Billy Morrison
Encyclopedia
Billy Morrison is an English
guitarist
, singer and actor
who performs with the Los Angeles
-based cover band Camp Freddy
. Morrison is also a member of Billy Idol
's current touring band, and has previously fronted the hard rock
act Circus Diablo
. Morrison has also been a member of The Cult
, Stimulator, Doheny and Into a Circle
.
Morrison co-hosted Indie 103.1's Camp Freddy Radio, with Dave Navarro
, until its retirement in 2008.
band, Into a Circle
, however, his consistent abuse of drugs
led to a long period of inactivity until he cleaned up and formed Stimulator in 1995.
Stimulator signed to Geffen Records
and recorded an album that was never released. However in 2008, Morison released the album under his own name: "when I read about Tunecore
, and when the business started to lend itself to home releases - the indie, DIY approach - I wanted to finally release it. All the hard copies sold out and it still does good business on iTunes. I would call that a success."
In 2001, at the request of Billy Duffy
, Morrison joined The Cult
as the band's new touring bassist. The Cult toured for over a year, visiting the UK and Japan, and partaking in extensive US tour with Aerosmith
.
During the following period of inactivity for The Cult
, Morrison joined forces with Pitchshifter
front man J.S. Clayden and formed Doheny. However, no material from the band has surfaced. In 2009 Morrison stated that the band "wrote some songs together, had a laugh and put a line-up together. But I think Doheny suffered from being over-rehearsed and under-funded! We played every note perfectly, and had no money to get out on the road and get out of L.A. That was it. But some great songs came out of those years. We should release them."
At around this time, Morrison joined with Dave Navarro
, Matt Sorum
, Donovan Leitch and Scott Ford to form Camp Freddy
. Alongside his performance duties in the band, Morrison also hosted a radio show, Camp Freddy Radio, on Los Angeles based station Indie 103.1 for three years (with Dave Navarro and Donovan Leitch).
In 2006, Morrison formed Circus Diablo
, with fellow Cult guitarist Billy Duffy
and former Fuel
frontman Brett Scallions
, on bass guitar. The line-up was completed by former The Almighty
frontman, Ricky Warwick
and Slunt
drummer Charles Ruggiero. The band subsequently added former Korn guitarist, Rob Patterson
and singer/songwriter Patrick Cornell to their line-up. The album was released in July 2007 and the first single, Loaded, reached number 29 on the Active Rock Chart. The video for the song was, for a period of time, the most viewed music video on YouTube
with over 1,000,000 hits.
Morrison began acting in 2005 and delivered his first on-screen role in the independent movie Tripping Forward as drug dealer Sweaty Steve. Since then, he has made three more independent films Evilution, Basement Jack and "The Perfect Age Of Rock N Roll".
In March 2009, Morrison stated:
's touring band, stating:
As well as spending most of 2010 on the road with Billy Idol, including shows in Russia, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, England and most of Eastern Europe, Morrison landed a guest-starring role in the hit Showtime television series, Californication
which aired on February 11, 2011. The episode was entitled "Lawyers, Guns and Money" and Morrison plays a tattooist.
Acknowledgements, p. 390 states: My great friends Billy and Jen Morrison- who helped me to find my way back
signature model guitar was released in January 2011 at the NAMM Show
. The guitar was designed by Morrison and is one of the few Les Paul guitars to feature a white headstock. Morrison also contributes to the Gibson website with a video blog.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, singer and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who performs with the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based cover band Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy is a group of established musicians who play rock and roll covers at various shows around America. The band is composed of core members Dave Navarro , Billy Morrison , Matt Sorum , Donovan Leitch, Jr. and Chris Chaney...
. Morrison is also a member of Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
's current touring band, and has previously fronted the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
act Circus Diablo
Circus Diablo
Circus Diablo is a Los Angeles-based hard rock band, formed in early 2006 by Billy Morrison , Billy Duffy and Ricky Warwick . Former Fuel frontman Brett Scallions and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum subsequently joined the band on bass and drums, respectively...
. Morrison has also been a member of The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
, Stimulator, Doheny and Into a Circle
Into a Circle
Into A Circle were an English New Wave/Goth duo, formed in April 1985 by Bee and Barry , two former members of Getting the Fear.-Career:...
.
Morrison co-hosted Indie 103.1's Camp Freddy Radio, with Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
, until its retirement in 2008.
Biography
Morrison was born in the UK and is an only child. He was a member of the indie rockIndie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, Into a Circle
Into a Circle
Into A Circle were an English New Wave/Goth duo, formed in April 1985 by Bee and Barry , two former members of Getting the Fear.-Career:...
, however, his consistent abuse of drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
led to a long period of inactivity until he cleaned up and formed Stimulator in 1995.
Stimulator signed to Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and recorded an album that was never released. However in 2008, Morison released the album under his own name: "when I read about Tunecore
TuneCore
TuneCore is an online distribution service for music founded in 2005. TuneCore principally offers musicians and other rights-holders the opportunity to place their music into online retailers such as iTunes, AmazonMP3, Zune Marketplace, Rhapsody, eMusic, and others for sale.-History and...
, and when the business started to lend itself to home releases - the indie, DIY approach - I wanted to finally release it. All the hard copies sold out and it still does good business on iTunes. I would call that a success."
In 2001, at the request of Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist in The Cult.-Early days:He grew up in Manchester, where he began playing guitar at the age of fourteen...
, Morrison joined The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
as the band's new touring bassist. The Cult toured for over a year, visiting the UK and Japan, and partaking in extensive US tour with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
.
During the following period of inactivity for The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
, Morrison joined forces with Pitchshifter
Pitchshifter (band)
Pitchshifter are a British five-piece electronic-metal band from Nottingham, United Kingdom formed in 1989. The band was started by bassist and vocalist Mark Clayden, lead guitarist and programmer Johnny A...
front man J.S. Clayden and formed Doheny. However, no material from the band has surfaced. In 2009 Morrison stated that the band "wrote some songs together, had a laugh and put a line-up together. But I think Doheny suffered from being over-rehearsed and under-funded! We played every note perfectly, and had no money to get out on the road and get out of L.A. That was it. But some great songs came out of those years. We should release them."
At around this time, Morrison joined with Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
, Matt Sorum
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum is an American rock drummer and percussionist. Sorum is most famous for his 7-year stint in Guns N' Roses and supergroup Velvet Revolver , which is comprised in part of former Guns N' Roses members Duff McKagan and Slash .-Early career :Matt Sorum was born Matthew William...
, Donovan Leitch and Scott Ford to form Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy is a group of established musicians who play rock and roll covers at various shows around America. The band is composed of core members Dave Navarro , Billy Morrison , Matt Sorum , Donovan Leitch, Jr. and Chris Chaney...
. Alongside his performance duties in the band, Morrison also hosted a radio show, Camp Freddy Radio, on Los Angeles based station Indie 103.1 for three years (with Dave Navarro and Donovan Leitch).
In 2006, Morrison formed Circus Diablo
Circus Diablo
Circus Diablo is a Los Angeles-based hard rock band, formed in early 2006 by Billy Morrison , Billy Duffy and Ricky Warwick . Former Fuel frontman Brett Scallions and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum subsequently joined the band on bass and drums, respectively...
, with fellow Cult guitarist Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist in The Cult.-Early days:He grew up in Manchester, where he began playing guitar at the age of fourteen...
and former Fuel
Fuel (band)
Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994...
frontman Brett Scallions
Brett Scallions
Brett Allen Scallions is an American musician. He is currently the lead vocalist for current lineup of Fuel after being the vocalist for the original incarnation of the band from 1993 to 2006. During that time, the band released multiple albums including the double platinum Something Like Human...
, on bass guitar. The line-up was completed by former The Almighty
The Almighty (band)
The Almighty are a hard rock/heavy metal band, from Glasgow in Scotland who formed in 1988. They have released seven studio albums, two anthologies and one live album.-1988-1993:...
frontman, Ricky Warwick
Ricky Warwick
Ricky Warwick is possibly best known as the frontman for the Scottish band The Almighty. Starting out as a rhythm guitarist in New Model Army, Ricky formed The Almighty in 1988. Warwick was the lead vocalist and played guitar in various formats of the band. In 1996 he left The Almighty...
and Slunt
Slunt
Slunt is an American alternative rock band that formed in New York City in 2002. Comprising lead singer and rhythm guitarist Abby Gennet, lead guitarist Pat Harrington, bassist Ilse Baca and drummer Charles Ruggiero, the band has released two albums: Get a Load of This in 2005 and One Night Stand...
drummer Charles Ruggiero. The band subsequently added former Korn guitarist, Rob Patterson
Rob Patterson
Rob Patterson is currently a member of the post-industrial band Filter.-Background:Patterson's first major band was the metal, female-fronted Otep. He played on their first two albums, Sevas Tra and House of Secrets.He began playing guitar for Korn in July 2005...
and singer/songwriter Patrick Cornell to their line-up. The album was released in July 2007 and the first single, Loaded, reached number 29 on the Active Rock Chart. The video for the song was, for a period of time, the most viewed music video on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
with over 1,000,000 hits.
Morrison began acting in 2005 and delivered his first on-screen role in the independent movie Tripping Forward as drug dealer Sweaty Steve. Since then, he has made three more independent films Evilution, Basement Jack and "The Perfect Age Of Rock N Roll".
In March 2009, Morrison stated:
I have a couple of exciting things happening later in the year that will become apparent. So I intend to release some music around those things - either another Diablo album or some solo stuff, whatever. So writing and recording is on the menu for me. I also hope to close a couple of things in the TV and film worlds that I have been concentrating on - and, again, once things are real, I’ll dish the details. Camp Freddy has some shows lined up which we’ll announce nearer the time, and the band also has plans for some “extra curricular activities.” So I suppose you could say that 2009 holds a lot of diverse possibilities for me.
Joining Billy Idol (2010)
In March 2010, Morrison joined Billy IdolBilly Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
's touring band, stating:
As well as spending most of 2010 on the road with Billy Idol, including shows in Russia, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, England and most of Eastern Europe, Morrison landed a guest-starring role in the hit Showtime television series, Californication
Californication
Californication is a portmanteau of the words California and fornication, appearing in Time on May 6, 1966 and written about on August 21, 1972, additionally seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. states of Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington...
which aired on February 11, 2011. The episode was entitled "Lawyers, Guns and Money" and Morrison plays a tattooist.
I Am Ozzy (2009)
Ozzy OsbourneOzzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
Acknowledgements, p. 390 states: My great friends Billy and Jen Morrison- who helped me to find my way back
Gibson Billy Morrison Signature Les Paul Guitar (2011)
The Billy Morrison Gibson Les PaulGibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
signature model guitar was released in January 2011 at the NAMM Show
NAMM Show
The NAMM Show is one of the largest music product trade shows in the world, founded in 1901. It is held every January in Anaheim, California, USA, at the Anaheim Convention Center...
. The guitar was designed by Morrison and is one of the few Les Paul guitars to feature a white headstock. Morrison also contributes to the Gibson website with a video blog.
Filmography
- The Necropolitan (TBA)
- CalifornicationCalifornicationCalifornication is a portmanteau of the words California and fornication, appearing in Time on May 6, 1966 and written about on August 21, 1972, additionally seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. states of Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington...
(2011) - Showtime. Episode "Lawyers, Guns and Money" - The Heart is a Drum Machine (2009)
- The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollThe Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollThe Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll is a music-themed drama film starring Kevin Zegers and Jason Ritter and directed by Scott Rosenbaum. The screenplay was written by Scott Rosenbaum and Jasin Cadic...
(2009) - Basement Jack (2008)
- Evilution (2008)
- Tripping Forward (2006)
External links
- Official Site
- Camp Freddy Site
- Billy Idol Site
- Circus Diablo Site
- Gibson Guitars Site
- Sunset & Vine, Morrison's column on Modern Guitars