“There’s a couple guys in the band that were really glad for me to be gone”: Steve Morse opens up on his departure from Deep Purple – and why it was time for him to go

Guitarist Steve Morse of Deep Purple performs live at the Paramount Theatre on September 11, 2019 in Seattle, Washington
(Image credit: Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

Steve Morse enjoyed a 28 year stint with Deep Purple, making him their longest serving guitarist. Morse played on eight studio albums during his time with the band, including 2021's Turning to Crime, and cemented his name as an integral part of the group’s legacy.

Morse stepped down in July 2022 to care for his late wife, Janine, who was diagnosed with cancer. However, those hoping for Morse-Deep Purple reunion anytime soon shouldn't hold their breath.

“There's a couple guys in the band that were really glad for me to be gone,” he explains in an interview with Guitar Interactive Magazine. “They were sort of heading back to their roots and wanted just to be a rock band – ‘Don't give me any of that fancy crap.’

“And when you look at me as a writer, I definitely give you that fancy crap – I can't help it. So I think the band's happier the way they are. And it would be kind of a step back for them to want to do something like that.”

However, Morse does divulge that there were plans for him to “play on something and actually do another gig,” but that didn’t end up happening.

“That was when my wife was in remission. Everybody knew it was a wild card whether I was going to be able to be around or not, but we could schedule that boat [referring to Rock Legends Cruise] thing, and we were looking forward to it.

“We were on that tour – that boat – the year before when it got cancelled from COVID. The whole band got bumped off anyway. They're happier and better off… and I think, ‘Same here.’”

Janelle Borg

Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.