Simon McBride on joining Deep Purple: “Steve Morse is an amazing guitarist, so I know I’ve got big boots to fill…”

Simon McBride
(Image credit: Mark Hylands)

At the tail end of March 2022, Deep Purple shared the news that guitarist Steve Morse would be taking a temporary hiatus from the group in order to support his wife, who is currently battling cancer.

“I am not leaving the band,” explained Morse in the official statement, adding that he hoped “after she gets a clean bill of health, I can re-join the tour”. The Deep Purple legend also extended a warm welcome to the man who will be filling his spot for the live shows – Northern Irish blues rock ace Simon McBride – praising him as a “certified world-class guitarist… whom everybody will surely be happy to hear”.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Amit Sharma

Amit has been writing for titles like Total GuitarMusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences as a guitar player. He's worked for magazines like Kerrang!Metal HammerClassic RockProgRecord CollectorPlanet RockRhythm and Bass Player, as well as newspapers like Metro and The Independent, interviewing everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handled lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).