Morgan (band)

Morgan
Origin	England
Genres	Progressive rock
Years active	1971–1973
Labels	RCA
Associated acts	L.A.
Members
Morgan Fisher Tim Staffell Maurice Bacon Bob Sapsed

Morgan was an English progressive rock band, formed and disbanded in the early 1970s.

History

Featuring former Smile member Tim Staffell on vocals and guitar, Bob Sapsed of Springfield Park on bass, Maurice Bacon on drums and (the band's namesake) Morgan Fisher on keyboards, Morgan formed in 1971.^[1] The group was born from the joint Morgan Fisher–Maurice Bacon band Love Affair, a reasonably successful pop band that transmogrified into the band L.A., a fusion group who combined pop sensibilities with an underhand progressive rock approach.

Morgan formed shortly after L.A. lapsed, with the band deciding to discard all pop leanings and launch headlong into composing keyboard-driven progressive rock epics.^[1] They sequestered themselves in the newly constructed RCA Studios in Rome, home to the then-cutting-edge of recording technology (16-track studios were still considered an extravagant rarity). The profusion of unusual instruments in the studio heavily influenced Morgan's on-record soundscape; a 1930 Neo-Bechstein electric piano, marimbas, celeste, timpani, tubular bells and first-generation synthesizers all united to aid in the crafting of a unique and ground-breaking musical direction.^{[citation needed]}

The band were fans of Yes, Pink Floyd, The Nice and King Crimson, basing their progressive approach on the evolution of those celebrities. The group's modus operanda featured Fisher composing all the music whilst Staffell focused on the lyrics; their joint efforts inevitably steered the band towards science-fiction imagery and sprawling multi-suite compositions.^{[citation needed]} Their first album, entitled Nova Solis, contained four songs, and concluded with the sprawling eponymous title track, the meandering chronicle of a galactic journeyman lamenting the destruction of the Earth. The album's sales were largely disappointing.

Morgan had signed a two-album deal with RCA, and in 1973 embarked on the recording of their second (and ultimately final) album, originally titled 'Brown Out'; the name of the album was changed when it became apparent that the band intended to include an insert of the themselves mooning the casual record buyer.^[1] Thus 'Brown Out' became The Sleeper Wakes, save when it was released in the U.S. in 1977 by Passport Records, who maintained the original name.^[1]

Due to tensions with the band, RCA opted not to release The Sleeper Wakes, and it did not see commercial availability until 1977. In the wake of these tensions the group disbanded, and the members went their separate ways. Staffell went on to craft models for the Thomas the Tank Engine children's TV programme and, more recently, founded the funk band aMIGO; whilst Fisher continued performing, first with Mott the Hoople and later recording as a solo artist.

Their second album, when released on CD in 1999 by Angel Air Records, was entitled The Sleeper Wakes.^[1]

Discography

• Nova Solis (1972)
• The Sleeper Wakes (1976) (aka Brown Out, recorded in 1973, posthumously released in 1976)^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Biography by Richie Unterberger". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p19431/biography. Retrieved 24 January 2009. 
2. ^ morgan-fisher.com Morgan discography (official): The Sleeper Wakes

External links

• morgan-fisher.com Official Morgan Fisher website