Ian Morris (musician)

Ian Gordon Morris (22 January 1957 – 7 October 2010) was a musician, record producer, recording engineer and songwriter from New Zealand.

Ian Morris
Birth nameIan Gordon Morris
Also known asTex Pistol
Born(1957-01-22)22 January 1957
England
Died7 October 2010(2010-10-07) (aged 53)
Napier, New Zealand
GenresPop, rock
Occupation(s)musician, record producer, recording engineer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
Websiteigmusic.co.nz

Musical career

Ian Morris and his brother Richard (who would also go on to become a successful singer, songwriter and sound engineer in New Zealand under the name Rikki Morris) were born in England but emigrated with their family to New Zealand in 1966. They attended Sacred Heart College, Auckland.[1][2]

Ian was a founding member of iconic New Zealand band Th' Dudes, formed at Sacred Heart in 1975. He had chart hits as a solo artist under the name Tex Pistol (a name he took on because "Ian Morris [didn't] sound poppy enough"[3]), and in collaboration with his brother Rikki as Tex Pistol and Rikki Morris. As recording engineer and record producer, his production credits include a number of successful Kiwi artists: Hello Sailor, DD Smash, The Screaming Meemees, The Warratahs, When the Cat's Away, Greg Johnson, Dave Dobbyn, and Southside of Bombay to name a few. Morris also wrote numerous jingles, arrangements, and orchestrations.

Personal life

Morris was married to singer Kim Willoughby of New Zealand's most successful all-female group When the Cat's Away, with whom he had two daughters, Julia and Maude, and a stepson, James.[4] He was separated from his wife at the time of his death.[5]

Death

Morris had been suffering from depression and committed suicide at Te Pania Hotel in Napier on 7 October 2010.[5] Police noted that there were no suspicious circumstances to his death.[6]

Morris was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.[7]

Discography

Albums
Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ[8]
1988 Nobody Else
  • Released as Tex Pistol
  • Label: Pagan Records (PAL 1039)
 28
2020 a and b the c of d
  • Released 2020
  • Label: IG Music (IGMLP001)
 -

Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
NZ[8]
1983 "Boot Up (x=y)" as Jag Moritz — Non-album single
1986 "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob" as Tex Pistol — Nobody Else
1987 "Game of Love" as Tex Pistol 1
1988 "Nobody Else" as Tex Pistol and Rikki Morris 1
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
For a more comprehensive list, see Th' Dudes.

As producer
Selected discography[9]
BandAlbum/SingleProducerEngineer
Th' Dudes Right First Time Yes
Hello Sailor Hello Sailor Yes
Hello Sailor Pacifica Amour Yes
Th' Dudes Where Are The Boys? Yes Yes
DD Smash Cool Bananas Yes
Screaming MeemeesIf This Is Paradise I'll Take The BagYes
The GurlzThe Gurlz mini-albumYes
Naked Spots DanceNew mini-albumYesYes
The HulamenStart A Fashion mini-albumYesYes
Jag MoritzBoot UpYesYes
Circus Block4 in Stone in SteelYesYes
Shadow FaxLife UndergroundYesYes
Tex Pistol"Game of Love"YesYes
Tex Pistol & Rikki Morris"Nobody Else"YesYes
Rikki Morris"Heartbroke Again"YesYes
The WarratahsBig SkyYes
The WarratahsWild CardYes
Southside of Bombay"What's The Time Mr Wolf?"Yes
Barry SaundersLong ShadowsYes
Greg JohnsonSea Breeze MotelYes
Dave DobbynHopetownYes
When The Cat's AwayAsian ParadiseYesYes
Papa-PaMy Black JerseyYesYes

Awards

RIANZ
RIANZ New Zealand Music Awards
Year Award[10] Details Result
1978 Engineer of the Year Hello Sailor, Hello Sailor Won
1979 Single of the Year 'Be Mine Tonight', Th' Dudes Won
Top Group Th' Dudes Won
1982 Producer of the Year Cool Bananas (DD Smash) Won
1986 Most Promising Male Vocalist "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob" as Tex Pistol Won
Best Engineer Ballad of Buskin Bob, Tex Pistol Nominated
1987 Engineer of the Year "Game of Love", Tex Pistol Won
Best Producer "Game of Love", Tex Pistol Nominated
1988 Single of the Year "Nobody Else", Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris Nominated
Best Producer "Nobody Else", Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris Nominated
1990 Producer of the Year "Heartbroke", Rikki Morris Won
Best Engineer Heartbroke, Rikki Morris Nominated
2019New Zealand Music Hall of Famehimself (as part of Th' Dudes)inductee[11]

APRA

In 2001, members of APRA were invited to vote on their favourite New Zealand songs of all time. Of the final 100, 2 Morris-related songs appeared on the list.

  • #27, for "Be Mine Tonight" with Th' Dudes (1978)
  • #50, for "Bliss" with Th' Dudes (1979)

See also

References
  1. "Th'Dudes: Beginnings". IgMusic/Ian Morris. 2001. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  2. Glen Moffat (31 May 2016). "Rikki Morris - part 1". Audioculture.
  3. Bourke, Chris (November 1988). "This Gun's for Hire". Rip It Up. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  4. "Dudes star mourned". APN News and Media. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  5. "Coming to terms with suicide of a loved one". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. "Th'Dudes guitarist Ian Morris dies". Fairfax New Zealand. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  7. "Th' Dudes are finding their Bliss again in the hall of fame". Archived from the original on 23 December 2019.
  8. "TEX PISTOL IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  9. Morris, Ian. "Selected Discography". IG Music. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  10. "NZMAs". nzmusicawards.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  11. "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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