Peter Murphy

Born in Northampton and raised in Wellingborough, England, Peter Murphy essentially created what we know today as Goth music and culture thanks to the band that he formed with his school friend Daniel Ash, Bauhaus. Like many iconic and influential bands, Bauhaus flared brightly but briefly, forming in 1978 and splitting in 1983 after drawing one of the most devoted cult followings in rock music at the time. Initially, Murphy formed the band Dalis Car with Mick Karn, the bass player from the South London new wave band Japan, and while they recorded and released one album, Murphy decided that a solo career in earnest was the way to go. His debut album “Should The World Fall Apart” saw him team up with everyone from Public Image Ltd.'s John McGeoch to Bauhaus' own Daniel Ash, but it wasn't until the release of his 1989 third album “Deep” where he began to experience genuine commercial success, mainly in the USA.

The album itself charted strongly on the Billboard 200, but the album's singles were huge hits on the Modern Rock chart, with “Cuts You Up” peaking at number one and staying there for seven weeks, longer than any other single in history until R.E.M came along with “Losing My Religion”. Ever since then, Murphy has remained one of the most influential post-punk artists of all time, with everyone from Elliot Smith and The Dresden Dolls to Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails citing him and his work as a formative influence on them. He's even had an effect on the world of literature, with noted authors Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore singing his praises over the years. He records and performs live to this very day, and as an artist whose influence is still all over modern culture whether it knows it or not, Peter Murphy comes highly recommended.