Alan Murphy

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Alan Murphy
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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Born = November 28, 1953
Died = death date and age|1989|10|19|1953|11|18
Origin = Islington, London,
United Kingdom
Instrument = Guitar
Genre = Fusion
Rock
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Years_active = 1977 – 1989
Label = Polydor, EMI, Chrysalis
Associated_acts = Level 42
Go West
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Alan Murphy (November 28 1953–October 19 1989) was an English rock session guitarist, best remembered for his collaborations with Kate Bush and Go West. In 1988 he joined the group Level 42 as a full time band member and played with them until his death in 1989.

Biography

SFX was a band of Murphy's own creation, featuring fellow luminaries of the session world, Felix Krish on bass, Tony Beard on drums and Richard Cottle on keyboards. The band originated from the covers band "The Stapleton Allstars" into SFX having created a set of all original fusionesque tunes. They played the occasional interrupted residency at the Cricketers pub, near The Oval cricket ground in London. The band recorded an album which was subsequently released after Murphy's death.

In 1985 Murphy recorded the first Go West album, joining the band in the process.

Murphy was enlisted to play on the one and only Kate Bush tour of the Europe & UK (1978). Both a live video and EP were released with material taken form this tour. He also contributed to her albums "Never for Ever", "The Dreaming", "Hounds of Love" and the single "Rocket Man".

In 1988 Murphy was asked to replace Boon Gould and recorded the "Staring at the Sun" album with funk-pop band Level 42 laying down his parts in a day. A live album was recorded during this period , "Live at Wembley". This was one of the last major projects that Alan worked on before his death.

Murphy was a session man who worked with many artists, including Long John Baldry, Joan Armatrading, Mike and the Mechanics, Amii Stewart, Scritti Politti, So and Miquel Brown.

During 1989 Murphy played at the British Music Fair, but it was apparent from his appearance that he was not well. On the afternoon of Thursday, 19th October, 1989, weakened by the AIDS virus, Murphy died of pneumonia in Westminster City Hospital, near to his old school. He had kept the facts of his illness a secret even from his colleagues and bandmates.

In the music video for Kate Bush's version of "Rocket Man", released as part of the 1991 "" tribute album, she performs with her band but there is an empty chair, a guitar and a candle where Murphy would have been and cross-faded footage of him playing in the closing choruses.

Kate Bush's song "Moments Of Pleasure" references Alan Murphy and several other people dear to Kate who had passed away. [ [http://gaffa.org/diction/m.html Gaffaweb Dictionary - M ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.alan-murphy.co.uk Alan Murphy tribute web site]