Morgan Bryan

influences

When I look at the list of influences for my song based material I am not sure I recognise all the references. However it is often easier to hear these standing on the outside looking in. 


Artists influential in shaping my song based music (listed alphabetically):
Lily Allen
Bauhaus
B-Movie
David Bowie
The Bravery
Clearlake
The Cure
Dead Can Dance
Nick Drake
Depeche Mode
Peter Gabriel
Garbage
The Human League (early material)
Japan
Joy Division
Led Zeppelin
Madness
Magazine
Muse
New Order
Pet Shop Boys
Pink Floyd
Radiohead
The Ruts
Seabound
Show of Hands
Simon & Garfunkle
Slade
The Smiths
Starsailor
The Stranglers
Talk Talk
Wire

Song Based Influences

I have always admired bands that demonstrate diversity in writing styles. Those that will not stick to one carved out form (e.g. Led Zeppeling 'Kasmir' vs 'Trampled Under Foot', The Cure 'Primary' vs 'Wrong Number'; Stranglers - 'Down in the Sewer' vs 'Golden Brown', etc.). I would like to think I have managed this on my new album but certainly if you were to compare my output in V-Sor,X, my instrumental albums and now this more acoustic based release.

 
Artists influential in shaping my instrumental music (listed alphabetically):
John Barry
Beethoven
The Beloved
Harold Budd
Delirium
Depeche Mode
Enigma
Brian Eno
Global Communications
Japan (particularly instrumental B-Sides)
Jean Michel Jarre
Maurice Jarre
Paul Mounsey
Patrick O'Hearn
Mike Oldfield
OMD (early)
Erik Satie


Instrumental Influences

My first memory of making a conscious selection of music to listen to, was back in the sixties when I would sit in front of my parents sideboard gramophone player. We lived in Cyprus at the time and I would go through my parents collection of chart compilations, classical music and film themes. The album that sticks out was 'Dr. Zhivago' by the late great Maurice Jarre. Strangely enough, a decade and a half later I would be listening to his son, Jean Michel Jarre, with equal enthusiasm.

Some other tracks I would site as being very early influences for my instrumental music were Popcorn by Hot Butter, Beethoven and the Doctor Who theme. Music was always an integral part of my early life, however it was the latter half of the 70s and the early 80s that had the most profound affect on my desire to write music. It was around this time I was introduced to Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, Depeche Mode and the instrumental B-Sides of Japan.