NEW MUSIC: Michael Robert Murphy releases new single!

Michael Robert Murphy former Wicked Whispers frontman precedes June debut solo album with first single Lift The Curse out 6 February 2025 on Blaggers Records / Ditto Music.

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On 6 February 2025 former Wicked Whispers frontman and one of Liverpool’s most respected songwriters, Michael Robert Murphy, is to drop the first single from his forthcoming debut solo album ‘Chaos Magick’, which was produced by By The Sea (Liam Power) and Michael himself and is set for a Summer release.

Recorded in a remote farm studio in the Wirral Merseyside, Michael describes the album, which features some Liverpool legends including Echo and The Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant and The Coral’s Ian Skelly and Paul Molloy, as “A scouse lo-fi autobiographical psychedelic odyssey”.

A huge comeback single, ‘Lift The Curse’ is all completely done by Michael, written and recorded entirely in one night on his own and sets the tone for the upcoming album. The song takes Michael to his psychedelic roots but for the first time using drum samples and some modern sounds. “Obviousl I’m a huge fan of Beck, Massive Attack and The Beta Band but wanted to tie in my patented blend of romance and psychedelia with sensibilities into a pop record”.

As the upcoming album is autobiographical, the song is a huge advocate of hope through love. “One of the darkest chapters of my life was during a time I suffered heartbreak, grief and self hatred where I only wanted to drink and get myself into negative situations. I began to believe I was cursed and didn’t deserve anything good or positive despite being what I thought was being a good person. The night I was out with a friend and met my future wife and best friend Natasha changed my wife, I fell in love at first site and she very much lifted the curse’ he says.

As a notable grassroots figure in the Liverpool Music and the UK psych/rock scene for the past twenty plus years, Michael’s most known band was The Wicked Whispers who grew authentic DIY success with a sizeable UK and European fanbase as part of the psych / Vinyl revival movement back in 2011/2012. Radio 1, mainstream Press, countless headline UK and European tours, festivals and appearances followed with a string of hometown sell out shows at The Kazimier, O2 Academy and the pinnacle huge Camp and Furnace show. The band released countless sell out Vinyl and CDs of their EP, singles and debut album which led to wider audiences and inspired a new generation of psych rock acts forming in the UK and in Liverpool. All done DIY and independent with Michaels own Electone Records label.

After The Wicked Whispers called time, the frontman finally embarked on a solo career back in 202 with a lo-key EP release ‘Metamorph’ a later deluxe version (with remixes from Tea Street Band and Strange Bones) followed by two standalone singles (produced by The Coral’s James Skelly who also produces Blossoms, Brook Combe, Courteeners) as one of the final Parr Street Studios recordings with a limited edition double A 7” Vinyl and a lost tapes and Metamorph Limited Edition 12” Vinyl both on Pete Wilkinsons AV8 Records (Throat, Will Sergeant, Nick Power, Pete Wilkinson, James Redmond). All Michaels AV8 releases have sold out with 2nd runs ordered showing encouraging demand!

Social Media / website:
https://www.instagram.com/michael_robert_murphy/
https://x.com/MRobertMurphy/status/1871926505187733620
https://www.facebook.com/MRMurphyMusic/?locale=en_GB
https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelrobertmurphy
https://www.musicglue.com/michael-robert-murphy/shop