Artist Recommendation: MORRIE
Although many J-music fans are aware of MORRIE in some way, his small collection of solo releases is quite often overlooked. The more old-school Japanese music fans will be familiar with his work with DEAD END, whereas the new-school fans will probably be more familiar with Creature Creature. Needless to say, MORRIE helps make both bands instantly recognisable with his very distinctive, yet some how indescribable, vocals.
His solo career began after the disbandment of the hugely influential band DEAD END in 1990. He released several singles and albums until, in 1995, after the release of ignorance, his career came to a halt as he relocated to New York. He resurfaced a decade later with the album ectoplasm, which is his most recent solo album.
He has since been involved with several other projects, most notably appearing on Kiyoharu’s album Poetry and the side band creature creature alongside Testu (L’arc~en~Ciel) and Kojima (Mad Capsule Markets).
He is now 44-years old and has spent 24 of those years as an active musician in the Japanese mainstream. This dedication and the sheer breadth of his work has meant that he is one of the most influential Japanese musicians of all time.
Discography:
ignorance [1990]
Romantic na, amari ni romantic na [1992]
Kage no kyoen [1995]
ignorance (remaster) [1995]
ectoplasm [2005]
Recommended Release: ignorance
While this album may not be cutting edge it gives MORRIE the perfect platform to show off his unique vocal style with some very 80-sounding songs. It’s a good place for J-music fans who are interested in listening to some older stuff to start.
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Published June 15, 2008 . Filed under: Artists, MORRIE, Recommendations
kage no kyoen was the last solo album he released in 1995.
He technically relocated to New York in 1993.
Ectoplasm had no new material and was mainly released to capitalize on the fact that the Dead End best-of ‘Infinity’ was well received. Barring a guest appearance and Creature Creature, which only performed live less than a handful of times, he has, for the most part, largely been inactive since early 1995 (kage… was release in Jan 95) to about now.
Quite sad.
His style change between 1993’s bara iru ni somaru and 1995’s kage no kyouen is probably a clue to his disdain toward the more conventional music he was used to making and ultimately his retirement from the scene for nearly 10 years.