Morphine (band)

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Morphine
Mark Sandman Mississippi Nights 1997.04.09.jpg
Morphine in 1997 at Mississippi Nights, St Louis, MO
Background information
Origin Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Genres
Years active1989–1999
Labels
Spinoffs Twinemen, Orchestra Morphine, Bourbon Princess, Vapors of Morphine
Spinoff of Treat Her Right
Past members Mark Sandman
Dana Colley
Jerome Deupree
Billy Conway
Website morphineband.com

Morphine was an American rock band formed by Mark Sandman, Dana Colley, and Jerome Deupree in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1989. Drummer Billy Conway replaced Deupree as the band's live drummer in 1991. Deupree recorded the album Cure For Pain, with the exception of the title track which was recorded by Conway, before being permanently replaced by Conway in 1993. Both drummers appeared together during a 15 date US tour in March of 1999. After five successful albums and extensive touring, they disbanded after lead vocalist Sandman died of a heart attack onstage in Palestrina, Italy, on July 3, 1999 at the Nel Nome Del Rock Festival. [1] Founding members have reformed into the band Vapors of Morphine, maintaining much of the original style and sound.

Contents

The band used an idiosyncratic set of instruments and combined blues and jazz elements with more traditional rock arrangements, which gave it an unusual and original sound. The instruments mainly consisted of baritone saxophone (played by Colley), two-string bass (played by Sandman), and drums. Sandman sang distinctively in a "deep, laid-back croon", [2] and his songwriting featured a prominent beat influence. The band themselves coined the label "low rock" to describe their music, which involved "a minimalist, low-end sound that could have easily become a gimmick: a 'power trio' not built around the sound of an electric guitar. Instead, Morphine expanded its offbeat vocabulary on each album." [3]

The band enjoyed positive critical appraisal, but met with mixed results commercially. In the United States, the band was embraced and promoted by the indie rock community, including public and college radio stations and MTV's 120 Minutes , which the band once guest-hosted, but received little support from commercial rock radio and other music television programs. This limited their mainstream exposure and support in their home country, while internationally they enjoyed high-profile success, especially in Belgium, Russia, Portugal, France and Australia.

History

Formation, independent years (1989–1996)

Morphine was formed in 1989 by bassist and vocalist Mark Sandman, a member of the bluesy alternative rock band Treat Her Right, saxophonist Dana Colley, a former member of the local Boston group Three Colors, and drummer Jerome Deupree, who had played with Sandman in the Hypnosonics. Sandman, a prolific musician who frequently experimented with home-made instruments, played a single-stringed bass guitar of his own devising with a slide, although he later added a second string. Deupree briefly left the group for health reasons in 1991 and was temporarily replaced by Treat Her Right drummer Billy Conway. [4] These years found the group building a strong local audience and touring occasionally.

With Deupree returning, they recorded their debut album, Good , for the Boston-based Accurate/Distortion label in 1991. [4] The album received positive reviews and increased the band's audience. The band subsequently signed to Rykodisc, who re-released Good under its own imprint. [5]

Cure for Pain , 1993's followup, [4] increased the band's audience outside of New England, and singles like "Thursday" and "Buena" picked up some college radio play. During the recording of Cure for Pain, Deupree was again replaced by Conway, although Deupree still played most of the percussion work on the album. After the album was completed, the band toured the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia.

In 1994, five songs from the album were prominently featured on the soundtrack of the film Spanking the Monkey . The band returned to the studio in 1995 and produced Yes . [4] The album featured the single "Honey White," the music video for which appeared on the MTV animated series Beavis and Butt-head , as had "Thursday". It also included "I Had My Chance," which was featured on the soundtrack for the film Get Shorty .

DreamWorks Records years (1997–1999)

After two years of touring, Morphine signed with DreamWorks Records, who released their major label debut, Like Swimming , in 1997. [5] It was a critical success, but did not break the band into the domestic mainstream as had been hoped. DreamWorks released a music video for the single "Early to Bed"; directed by Jamie Caliri and released in March 1997, the nightmarish yet humorous video became an instant favorite among fans and was later nominated for a Grammy award. The band also released B-Sides and Otherwise , a collection of B-sides and live recordings, on Rykodisc this same year.

In the following time, Deupree once again began performing live and in the studio with the band, making the group a four-piece. The band's final studio album, The Night , was completed in early 1999.

On July 3, 1999, Sandman collapsed on the stage of the Nel Nome del Rock festival at the Giardini del Principe in Palestrina, Italy, outside of Rome. [5] He was soon pronounced dead of a heart attack and Morphine immediately disbanded. The Night was released in 2000. Posthumous Morphine releases followed shortly thereafter, including Bootleg Detroit , an "official live bootleg", and The Best of Morphine: 1992–1995 , both on Rykodisc.

Posthumous projects (1999–present)

Dana Colley performing with the posthumous Members of Morphine project in 2011 Dana Colley in BA - 2011.jpg
Dana Colley performing with the posthumous Members of Morphine project in 2011

Within a year of Sandman's death, Colley and Conway created Orchestra Morphine, a group of Sandman's friends and colleagues who toured to celebrate the music of the band and to raise funds for the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund. Orchestra Morphine mostly performed music from The Night, but also included some other Morphine and Hypnosonics material as well. Orchestra Morphine still performs occasionally but no longer tours. Singer and guitarist Laurie Sargent, a member of Orchestra Morphine and former vocalist for the band Face to Face, later joined Colley and Conway in their first post-Morphine musical endeavor, Twinemen.

Conway and Colley also officially formed the Hi-n-Dry independent record label and studio, converting Sandman's workspace into a commercial enterprise. The label's roster includes a number of their friends, colleagues and other Boston-area musicians. In 2004, Hi-n-Dry released the Mark Sandman box set Sandbox, which contained two CDs and a DVD of previously unreleased material spanning Sandman's musical career. The DVD featured clips from early Sandman shows, interviews from the Morphine tours, and various videos from other Sandman solo and group projects, such as Treat Her Right. However, for copyright reasons the box set did not contain any previously released material found in the Morphine catalog, Morphine videos, or promotional material produced by Rykodisc or DreamWorks Records.

Deupree continued to record with various jazz musicians.

In 2009, Colley and Deupree began regularly performing Morphine songs and new material as Members of Morphine (alternately, the Ever-Expanding Elastic Waste Band), with singer, bassist and guitarist Jeremy Lyons of New Orleans. [6] In July 2009, the group played at Nel Nome Del Rock Festival in Palestrina, Italy, marking the ten-year anniversary of Sandman's death at the location in which it occurred. [7] As of 2014, the group was renamed Vapors of Morphine [8] and regularly perform in Boston and New Orleans. They held a standing weekly gig at Atwood's Tavern in Cambridge, Massachusetts, until its closure after 16 years in March 2023. [9]

In 2009, Rhino Records released the two-disc set At Your Service, composed of unreleased Morphine material.

As of 1999, Morphine has sold over 807,000 records in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. [10]

On December 19, 2021, drummer Billy Conway died from liver cancer, aged 65. [11]

Band members

Timeline
Morphine (band)

Instruments

Morphine's instrumentation was unusual for a rock band: Sandman's primary instrument was a two-string bass guitar (with the strings usually tuned to a 5th or octave interval) played with a slide; however, on the group's records he added touches of guitar, piano, electronic organ, and other self-invented guitar instruments such as the tritar, featuring two guitar strings and one bass string. Colley played primarily baritone saxophone, along with soprano or tenor saxes, and the rare bass saxophone, and he sometimes played two saxes at once, a la Roland Kirk; he also played occasional percussion, and Dobro on a B-side. [12] [13] [14]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<i>Cure for Pain</i> 1993 studio album by Morphine

Cure for Pain is the second studio album by alternative rock band Morphine, released through Rykodisc in September 1993. Jerome Deupree, the band's original drummer, quit due to health problems during the recording of the album and was replaced by Billy Conway.

Treat Her Right was an American rock group, formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, in 1985. The band originally featured Mark Sandman on "low guitar," Billy Conway on cocktail drum, David Champagne on guitar and Jim Fitting on harmonica. Singing and songwriting duties were shared by all but Conway. Champagne and Fitting reformed the band in 2009 with new members Steve Mayone and Billy Beard.

<i>B-Sides and Otherwise</i> 1997 compilation album by Morphine

B-Sides and Otherwise is a rarities compilation album by the alternative rock band Morphine, released in September 1997 by Rykodisc. It features B-Sides and other rare tracks not otherwise available on the band's studio albums.

<i>Yes</i> (Morphine album) 1995 studio album by Morphine

Yes is the third studio album by alternative rock band Morphine, released in March 1995. It was their first album to make the Billboard Top 200, but fared less well abroad than its predecessor. As of February 1997 it has sold 156,000 copies in United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<i>Good</i> (Morphine album) 1992 studio album by Morphine

Good is the first album by the Boston-based alternative rock trio Morphine. It was released in 1992 on the Accurate/Distortion label. It was reissued by Rykodisc in 1993 after the band signed with the label.

<i>The Night</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Morphine

The Night is the fifth and final studio album by the alternative rock band Morphine, released in 2000 via DreamWorks. The album expands the band's sound beyond their usual arrangements of previous albums, introducing acoustic guitars, organs, strings and female backing vocals.

<i>Like Swimming</i> 1997 studio album by Morphine

Like Swimming is the fourth studio album by the alternative rock band Morphine, released in March 1997 by DreamWorks/Rykodisc. It was Morphine's first album released as part of their multi-album deal with DreamWorks and the last album released within the lifetime of singer and bassist Mark Sandman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Sandman</span> Indie-rock musician, lead singer for band Morphine

Mark Sandman was an American singer, songwriter, musical instrument inventor, multi-instrumentalist and comic writer. Sandman possessed a distinctive, deep bass-baritone voice and a mysterious demeanour. He was an indie rock icon and longtime fixture in the Boston/Cambridge music scene, best known as the lead singer and slide bass player of the band Morphine. Sandman was also a member of the blues-rock band Treat Her Right and founder of Hi-n-Dry, a recording studio and independent record label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocktail drum</span> Portable drum kit

Cocktail drums are a type of portable drum kit which combines bass drum and snare drum sounds in a single drum.

<i>Bootleg Detroit</i> 2000 live album by Morphine

Bootleg Detroit is the only authorized release of a live recording of Morphine. It was released on the label Rykodisc in September 2000. Recorded by Alan J. Schmit—a fan—on March 7, 1994, at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, Michigan, it was edited and mixed under Mark Sandman’s supervision. He also laid out and delivered the low-fi artwork for the album prior to the band’s final tour in Italy.

<i>The Best of Morphine: 1992–1995</i> 2003 greatest hits album by Morphine

The Best of Morphine, 1992–1995 is a greatest hits compilation by alternative rock band Morphine, released by Rykodisc in February 2003.

Twinemen were an alternative rock band based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA created by former members of the bands Morphine and Face to Face. The group included Dana Colley, Billy Conway, and Laurie Sargent. Various bass players, including former Face to Face guitarist Stuart Kimball, also performed with the band on the road and in the studio. Twinemen's music included a mix of jazz, blues, acid rock, and lounge.

Lilium is a musical project begun by French musician Pascal Humbert, a member of the groups 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand. Lilium is now a two-piece augmented by frequent guests based in Denver, Colorado, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Colley</span> American musician

Dana Colley is an American musician, best known as the baritone and tenor saxophonist in the alternative rock band Morphine.

<i>Sandbox: The Music of Mark Sandman</i> 2004 studio album by Mark Sandman

Sandbox: The Music of Mark Sandman is a posthumously-released 2-CD/1-DVD set by the former Morphine frontman Mark Sandman, released in November 2004 by Hi-N-Dry and distributed by KUFALA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Lyons</span> American musician (born 1970)

Jeremy Lyons is an American musician, currently based in Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bow Thayer</span> American singer

Bow Thayer is an American songwriter, guitarist, and banjoist and the founder of the Tweed River Music Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerome Deupree</span> American drummer

Jerome Deupree is an American musician, based in Massachusetts. He is best known as the original drummer in the alternative rock band Morphine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vapors of Morphine</span>

Vapors of Morphine is an American rock band founded in 2009 by the remaining members of the alternative rock band Morphine, saxophonist Dana Colley and drummer Jerome Deupree, along with blues guitarist Jeremy Lyons. Deupree stepped down in early 2019; Tom Arey has taken his place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Conway (drummer)</span> American drummer (1956–2021)

Billy Conway was an American drummer known for his work with Treat Her Right and Morphine. From 2013, he toured as a duo with Jeffrey Foucault. In recent years, he had also backed Chris Smither. A stripped-down approach characterized his bands, equipment, and playing.

References

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  2. Ashare, Matt (1994-05-27). "Morphine's addictive music is seducing a phalanx of fans". The Boston Phoenix . Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  3. Kot, Greg. "Morphine discography". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 873. ISBN   1-85227-745-9.
  5. 1 2 3 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 661. ISBN   1-84195-017-3.
  6. "Surviving Members of Morphine to Play UCCPA on Saturday, June 27". Unity College. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
  7. "Myspace.com". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
  8. Berndtson, Chad. "Vapors of Morphine makes it a point to keep the music fresh". Patriot Ledger. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  9. Maloney, Sean L. "Vapors of Morphine at home at Atwood's". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  10. Bell, Carrie (18 December 1999). "DreamWorks Plans New Morphine Set". Billboard. p. 11. Retrieved 14 October 2018 via Google Books.
  11. Peacock, Tim (December 20, 2021). "Billy Conway, Drummer With US Alt-Rock Pioneers Morphine, Dies At 65". Udiscover Music. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  12. "Morphine (2)". Discogs. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  13. "Morphine (2) – Good". Discogs. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
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  16. "Radio & Records" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. May 9, 1997. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  17. "Morphine - Singles and EPs". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
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