Steve Morse was a member of Deep Purple from 1994 to 2022. Although his departure was motivated by the need to care for his wife, Janine , who passed away in 2024 Simon McBride to replace him .
In an interview with Guitar Interactive , Morse stated that the news came as a relief to the group, as the members were seeking a new musical direction. When asked about the possibility of a reunion or a one-off show with Deep Purple, the artist responded directly:
“I think if the band felt differently, I would feel differently. But I think there are some guys in the band who were really happy that I left,” he commented [transcription via Blabbermouth ].
According to Steve Morse, the reasons weren't personal. Deep Purple wanted to return to a rawer sound and move away from the technical complexity they brought to the 90s.
“They were kind of going back to their roots and just wanted to be a rock band, and 'don't come with that sophisticated crap'. And when you look at me as a songwriter, I definitely bring that 'sophisticated crap'. I can't help it,” he joked.
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