Wednesday 08 February 2012
Van Morrison: The Muse Is 'In The Moment' When Soul Legend Steps Out Live In Brighton
There's an all too rare opportunity to see a true legend in action when Van Morrison makes an appearance in Brighton, next month.
Morrison, who structures his music around the conventions of soul music and R&B, is best witnessed live, and has even begun to show a respect for material such as his seminal, Astral Weeks: 'The music on 'Astral Weeks' is sophisticated poetry that is multi-layered in sounds that I do not think the majority take the time to wrap their head around.
'It's subjective. All of my records are unique unto themselves and this one is no different. It is just part of what I do as a songwriter. These are just another set of stories and poetry, like all of them.'
Astral Weeks, which sits at number two on the Mojo list of all-time greatest works, still took over thirty years to be certified gold.
Morrison believes his independent approach has helped create a body of work that, quality wise, stands the test of time: 'I am my own producer and I make the recordings myself. I have the freedom to create, rather than to be stifled by someone else's notions or far off-the-mark ideas.'
George Ivan Morrison was born on 31 August 1945, grew up listening to artists such as Jelly Roll Morton, Ray Charles, Lead Belly, and Solomon Burke; of whom Morrison later said: "If it weren't for guys like Ray and Solomon, I wouldn't be where I am today.'
Those guys were the inspiration that got me going. If it wasn't for that kind of music, I couldn't do what I'm doing now."
His father's record collection exposed him to various musical genres, such as the blues of Muddy Waters; the gospel of Mahalia Jackson; the jazz of Charlie Parker; the folk music of Woody Guthrie; and country music from Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers.
Morrison's big break on the international scene came with Them, after he responded to an advert for musicians to play at a new R&B club.
Morrison played saxophone and harmonica and shared vocals with Billy Harrison. They followed Eric Wrixon's suggestion for a new name, and The Gamblers morphed into Them, their name taken from the Fifties horror movie Them!
The band performed without a routine and Morrison ad-libbed, creating his songs live as he performed. But as 'Certain musicians come together for a certain period of time, you know?'
He was soon a solo artist playing and recording a very unique brand of soul and R&B. Morrison had been tied to a record deal that left him living on a shoestring:
'With Bert Berns' Bang Records label I didn't get paid. It was a very hand-to-mouth existence at that time.'
The real reason I made Astral Weeks Recordings in New York is because I was literally broke and they kept me stranded there.'
Morrison has been a constant critic of the music business but still believes that the old industry standard of a physical release is the best way to hear his music:
'I'm not into downloading, because I'm not a download artist. Maybe some people are and, you now, that's the future; but I prefer something I can hold, with sleeve notes I can read.'
He can still sell millions of copies a year, but tours sporadically as he would rather play when the muse takes him rather haul a band on a seemingly never ending world tour: "I don't really tour. This is another misconception. I just do gigs now."
Away from music he leads an everyday life of walks, records and TV. But live, he's something else!
Van Morrison plays Brighton Dome on Saturday 3rd March 2012. For tickets, priced 75, 65 & 45 pounds visit www.brightondome.org
by: Mike Cobley
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