Neil Murray
The steady hand behind the rhythm section during Queen's modern touring eras.
Philip Neil Murray (born 27 August 1950) is a Scottish musician, best known as the former bassist of Whitesnake, the Brian May Band, Black Sabbath, and Gary Moore. Originally a drummer who started playing bass in 1967, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 (Slap Happy and the Dum-Dums). His musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians, especially Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, and later by Motown legend James Jamerson and Tim Bogert of Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Beck, Bogert & Appice.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Philip Neil Murray
- Born
- 27 August 1950
- Birthplace
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Genre
- Hard rock
- blues rock
- heavy metal
- jazz fusion
- Instruments
- Bass
- Years active
- 1967–present
Lore & Background
It states he is best known as the former bassist of Whitesnake, the Brian May Band, Black Sabbath, and Gary Moore. There is no mention of Queen, John Deacon, Paul Rodgers, Adam Lambert, or any touring with Queen.
Reader's Guide
It details his career with Whitesnake from late 1977 to late 1986, recording ten albums with them, and his work with Gary Moore, recording three albums from 1982 to 1983.
Did You Know?
- Murray suggested the title 'Strange New Flesh' for Colosseum II's 1976 album, taken from a lyric in their cover of Joni Mitchell's 'Down To You'.
- In 1981, Murray played with Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Sting at two of The Secret Policeman's Other Ball concerts.
- Murray recorded ten albums with Whitesnake from 1978 to 1987, including 'Live at Hammersmith', 'Snakebite', 'Trouble', 'Love Hunter', 'Ready an' Willing', 'Live...In the Heart of the City', 'Come an' Get It', 'Saints & Sinners', 'Slide It In', and 'Whitesnake' (also referred to as '1987').
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