VIDEO PREMIER JUNE 28th 8PM UK TIME
Deep Purple’s Splat!: Don Airey on Simon McBride, Bob Ezrin and Why Deep Purple Have Their Mojo Back
Deep Purple are approaching their 24th studio album, yet there is something remarkable about Splat! that feels less like a veteran band carefully managing its legacy and more like a hungry young group discovering a new creative spark.
When I sat down with keyboard legend Don Airey to discuss the forthcoming album, what emerged was a picture of a band revitalised by chemistry, confidence and a renewed focus on songcraft.
For Deep Purple fans, that’s exciting news.
The Simon McBride Effect
Much has been said about guitarist Simon McBride’s arrival following the departure of Steve Morse. Don was quick to explain that Simon wasn’t a surprise choice when the vacancy arose.
Airey had already worked extensively with McBride, including touring together and performing alongside Ian Gillan on his orchestral projects.
As Don revealed:
“At the end of the tour, Gillan said to me, ‘If Steve ever leaves, we don’t have to look very far for his replacement.'”
When Morse eventually stepped away, McBride was the obvious candidate.
Listening to Splat!, it’s easy to hear why.
The interplay between McBride’s guitar and Airey’s keyboards is one of the album’s defining features. On tracks such as Diablo and Guilt Tripping, the pair trade phrases and ideas with the spontaneity of musicians who genuinely enjoy pushing each other creatively. What is particularly striking is how natural it sounds.
Deep Purple Still Record Like a Band
In an era where many albums are assembled remotely through file-sharing and digital editing, Deep Purple continue to work the old-fashioned way. Together.
The band gather in a rehearsal room, look at each other, share ideas and start playing. According to Don, much of the magic comes from the visual connection between the musicians. Being able to see Ian Paice behind the drums, anticipate a fill or sense a change in direction remains an essential part of the Deep Purple creative process.
That chemistry carried directly into the recording sessions at Nashville’s famous studio environment, where many performances were captured live.
Bob Ezrin: The Secret Weapon
Producer Bob Ezrin has now become an integral part of modern Deep Purple.
His influence can be heard throughout Splat!.
Ian Gillan recently commented that Ezrin can take a seven-minute Deep Purple song and turn it into a four-minute masterpiece. Don agrees.
Rather than simply editing songs down, Ezrin seems to understand exactly which parts serve the music and which parts don’t.
Airey admitted that musicians often have a tendency to overplay or overcomplicate arrangements, while Ezrin brings focus and discipline.
The result? – An album where virtually every song clocks in under five minutes, yet somehow feels bigger than many progressive epics twice the length.
Small Songs, Big Ideas
The opening track Arrogant Boy immediately demonstrates this approach.
At just over three minutes long, it packs enough ideas, twists, turns and instrumental fireworks to fill a much longer composition.
I described it to Don as being like Doctor Who’s TARDIS – much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside.
He laughed but agreed that the song surprised even the band with how effectively it worked.
That same philosophy runs throughout the album. Tracks like Jessica’s Bra, Scribbling Gibberish, My New Woman and the title track Splat! all deliver memorable hooks, powerful riffs and inventive arrangements without overstaying their welcome.
The Hammond Organ Lives On
One of the most fascinating moments in our conversation centred around Don’s role as both a rock keyboard player and a musician with deep classical roots. Like Jon Lord before him, Airey approaches arrangement as much as performance. His philosophy is refreshingly simple:
“Less is more.”
It sounds obvious, but in a band filled with world-class musicians capable of playing almost anything, knowing what notto play is perhaps the greatest skill of all.
That restraint gives Splat! its clarity. The Hammond organ remains a crucial part of the Deep Purple sound, but Don’s arrangements allow space for pianos, textures, classical influences and melodic ideas that enrich rather than overwhelm the songs.
A Band Enjoying Themselves Again
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the interview was how often Don talked about fun.
Tracks emerged from casual jams. Ideas appeared almost accidentally. Songs such as Beating of Wings and My New Woman seemed to arrive fully formed during relaxed sessions where the band simply followed where the music wanted to go. There is a joy running through this record. You can hear it.
The musicians sound energised, engaged and inspired.
Deep Purple’s Future
As Deep Purple prepare to embark on another extensive world tour, Don reflected on the strange reality that life on the road still feels completely natural. The touring schedule remains extraordinary, but as he explained, musicians become addicted to performing. It’s simply what they do.
The good news for fans is that several tracks from Splat! are already being considered for the live set, and Don hinted that many of these compact studio recordings could evolve into something very different on stage. Anyone familiar with Deep Purple’s live history knows exactly what that means.
After listening to Splat! and speaking with Don Airey, one thing became clear.
This is not a band running on nostalgia. This is not a legacy act simply repeating old formulas. Splat! sounds like five musicians who still enjoy creating music together and still have something to prove. It captures the spirit of classic Deep Purple while feeling entirely contemporary. Most importantly, it sounds like a band having the time of their lives. And after more than fifty years, that’s perhaps the most remarkable achievement of all.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
