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 |
|---|---|---|
| October – December 1988 (session only) |
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| December 1988 |
| none – one live performance |
| January 1989 |
| |
| April 1989 |
|
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| November 1989 |
|
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| April 1990 |
|
|
| October 1990 |
|
|
| 1990 – 1991 |
|
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| 1991 |
|
|
|
| |
| 1991 – 1993 |
|
|
| 1993 – 1994 |
|
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| 1994 – 1998 |
|
|
| 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 |
| |
| 2007 – 2008 |
|
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| 2008 – 2009 |
| |
| 2009 – 2014 |
| |
| 2014 |
| |
| 2014 – 2021 |
|
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| May 2021 – late 2021 |
| none – live performances only |
| May 2022 – March 2023 |
| |
| 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):-
Maladjusted is the sixth studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 11 August 1997 by Island Records.
Martin James "Boz" Boorer is an English guitarist and producer. He founded the new wave rockabilly group the Polecats, and starting in 1991 had a 30-year collaboration with singer Morrissey as co-writer, guitarist and musical director.
Alain Gordon Whyte is an English musician, songwriter, composer and singer. He was Morrissey's main songwriting partner and guitarist between 1991 and 2007.
Southpaw Grammar is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 28 August 1995 by record labels RCA in the UK and Reprise in the US.
Beethoven Was Deaf is a live album by Morrissey, recorded around the time of the tour for Your Arsenal.
Ringleader of the Tormentors is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 3 April 2006 by record label Attack. The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which Morrissey attributed to new guitarist Jesse Tobias.
Jesse Tobias is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and co-writer for Morrissey since 2004. Tobias first gained fame during a brief tenure with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1993, although he was replaced by Dave Navarro within a month after joining the band. Before he joined the Chili Peppers, he briefly played with the band Mother Tongue. In 1995, Tobias joined the touring band for Alanis Morissette, and from 1999 to 2005 he was a member of the musical duo Splendid alongside his then-wife Angie Hart.
"November Spawned a Monster" is a song by the English singer Morrissey, released as a single in April 1990 by HMV. It was written by Morrissey and Clive Langer and features one of Morrissey's former colleagues from the Smiths, Andy Rourke, on bass guitar. The single reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The track and its B-side "He Knows I'd Love to See Him" appear on his compilation album Bona Drag (1990).
Gary Edward William Day is a British musician who played bass for Morrissey, The Nitros, Carlos and the Bandidos, The Poncés and Dante's Eyes.
"The Youngest Was the Most Loved" is the second single from English singer-songwriter Morrissey's eighth studio album, Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006). The track was written by Morrissey and Jesse Tobias. It was released as a single on 5 June 2006 and reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was performed on the popular UK television chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 19 May 2006 and again on Later with Jools Holland on 2 June 2006.
"In the Future When All's Well" was the third single from the album Ringleader of the Tormentors by Morrissey. It was added to XFM London's playlist on 18 August 2006. It also made BBC Radio 2's C-List and BBC 6 Music's A-List. The single was released internationally on 21 August 2006. It peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released as a single in November 1989. The track appears along with its B-side "Yes, I Am Blind" on the compilation album Bona Drag. A shorter edit, omitting a verse, appeared on the 2010 reissue of Bona Drag. The single was poorly received by the music press and the public; its highest position on the UK Singles Chart was No. 18, making it the first solo Morrissey single not to reach the top 10. "Yes, I Am Blind" was composed by Morrissey's ex-Smiths partner Andy Rourke, and the picture on the sleeve was taken by Anton Corbijn.
"Alma Matters" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in July 1997. It was the first single to be taken from the Maladjusted album and was released one week before the album.
"Satan Rejected My Soul" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in December 1997. It was the third single to be taken from the Maladjusted album.
The Psychedelic World of the 13th Floor Elevators is a 3 disc box set. The set collects the band's studio output, with live cuts, alternate versions, and the two original singles as The Spades.
The Original US Singles Collection The Capitol Years 1962–1965 is a boxset released in 2008 from Capitol, which features the original singles from The Beach Boys from 1962–1965.
Very Best of Morrissey is a compilation album by Morrissey, containing material he released during the 1980s and 1990s on EMI. It was released on 25 April 2011.
Steven Patrick Morrissey, known mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then, he has pursued a successful solo career. Morrissey's music is characterised by his baritone voice and distinctive lyrics with recurring themes of emotional isolation, sexual longing, self-deprecating and dark humour, and anti-establishment stances.
Bonfire of Teenagers is an unreleased studio album by English singer Morrissey. Described by the singer as "the best album of [his] life", Bonfire of Teenagers was produced by Andrew Watt in 2020 and 2021, and features a number of guest appearances from various musicians, such as Iggy Pop, Jesse Tobias, Chad Smith, Flea and Josh Klinghoffer.
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