A Proven Track Record Before Purple
Before joining Deep Purple, Simon built an impressive career collaborating with iconic artists such as Don Airey, Ian Gillan, and Sweet Savage, while also carving out a name for himself as a solo artist.
His 2022 album, The Fighter, was released by earMUSIC and showcased his unique musical style, a dynamic blend of blues, hard rock, and guitar virtuosity reminiscent of icons like Steve Vai, Steve Lukather and Joe Satriani (all of them being among Simon´s idols).
This combination of soulful blues roots with technical mastery sets him apart as a distinctive voice in modern rock and established him as an emerging talent in the rock world. About the album

Amidst his busy schedule, Simon recorded various sessions at Hamburg’s renowned Chameleon Studios with his trio.
While some of these recordings have been available digitally, this collection marks the first physical release for all of the tracks, including stunning renditions of Duran Duran’s Ordinary World and Mr. Mister’s Uniform of Youth.


A Must-Have for Rock Fans

With flawless performances and exceptional production quality, this collection of rare tracks is a must-have for rock enthusiasts. For fans who’ve come to admire McBride’s style and personality during his tenure with Deep Purple, this album offers an exciting glimpse into his versatility and musical brilliance.


“All the recordings in this collection go back to the period right before I became Deep Purple’s guitar player (which, even now, still feels a bit surreal to say).
In 2020, while on a club tour with my trio, I was offered a chance by what would later become my label to spend a day at Chameleon Studio in Hamburg and record studio versions of the songs we’d been playing live.
Maybe the label was impressed that the three of us were not only the musicians but also our own drivers and crew. Or, as I’ve come to realize, maybe I was being tested…
The result of these frantic studio sessions is raw and intense.
Shortly after mixing The Fighter, I returned to the same studio to record cover versions that would later become digital singles and B-sides. I'm thrilled that these two sets of recordings are now coming together as an official album; they capture the energy and urgency of these last few years of my solo career.”

- Simon McBride[info sheet from distr.]