Peter Murphy
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Peter Murphy (born July 11, 1957, near Northampton, England) was a member of the British rock group Bauhaus who later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria. Thin, with prominent cheekbones, a rich voice, and a penchant for gloomy poetics, Murphy is often called the "Godfather of Goth." Rising from a coffin on-stage, driving a hearse called the "Bauhearse," or appearing in concert as a vampire all helped to cement the gothic look with this dark, emotionally charged style of music (see gothic rock).
Murphy's solo career has become more nuanced, ranging from pseudo-pop to haunting ballads that showcase his deep and complex vocals. While his lyrics can range from what some critics have called "pretentious" to "incomprehensible," they often act as some metaphysical incantation, pulling his songs into a dream-like state of rhythm, imagery, and emotion. The song "Deep Ocean/Vast Sea" sounds like the pounding of ocean waves; in "Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem", one can feel the yearning for what was lost. In the 1990s, Peter Murphy converted to Islam, eventually moving to Turkey, and this middle-eastern influence can be heard in his later albums. In particular, Murphy has been inspired by the mysticism of Sufism.
In the 1980s, James O'Barr began penning a comic as a way of coping with the death of his fiancée by a drunk driver. A fan of Bauhaus, O'Barr found that his dark brooding hero, Eric Draven (The Crow), had acquired the body movements of Iggy Pop and the physical appearance of Peter Murphy. [1] (http://abahb.crowfans.com/FAQ/obarr.html)
In 2000 Murphy performed his international Just For Love tour, which resulted in the album Alive Just for Love. It is a live recording of the fully uninterrupted set from the El Rey show in Los Angeles on November 30, 2000. During the tour, Murphy chose to perform with only two back-up musicians, Canadian electric violinist Hugh Marsh and Peter DiStephano from Porno for Pyros on guitar.
Discography
- Should The World Fail To Fall Apart (1986) (see also 1986 in music)
- Love Hysteria (1988) (see also 1988 in music)
- Deep (1990) (see also 1990 in music)
- Holy Smoke (1992) (see also 1992 in music)
- Cascade (1995) (see also 1995 in music)
- Wild Birds: 1985-1995 (2000) (see also 2000 in music, compilation)
- A Live Just for Love (2001) (see also 2001 in music, live)
- Dust (2002) (see also 2002 in music)
- Unshattered (2004) (see also 2004 in music)
External links
- The Official Peter Murphy Site (http://www.petermurphy.info/)
- The Sweetest Drop (http://www.sweetestdrop.org/) - Peter Murphy Internet Resources (no longer updated archival website)de:Peter Murphy