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Who are Morpheus?

 

Darren – Keyboards/Lead Vocals

 

Darren started to dabble with his organ at the tender age of 4 and now nothing seems to stop his wandering fingers.  His 1st major solo performance was back in 1992 where he played at Wembely for a national music competition, to which he was placed 5th in the UK.Darren only started singing at the age of 16 where he performed a duet with one of his school friends for a concert, to which he surprised a lot of his school mates as well as most of his teachers too.

 

His greatest influences are Jean Michel Jarre and Rick Wakeman because when you combine an orchestral line up with a touch of the future you get a fantastic all round sound.Going from the old school Casio keyboards he used to have back as a kid, he now plays a Roland Phantom X8 for that full orchestral sound and a Roland V-Synth for that twist of the future.

 

Andy: Drums, backing vocals

Andy has been bashing his bits for the last 30+ years including a stint keeping the beat on a Norwegian Long Boat (nowadays cross channel ferry work!) Of the various bands that would have him – Ayst Barrok, Cygnus, Sods Law, Frayed Knot, B Beat amongst others….more recently, 9 years in The Red Hot Radiators, Vamp, Stiff in the Morning, Jailbreak, Millennium, Back 2 Back and 4midable which became Morpheus.

Neil Peart (Rush) is one of Andy's major influences along with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Stewart Copeland (Police), Chad Smith (Chilis), Taylor Hawkins & Dave Grohl (Foos), Joey Jordison (Slipknot), Travis Smith (Trivium) and locally Steve Timms (former tutor) and me ol mucker Glen Buck (Led Zep 2).

Gear – Sonor Designer Light Maple Series drums, all power toms 10 x 10”, 12 x 12”, 14 x 14” & 16 x 16”, kit previously owned by Sean Moore (drummer with Manic Street Preachers), Mapex s/steel snare, Sabian cymbals, Mapex d/bass pedals, Pearl Hardware, Gibraltar stool and Promark 5A ‘Mike Portnoy’ signature sticks (….just in case any saddos are still reading!!!)

 

Rik: Bass, backing vocals

Rik has been playing bass since age 15 (just before the advent of electricity) and has been 'at it' ever since. He's been in many bands including Fast Buck, Prime Suspect, Secret Affair, Pump Action and The Reptiles to name but a few. His preferred weapons of mass destruction are the trusty Jack Custom Headless, the fearsome B.C. Rich NJ series Beast, the transparent Wesley 5 stringer and occasionally an Ibanez fretless also get to roam the stage. Providing the dB's is a full Behringer Ultrabass rig comprising of a BX3500H head through  BB210 and BB115 cabs. Loud? Oh yes.....

 

 

Matt: Lead guitar

Matt started playing guitar at age 14 and after 8 years took off to the ACM Guildford graduating with Distinction. Matt came back to Suffolk and began teaching guitar (RGT Registered LCM)  and has since been part of the Lazy Orange House Cats, The Outlaw Eagles, and functions band The Scoobes.

Influenced by Brian May ( Queen ), Mark Knopfler ( Dire Straits ), Slash ( Guns N Roses ), Joe Walsh ( The Eagles ), Jimmy Page ( Led Zep ), Eric Roche, Gordon Giltrap and David Gilmour. Matt has acquired a varied taste and playing style.

Gear includes: PRS CE22, Fender Strat 60’s Relic, Taylor 414CE Acoustic, PRS Tremonti SE, Customised with EMG 81/89 Active pickups and mid booster switch Gibson Les Paul Standard ,Marshall 2466 Vintage Modern 100w Head, Marshall 4100 JCM900 100w Head, 1960A 4X12 & 1936 2x12 Speaker Cab. Peavey Bandit 112, Marshall AS100D. Boss PW10 Wah Pedal Boss DD6 Delay. The List is endless!