Interview With Steve Morse

An excellent interview by MusicRadar with Deep Purple's maestro and legendary guitarist Steve Morse. The interview was done during Deep Purple's world tour last year.

The interview touches on many subjects, from early days with the Dregs, Deep Purple, playing technique adn future plans.

One of the highlights from the interview I liked most is talking about the time when he met with Deep Purple's management and band members for the first time back in 1994. Steve Morse admitted that he had some trepidation:

"Actually, I did have some trepidation. They asked me to join the band, but I'd never even seen them play live. They played all over the world, but they didn't play a lot in America. I didn't know what they'd be like, whether they were a band just living of their name and not into new ideas – all those things. So my manager, Frank Solomon, set it up Deep Purple's manager that I would play four shows with the band. That way, it was an easy get-out-of-jail arrangement on both sides if we were unhappy."

"I didn't know what to expect, but during my first rehearsal with the band, which was only a couple of hours before we were supposed to do a gig, I was blown away by how great they were. I think we were all surprised at how good things sounded and how easy the chemistry was. Within an hour, we were laughing and slapping one another on the backs going, 'All right, this is gonna work!'"

Steve Morse also talk about his guitar playing technique live and while recording albums in studio, whether recording with Deep Purple or for his solo projects. There is a video giving a demonstration of his signature guitar, with some shredding and soloing that leave you speechless.

No one can beat this man's guitar technique - John Petrucci of Dream Theater himself consider Steve Morse as his idol.

I think he got used to that, but it looks like inevitable in an interview with Steve Morse without seeing/hearing/reading about the subject of comparing him with Ritchie Blackmore. This interview is no exception.

One of his responses to the question about his approach:

"In truth, my attitude about my guitar was more based around what the band wanted, and what they said to me flat-out was, 'Don't copy Ritchie.' They told me that right off. They could've picked from plenty of people who wanted to be just like Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. That's not what they wanted. They wanted somebody with his own persona – and not only that, but a strong persona.

"If I would play a Strat, everything would go right out the window and I'd be entering into that land of parody and emulating Ritchie Blackmore. I respect him totally, but I don't want to be him in a Deep Purple cover band."

I personally hate this non-sense comparison. Steve Morse is the longest-serving guitarist in the history of Deep Purple. He co-wrote with them fantastic albums, such as Purpendicular and Bananas. I have seen him playing live with Deep Purple three times, and if I have the opportunity again I will definitely go. His presence and charisma on stage is nothing to compare with the that of Blackmore. This is a fact.

Speaking of playing DP songs live, "Highway Star" is Steve Morse's favorite Deep Purple song to play on stage, because it has a lot of changing parts...

"Plus, it has that awesome keyboard solo, which is an absolute work of art. If you were to say to me, 'Name me one of the greatest examples of classical meets rock music,' I wouldn't have to think too hard. And the guitar solo is a lot of fun to play."

In the interview he also explains how to play Smoke on the Water. Check it out below:

Steve Morse talks briefly about Deep Purple's progress regarding the recording of their new album - the last studio album by the band was "Rapture of the Deep", released in 2005.

"We've got the music pretty mapped out for the majority of the recording. The goal on this album isn't to stretch out to new heights; it's more about revisiting the roots – riff-oriented blues rock. Heavy stuff, you know?"

The full interview can be found here

Jon Lord Concerto For Group And Orchestra 2012

Delivered today by post, a copy of Jon Lord’s studio version of the Concerto for Group and Orchestra.


Unfortunately, this album is the final chapter in the life of Jon Lord, an outstanding musician. A man with a personality that inspired many and loved by many. His sudden death last July was a devastating, a big shock. 
A bright beautiful star has faded away from our lives. Jon Lord will be forever missed. 

The Concerto for Group and Orchestra originally performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Arnold at the Royal Albert Hall on September 1969 with Deep Purple MKII. Some say that this life performance took place shortly after bringing Gillan and Glover into the band, even before recording their first album In Rock.

After the show part of the original score went missing. That was in the early 1970's. Until the late 1990’s when Dutch composer, Marco de Goeij wrote a transcription of the Concerto, by listening to the original album, and from watching the video tape of the live performance. He met Jon Lord later and presented the score to him. Celebrating the 30th anniversary Deep Purple began the “Concerto Tour” in different countries with special guests, such as the late Ronnie James Dio, Ian Anderson, Steve Moors and others. Again the show at the Royal Albert Hall in September 1999 was filmed and released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray.

I was there on 30 October 2000 at the Rotterdam Ahoy, The Netherlands when the Concerto was played in its entirety. Jon Lord introduced the band before starting the music, and he also brought Dutch composer, Marco de Goeij on stage to thank him for his immense effort in bringing the Concerto to live again. It was a show that I will never forget as long as I live. 

Jon Lord left Deep Purple in 2002 and put his time mainly around composing classical music. Not until a couple of years ago when he decided to record the Concerto for Group and Orchestra in studio.

This version of the Concerto is performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by the great Paul Mann – the same conductor of the 30th anniversary shows. No current or previous members of Deep Purple are involved in this project, except for guitar master Steve Morse. It was Mr. Lord’s decision to have different musicians on the album this time, to have different personalities and musical background and not put the focus on a single band, according to the liner notes of the album.

The Concerto consists of three movements:
1. Moderato - Allegro (16.20 minutes).
2. Andante (19:34 minutes).
3. Vivace - Presto (10:48 minutes).

The sessions were recorded in Liverpool, London and Sofia, but the final mixing was done by Andrew Dudman at Abbey Road Studios in London.  

When I read earlier this year about Jon Lord's taking the Concerto into the studio, first thing I was wondering about was how on earth are they going to make the entrance of the "rock band" this time? I am referring to the 6 plus minutes of the the first movement, Moderato, because it is the most crucial spot in the whole score, in my opinion. This is by far the moment when rock music aggressively suppose to clash with classical music!  This suppose to be the first contact, the first impact. Those who have seen the 1969 performance remember when Ritchie Blackmore launched that heavy-artillery attack with a guitar solo that left Sir Malcolm Arnold and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra dazzling in a swirl. On the 30th anniversary version, Steve Morse took matters differently by showing the audience a premier in musical punctuality with a masterful sensational solo.

Both guitarists managed to take breath away with their magical guitar playing. Thus, I was asking myself if the new recording will have a new or similar magic! The answer is a big yes!

I never heard of him, neither heard his playing before, but Darin Vasilev's fret shredding and finger tapping solos on the first movement of the Concerto is just jaw-dropping. 

It was not only the guitar playing here, there is something else added to this guitar mayhem at that “entrance” of rock to the world of classical music: it is Brett Morgan on drums!! wow

Lost count how many times I replayed that part of the first movement just to listen to the way Brett Morgan played drums.

The second movement, Andante, is what many call it the event when a “truce between rock and classical music is taking place”. On this movement we have the singing part which Ian Gillan wrote the lyrics one or two days before the event back in 1969. On this version the singing is divided among three perfect vocalists: both Kasia Laska and Steve Balsamo delivered fine singing lines and exchanged harmonies on the first part, while Iron Maiden’s legendary Bruce Dickinson sang magnificently the remaining parts.

 Joe Bonamassa choice to play guitar on Andante was the spot on. In addition, I loved Bonamassa's way of complimenting Dickinson singing through his solos, and use of power chords in the background.

On the first and second movement of the concerto you can sense very little changes to the composition of original score. Basically, the score is based on the 1999 version, but the third movement, Vivace - Presto, is where I felt personally where most of the changes were made to the score. These changes definitely added glory to the overall score.

And I am so glad to hear Steve Morse putting his wizard touch again.

The third movement is shorter than the previous versions. For example, they shortened the drum solo in the middle prior to the 6/8 tempo. However, I felt that the third movement on this record is the most accurate and "clean" version of the Concerto.

The CD has a 20 page booklet with pictures from the recording sessions, and liner notes by Paul Mann and Jon Lord's family. Beautiful and warm words, all paying tribute to a giant in music history. It is sad as well as a relief to know that Jon Lord himself listened to the final mix of the record couple of weeks before his death. The same thing regarding the cover art and the design of the CD.

Jon Lord will be missed among us, but his music, all his music will remain forever in the minds and hearts of his fans. The proof is the attempt by fans to include Jon Lord's music into the BBC Proms earlier this year.

Rest in peace, Jon Lord.

Below is a video fragment from the recording sessions of the Concerto for Group and Orchestra