘love’. Then the circumstances came to aid, whack! You’re out. I feel now for Steve, I really do. As much as Mk9 makes me far more happy so far, I feel for him. At least it’s clear now why in recent years his input was rather dwindling. Given all that “Whoosh!” came out pretty well and received quite a praise.
It’s never pretty it seems. Whose gonna go under the wheels this time around?
July 27th, 2024 at 21:53I’m fine with a formal notice as the official act too, but would have a call along the lines of “Look, Steve, it’s breaking our heart, but this is what we have arrived at and we want you to hear it from us first …” not been in order ahead of the formal notification? I’ve had to fire people too, but I always made it a point to speak to them first before the HR department gave them the notice. I just thought it’s the proper thing to do. At least allow them to hate you and don’t hide behind the organization.
That said, Steve probably had at least an inkling of what was coming (after he had to leave their 2o22 writing session because Janine was doing worse), but understandably had his mind elsewhere due to wife’s condition.
And, on the positive side, after 28 years of successful and revenue-generating touring with DP, he won’t have to don an airline pilot uniform again. Royalties from Mk VII and VIII releases, even though there were many of them (eight studio albums and countless live releases), won’t have made him a rich man, but the money from touring should have left him financially in more than adequate circumstances.
July 27th, 2024 at 22:14Amen Uwe, I hope it’s as you say – that he’s now having enough dough to just be safe over rest of his life (long may he run) financially and be able to afford the medical bills. I hope he’d be well and happy, playing strings and giving us more sonic joy. Such a fine man, Steve the Aviator.
July 28th, 2024 at 10:42To be fair: Steve, for all his contributions and his wonderful persona, could not decide for all the others that DP should stop being a going concern (I believe that would be a privilege of either one of the Ians or of Roger). Nor could he ask them to follow him in an undefined hiatus to see what (and if something) happens next. So a parting of ways was inevitable. In an alternative universe, Steve could now again be touring with Purple because Janine has left us (this sounds awfully cynical, it’s not meant to be), but would he really be enjoying it?
But I’m pretty sure things will mend over time. Sometime in the future he will guest with them, and wouldn’t it be a great idea if he was asked to oversee a remixed boxed set of the complete Morse era(s) with some of his demos added + extensive liner notes how the songs came about?
Working together for 28 years without any serious hiccups is an achievement, and holding differing opinions when to stop hardly surprising.
July 28th, 2024 at 13:58Very unfortunate how it all turned out for Steve. I sensed for a long time that there was somewhat of a distance between the band and him. After attending a Purple show several years ago, I was at a local watering hole where the other four band members and crew were all enjoying various beverages and camaradie, but Steve was nowhere to be seen for the entire evening. Maybe it was the difference in ages, maybe an English vis-a-vis American cultural difference, maybe it was just different personality types. I just get the sense that Steve for all his qualities, was a hired gun for the Purple machine, and when his cog no longer fit in the wheel, he was out. The way he was let go was cold and ruthless. “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business”.
July 30th, 2024 at 01:47@29: On the other hand, I have met the band several times during the Morse years where all members including Morse has been around having a good time like the rest of us.
The only time I met the band when Simon was in the band, Simon didn’t show up. Gillan has declined after show mingling for quite a while now.
July 30th, 2024 at 11:48“Cold and ruthless” gives it a wrong slant, it seems to me, what are you gonna do if four guys consider DP the eternal touring machine and one other guy wants to bring touring to a close? There is no compromise possible between those two positions. It’s why Jon left after all too.
I never saw Steve (treated) as a hired hand with DP and I don’t believe the others saw him like that either. His songwriting and sound was pivotal for Mk VII & VIII, he soloed as much as Ritchie live and had numerous solo spots during concerts. If truth be told, I was never a great fan of his Well-Dressed Guitar piece
https://youtu.be/m-4BM1tWgeg
which to me sounded as hilarious as some of the stuff Rick van der Linden’s Ekseption did, only cartoon-style speeded up.
https://youtu.be/LgWyk2H_yVo
(To be fair: I never regarded Difficult To Cure a high point of DP or Rainbow gigs either – it was a bit silly/childish to me. Classical pieces in a rock format get banal quick.)
But Big Ian always went out of his way to feature and laud Steve live. Likewise how he was adamant that Steve play at the RRHoF, that is not how hired hands generally get treated.
The non-compatible touring philosophies led to a rift that led to a schism which in turn forced the inevitable and Purple’s hand. Purple’s identity is synonymous with its ability to function properly as a perpetual touring entity, if that is no longer guaranteed then consequences will follow as the demise(s) of Mk IV, VII and VIII all showed. Whether your name is Tommy, Jon or Steve, you have to sign up for keeping the live experience on the road.
July 30th, 2024 at 13:16Uwe @31, I don’t disagree. I just find it very unfortunate that the band, once again as in other cases, hid behind the management cloak to terminate Steve. After 28 years of service and instead of the group meeting in person with him to explain their position, the news gets delivered to him in the coldest of ways. Just seems to me it could have been done more sensitively. I have seen various interviews with Steve since that time and he is always the gentleman about the departure from Purple, but there are certain comments he has made which indicate to me that he still feels the sting of it all.
July 30th, 2024 at 14:30True, but it’s almost impossible to wrap something like that nicely. Jon, I think, realized that he couldn’t bring Purple to slow down and drew his own conclusions.
Anyway, it’s a Purple tradition of sorts to not handle terminations properly and in a transparent way. Rod and Nick were informed by the management, Glover had a showdown with the management to find out what was going on, Glenn and Tommy weren’t even informed by the management, but only weeks/months in the aftermath of the Mk IV dissolution, after the reunion Gillan was fired by the management and Joe Lynn Turner only heard that Jon, Little Ian and Roger saw no future with him via the management too. Only Ian’s first resigation in 1972/73, Blackmore “toys out of pram”-departures (twice) and Jon’s long good-bye from the road weren’t one-sided management communications. So maybe Svante is right and the management path is just how Purple handles these things.
Few business entities really have a sensible and refined termination culture even though it is extremely important for the company goodwill, morale/how the rest of the (remaining) workforce feels, the alumni network and how the company is perceived from the outside, especially among clients and job applicants. In an ideal world, you want the person having to leave (unless something terrible happened) say that the process was handled fairly and leave him/her with the feeling that (s)he cut a better deal than the company with the severance package. It’s better that way. Negotiating someone down to the ground regularly backfires badly and is not worth the cost savings and incremental energy drain.
You would think that the band formerly known as “Roundabout” would have by now established smoother HR policies given its considerable experience(s) in the matter! 🤣😂😁😎
July 30th, 2024 at 16:54Some people just don’t like personal potential ‘confrontation’, for want of a better word. There are plenty of people like that, they feel better about someone else being the ‘bearer of bad tidings’. It doesn’t actually mean that there is ‘bad blood’ or anything of that ilk. Also not attending after gig gatherings could mean anything. Some people are not into pubs, clubs that drinking gathering of sorts. Some people like to wind down reading a book in the quietness of relaxing room. I can dig that big time & would also prefer to be somewhere else. It doesn’t matter about speculation, none of us were there. These things happen in life when there is more than one person involved. It is the way of things. Cheers.
July 30th, 2024 at 22:54It just seems to me that Steve must now be feeling somewhat the same way Gillan himself felt at times when he was no longer part of the band. Here’s a choice comment from the man himself in a 2006 interview on KNAC.com, in re: the Mark III singers: “””…..But I wouldn’t classify them as friends because I didn’t develop any relationship with them because I was doing different things when they were in Deep Purple. And to be honest, that was a weird period anyway, because I take these things extremely personally and I get quite emotional about things. When I left the band I didn’t pay much attention to what Purple was doing—it’s like watching your ex-Missus making love to some other guy. That doesn’t turn me on.”””
July 31st, 2024 at 01:53