Brad Morrison
Encyclopedia
Brad Morrison is an American record producer
, musician
, artist manager
, record label
owner and radio personality
.
From 1978 to 2006, Morrison produced and engineered about 70 independent records. From January 1979 to May 1983, Morrison was an air radio personality at the non-commercial radio station
WPKN
(Bridgeport, Connecticut
) and hosted a regular Saturday night program called Capitol Radio, one of the first non-commercial shows in the Northeast
to regularly broadcast punk rock
. Throughout his career he has played various instruments on recordings he has produced often being credited as Mr. Lee.
In 1981 Morrison founded Pogos, the first punk nightclub
in Bridgeport. In 1982, he joined forces with Brian and Shaun Sheridan to open and promote The Anthrax
, a punk nightclub located under Brian Sheridan's Stamford, Connecticut
art gallery
.
In 1983 he financed and released Miracle Legion
's "The Backyard" EP through the Bridgeport co-op label Incas Records. Following the success of the Miracle Legion EP Morrison began managing Miracle Legion, a job that he would keep on and off throughout the next ten years. In 1985 he founded an underground rock band called Absolute a Go Go. In 1986 the band's name was changed to Painted Birds. The Painted Birds played approximately 150 shows between 1986 and 1989 and released one EP entitled "Green and Peaceful World".
From 1987 until 1992 Brad Morrison produced three records for the New Jersey Indy band Spiral Jetty
, Art's Sand Bar, Dogstar and Band of Gold. During the Band of Gold sessions and touring dates Brad joined Spiral Jetty playing guitar and keyboards on the recordings for the album and the live dates. He also produced another New Jersey band, The Wooden Soldiers, and their Absolute A Go Go 1987 release, "hippies, punks and rubber men".
In 1990 Brad teamed up with Alan Duffy of Manchester
's Imaginary Records
to compile tracks for the first "tribute record".
In 1986 Brad founded Absolute A Go Go Records. Absolute A Go Go Records would secure a United States distribution deal with Rough Trade Records
in 1988 and eventually become the home of The Vestrymen, Black Sun Ensemble
, The Figgs, Tiny Lights
, The Wooden Soldiers, The Figgs and, most notably, Phish
. In 1988 Morrison signed a personal management deal with Shelleyan Orphan
. In 1989 he signed The Figgs to a management and production agreement. In 1992 Absolute A Go Go Records folded as a result of the Rough Trade America bankruptcy.
From 1989 through 1996 he managed and often produced The Figgs. In 1990 he opened Morrison Hotel Recording Studios as residential recording facility in Chester, NY. This studio recorded part or all of album sessions by Asylum, Small 23, The Shams
, Yo La Tengo
, Super 400
, The Figgs, Eve's Plum
, Hippopotomus, Bully, Lucas Shine, Shake Appeal
, Ricky Gelb, Matt Trust, Graham Parker
and numerous other independent acts.
During the 1990s and early 2000s Brad produced and engineered a large number of independent and major label records, including recordings by The Push Stars
, Small 23, The Sugarcubes
, Shake Appeal
, Super 400
and Pinecone Fletcher. During the period 1985 until 1998 his productions often included the services of Eric Rachel or Trax East Studios, South River, NJ as principal engineer or second engineer. In 1997 Brad won the RIAA award for Rock Album of the year for producing and engineering Graham Parker and The Figgs 'The Last Rock n Roll Tour'. In January 2010 he began an advice blog for musicians entitled http://www.rockmanager.wordpress.com How to succeed at Rock.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, artist manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
owner and radio personality
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
.
From 1978 to 2006, Morrison produced and engineered about 70 independent records. From January 1979 to May 1983, Morrison was an air radio personality at the non-commercial radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
WPKN
WPKN
WPKN is a 100% non-commercial, listener-supported† radio station broadcasting at 89.5 FM in Bridgeport, Connecticut and formerly 88.7 FM in Montauk, New York. Its volunteer programmers present a wide variety of music and public affairs programming including the syndicated weekly radio news magazine...
(Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
) and hosted a regular Saturday night program called Capitol Radio, one of the first non-commercial shows in the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
to regularly broadcast punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. Throughout his career he has played various instruments on recordings he has produced often being credited as Mr. Lee.
In 1981 Morrison founded Pogos, the first punk nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Bridgeport. In 1982, he joined forces with Brian and Shaun Sheridan to open and promote The Anthrax
The Anthrax
The Anthrax was an all-ages music venue that hosted punk and hardcore shows during the early/mid 1980s.The actual club was located in the basement of a makeshift art gallery on the then dilapidated west side of Stamford, Connecticut. It was founded Brian and Shaun Sheridan...
, a punk nightclub located under Brian Sheridan's Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
.
In 1983 he financed and released Miracle Legion
Miracle Legion
Miracle Legion was an American college rock band formed in 1983 in New Haven, Connecticut. They earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region. The original lineup consisted of singer/guitarist Mark Mulcahy, lead guitarist Mr. Ray Neal, drummer Jeff Wiederschall, and bassist...
's "The Backyard" EP through the Bridgeport co-op label Incas Records. Following the success of the Miracle Legion EP Morrison began managing Miracle Legion, a job that he would keep on and off throughout the next ten years. In 1985 he founded an underground rock band called Absolute a Go Go. In 1986 the band's name was changed to Painted Birds. The Painted Birds played approximately 150 shows between 1986 and 1989 and released one EP entitled "Green and Peaceful World".
From 1987 until 1992 Brad Morrison produced three records for the New Jersey Indy band Spiral Jetty
Spiral Jetty
The Spiral Jetty, considered to be the central work of American sculptor Robert Smithson, is an earthwork sculpture constructed in 1970.Built entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake near Rozel Point in Utah, it forms a , ...
, Art's Sand Bar, Dogstar and Band of Gold. During the Band of Gold sessions and touring dates Brad joined Spiral Jetty playing guitar and keyboards on the recordings for the album and the live dates. He also produced another New Jersey band, The Wooden Soldiers, and their Absolute A Go Go 1987 release, "hippies, punks and rubber men".
In 1990 Brad teamed up with Alan Duffy of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Imaginary Records
Imaginary Records
Imaginary Records was an independent record label based in Heywood, Lancashire, England, which specialised mainly in indie rock and post-punk. It was created and owned by Alan Duffy, known for his lyrical contributions to Porcupine Tree's first two albums, On the Sunday of Life and Up the...
to compile tracks for the first "tribute record".
In 1986 Brad founded Absolute A Go Go Records. Absolute A Go Go Records would secure a United States distribution deal with Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
in 1988 and eventually become the home of The Vestrymen, Black Sun Ensemble
Black Sun Ensemble
Black Sun Ensemble is a Tucson Arizona, USA based psychedelic rock band, led by Jesus Acedo that was formed in the mid 1980s. The initial albums garnered rave reviews from Rolling Stone and several of the independent music journals of the time. Black Sun Ensemble opened for Camper Van Beethoven...
, The Figgs, Tiny Lights
Tiny Lights
Tiny Lights was a music group formed by John Hamilton and Donna Croughn in 1985. Original members include Dave Dreiwitz , Jane Scarpantoni and John Mastro . Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, the group released a total of seven albums, two of which were later released on Psychic TV's Temple Records...
, The Wooden Soldiers, The Figgs and, most notably, Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. In 1988 Morrison signed a personal management deal with Shelleyan Orphan
Shelleyan Orphan
Shelleyan Orphan is a British alternative music group, that peaked during the 1980s and early 1990s.-Career:In 1980, Caroline Crawley and Jemaur Tayle met in Bournemouth, England, where they discovered a mutual appreciation of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley...
. In 1989 he signed The Figgs to a management and production agreement. In 1992 Absolute A Go Go Records folded as a result of the Rough Trade America bankruptcy.
From 1989 through 1996 he managed and often produced The Figgs. In 1990 he opened Morrison Hotel Recording Studios as residential recording facility in Chester, NY. This studio recorded part or all of album sessions by Asylum, Small 23, The Shams
The Shams
The Shams were an all-female New York folk pop trio in the 1980s and early 1990s, featuring Amy McMahon Rigby, Sue Garner, and Amanda Uprichard. Some critics have credited the band with pioneering elements of what would later become known as the Americana and No Depression movements in American music...
, Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, Super 400
Super 400
Super 400 is a rock band from Troy, New York. Active since the mid 90’s the band has released four studio albums and one live set as of September 2009....
, The Figgs, Eve's Plum
Eve's Plum
Eve's Plum was a New York City-based alternative rock band who recorded in the 1990s. The band was fronted by Colleen Fitzpatrick. Eve's Plum released two albums and numerous singles on 550/EpicRecords, before breaking up in 1998.- Forming :...
, Hippopotomus, Bully, Lucas Shine, Shake Appeal
Shake Appeal
Shake Appeal is the name of a rock group from Oxford, England from 1984-1989. The last line-up of the band evolved into Swervedriver.-Origins:...
, Ricky Gelb, Matt Trust, Graham Parker
Graham Parker
Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
and numerous other independent acts.
During the 1990s and early 2000s Brad produced and engineered a large number of independent and major label records, including recordings by The Push Stars
The Push Stars
The Push Stars are an American rock band, formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1996. The band members include Chris Trapper, Ryan MacMillan and Dan McLoughlin. They developed a following playing shows in Boston, then released their first album, "Meet Me at the Fair" in 1996...
, Small 23, The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative rock band formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. They received critical and popular acclaim internationally.-History:...
, Shake Appeal
Shake Appeal
Shake Appeal is the name of a rock group from Oxford, England from 1984-1989. The last line-up of the band evolved into Swervedriver.-Origins:...
, Super 400
Super 400
Super 400 is a rock band from Troy, New York. Active since the mid 90’s the band has released four studio albums and one live set as of September 2009....
and Pinecone Fletcher. During the period 1985 until 1998 his productions often included the services of Eric Rachel or Trax East Studios, South River, NJ as principal engineer or second engineer. In 1997 Brad won the RIAA award for Rock Album of the year for producing and engineering Graham Parker and The Figgs 'The Last Rock n Roll Tour'. In January 2010 he began an advice blog for musicians entitled http://www.rockmanager.wordpress.com How to succeed at Rock.