Jeffrey Morgan

Infobox Writer
name = Jeffrey Morgan


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caption = Jeffrey Morgan in the recording studio, 1977 Photo credit: Tom Robe © 2008
pseudonym = Machine Rock
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birthplace =
occupation = Writer, Editor
nationality =
genre = Rock Criticism, Satire, Fiction
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movement =
notableworks = CREEM Magazine, Mister X, Jeffrey Morgan’s Media Blackout
influences =
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awards = Superior Scribing Award, 2005
website =

Jeffrey Morgan is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, photographer, illustrator, poet and musician who lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Journalism and poetry

Morgan has been the uncredited Canadian Editor of the rock magazine Creem since 1975,Fact | date=September 2008 recruited by its editor, Lester Bangs.Fact | date=September 2008 He began there as a photographer, with a 1974 picture of rock musicians Lou Reed and Alice Cooper on stage at Massey Hall, which illustrated Bangs' March 1975 feature article "Let Us Now Praise Famous Death Dwarfs". Morgan's first published record review, of David Bowie's 1965 single "Can’t Help Thinking About Me", ran in the October 1975 issue. Morgan's writing went on to appear in each issue of "Creem" through November 1988.

From 1975 to 1978, Morgan was the editor of a monthly Canadian rock magazine initiated titled "Cheap Thrills" and subsequently "StageLife" and "Roxy". It was published by Concert Productions International, a company headed Michael Cohl. In April 1975, Morgan concurrentlyu created his literary alter ego, Machine Rock. Also during this period, Morgan was a staff copywriter for CBS Records Canada, and wrote liner notes for an album of baroque music by classical guitarist Leona Boyd, which Boyd asked to be removed before the album was released.Fact | date = September 2008

Morgan wrote Cooper's authorized biography, "Alcohol and Razor Blades, Poison and Needles: The Glorious Wretched Excess of Alice Cooper, All-American", published by Warner Bros. Records. Morgan also wrote liner notes for Cooper's albums "The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper" (1999); "" (2001); and the 2002 reissue of "Welcome To My Nightmare".

Morgan's poetry has been published in "Rolling Stone" magazine.

As of 2008, Morgan writes a weekly newspaper column for Detroit, Michigan's "Metro Times", "Jeffrey Morgan's Media Blackout".

Music

In 1975, Morgan met conceptual illustrator and graphic designer Dean Motter, with whom he would collaborate on a number of projects. Between 1977 and 1980, they recorded an unreleased "ambient electronic avant-garde progressive art rock album"Fact | date=September 2008, "Thrilling Women", under the collective band name the Air Pirates.Fact | date = September 2008 The album featured vocalist Paul Robinson of The Diodes, guitarist Toby Swann of The Battered Wives, and saxophonist Andy Haas of Martha And The Muffins.Fact | date = September 2008

In 2002, a song from the album, "A Darkened Stretch", was released by Bongo Beat Records on the compilation "Driving In The Rain: 3AM (Songs To Get Lost With)". [ [http://www.bongobeat.com/drivrain.php A Darkened Stretch ] ]

Comic books

Morgan's first comic-book writing appeared in issue #16 (April 1979) of the alternative press anthology series "Star*Reach". [ [http://www.enjolrasworld.com/Richard%20Arndt/Star-Reach.htm Star*Reach ] ] His 16-page story, "Murphy’s Law", was illustrated by Ken Steacy.

Morgan wrote volume two of editor and series co-creator [ [http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=38801 Grand Comics Database: "Mister X" #1 (June 1984)] ] Dean Motter's Vortex Comics series "Mister X", the first volume of which ran 14 issues cover-dated June 1984 to August 1988. [http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?type=title&query=mister+x&sort=alpha&Submit=Search Grand Comics Database: "Mister X"] ] When Motter left the first, color series to work on other projects, he asked Morgan to assume the writing duties for a second, black-and-white volume, which ran 13 issues cover-dated April 1989 to March 1990.

In 2008, again at Motter’s behest, Morgan wrote the introduction to Volume One of Dark Horse Comics' hardcover omnibus "Mister X: The Archives".

Footnotes

External Links

* [http://metrotimes.com/archives/browse.asp?byline=Jeffrey+Morgan "Jeffrey Morgan's Media Blackout"] in Detroit's Metro Times