Sterling Morrison

Sterling Morrison (actually Holmes Sterling Morrison, Jr., born August 28, 1942 in Westbury, † August 30, 1995 Poughkeepsie, New York) was from 1965 to 1971 and - for a reunion - 1992-1993 guitarist of the New York avant-garde rock band "The Velvet Underground".

Life

Sterling Morrison studied English at Syracuse University, where he met a fellow student who also played guitar: Lou Reed, who, in order to finance the study, by the way wrote songs for Pickwick Records. The two rehearsed together for a while, then lost again but out of sight, as Morrison interrupted his studies. In 1965, Reed and Morrison met in New York again. Together with the classically trained musician John Cale and Angus MacLise a drummer first loose tape project was launched, its success was limited.

After differences with MacLise Morrison took its place, a friend in the band, the drummer Maureen Tucker.

The Velvet Underground

Thus, the main cast of The Velvet Underground was born. Sterling played mostly the accompanying guitar riffs, but also jumped alternately as the lead guitarist or bassist, while Reed sang or played guitar and multi-instrumentalist Cale, the actual bass player of the group, an electrically amplified viola / violin or keyboard instruments (organ, piano) served. Although Sterling was considered an excellent bass player (he played as the bass riffs of " Sunday Morning" on subsidized by Andy Warhol debut album of the group ), he did not like the instrument particularly, as he stressed in an interview.

When John Cale after a dispute with Reed left the group in 1968, Morrison exclusively focused on the role of the guitarist; he also contributed in some songs Chanting at ( eg in the nearly 8 -minute "Murder Mystery "). But Morrison lost under the dominance of Lou Reed gradually the interest in the concept of " Velvet Underground" and so he took the way back to his studies. 1971 Morrison had in Houston for the time being his last appearance with The Velvet Underground at a time, as Reed had already left the band.

After the separation of the band Morrison concentrated on his academic career and took over teaching assignments. His musical ambitions he practiced in his own words just " for fun in order not to get out of practice "; In addition, he participated in several sessions of lesser-known Texas Roadhouse bands until he had completed at the University of Texas at Austin his PhD in English literature.

The mid-1980s he met occasionally with the old band mates who like cats crept all around the bush of her old recipe for success The Velvet Underground; Sterling played as both Reed and Cale and his old friend Maureen Tucker together a few pieces. Only in 1992 there should be a short reunion of the group in the original line. After a European tour in 1993, the band members, however, at odds again - and The Velvet Underground was driven permanently to the grave. Morrison joined in 1994 shortly the solo projects by Maureen Tucker, and pursued his own band ideas until he was asked during a routine examination surprising diagnosis Lymphdrüsenkrebserkrankung ( Hodgkinsyndrom ).

Sterling Morrison died two days after his 53rd birthday on 30 August 1995.