Lee Morris (musician)
Encyclopedia
Born in 1970 in Wolverhampton
, Lee came from a musical family and started playing the drums at six years of age. He learnt his instrument from his dad and spent many hours during his early years playing along with various records from the family record collection. At age 12, Lee joined his first High School covers band, playing the top 40 songs at the time, but the band never played outside the school walls. At the age of 14, Lee discovered a love of rock music after hearing the Iron Maiden
Killers and Kiss
Alive albums. The mould had been set.
Lee joined his first rock covers band called Wyzed in the early 80s and got to enjoy playing rock regularly at various halls, pubs and clubs throughout the English Midlands
. Lee got frustrated with playing covers at that time, having a burning desire to be a "rock star". In order to try to achieve that, he would need to be part of an original band.
First stop on his musical journey was a band called Royale that included Vince O'Regan (Bob Catley
/ Pulse) in the line-up. During the late 80s and early 90s Lee played in his first signed band which was a Birmingham
based band called Marshall Law. Lee recorded an E.P., one studio album and one live album with the band before they disbanded. At the start of 1991 Lee auditioned for then "Brit rockers" "Little Angels
" after a recommendation from departing drummer Michael Lee
. He got down to the last two but eventually lost out to Mark Richardson
(Skunk Anansie
/ Feeder
) as Lee's style was considered too similar to Michael's and the band wanted to move in a slightly different musical direction.
After the demise of Marshall Law, Lee was invited to team up with guitarist Robin George in a band called The Promise. Lee knew Robin well as he had produced the Marshall Law studio album. Lee was only in the band long enough to record the demos for the album and appear on the James Whale
TV show before he auditioned and was offered a position he could not refuse.
Lee joined the goth rock band Paradise Lost
in December 1994. The band had just started to gain success worldwide and that year they recorded the album Draconian Times
. This first production tour which included 2 trucks of stage set lasted about 18 months, the highlights being headlining the Dynamo Festival in Holland to 120,000 people, playing the main stage at Castle Donnington Festival in 1996 and a South American tour supporting Ozzy Osbourne
. Lee recorded 7 albums with the band between 1994 and 2003 and got to tour the globe several times taking in stops in Australia, Japan, Russia, America and the whole of Europe. Lee did numerous TV appearance too which included playing on "Top Of The Pops
" in Germany.
Lee parted company with the band in 2003 and soon after began teaching drums to aspiring drummers while also getting involved in session work. His first session was some live dates with the UK band Ten
which featured Gary Hughes
and Steve McKenna (it was Steve who approached him about working with them). Lee, also on Steve's recommendation got involved in working with Danny Vaughn
(Tyketto
). Lee recorded two albums with Danny Vaughn
namely "Traveller" ad "The Road Less Travelled". In 2010 he recorded the Methods To End It All
album this year with Irish Gothic Metallers Creation’s Tears
.
Lee continues to keep busy teaching, providing sessions and gigging with tribute band "Six of the Best".
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Lee came from a musical family and started playing the drums at six years of age. He learnt his instrument from his dad and spent many hours during his early years playing along with various records from the family record collection. At age 12, Lee joined his first High School covers band, playing the top 40 songs at the time, but the band never played outside the school walls. At the age of 14, Lee discovered a love of rock music after hearing the Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
Killers and Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
Alive albums. The mould had been set.
Lee joined his first rock covers band called Wyzed in the early 80s and got to enjoy playing rock regularly at various halls, pubs and clubs throughout the English Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
. Lee got frustrated with playing covers at that time, having a burning desire to be a "rock star". In order to try to achieve that, he would need to be part of an original band.
First stop on his musical journey was a band called Royale that included Vince O'Regan (Bob Catley
Bob Catley
For the Australian politician, see Bob Catley Robert Adrian 'Bob' Catley is a British musician, perhaps best known as the lead singer of the rock band Magnum. He is also an accomplished solo artist.- Early years :...
/ Pulse) in the line-up. During the late 80s and early 90s Lee played in his first signed band which was a Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
based band called Marshall Law. Lee recorded an E.P., one studio album and one live album with the band before they disbanded. At the start of 1991 Lee auditioned for then "Brit rockers" "Little Angels
Little Angels
Little Angels were a hard rock band of the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s.-History and members:Little Angels formed in Scarborough, England in 1984, under the name Mr Thrud. The founding members were Toby Jepson , Mark Plunkett , Dave Hopper and the brothers Bruce John and Jimmy Dickinson...
" after a recommendation from departing drummer Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Michael Lee or Mike Lee may refer to:*Michael Lee , Australian Labor politician*Michael Lee , basketball player*Michael Lee , Canadian field hockey player...
. He got down to the last two but eventually lost out to Mark Richardson
Mark Richardson
Mark Richardson may refer to:* Mark Richardson , British Olympic sprinter* Mark Richardson , New Zealand ex-cricketer, turned sports commentator and journalist* Mark Richardson , Australian rules footballer...
(Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
/ Feeder
Feeder
-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
) as Lee's style was considered too similar to Michael's and the band wanted to move in a slightly different musical direction.
After the demise of Marshall Law, Lee was invited to team up with guitarist Robin George in a band called The Promise. Lee knew Robin well as he had produced the Marshall Law studio album. Lee was only in the band long enough to record the demos for the album and appear on the James Whale
James Whale (radio)
Michael "James" Whale is a British radio and television host. He is known for his plain-speaking, often ascerbic and confrontational, broadcasting style; during phone-ins he frequently hangs up on callers he disagrees with or who do not make their point quickly enough.-Early life:Whale was born...
TV show before he auditioned and was offered a position he could not refuse.
Lee joined the goth rock band Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost (band)
Paradise Lost are a heavy metal band that formed in 1988 in Halifax, England.-History:Their first three full-length albums are examples of the death/doom style, although the latter two incorporated some melodic and gothic elements...
in December 1994. The band had just started to gain success worldwide and that year they recorded the album Draconian Times
Draconian Times
Draconian Times is the fifth album released by British metal act Paradise Lost.Two tracks from the album, "The Last Time" and "Forever Failure," were released as singles...
. This first production tour which included 2 trucks of stage set lasted about 18 months, the highlights being headlining the Dynamo Festival in Holland to 120,000 people, playing the main stage at Castle Donnington Festival in 1996 and a South American tour supporting Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy 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...
. Lee recorded 7 albums with the band between 1994 and 2003 and got to tour the globe several times taking in stops in Australia, Japan, Russia, America and the whole of Europe. Lee did numerous TV appearance too which included playing on "Top Of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
" in Germany.
Lee parted company with the band in 2003 and soon after began teaching drums to aspiring drummers while also getting involved in session work. His first session was some live dates with the UK band Ten
Ten (band)
Ten is a British hard rock/melodic rock band which was formed in 1995 by vocalist/songwriter Gary Hughes and guitarist Vinny Burns.-Formation :...
which featured Gary Hughes
Gary Hughes
Gary Hughes is an English hard rock singer, songwriter and musician. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Gary Hughes is the front man and main songwriter of Hard Rock/Melodic Rock band Ten...
and Steve McKenna (it was Steve who approached him about working with them). Lee, also on Steve's recommendation got involved in working with Danny Vaughn
Danny Vaughn
Danny Vaughn is an American singer. Vaughn has performed with Waysted, Tyketto and Vaughn and now performs and releases under his own name...
(Tyketto
Tyketto
Tyketto is a New York City based hard rock band. The group was put together in 1987 by former Waysted vocalist Danny Vaughn ; Brooke St. James , Jimi Kennedy , and Michael Clayton completed the lineup....
). Lee recorded two albums with Danny Vaughn
Danny Vaughn
Danny Vaughn is an American singer. Vaughn has performed with Waysted, Tyketto and Vaughn and now performs and releases under his own name...
namely "Traveller" ad "The Road Less Travelled". In 2010 he recorded the Methods To End It All
Methods to End It All
Methods To End It All is the debut album of Heavy Metal Music band Creation’s Tears who are based in the Greater Belfast region of Northern Ireland, with some members based in England...
album this year with Irish Gothic Metallers Creation’s Tears
Creation’s Tears
Creation's Tears is a heavy metal music band based in the Greater Belfast region of Northern Ireland, with some members based in England.The band's personnel includes former members of established heavy metal acts; Lee Morris ex Paradise Lost and guest female vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva ex Cradle...
.
Lee continues to keep busy teaching, providing sessions and gigging with tribute band "Six of the Best".
External links
- http://www.myspace.com/mozzadrums Lee Morris on Myspace
- http://www.creationstears.com/lee-morris Lee Morris' biography on Creation's Tears website
- Interview with Lee Morris re Draconian Times