In a new interview with Guitar World, DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse spoke about the experience of recording the band’s latest album, “Whoosh!”, with Canadian producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, ALICE COOPER), who also worked on the band’s previous two studio LPs, 2017’s “Infinite” and 2013’s “Now What?!”
Regarding how he goes about tracking his guitar solos, Morse said: “If I do anything that sounds like me, Bob puts his head in his hands and says, ‘Morse! C’mon, save it for your solo album, gimme something melodic!’ Often by limiting ourselves we can automatically institute a change in our playing. The effect was interesting — it’s hard to say that’s a baritone or six-string bass you hear there. Being put on the spot by Bob forced me to play slower and more melodic. That’s his job, to make the album different to what it would be like if he wasn’t there.”
Steve went on to say that he doesn’t work out his guitar leads before recording them.
“I don’t really plan out my solos,” he admitted. “It’s not really a solo if you do! I don’t mind taking bits of improvisation and fitting them together. In fact, Bob does that sometimes without my knowledge! He might take the parts he likes best, which are often not the parts I like best, and put them together into a new solo I never would have played. And I don’t mind that at all; it becomes a whole new section to explore.”
Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore‘s DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and has since been in the group longer than Ritchie.
Morse‘s solo career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical and fusion. Having started playing guitar around the age of 11, he later on attended University of Miami’s School of Music, where he studied classical guitar and jazz. A “guitarist’s guitarist”, he was voted “Best Overall Guitarist” in the Guitar Player Readers’ Poll for five consecutive years, before being removed from eligibility to open the award to other musicians, and being inducted into their Gallery Of Greats. His work has received seven Grammy Award nominations, and he has appeared on over 200 albums.
