Well, the MK2 DP was classic, but time moves on ... and while Richie creates ferry music, Morse recreates DP.
Personally, while I consider Blackmore a guitar god, I also consider Morse to be the more consistent, better/tighter all round player (and certainly much more professional).
Agreed, I really like Morse, have most of his stuff, it just didn't work for me with DP.
Yeah, always the voice of reason within this fighting band ... in my mind only one person has the chops to replace him, Don Airy (who played with RB Rainbow).
Speaking of ELP (I witnessed and even met 'em (couldn't believe how physically small they were) a very long time ago ... I recently witnessed Carl Palmer (solo) in a small local pub. As a powerful a drummer as ever, although I was so disappointed he didn't play Tank.
I met Keith at NAMM one year and had the same thought, he looked like a jockey.
And YOU SUCK!!!! on the Carl Palmer in a small club
Consider yourself lucky, because I've heard countless stories of people witnessing many poor MK2 performances in which Richie became intolerable. Same could be said for Van Halen, I saw them for the first time a few years ago, sitting in a seat next to me was a gentleman who was on his 5th VH tour. About a minute into the concert, he whispered to me that I was in for a treat that night. After the concert, I ask him about that comment, and he assured me that they could be either great, or downright awefull, depending on Ed's moods.
Everybody was deep in the pocket that night, RB behaved.
Still have an original LP pressing ... but like many bands of my youth, for some reason, they/it doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as they once did.
tb1