Morrissey is an English singer and songwriter who, since the break-up of the Smiths, has worked with several musicians throughout his career as a solo artist. His current touring band consists of guitarist Jesse Tobias (since 2005), drummer Matt Walker, bassist Solomon Walker (both of whom first joined in 2007), keyboardist Camila Grey and guitarist Carmen Vandenberg (both since 2023)
Several months after the Smiths broke up in 1988, Morrissey enlisted Smiths producer Stephen Street to help begin his solo career. His debut album Viva Hate (1988) featured Street on bass and guitar, Vini Reilly on guitar and keyboards and Andrew Paresi on drums. [1] His first solo performance happened on 22 December of the same year, at which he was backed by former Smiths bandmates, Craig Gannon (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). [2] [3] The three continued to play on Morrissey's singles until 1989 and 1990.
Morrissey hired a new band from 1991's Kill Uncle , consisting of Mark E. Nevin (guitar), Mark Bedford (bass), Andrew Paresi (drums, percussion), Seamus Beaghen and Steven Heart (keyboards), Nawazish Ali Khan (violin) and Linder Sterling (backing vocals). For live performances in the same year he was joined by guitarists Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte, bassist Gary Day and drummer Spencer Cobrin. [4] Day and Cobrin were replaced by Jonny Bridgwood (who Day had originally replaced) and Woodie Taylor in 1993. [5] Spencer Cobrin returned in 1995. [6]
In 1999, Day returned alongside new drummer Spike T. Smith. [6] Dean Butterworth replaced Smith in 2003, joining alongside keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Manning was replaced by Michael Farrell in 2004. [7] Guitarist Jesse Tobias also joined in 2005. [8] Matt Chamberlain replaced Butterworth in 2005. [8] Day was also replaced by Solomon Walker in 2007, [9] who brought in his brother, Matt Walker on drums. [9]
Manning returned in 2008 [10] and Whyte left in 2009. Gustavo Manzur also replaced Manning in 2009, [11] as well as Mando Lopez replacing Solomon Walker on bass. [12] Walker returned in 2021, alongside Whyte and new drummer Brendan Buckley, replacing Lopez, Boorer and Matt Walker respectively. [13] Juan Galeano replaced Walker in 2022. [14] Camila Grey replaced Manzur in 2023, [15] as well as Carmen Vandenberg replacing Whyte. [16] The Walker brothers both returned in 2024. [17]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Morrissey | 1988–present | lead vocals | all releases | |
Jesse Tobias | 2005–present | guitar | all releases from Live at Earls Court (2005) to present | |
Matt Walker |
| drums | all releases from Years of Refusal (2009) to I Am Not a Dog on a Chain (2020) | |
Solomon Walker |
| bass |
| |
Camila Grey | 2023–present | keyboards | none to date | |
Carmen Vandenberg | guitar | |||
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stephen Street |
|
|
| |
Andrew Paresi | drums |
| ||
Vini Reilly | 1988 |
| Viva Hate (1988) | |
Andy Rourke | 1988–1990 | bass |
| |
Mike Joyce | 1988–1989 | drums | "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" & "Interesting Drug" (1989) | |
Craig Gannon | guitar | |||
Neil Taylor | 1989 | |||
Matthew Seligman | 1989 (died 2020) | bass | "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" (1989) | |
Kevin Armstong | 1989–1990 | guitar |
| |
Mark E. Nevin | 1990–1991 | Kill Uncle (1991), "Sing Your Life" (1991) | ||
Mark Bedford | bass | Kill Uncle (1991) | ||
Boz Boorer | 1991–2020 |
| all releases from "Sing Your Life" (1991) to I Am Not a Dog on a Chain (2020) | |
Alain Whyte |
|
| ||
Spencer Cobrin |
| drums |
| |
Jonny Bridgwood |
| bass |
| |
Gary Day |
|
| ||
Woodie Taylor | 1993–1994 | drums | ||
Spike T. Smith | 1999–2002 | none | ||
Dean Butterworth | 2003–2005 | all releases from You Are the Quarry (2004) to Live at Earls Court (2005) | ||
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. |
|
|
| |
Michael Farrell | 2004–2008 | all releases from Live at Earls Court (2005) to Years of Refusal (2009) | ||
Barrie Cadogan | 2004 | guitar | none - substitute for Alain Whyte [18] | |
Matt Chamberlain | 2005–2007 | drums | Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006) | |
Gustavo Manzur | 2009–2023 |
| all releases from World Peace Is None of Your Business (2014) to I Am Not a Dog on a Chain (2020) | |
Mando Lopez | 2014–2020 | bass | all releases from Low in High School (2017) to I Am Not a Dog on a Chain (2020) | |
Brendan Buckley | 2021–2024 | drums | Without Music The World Dies (TBC) | |
Juan Galeano | 2022–2024 | bass |
Role | Album | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viva Hate (1988) | Kill Uncle (1991) | Your Arsenal (1992) | Vauxhall and I (1994) | Southpaw Grammar (1995) | Mal- adjusted (1997) | You Are the Quarry (2004) | Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006) | Years of Refusal (2009) | World Peace (2014) | Low in High School (2017) | I Am Not a Dog on a Chain (2020) | |
Guitars | Vini Reilly, Stephen Street | Mark E. Nevin | Alain Whyte, Boz Boorer | Alain Whyte, Boz Boorer, Jesse Tobias | Boz Boorer, Jesse Tobias | |||||||
Bass | Stephen Street | Mark Bedford | Gary Day | Jonny Bridgwood | Gary Day | Solomon Walker | Mando Lopez | |||||
Drums | Andrew Paresi | Spencer Cobrin | Woodie Taylor | Spencer Cobrin | Dean Butterworth | Matt Chamberlain | Matt Walker | |||||
Key- boards | Vini Reilly | Seamus Beaghen, Steven Heart | None | Roger Manning | Michael Farrell | Roger Manning, Michael Farrell | Gustavo Manzur |
Period | Members | Releases |
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October – December 1988 (session only) |
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December 1988 |
| none – one live performance |
January 1989 |
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April 1989 |
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November 1989 |
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April 1990 |
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October 1990 |
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1990 – 1991 |
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1991 |
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1991 – 1993 |
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1993 – 1994 |
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1994 – 1998 |
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1999 – 2002 |
| none – live performances only |
2003 – 2004 |
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2004 – 2005 |
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2005 |
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2005 – 2007 |
| none – live performances only |
2007 |
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2007 – 2008 |
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2008 – 2009 |
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2009 – 2014 |
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2014 |
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2014 – 2021 |
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May 2021 – late 2021 |
| none – live performances only |
May 2022 – March 2023 |
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July 2023 – February 2024 |
| none – live performances only |
June 2024 – present |
| none to date |
with Alain Whyte:-
with Boz Boorer:-
with Jesse Tobias:-
with Stephen Street:-
with Mark E. Nevin:-
with Gustavo Manzur:-
with Mando Lopez:-
with Gary Day:-
with Clive Langer:-
with Spencer Cobrin:-
with Andy Rourke:-
with Kevin Armstrong:-
with Andrew Watt:-
with Michael Farrell:-
Not Credited To Morrissey (ie Cover Versions):-