Former Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse revealed his active life away from the stage, detailing his work fixing machinery and other pursuits in an interview with Guitar Player.
Morse explained that his primary offstage activity involves repairing old hay equipment and machines, requiring him to learn various systems.
“The biggest part of my extracurricular thing is fixing stuff because I’ve got old hay equipment and old machines, and I have to learn the systems for each one. So a lot of my life is spent looking for manuals, finding sources for parts, learning hydraulics and learning the way electrical systems work so I can basically fix everything.”
He further elaborated on his daily routine, which is heavily dedicated to these hands-on tasks.
“I work all day, basically. I don’t wake up early, but when I do wake up, I just go straight outside and start working until dark. Then I’ll work on music after dinner.”
Morse also highlighted the creative benefits he derives from this work.
“I think it’s super important, because when I’m doing laps in the tractor, cutting weeds or whatever, I’m thinking about stuff. Melodies and parts come to mind that I’ve been working on recently, and I just kick them around.”
His curiosity extends to observing and learning from others.
“When I’m at a gig and I walk by and see a guy welding something in the back, I stop and ask questions: How are you doing that? Did you preheat that? Does that make it crack? I’m a student of everything.”
Morse’s dedication to understanding complex systems mirrors his approach to mastering the guitar. His technical expertise, honed through years of mechanical problem-solving, likely informs his innovative musical arrangements.
The act of operating machinery can be meditative, allowing for a different kind of mental processing than active musical creation. This period of focused, yet non-musical, activity may foster a subconscious connection to his songwriting.
Morse’s long tenure in Deep Purple, beginning in 2002, provided a stable platform for exploring these diverse interests. The band’s touring schedule, while demanding, also allows for extended periods at home to pursue his mechanical passions.
