- Malcolm Morley (musician)
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- For the artist of the same name, see Malcolm Morley.
Malcolm Morley Genres Rock
Psychedelic rock
Progressive rockOccupations Musician, songwriter Instruments Keyboards, Guitar Years active 1969 - to date Associated acts Sam Apple Pie
Help Yourself, Man
Bees Make HoneyWebsite http://www.malcolm-morley.co.uk/ Malcolm Morley is a British rock singer, guitarist and keyboard player who came to fame in the 1970s.[1] Best known as a founder of Help Yourself and as a member of Man, he continues to perform to this day.
Contents
Early career
Morley's first played with the Hoodoo Blues Band in 1965, having been invited to join by his childhood friend, drummer Dave Charles. Morley's earliest recorded release was on the eponymous debut album by the rock/blues band Sam Apple Pie in 1969, and he played the first Glastonbury Festival with them in 1970.
He was then signed as a solo act by Famepushers,[2] and gathered musicians around him to record his first album. Rather than just being backing musicians, they all formed the band Help Yourself. Their first album, Help Yourself, was recorded in late 1970 and early 1971. Morley, (guitars/keyboards/vocals) wrote all the songs on the album, which was recorded before the band had played a gig. Morley and the other members of Help Yourself toured on the Downhome Rhythm Kings package with Brinsley Schwarz & Ernie Graham (ex Eire Apparent), who shared the same management.[3]
Morley then helped Ernie Graham record his eponymous solo album in 1971, before Graham and his guitarist Jonathan “Jojo” Glemser, joined Help Yourself who then played the 1971 Glastonbury Festival.[4] Help Yourself's second album Strange Affair was recorded at Headley Grange and released in early 1972, by which time both Graham and Glemser had left.
The new line up appeared on their first Peel Session in April 1972 [5] and recorded the next album Beware of the Shadow almost immediately. Just as the band was due to start a tour to promote Beware of The Shadow, Morley suffered one of his bouts of depression, ("The Shadow" referred to in the album title).[6] Rather than cancel the tour, Deke Leonard, who had just been fired by Man, stood in, and stayed with the band after Morley had recovered, whilst Help Yourself also backed Leonard on his first solo album Iceberg [7]
In December 1972, Help Yourself with Leonard and BJ Cole, played at Man's Christmas Party; Christmas at the Patti. In 1973, Help Yourself toured in a vaudeville show called “Happy Days”, which was accompanied by the fourth Help Yourself album The Return of Ken Whaley and Happy Days an album from the show.[6] They also recorded their second Peel Session later that year.[5] Although United Artists asked them to record another album, they only had “half formed ideas” and gave up recording and finally disbanded in August 1973.[8]
After the break-up of Help Yourself, Morley briefly joined pub-rock band Bees Make Honey and also played with Leonard in his band Iceberg
When Leonard rejoined Man in 1975 Morley also joined, but only stayed for one studio album Rhinos, Winos, and Lunatics although he also appears (uncredited) on a retrospective live album The 1999 Party, and in a live bonus disc issued with the 2007 re-issue of Rhinos .... Finding touring difficult, especially Man's long US tours, Morley left the band the day before they were due to record their next album Slow Motion.
He moved into the attic of pub-rock venue the Hope and Anchor, Islington where he met Plummet Airlines, and in 1976 he recorded an album with Ian Gomm and Plummet Airlines as backing musicians. The album was not released at the time, and the tapes were believed lost.
He became "musical advisor" to Wreckless Eric and recorded 2 albums with him, but did not join his touring band.[9] He also worked as a studio musician on albums by Kirsty MacColl, Deke Leonard and Ian Gomm, but left the music scene in the early '80s.
Later career
In 2000, encouraged by Ron Sanchez, Morley played on the Donovan's Brain album Tiny Crustacean Light Show along with former Help Yourself band-mates Richard Treece and Ken Whaley.[10] In 2001, he released a solo album Aliens, which contained only original compositions. This prompted the search for the tapes of his unreleased 1976 album, which were rediscovered and issued as the album Lost and Found in 2002. The release of Aliens also revived interest in Help Yourself's fifth album, and the album was finally completed in 2002/2003 by Morley, Treece and Whaley, with Kevin Spacey on drums, as Charles had other commitments. The album was eventually released in 2004.[8]
Morley still plays occasional live gigs, usually in the Walthamstow/Essex area, as support to The Green Ray, who include his former Help Yourself bandmates Richard Treece and Ken Whaley.
Discography
- With Sam Apple Pie
Sam Apple Pie (1969)
- With Ernie Graham
Ernie Graham (1971)
- With Help Yourself
Help Yourself (1971)
Beware of the Shadow (1972)
Strange Affair (1972)
Christmas at the Patti (1973)
The Return of Ken Whaley (1973)
5 (2004)- With Man
Rhinos, Winos, and Lunatics (1975) (The 2007 re-issue includes a live bonus CD featuring Morley)
The 1999 Party 1974 (1998) (Morley is credited in the booklet, but not on the back cover)- With Wreckless Eric
The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric (1978)
Big Smash! (1980)- With The Tyla Gang
Just Popped Out (1980)
- With Ian Gomm
What a Blow (1980) "Come On" (1997)
- With Deke Leonard
Iceberg (1973)
Kamikaze (1974)
Before Your Very Eyes (1981)- With Kirsty MacColl
Desperate Character (1981)
- With Donovan's Brain
Tiny Crustacean Light Show (2000)
Great Leap Forward (2003)- Solo
Aliens (2002)
Lost and Found (2002) (With Plummet Airlines)- With The Flying Aces
Seashell (2002)
References
- ^ Allmusic Biography of Malcolm Morley by Richie Unterberger Retrieved 29 January 2010
- ^ Allmusic biography of Help Yourself by Keith Pettiness Retrieved 29 January 2010
- ^ Senza Tempo review by Phil McMullen Retrieved 29 January 2010
- ^ Sleevenotes by Nigel Cross to CD re-release of Ernie Graham his eponymous 1971 album (Hux 032)
- ^ a b The Peel Sessions BBC Radio 1 retrieved 29 January 2010
- ^ a b Sleevenotes by John Tobler to CD re-release of Strange Affair, The Return of Ken Whaley and Happy Days (BGOCD 452)
- ^ Leonard, Deke (1996). Rhinos, Winos & Lunatics. The legend of Man a rock’n’roll band (1st ed.). Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing. pp. 61. ISBN 1-900711-00-1.
- ^ a b Sleevenotes by Malcolm Morley to The Help Yourself Album 5
- ^ Punk 77 interview with Wreckless Eric Retrieved 11 January 2010
- ^ Allmusic credits for Tiny Crustacean Light Show Retrieved 11 January 2010
Man Martin Ace · Josh Ace · James Beck · Rene Robrahn · Phil Ryan
John Cipollina · Clive John · George Jones · Jeff Jones · Micky Jones · Deke Leonard · Tweke Lewis · John McKenzie · Rick Martinez · Malcolm Morley · Bob Richards · Gareth Llewellyn Thorrington · John Weathers · Ken Whaley · Ray Williams · Terry Williams · Will YouattStudio albums Revelation · 2 Ozs of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle · Man · Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In? · Be Good to Yourself at Least Once a Day · Back into the Future · Rhinos, Winos, and Lunatics · Slow Motion · The Welsh Connection · The Twang Dynasty · Call Down the Moon · Endangered Species · Undrugged · Diamonds and Coal · Kingdom of NoiseLive albums Greasy Truckers Party · Live at the Padget Rooms, Penarth · Christmas at the Patti · Back into the Future · Maximum Darkness · All's Well That Ends Well · Friday 13th · 1998 at the Star ClubRelated articles Categories:- Living people
- English guitarists
- English keyboardists
- People from Walthamstow
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