NOBODY QUITE KNEW what to expect when Steve Morse joined Deep Purple in 1994. The Dixie Dregs/Kansas kingpin was stepping into a situation that didn’t bode well for longevity. First, there was founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who came and went over the years; his initial replacement, Tommy Bolin, lasted only two years before the group’s first breakup in 1976. Joe Satriani stepped in for a tour in 1993 but was unable to join full-time because of his solo commitments. Would Morse, hailed as one of the most gifted and versatile guitarists of his day, manage to stick around?
As it turns out, he was a natural fit for Deep Purple; in fact, his 26-year tenure with the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers makes him the band’s longest-standing axman. “Yeah, I passed that mark a long time ago,” Morse says with a laugh. Detailing the group’s protocol, he likens the fold to a dog pack. “There’s a natural inclination for people to hold positions based on seniority. For a while, I was at the bottom, but when [keyboardist] Jon Lord retired, Don Airey joined, so I moved from the number five to the four spots.”
This story is from the Holiday 2020 edition of Guitar World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Holiday 2020 edition of Guitar World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
KIM THAYIL
The mighty Soundgarden guitarist looks back on his most iconic riffs and solos, as well as the gear and tunings that guided him deep into the creative superunknown
BRIAN VANDER ARK
Determined as he moves out of the shadow of his past, the guitarist recounts the origins of the Verve Pipe and the recording of a definitive Nineties anthem, \"The Freshmen\"
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
The retro designs, digital innovations and misfit toys that defined guitar gear and technology in the Nineties
IT'S ALL A BLUR...
The rise and fall of Britpop, the Nineties' other massive, guitar-based movement
NEVERMIND NEVERMIND!
10 overlooked rock albums from the Nineties that are worth a second listen
A GRUNGY GUITAR GUIDE TO THE '90S
Guitar World
Hardcore Breakdown
HOW GUITARISTS FROM DRUG CHURCH, MILITARIE GUN AND SCOWL ARE LEADING THE MELODIC MOVEMENT IN HARDCORE PUNK
DIMARZIO SUPER DISTORTION HUMBUCKING PICKUP
THE REPLACEMENT PICKUP is so commonplace these days that most guitarists have swapped pickups on at least one of their electric guitars to improve its sound
One Piece
One Piece
In the Eye of the Hurricane
WITH A NEW SOLO ALBUM SHAKING UP THE AIRWAVES, NITA STRAUSS DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING RISKS. STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND NEVER SETTLING