Steve Morse has revealed the extent to which his battle with arthritis is affecting his guitar playing, and what it means for his career going forward.
The Dixie Dregs and Deep Purple ace has been defiant in the face of his worsening condition, revealing last year that there is no cartilage in his right-hand wrist anymore after he “practiced about 10,000 notes a day for decades.”
Yet, like Peter Frampton, Morse is refusing to “roll over” and let his arthritis cut his playing days short. Instead, he is doing everything in his power to prolong his live career.
Indeed, Morse has already modded his Ernie Ball signature guitar with a nifty, hinged string mute to aid his rally against arthritis. But speaking to MusicRadar, he's explained how he has to accommodate his physical limitations night after night while on tour.
“I have had to come up with new ways of picking – several new ways – because different bones in my joint have different pain levels when I change the angle,” he details. “So during the set, you’ll see me change. During the show tonight, I’ll be changing positions constantly.”
He’s speaking from the road, having reunited the Steve Morse Band power trio and announced a new album that features guest spots from Eric Johnson and John Petrucci. Expanding on his struggles, Morse says the fundamentals of guitar playing – right down to how he holds a guitar pick – are constantly under the microscope.
“I have to practise those different ways of holding the pick, and the different angles, and whether to bend my arm or pick from the elbow,” he says. “It’s a lot. I mean, you have to really, really, really want to play, to deal with the advance of arthritis.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. When I wake up, am I going to be able to move my hand or not? I don’t know. So far, I have been able to, [and] make every gig. I think my time of doing the performance grind is closing. That window is closing.”
But, still, Morse isn’t looking to call it a day. He has a contingency plan.
“My time for writing, and possibly performing with some help, with some other musicians, is very possible,” he adds. “I see a future, but I don’t see me being a hired gun because I couldn’t stand up to the level of players you can get now. And guitarists are literally dime a dozen.”
Still, when tasked by American Music Supply with adding a guitar solo to a Coldplay classic, he’s proved that he still has plenty to offer in that respect. He’s also underscored the importance of warming up before shows, naming one player who nails it, and has spilled the tea behind his intriguing pedalboard and live rig.
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