- Russell Morris
Infobox musical artist
Name = Russell Morris
Img_capt = Russell Morris on tour in September 2007
Img_size = 150
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Russell Norman Morris
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1948|07|31
Australia
Died =
Origin =
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = rock
Occupation = musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist
Years_active = 1966–present
Label =EMI
WizardFestival Records Mushroom Records
Associated_acts = Somebody's Image
Russell Morris Band
Russell Morris & the Rubes
URL = http://www.russellmorris.com.au
Notable_instruments =Russell Morris (born Russell Norman Morris [cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/site/public/searchworksresult.stm?worktitle=WINGS%20OF%20AN%20EAGLE&switchdet=Y |title="Wings of an Eagle" at Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |publisher=APRA |accessdate=2008-05-21 ]
31 July 1948 ) is anAustralia nsinger-songwriter , who had five Australian top ten singles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. On1 July 2008 , theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) recognised Russell Morris' iconic status when he was inducted into theARIA Hall of Fame . [cite news|url=http://undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=4945|title=Dragon and Russell Morris to be Inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame|last=Cashmere|first=Paul|date=2008-05-17|work=undercover.com.au|accessdate=2008-05-17] [cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/old-rockers-never-die-says-aria/2008/05/17/1210765260570.html
title=Old rockers never die, says ARIA |publisher="The Age " |last=Mangan |first=John |date=2008-05-18 |accessdate=2008-05-20 ]uccess
His most successful song was "The Real Thing", written by
Johnny Young , produced byIan Meldrum and engineered by John L. Sayers. [cite web |url=http://www.johnlsayers.com/Pages/Track_Record.htm |title=John Sayers : Track Record |publisher=John Sayers |accessdate=2008-05-21] The backing track was performed by members of Melbourne soul bandThe Groop , (which includedBrian Cadd ), plus Zoot guitarist Roger Hicks, and backing vocalistsRonnie Charles (The Groop), The Chiffons (includingMaureen Elkner ) andMarcie and The Cookies . The song was followed by "Part Three into Paper Walls ", co-written by Young and Morris. Later hits such as "Live with Friends" and "Wings of an Eagle" were Morris compositions.The Real Thing
"The Real Thing" is now considered one of the very best
psychedelic rock singles produced in the 1960s. At around six minutes and thirty seconds, it was also the longest pop single recorded in Australia at that time. Released in Australia onEMI 's Columbia label, it was the biggest selling Australian single of 1969, and was released when Morris was twenty. The song was released in two halves on the small Diamond Records label in theUnited States of America and due to record company difficulties with distribution received limited international success as a result, although it did reach #1 in large cities such asChicago . The song was issued in the UK onDecca Records as EMI turned it down.cite web |title=Australian Rock Database |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/morrisrussell.html |accessdate=2008-05-20] More recently, "The Real Thing" has been used by theSeven Network in conjunction with coverage of the AFL, and featured in a tourist campaign promotingWestern Australia . Morris's music has also appeared on the soundtrack to "The Dish ", and has appeared on the ABC show "Long Way to the Top". He currently toursAustralia with fellow 1960s rockers Darryl Cotton and Jim Keays in the trioCotton Keays & Morris .Russell Morris is one of Australia's most enduring singers. A major pop star in the late '60s, he went on to become one of the country's first singer/songwriters. Both ends of his career feature predominantly in the soundtrack to the movie, "
The Dish ".cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1419039/ |title=Russell Morris |publisher=Internet Movie Database |accessdate=2008-05-20]"The Real Thing" has been compiled on many great compilations of psychedelic rock, most notably
Rubble 18 , We Can Fly # 4, and The Best Of The Rubble Collection # 5, where it is paired with Part 3 / Into Paper Walls.Career
Morris' career started at the age eighteen, in September 1966 with the formation of the Melbourne group Somebody's Image, together with Kevin Thomas (rhythm guitar), Phillip Raphael (lead guitar), Eric Cairns (drums) and Les Allan (Les Gough) (bass guitar). Somebody's Image rose to prominence with a local hit version of the
Joe South song "Hush"cite web |title=Russell Morris Biography |publisher=Allmusic |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hifoxqygldae~T1 |last=Nimmervoll |first=Ed |accessdate=2008-05-20] (the song reaching #2 on the local Melbourne charts) [ cite web |url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=499 |title=Where did they get that song? |publisher=Pop Archives |accessdate=2008-05-29] In the process the band came to the notice ofThe Groop , and in turn The Groop’s friend, local music identityIan Meldrum . Meldrum convinced Morris to leave Somebody's Image for a solo career. Ian Meldrum, as Morris's manager/producer, spent unprecedented hours and money to create a seven-minute production extravaganza around a song called "The Real Thing." Once the result was released to shocked radio programmers who had never been asked to play such a long Australian single before, it was up to Morris' personality, singing and performing talents to make the record work. It reached Australia's number one spot in June 1969. Without any promotional support from Morris, "The Real Thing" reached number one inChicago ,Houston , andNew York .The follow-up comprised two more Johnny Young songs; "Part Three Into Paper Walls" and "The Girl That I Love" (a pop ballad more indicative of what was to come) which became a double-sided number one hit, the first time an Australian artist had scored consecutive number ones with their first two singles. Just prior to its release Ian Meldrum relinquished Russell’s management. Morris, in the meantime, travelled to the UK to help promote the release of "The Real Thing". While in
England he recorded English songwriter Raymond Foggart’s "Rachel", but re-recorded it on arriving back in Australia. "Rachel" became a big hit for Russell inNew Zealand .Morris had now decided to concentrate on his own songwriting and with the cream of Australian musicians, spent almost a year painstakingly recording and re-recording what became the "Bloodstone" album. It was one of the first Australian albums of its kind, the first from an Australian singer/songwriter, and a whole world away from the extravagant "The Real Thing". The hit single from Bloodstone was the resonant, romantic "Sweet Sweet Love". The following year, in 1972, Morris delivered the equally beautiful "Wings of an Eagle".
New York
In 1973, Morris moved to
London to record an album only to discover there was no record contract waiting for him. He relocated toNew York and set to work on an album there, including new versions of both "Sweet Sweet Love" and "Wings of an Eagle" and the single "Let's Do It". A second American album appeared in 1976. It was two more years before Morris was granted his green card, enabling him to tour America. But by then, any chance of an American career had bolted. Instead, Morris returned to a very different Australia than the one he had left behind five years earlier.olo
During his solo career, Morris had done limited live performances without a band of his own. He then formed the Russell Morris Band and threw himself into a busy round of live performances, writing songs designed to be played live rather than chasing radio airplay, but scoring a couple of minor hits on the way. Eventually, the band played and recorded as Russell Morris & the Rubes.
In 1991, Morris released another solo album, "A Thousand Suns", and he spent the subsequent years as part of a highly successful performing trio with fellow '60s heroes Ronnie Burns and Darryl Cotton of the Zoot, with a repertoire made up of their individual hits from yesterday, as well as new songs. In 2001, Jim Keays of
the Masters Apprentices replaced Burns, the new group being known asCotton Keays & Morris . Also in 2001, Morris' "The Real Thing" and "Wings of an Eagle" featured prominently in the Australian-made movie "The Dish" (centred around man's landing on the moon) and Midnight Oil released their version of "The Real Thing" as a one-off single, the first time this highly regarded band had chosen to record a cover.A technically adept vocalist, and intuitive guitarist (also proficient on Bass), Morris is truly at his best in the ubiquitous Australian pub-music scene. On
1 July 2008 , Morris was inducted byRob Hirst into theARIA Hall of Fame , Morris was joined on-stage by guest musiciansSteve Kilbey ,Tim Powles ,Jak Housden , Clayton Doley and Lachlan Doley to perform "The Real Thing". [cite web |url=http://www.ariahalloffame.com.au/document/No5_2008%20ARIA_HOF_announces_all_star_cast_to_induct_and_present.pdf |title=ARIA announced all-star cast to induct and perform |format=PDF |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |accessdate=2008-07-02 ]Discography
ingles
Australia
United States
Compilation Albums
References
;General
* "Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop " byIan McFarlane (Allen & Unwin, Sydney (1999)) (ISBN 1-86508-072-1)
* "Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop" by Noel McGrath (Rigby Publishers (1978))
* "The Who's Who of Australian Rock" by- Chris Spencer (Moonlight Publishing (1993));SpecificExternal links
* [http://www.russellmorris.com.au Russell Morris Official Web Site]
* [http://www.milesago.com/Artists/morris.htm Milesago entry on Russell Morris]
* [http://www.mastersapprentices.com/ckmnews.htm Cotton, Keays & Morris Web page]
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