Join host Pete Pardo as he rants on why Deep Purple is still relevant here in 2017 and the endless debate about who is better, Ritchie Blackmore or Steve Morse
Ritchie's just one of those rare talents that captivates you whether you like him or not, he has a one of a kind gift that puts him in an untouchable realm.
When he walked onstage i got butterflies.What am i going to see? Who else had that effect? Christ im 50 and he is 72,how dare he still have this hold over me haha. I cant even play guitar. But by God since 1979 ive recognised Genius when i saw it. Hail Ritchie.
John Barrett I hugely agree with what you wrote. And I am a player who is still effected by it. Fortunately I am old enuf to have caught every rainbow gig from '79 onwards and every DP reunion gig from 84-87 and I was raised in ny so I got to see every tour at least once. And you are so right, the level of excitement before RB took the deck and you were standing there waiting has never been matched, ever. I work in live rock touring making my living being involved with the production putting on these shows for the past 27 years of my adult life and I have yet to have that feeling be matched by any other artist....because of my job I am actively involved with 100 to 140 shows a year and have yet to ever feel that butterflies-anticipation I did at those rainbow/dp shows.
I feel the same way. And since you're in NY area like me, you might have seen the same Rainbow and Purple shows. Ritchie was so unique, his style of playing and his stage presence were like no one else's. He was mesmerizing on stage and you just couldn't keep your eyes off of him. He almost never stood still. The only time you looked at other guys was during their solo spots. LOL. But Ritchie hasn't been in Purple since '93, that's 20 years and I fell in love with Purple not just because of Ritchie but because of what Purple represented, and to it still does: a combination of excellent music played by phenomenal musicians (FYI: Morse is in the Guitar Player magazine hall of fame, he was nominated for their maximum five years in a row, and five is the most you can be). You may not like Steve's style and may say it doesn't fit into Purple but even Ritchie has said many times that Purple has never been about any one member but a collection of people who may come and go and music still remains. In a way Deep Purple has truly become what the Searchers' Chris Curtis wanted them to be a "Roundabout." As for Ritchie, he's quite happy playing with his wife in Blackmore's Night (I'm not yet sold on new Rainbow - maybe after they put out a full length album) who I saw last weekend in CT. Ritchie is '73 and he is not same hot shot player he was. Actually he took very few solos on the acoustic and he never plugged in, but, nevertheless, it was a really fun and funny show. Ritchie was smiling all night.
@@garyunsworth726 "The corpse of Deep Purple", the band that is STILL releasing albums that top the charts. Your ignorance is astounding. Deep Purple is alive and well and still making great music. Not to your taste? Well boo hoo, don't listen to it. As for Ritchie, I was actually there at the "water throwing" concert. Birmingham NEC 1993. He came on stage late because he "didn't like the cameras" which he knew were going to be there. He played with an enraged look on his face then walked across the stage, grabbed a glass of water and threw it over the cameraman. After that he played just as much as he needed to and was still obviously in a mood. He cut parts out of songs like Black Night just to throw Ian Gillan off and make him look bad. He didn't care that he was trying to ruin the concert for the fans, he just got himself into a foul mood and the band and the fans paid for it. During Black Night you can see Roger Glover shaking his head in despair as Ritchie deliberately messed up another guitar part. So I think he jumped ship before he was pushed overboard.
@@CB-xr1eg Top the charts?? I love Deep Purple but can honestly say I don't know any Morse song, why? Because they're not good enough. Ritchie has his faults but the man is a genius and very very interesting unlike Morse who is just another shredder, Tommy Bolin is head and shoulders above him as a Deep Purple guitarist aswell miles and miles ahead. I have seen the Birmingham concert and consider Ritchie coming on late and throwing water around one of the highlights aswell as the performance of Battle Rages On. Gillan's voice is terrible I'm sad to say and maybe Ritchie felt annoyed and embarrassed to hear his songs sung in that way
@@garyunsworth726 Yep, in some countries Whoosh has topped the charts and has done very well in others. Want proof? Read on... Whoosh Chart Positions Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] 13 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[17] 1 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 7 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] 1 Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[20] 2 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[21] 8 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 7 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 1 French Albums (SNEP)[24] 8 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 1 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[26] 3 Italian Albums (FIMI)[27] 6 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] 3 Polish Albums (ZPAV)[29] 2 Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 1 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31] 16 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 3 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[34] 4 US Billboard 200[35] You may not like the current Deep Purple or maybe you just can't accept them without Blackmore. But you can't argue with facts. They still make great music and the albums sell very well. You think Blackmore throwing a tantrum and tryin to ruin a show is a highlight? Ok whatever.
IMHO, Deep Purple has done more in(and within) the music industry than any other band. I'm not talking in terms of bands they inspired. They brought more to the industry. We wouldn't have Dio or Coverdale for starters(they discovered both). They also pioneered stuff like vocal belting in rock(Gillan), shredding(Blackmore). Lord was an accomplished classical composer. I think his highest album was Durham Suite at No 4 in classical charts. Roger Glover produced albums for several big name bands, including Nazareth and Judas Priest.
Hey Muttley, I was stunned to hear that Bruce DICKINSON from Iron a maiden choose Purple over Led Zeppelin. B DICKINSON - said his loyalties were divided between Zeppelin and Purple. Made in Japan blew him away. Like many of us, Bruce DICKINSON listed to Made 8n in Japan repeatedly. He based his vocal style on Gillan. He stopped listening to Zeppelin and stunned when listen3d to The Song Remains the Same. DICKINSON was amazed at how Zeppelin 's live sound was "weak.
What I like about the band with Morse, is that it feels they're so relaxed and doing it to satisfy their selves above every other reason. Everybody knows how legendary and huge the band was in their glory days early and mid 70's. But that behind these lights were a band, pushed to do 5 to 6 shows a week, to record an album every year ... record deals ... concerts contracts ... money and rivals .. etc Now they're like doing it as a hobby .... they accomplished anything any band looks for ... they have nothing left to prove ... money is not an issue ... they just love to make music, and hit the road, comfortable and fresh. I grew up on Blackmore's music ... and I play piano and for many years, Jon Lord was my idol ... both of them had huge roles within the band, but both of them were looking for something outside what the band was doing. Blackmore has always been into medieval music, and Lord was into classical music ... though they were above the greatest in rock music, but they always had one eye outside the band. With Morse and Airy, the band reached a stated where all members are fully into what they're doing, just as simple as that, they love what they're doing, and they want to keep doing it till the end, and they're doing it with a great amount of experience, and talent. I love their new stuff ... even Bananas, I really don't know why this album is underrated, it's a great album. I believe the last two albums are, and Purpendicular, supposed to be considered along with Machine Head, In Rock, and Burn.
Ian Paice has been the glue that holds Deep Purple together all these years and lineup changes. I read in an interview in Modern Drummer where he said that you can't compare different lineups to each other. Every new member brings a new dynamic to the band and every other member has a different reaction to the new member, and therefore has a different dynamic to the band.
I really agree with everything he said. I was always hard core Mark II line-up. But ever since Steve Morse joined the band, they have really been energized and put out some great great songs. Morse is so so under rated. Yes Blackmore is one of the best ever without a doubt. But you are a fool to say Morse is a slouch.
As he indicated, the argument of Blackmore vs. Morse is simply just between fans. Blackmore has said that Morse is a "virtuoso" and Steve has said that Blackmore has been a big influence in his career. Both great guitarists, with different backgrounds and influences. But, they totally respect one another and there is no argument between the two. Just a personal nod to the album "Purpendicular", which is a solid rock album that stands up under any era.
Can't argue with that. Spot on. And if Morse really sucked as a guitarist, he wouldn't be voted 5 times in a row Best in the Guitar Player mag, after which they had to retire him into their HOF cause five is most you can have. LOL. I love Blackmore's playing (even with BN although not so much now nor with new Rainbow cause he's showing his age) but even the All Mighty MIB guitar god didn't make that... probably because it's a US mag (LOL) cause in UK he was always #1 in Sounds and Kerrang polls for years.
@@henryurbach7973 Great catch on the Guitar Player mag voting. Only two other guitarists have been voted into the "Gallery of Greats", or Hall of Fame (they've since changed the rules) - Steve Howe (YES) and Eric Johnson. I've been a huge Steve Morse fan ever since I first saw The Dregs several times in the late 70s/early 80s. He has said he was technically at his best at that time. But, most of what they played during that era was jazz/fusion, with a mix of other instrumental genres. So, it's easy to see how he is missed by some fans. He became more of a rock guitarist as he played for Kansas and had the Steve Morse Band. Check out "Steve Morse Band - 1990 Full Concert". From Ohne Filter TV (great audio/video and up close) in Germany, Steve shows why he was on the short list of great guitarists. Dave LaRue on bass is worth watching as well. Over the past decade, Steve has suffered a degenerative right wrist injury which has forced him to totally change the way he plays and has slowed him down, along with having to stay away from some of his early numbers. From an anchored style of picking to a "stiffer" look. But, over 50 years of constant playing takes its toll on anyone. Steve still practices 3 to 4 hours each day, even on days with a concert. I saw Blackmore once in the 70s and it was evident that the guy was gifted. I simply don't remember that much of the show (I must have been in a different state of mind. LOL). I enjoy your passion for music and that comes out in your videos. Take care.
@@thinkcivil1627 I've been a fan since Dregs of the Earth or Night of Living Dregs sometime then, so I'm pretty familiar and you're quite right GP was pretty much for guitar musos and not for general public. I think Steve had a column in it for a while.
Great overview of the band. It’s true no guitarist has the sound and stage presence of Ritchie and no one could move with the music like him. Great showman. Even so I wanted Purple to go more in a prog direction after Machine head. (At last, to a degree, they are now doing that) I felt they were repeating themselves and I think that is what irked Gillan (I’m sure there were other issues). Burn is one of the best albums by any rock band IMO. I loved Come taste the band with Tommy Bolin on guitar. So underrated. When the Mark II lineup got back together the first album was great but the others were less raw/spontaneous and you could tell the old issues were creeping in again. Steve Morse is the reason we are still talking about the band today. He was perfect for them a nice guy and a brilliant player. Don Airey had a huge input to the last 2 albums on keyboards/writing Purpendicular can stand easily with some of the early 70’s DP albums. I saw two Rainbow Shows over the past 2 years. Birmingham was his first big indoor U.K. concert and he really gave it everything on Stargazer (the old magic). The second concert a year later was ok but disappointing as he let the energy drop midway and there was too much joking around ( leaving the keyboard player for an eon to noodle additional minutes to his solo slot while the band had an overlong break.... same with the drum solo) I think Purple will make one last album. Looking forward to it already 😀. They will get the wider recognition they deserved when they’re gone. The music press didn’t “make” Deep Purple. Their success was down to word of mouth about their incredible live shows and the quality of their musicianship. “Who do we think they are” ? One of the best there ever was or will be.
Having seen DP with both, I prefer the Morse line up. Steve makes the WHOLE BAND sound better, crisper and cleaner and, more importantly, the rest of the band appears to be more comfortable with Steve and look like they are actually enjoying themselves!
It is certainly not due to "because i am a fan and i HAD to like them all". I GENUINELY love all their albums from my heart and that is why i am a fan. You have great points you bring out in your videos. Keep it up brother.
Anyone who slags off Steve Morse needs to listen to "Birds of Prey" on "infinite" just incredible. Even better watch the documentary about the making of the album.
I thought "Now What" was a darn good album, and from what I heard of this one, it's just as good. If you listen to some old Dregs or Steve Morse Band, man there are some rocking' tunes on there. I met Morse once after a SMB show, he sat out on the edge of the Stage for over an hour and signed autographs. He was really sick that day with a nasty cold, but played a mind blowing set then took the time to hang out with the fans. Very friendly humble dude. Total class act and in the grand scheme of things one of the most notable guitar players of all time. No wonder the boys in Purple held on to him. I love Blackmore's playing style but he hasn't really done anything really heavy in long time and the more he opens his mouth these days he sounds slightly nuts. Personally I think he should stick to the Renaissance festival stuff. that's what he always wanted to do. He said that back in the 70's in a Guitar Player mag interview.
Great review, (probably has a lot to do with you being a musician). I'm about your age, & agree with you-but there was 1 album without Gillan, Glover, & Blackmore, (before Morse), that has to be worth mentioning...'Come Taste The Band'. Albeit, the 'Band' was comprised of only two original members, it IS a very good/almost great album. Tommy Bolin-now there's an underrated guitarist-laid down his best work-(IMHO)-on this album. I don't think of it as what I've heard is the classic Deep Purple 'thunk & chug' of the last 25 years, but 'Come Taste...' is part of DP's discography. It's not what Blackmore called 'Shoeshine' music, (his description of Stormbringer's content), & he's RIGHT! It's too bad that Tommy Bolin, (like SO MANY others in different bands), succumbed to drug addiction. Onwards to Steve Morse, an incredible talent who has made his 'Mk.' in Purple. I'm very fortunate to have seen the Bananas tour. They looked like they were having fun, a lot of fun just jamming...like kids in a garage. Thanks very much for sharing this.
I love Come Taste the Band as well. VERY underrated album, and you can clearly hear the style that David Coverdale took into Whitesnake. Some of Bolin's best work on that album, agreed. Just a shame his addictions took control of him, as most of the live recordings I've heard of his time in the band are not up to his normal level.
When I got CTTB in '75, it hit me like a ton of bricks; the power and volume were awesome. Definitely not "shoeshine music." Unfortunately, Tommy probably would not have lasted too long with Purple anyway, even if he had no drug problem, cause his Teaser record was actually selling better than CTTB, and what he wanted more than anything was to have a solo career, where he didn't need to be pigeon holed to one genre or another (he was not exactly a fan of heavy music). And with Steve, I've seen almost on every tour since '96 and Steve is always smiling and band is just having FUN like you said. The last time I saw Purple truly having fun with Blackers was in '85. They were hilarious. Steve is a great player, and maybe his style of playing doesn't fit all Purple songs but at least with Steve we finally got to hear live great Purple songs that MK2, 2A or 2B never played: Blood Sucker, Hard Loving Man, Fools, No One Came, Pictures of Home, Rat Bat Blue and the under appreciated by Ritchie, the phenomenal slow blues of When A Blind Man Cries (OK, that one they first played with Satch).
Deep Purple are my favorite heavy band. They where amazing loud, blistering, heavy, proggy, amazing, freaky.. Nothing can't touch their mark II with Blackmore, Lord and Co
I don't know WHO says it, but I've been told a lot of people say Deep Purple is a live jam band. Well, I have to agree. They are foremost a band that jams and gets into the groove and whatnot (with the bass and the organ). And, having that in mind, both Ritchie and Steve both fit in the the mix. Both different, but both fit. People who do not accept that aren't fans of Deep Purple, they are fans of Ritchie.
I've never been able to get into 'Bananas' and 'Rapture Of The Deep,' and I think that is largely down to the poor production. At times the vocals are too up front and dry, and by all accounts Michael Bradford pushed to get the recording done very quickly, and I believe the band's performance on these albums suffers because of his approach. I love what Ezrin has done with 'Now What' and 'Infinite,' challenged the band and brought out some truly great performances, and the production overall is top notch. I'm so pleased that it looks like they're going to do a third album with him. It's so refreshing to discover a guy like you who is on the same wave length, so thank you from a grateful chap in the UK. People talk about Morse's technical ability but they forget that Ritchie was probably the most technical player amongst Page, Clapton, Beck, Iommi etc. Big Jim Sullivan who gave lessons to both Page and Blackmore said that while Page is good Blackmore was a superior guitarist. Often, Ritchie's 'moody' attitude hindered people's opinion of him. Steve Morse said that Ritchie didn't just play the usual bluesy 'block' shapes, he played across the neck which he probably got from his love of jazz. Steve is a very different player, but he's great in his own right, has nothing to prove, and 'Purpendicular' is one of my favourite Purple albums. I saw the band on the first night of that tour and they were so fired up, and it brought such a tear to my eye to see them so happy, and they played 'Rat Bat Blue' with Jon playing that ridiculously fast solo note for note. It was over two hours when they left the stage, and Steve came out and asked if there had been too much jamming because he was worried that perhaps they were enjoying themselves too much and not playing for the crowd. We told him that Purple live had always been about jamming and this was perfect for us. I was so excited I went to see them again in London and again they were phenomenal, but I remember as we went into the venue that people were moaning about there being no Ritchie, so I told them that this was a band transformed and to just be open to new things musically, some did and some didn't, but I think that for the most part Steve is accepted by the fans. Sorry for the essay, I just get so passionate about my favourite band.
I actually love the ‘raw’ sound of bananas and Rapture. Both amazing albums. But yeah, each to their own :) looking forward to the release of ‘whoosh!’ 🤟🤟
Reality is that DP is Gillan. Like it or not. Same can be said about Led Zeppelin's Plant. Gillan and Plant simply non replaceable for DP and LZ. Burn was written for Gillan and sounds really weird when someone else trying to sing it, the only way I can listen to Burn is to picture in my head Gillan singing it. Storm bringer is not a Deep Purple it's glorified Whitesnake or something
Not quite. Burn was written mostly by Ritchie and David. If anything, the idea of Burn was for Paul Rodgers to sing on it, NOT Gillan. Ian Gillan offered his resignation to the management in early '73, so the WDWTWA tour everyone knew that Ian will not be coming back. Then Ritchie announced he was going to leave and (according to his or Roger's interviews) when the management asked what would make him stay, he agreed to remain with the band but Roger had to leave. When Roger found out about it, he decided to quit instead of getting fired. In some late interviews and documentaries, Jon Lord and Ian Paice regretted that they didn't stand up to Ritchie.
Here's something I'd thought I'd share.I was at a Dixie dregs show at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, NC sometime in 1994 and who just happend to show up was Roger Glover.He was there to check out Steve Morse.What a lot of people don't know is Steve Morse was recommended by Joe Satriani.
I'm sure you have heard this before but as much as I enjoy the new lineup it just dose not sound like Deep Purple to my ears, it feels like the Ian Gillan band. My 2 cents.
im a huge bkackmore fan....steve morse is great too. they are different guys with different styles,but both totally relevant and fitting with the styles of their time.
Thanks so much for your reviews, didn't even know Purple was still putting out great stuff until your review of Now What, Love the new album Infinite as well. Blackmore to me although a genius was always a bit of an oddball in the hard rock genre. Always looking for a new sound until he mellowed out with Blacmore's Night . Steve Morse is superb and the perfect replacement for Blackmore. Keep the reviews coming, much appreciated.
I’ve been a DP fan from the very BEGINNING. I remember when the single Hush came out in the summer of 1968 I ran to the record store after the first time I heard it on the radio. Of course I had never heard of DP but that rocking baseline and incredible organ solo by Jon Lord just blew me away. When Gillan and Glover joined the band just totally exploded!! Saw the first MKII lineup 3 times - and to this day one of those shows is the best concert I have ever seen in my LIFE. Actually it was the American leg of the Made In Japan Tour. Just unreal. Then when Hughes and Coverdale joined they didn’t miss a beat - saw 2 shows. Personally Burn is probably my favorite studio album from the band - neck and neck with In Rock. Back in that time frame Riche Blackmore was just insane. You NEVER knew what he would do at a live show. Between him/Lord and Paice it was total chaos on stage. I saw MKIV with Tommy Bolin and it was a decent show - but the fire from Blackmore was missing. However, the show was still good and Come Taste the Band ranks in probably my top 6-7 DP albums. When MKII reunited- in my opinion - they did lose a LITTLE fire on stage from the earlier years but was never disappointed in a show. I even saw the JLT version of the band - it was good- especially when they opened with Burn. Since Morse has joined the band the live shows are not as awesome as they use to be - but let’s face it - they’re getting old - no more smashing guitars/tipping over organs and insane drum solos. While the live shows have lost some fierceness from the Blackmore days I think the studio albums are fantastic. I would rank Now What! above all the albums of the reformed MKII lineup that began in 84. Also Perpendicular is fantastic. The fact is - even though they have gotten older and don’t have the stamina they once did on stage - they’re studio albums are still top notch. Not many dinosaur bands can say that.
I hate it when people talk about the "Deep Purple sound". There is no one particular Deep Purple sound. Every lineup had its own style. Therefore the argument that the Steve Morse era Deep Purple does not "sound like Purple" is a weak one.
Ritchie Blackmore of course is the iconic guitarist for Deep Purple as they made all those legendary albums with him in the 70s but for me, Steve Morse is the whole package and has breathed new life into the band, he is such a highly versatile guitar player who can play any style of music and an all around great musician / composer. I have all the respect for Ritchie Blackmore and his contributions but when it comes down to it, i'm a Steve Morse guy all the way.
I know the band claims they are happier and all that nowadays. But...I am not sure that a "happy band " is a requirement for good music. I have seen almost all of the line-ups live multiple times. Even now, when I watch the live footage from 1984 (and earlier) it is just more exciting. No disrespect intended because they are all great musicians. However, I left them long ago as a fan. I did so because I miss what Blackmore brought. "Aura & Danger "is a good phrase. Even if it is just personal tensions on stage (or in the studio) it is not unusual as many great bands have had such a dynamic. I think that calling it "stupid" is not fully representative. People can have good reasons to prefer the earlier era.
I like Ritchie..he is the way he is..maybe on the Spectrum so he has done well with he has.Steve is simply a different generation and style and a great great human being.
Hi great video thanks for your thoughts and personal insight, I am a Purple fan, been blown away by these guys from my teens, and although Blackmore will always be my favourite guitarist it was the whole feel of the band I feel in love with. Paicey's solid groove (You fool No One off Made in Europe OMG) , Jons majestic keyboard, Rogers cool effortless bass lines and Gillians pipes.....but then went back and listened to the early stuff, and guess what, that's good, then Coverdale and Hughes came in which soured it for me for a while, and I went down the Rainbow route. However I did pickup on Morse after the Mk2 reunion and got to say he did add a something else and different to the sound. I have even now gone back and appreciate the Coverdale/Hughes stuff.....I do hope they continue to record this latest release is strong and very much Purple!
Spot on from start to finish! Strve Morse is a fantastic guitarist as is Ritchie Blackmore they just have different styles I've never understood that segment of the fan base that can't appreciate both.
Totally agree on Purple and Sabbath. Huge HUGE influence and you often hear the members of younger bands give them credit. Like you said, lots of others out there but out of all of these, I think Purple and Sabbath get the most overall credit for the influence.
Only recently found this show. Absolutely love it and catching up on older shows. I totally agree with you about the old school fans who slag off the newer purple stuff. Do they think they they are disloyal to Ritchie to acknowledge Steve Morse's brilliance. How about showing some respect to true musicians who are still rocking.
You also need to mention the sheer number of guitarists that existed in the 80s and 90s and onwards till now because of RB. Meaning not only that he was great but was also hugely influential by getting kids to start playing guitar in that time....those kids being joe perry, slash, Cantrell, ace, every guitar player in the NWOBHM....they all point to him as "why I started playing"..... and then think of how many kids started playing because of those guys....its pretty amazing that amount of influence. Just off the top of my head I remember Joe Perry's saying he picked up a Guitar because of Highway Star.
The great thing about Deep Purple is the entire lineup can change and it’s still Deep Purple. Band members come and go and unlike most bands it’s no big deal. What I like about Deep Purple is they’re more like a corporation and brand name than a group of musicians.
I'm with you - I can appreciate Deep Purple post-Blackmore though Blackmore is/was always my favorite guitarist! I also agree that the new album is their best effort since Purpendicular!
Great rant. My problem is live I want to hear my two rock gods Gillian/Blackmoore at the same time. I'm glad they are still going. They will always be top shelf stuff but I've skipped the live shows knowing I'm going to hear the classics without hearing it played by my favorite players. My tough luck I know.
Blackmore has a way more individual style and original licks. But sometimes he really kind of got sloppy and slightly out off time in live performances. Morse is way better in terms of technique and precision
Ritchie Blackmore particularly around 72 left a lot of guitar players in the dust as far as speed and dexterity. He influenced so many. The man started the neoclassical genre. He was the instigator of power metal. Steve Morse. Probably a bit more Prog. More technical. Perhaps. Great guitar player. In his style of playing. Perpendicular. Bananas. All great music. Two of my most favorite live albums though, back to the Blackmore era. Made in Japan. Made in Europe. The band was firing on all 8 cylinders.
Over the years, I've come to really love the Morse-era albums, and my most recent rankings have got all of them very high. I never did like Purpendicular as much as my other Purple friends, because Morse hadn't found his stride with the band yet. Once Don Airey came on board, they really found a winning formula! Infinite is a fantastic prog throwback that still feels modern and fresh. My favorite of this era is Now What?! I'm not so happy with Turning to Crime, because I don't want them to turn into a cover band, but they still sound amazing. I remember the Bananas tour, seeing Satriani from Mark VI playing alongside Morse as a guest, which was insanely fun. Whoosh! is a weird and unique futuristic rocker (except for the misplaced "What the What"). I love the classic Mark II lineup, but Blackmore was too unpredictable and fickle for the band to enjoy long health. Morse literary saved the band, and I play their new albums all the time.
I just don't get the big deal over Steve Morse being in DP longer than Ritchie. Ritchie contributed on 13 studio LPs between 1968-74 and 1984-93 (17 years). Steve Morse contributed on 6 studio LPs 1994-2018 (25 years). Not a knock against Steve but in my book substance is greater than longevity.
Not just Deep Purple, but other bands too, when they lose a member, some people won't give the "new guy" an chance. I am a die hard Blackmore fan with his stuff in both DP and Rainbow, but DP is a unit, everyone in the band contributes. When Blackmore walked away, were they supposed to just disband or move on. I'm glad DP continued on, Morse, though is no Blackmore, has contributed greatly to the band. He did 2 albums with Kansas in the late 80's and they were great underrated albums. I have given these albums a chance and I'm very impressed.
Couldn't agree more ... further, more recently, you've said, in best albums of the year, that Now What! surpasses this one ... inretrospect .. again I'd agree with you. I am looking forward to the new one Sept (?) and hope that Now What! was not just a temporary return to form due to the novelty of their getting together again and with a new producer. I too was concerned but love Ezrin's work .. that this may not be a fit .. WRONG .. Now What! is justg crazy good .. It's often on constant play in the car .. it has sufficient variety in musical styles, types of song (within) rock to keep you interested and every time I hear the start to "A Simple Song" I cannot help but smile .. as I now what I'm gonna get ... a great piece of songwriting singing etc., .. Love it .. :-). The Morse/Blackmore thing .. well .. It speaks volumes I'm afraid .. I'll say no more... :-(
What gives a bigger thrill? Purple playing "smoke on the water", or surprising you with "Fools" or "Bloodsucker" etc I'll take the surprise every time.
You said it very well! It's indeed stupid to think that there is no Purple without Blackmore! No matter how great Blackmore was (and he really was), the band is still rocking without him. And in the end, the band is not affected at all because of these people who bash Deep Purple with Morse. The band put out great music without Blackmore. Having said that, I don't really enjoy Come Taste The Band, Abandon or Rapture Of The Deep. Still, great songs here and there on those albums, but I prefer Purpendicular, Bananas and the latest 2 albums.
This is all very subjective. However, check the complete back catalogues of both, what they actually wrote, the musical genres to which they (or, 1 of them) can effortlessly turn their hand(s) (!) and of course which one is the nuttiest. Blackers wins hands down on all counts - especially the last one .... chortle chortle. It's telling that Jon Lord, etc., say that the band's creativity stemed almost invariably from Blackers' fertile musical mind. 'nuff said
Ritchie Blackmore.. He's a gift to Rocks World..a rare indeed rock guitarist which exposely pioneer a neo classic metal n baraque technic into Rocks music instead of stuck with the Obviously heavy blues tone (like most of known guitarist of his era)
Great observations Peter! 😁 DEEP PURPLE will always be the relevant. WHY - Made in Japan is the Greatest EVER live album in rock. NOT heavy metal, hard rock but ALL rock music and every genre. Guitarists'Duel - I will always be a Blackmore fan. S Morse - to use Ritchie's words. A great guitarist, but Blackmore is a virtuoso.
Purple world wide is the biggest band of all time. In America for the most part every body says Led Zeppelin was the greatest band and I disagree although I love Zeppelin but more of a studio band. And they don't have near the music put out with Ritchie much less counting Bolin and Steve. Most people don't know Purple sold more albums in America in 73 than any band and it's was not actually there biggest market.. If you went to Germany Russia and the old Soviet block countries., Japan Deep Purple Rules. But you can't tell hard headed American's a damn thing. I really appreciate your big picture out look and take on my favorite band.
Like you, I think Blackmore is the best of the best. In spite of that, your comments are very balanced. I have a hard time listening to Purple sans Ritchie but that's just me. To me, he's their singular guitarist but I totally get your point of view. I am also a big Yes can and with them, you have to definitely be more lineup flexible. Great video!
Just a note about Roadhouse Blues. It was a spur of the moment Ezrin asked them if they wanted to do a cover since they did one on Now What? And Paice said thet when he played with a Purple cover band and night without him knowing it they started to play Roadhouse Blues directly following Black Night and he say that it suited this very well rhytmical. So they Googled the lyrics for Gillan and they recorded it a few minutes after with as exactly as it is. Nothing overdubbed or anything. So take it for what it is, it´s a spur of the moment thing that all happend in 30 minutes going from Ezrins question to the finished song.
Have always loved deep purple and yes it's nice that they revisit old classics from time to time. One thing that annoys me is Gillian's refusal to do a few from the mark 3 and maybe mark 4 era. I think he is being a bit childish about it. Nobody can deny Burn is a superb album, right up there with the best. Cheers
I'm with you completely, Although Led Zeppelin has a lasting impact as well. Black Sabbath is why I have been able to do what I do as a guitarist. It gave me the initial inspiration to play. Jimmy Page has had a longer lasting impact on me for the catalog of great guitar playing. I love Blackmore too. I remember Morse from his early days with Dixie Dregs and I have always liked Morse's stuff. I will have to check this out. I can copy Blackmore, but he shows you how to to sound like your own self. I have a big Schenker influence too. I have learned that there is great subjectivity to what one may do as a guitarist, but I have had unbelievable statements made to me after playing sets with different bands. I somehow touched these people. There is no way to gauge that. As a musician you just try your hardest to make people feel what you are feeling. They do. It's very strange and incredible.
The Blackmore vs. Morse debate?? Really?? To this day, part of Morse's livelihood is based on him playing decades old Blackmore songs. Does Blackmore ever perform Morse songs? Morse is great, don't get me wrong, but he's no Blackmore.
It's not just that Ritchie is gone. It's that Steve Morse just doesn't belong. Great guitarist. Great person. Great chemistry, and bottom line, the band is HAPPY with this lineup. And at this stage of their careers and lives, fine - they do what they want. But I think that even if Ritchie never returns - which he probably never will - there are a bunch of guitarists out there that are a better fit - energy wise - with DP than Steve. Including the first guy to replace Ritchie, Joe Satriani.
Steve Morse kicks ass. I bought Purpindicular about a year ago, based on your recommendation, and it's a rocking album. Morse doesn't have to make apologies to any other axeman I've heard. Really good record.
Why Deep Purple are still relevant? That´s a fact they will always be, but not Deep Purple, 2022. The great era of Deep Purple was MK II and even MK III. If someone today opening up the discussion about Blackmore vs. Morse, you have to analyze what Deep Purple really was during the great era. Deep Purple was not only a great band, but five magnificent, completely amazing musicians. They built up their shows by being unpredictable and with great spontaneity. If you listen - for example - to Made in Japan (called Live in Japan), all three shows, there are three completely different solos by Blackmore on Child in time. The same song from Scandinavian nights, Stockholm Sweden 1970, completely different solos, both guitar and Lords solo. Deep Purple was, compared to other great bands of this era, in another league. Everyone wanted to see the band, all over the world, much due to the magic of their shows. When you went to a Purple show, you never know what to expect, other than a a great musical experience. Jon Lord said in an interview, a couple of years before he tragically passed away: “When we went on stage we said to the audience, we don´t know what´s it gonna be or what we are going to do, but you really are going to like it”. That was their signum, foremost the duel between Blackmore and Lord, as I said, unpredictable, but great, really great. All five members, specially Gillan, Glover, Lord, Paice and Blackmore (that is, MK II), they had enormous charisma on stage and created magic shows, that Deep Purple today never, ever again can reach. By being spontaneous, combined with great musical knowledge, they created magic, pure magic, mainly on stage. All respect to Tommy Bolin, as a guitarplayer and even Morse, but the only members who were able to create that magic, was Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore, with Glovers great bass, Gillans amazing voice and of course the great, great Ian Paice. I have to say, this is not only about being a great musician, but being able to create magic and a great musical atmosphere. It´s hard to put that feelings in the same category as Deep Purple, today 2022. I have seen MK II four times during their reunion tour, in ´85 and in ´87, that´s what I call magic, pure magic and that magic has, sorry to say, not been there for a long time.
From 5:44 to 6:17 - very ranty and VERY funny! LOL in fact! It probably is a millenial. I think you're right on about the influence. Purple, Sabbath, Zep, and MANY others but the others all tend to be to a lesser aspect. Those very few but productive Mk II years, the fame of Made in Japan and just how good they sound live, the successful transition to Mk III, all contributed to just how much of an influence they were/are. Purple always seems to have gotten consistent credentials from many other artists.
Saw Purple at Brixton Academy with Blackmore, on the battle rages on tour. Saw them again with Steve Morse on the Perpendicular tour. They were having fun again and absolutely killed. I'll take the talent of Morse over a sulky Blackmore all day long.
Larry Toering I'm pretty sure it was a show in Texas while RB was in the hospital with hepatitis I believe the band tried it out for one night and said no way and cancelled after that
Morse is a total badass but Ritchie has been my favorite 45 years now -in fuckin' credible. Ian Paice is a total badass too.. rip Jon -oh shit I saw Roger Glover in the Joshua Tree post office a couple years back..
Ritchie Blackmore a écrit tellement de classiques inoubliables avec Deep Purple (et Rainbow).Combien de classiques a écrit Steve Morse avec Deep Purple??? Aucun malheureusement.
Hey Pete, I know I'm a little late here, but I'm curious to know your thoughts on Led Zeppelin. DP and BS are obviously 2 of the Big 3, with LZ being the 3rd, but it seems to me you're not as much a fan of LZ as the other 2? If my perspective is correct, then you and I are in a similar boat. I've never been able to get so into LZ, myself, but I've noticed you seem to say very little about them as well. I find that interesting and I just wanted to get your own take on Led Zeppelin as a band. I myself have not followed LZ as closely, and honestly I'm not as huge into their music. I just wondered what your take on LZ might be. Thanks and peace out, mate!
Hi Lucy. Thanks for the comment! I'm actually a big fan of LZ, but they sit down my list of favorites just a bit behind DP, Sabbath, Whitesnake, and Uriah Heep. Check out my series of episodes on the LZ remasters from a year ago for some additional tidbits on the Zeppelin albums!
I actually would have loved it if Joe Satriani would have stayed in Purple a little longer. He did a great job. That said Steve Morse is fantastic as well.
For me 1996 Purpendicular and 1998 Abandon are the best albums with Morse. Then after Jon Lord left, the sound became different, not as good, but good enough.
Brother I agree with you that purple did carry on without Blackmore.. but that’s what did just carried on , with Blackmore deep purple was exploring the universe always finding new worlds and that exploration ended when Blackmore left the bend. Without Blackmore they didn’t really go anywhere but just stayed alive. So to me personally deep purple has died in 1993. Good video thx
Then, I dearly hope you treasure 1993's "The Battle Rages On" LP. Excellent record, IMO. I hope you're not one of those type of fans that complains about Blackmore not being part of Deep Purple any more...only to NOT own anything post '70's; or, the Perfect Strangers reunion.
Purple hopefully shall continue, even after Glover & Gillan retire ... bring on Coverdale and Hughes ... and carry on! Mark 3 time to reunite and have Morse and Airey play those era songs baby
Deep Purple has just released inFinite. Glenn Hughes has released "Resonate" in late 2016 and Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow has delievered two live albums. Deep Purple along with all the bands who did grow out of the Deep Purple legacy is just so much more than a few hardrock standards. I too think the Blackmore years is very different from later Steve Morse but why is different always "bad" for some people? I can't say I am crazy in love with all of Deep Purples albums after Perfect Strangers but there is always good stuff to be found. Some instrumental, some more poppy, some more proggy, some beautiful and some with a harder edge. The newest single "All I Got Is You" is something I prefer very many songs they done over the years. Just as I think Child in Time might be the best rock song ever written and that Solider of Fortune is one of the best ballads of the 70's. There is no "line" between anything. Just enjoy it for what it is.
It is an assumption that people who prefer Blackmore are frozen minds. Its framing. Change is not always good/better/more interesting. YOUR point is defending the undefensible.
If Blackmore had stayed the band would have folded years ago. Steve is the man. Don't get me wrong, I love Blackers but I don't for one second wish he'd stayed. I like the new album and I, like you can't stand the cover song. However, I don't think its as good as the previous two albums and Purpendicular. Deep Purple are the greatest ever, today as much as ever! Don't care for the Sabbath except Dioesque Sabbath. Nice to hear someone publicly put the "permanently stuck in 1972' brigade in their place. The Morse era revitalized a fading entity. The last two Blackmore albums are weak. That's just an opinion but one I truly believe. I'm happy that Ritchie found happiness and satisfaction in Blackmores Night and actually like a lot of it. So great overview of Deep Purple. Cheers, Mike
Mike Q1 month ago"If Blackmore had stayed the band would have folded years ago. Steve is the man". I always hear those 2 combined as an argument for Morse. Weird.
It was 1993 that Blackmore left. Satriani came in for a tour/completion, but had prior commitments and had to leave DP. Then Morse came. Good commentary in the video. Morse is really good, in his own way. But he doesn't have the heavy, exciting Blackmore feel. I prefer Ritchie, but Morse is really good. I prefer Jon Lord on organ, but Don Airey is great, too. Wish Gillan could hit the high notes like he did in the 1970s, early 1980s.
Morse is a great guitarist, there is no doubt about that. But Purple without Ritchie just aren't the same. Morse can't play old Purple songs the way they originally sounded. That's just the way it is. I saw Purple at the O2 about four years ago with Morse and I found them to be a bit bland and not very exciting. I saw Rainbow in Birmingham in 2016 and although Ritchie isn't the force he once was, the gig was much more exciting and vibrant - particularly the second half. I love Morse's playing. But he can't play early Purple the way Ritchie did.
Steve Morse is a great guitarist. I truly can’t stand his pitchy guitar tone sound whatever. He should pick up a Stratocaster. Ritchie wether he is technically good or not, sounds great. I love Deep Purple but The Who will always be my #1.
Purple is still chugging today 10 years after this video 😊 Simon McBride replaced Morse and his live sound is more true to Ritchie's. Catch them while you can!
Sadly I´ve lost interest in Purple by now. I actually plays more music from Glenn Hughes solo than recent Purple output. Perhaps cause my favorite era is with him in the band...
To those Blackmore integrists out there; have some respect for Ritchie and acknowledge that fact that he has chosen to quit the band and the rock scene altogether. Had Ritchie stayed with DP, they would now be playing medieval folk with Candice as the lead singer. There is nothing wrong with medieval folk and Candice is fantastic, but it is much better to have DP going on with Steve rather than that.
Steve Morse is killing tough songs Blackmore played when he was young and nimble. If you had to compare the two purely as guitarist technical capabilities, originality, style and tone I'd say Morse would win that argument every day. The man is 64 years old who plays like a 22 year old. Basically, they're both guitar "gods," but like Pete says, they both bring they're own sound and style to a legendary band.
I'm astounded how lame the RnR Hall of Fame really is..... Deep Purple only just getting in there and then there's bands like Yes and probably a whole host of others not in there that really should be.... I remember back when my older brother got those early 70's LPs of Purple..... wow what an atmosphere there was at that time.... For me Burn, Woman from Tokyo, You Fool No one, No No No, Rat Bat Blue, Space Truckin', Flight of the Rat, Blood Sucker, Fireball , Highway Star, Speed King , Our Lady , etc... Wow !!
