“I’m excited about all the gigs, the tours, and the possibility of what could happen next year,” beamed McBride. And while McBride might not have expected to enter the Deep Purple fold, he is now looking forward, head held high, in command position at the stage’s edge, prepared for everything and anything. And after a series of summer tours, it was no surprise that the band officially announced McBride as its guitarist in September of 2022.īut even after all he’s accomplished in nearly thirty years in the business, the veteran axe-slinger is ever-humble and eternally appreciative of his place in the pantheon of rock music. With a resume as stout as McBride’s, it’s not hard to see why Deep Purple chose him to fill in for longtime guitarist Steve Morse, who was at home caring for his ailing wife. Ever curious and insistent on pursuing musical exploration, McBride joined Snakecharmer after the departure of Mick Moody, lending his talents to Second Skin (2017).

In the following years, McBride continued to see his star rise, sharing stages with Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Don Airey, and Ian Gillan. Now a heavy-hitter in the guitar world, McBride slung his PRS over his shoulder and alerted the world that the best was indeed yet to come. The teenage phenom recorded two gems in Killing Time (1996) and Rune (1998), dazzling audiences across the globe, before a foray into the blues found him backing Andrew Strong.įor six years, McBride stood beside Strong, counting to gain a deep foothold, firmly establishing himself as a multi-genre virtuoso with songwriting skills as seamless as his fluid fretwork. McBride first entered our collective consciousness at the age of 16, when the Belfast-born six-stringer replaced fellow Irishman Vivian Campbell in a reformed Sweet Savage. For veteran guitarist Simon McBride, taking the stage with Deep Purple, one of the most explosive bands in rock history, is just another day at the office.

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