My Take
Simon McBride is one of those guitarists who spent years being the best-kept secret in British blues-rock — shredding on his own records, lending his chops to Snakecharmer, quietly building a reputation among people who actually pay attention — and then the moment came. When Deep Purple needed someone to step into Steve Morse's shoes in 2022, they picked McBride, which tells you everything. That is not a gig you hand to someone who is merely good. He is a Belfast kid steeped in a city with serious musical grit, and you can hear that directness in how he plays: no wasted notes, real feel, the kind of tone that sounds lived-in. I think he is exactly what Purple needed at this stage of their career — someone hungry enough to care, skilled enough to hold the legacy, and original enough not to just be a Morse cover act.
Overview
Simon McBride (born 9 April 1979) is a Northern Irish singer and guitarist, who has played with other artists, including Deep Purple and Snakecharmer, as well as recording and touring his own band, and teaching at BIMM in Dublin. He was announced as Deep Purple’s permanent replacement for Steve Morse on 16 September 2022 after covering for him in concerts earlier in the year.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Simon McBride
- Name (Japanese)
- サイモン・マクブライド
- Reading
- さいもん・まくぶらいど
- Born
- April 9, 1979 (age 47)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Goat
- Origin
- Belfast, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.