Ian Morris
Quick Facts
Biography
Ian Gordon Morris (22 January 1957 – 7 October 2010) was a musician, record producer, recording engineer and songwriter from New Zealand.
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.
Ian was a founding member of iconic New Zealand band Th' Dudes, formed at Sacred Heart College in Auckland in 1975. He also had chart hits as a solo artist under the name Tex Pistol (a name he took on as "Ian Morris [didn't] sound poppy enough" ), 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.
Discography
As solo artist
Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Nobody Else |
| 28 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Boot Up (x=y)" | — | Non-album single |
| 1986 | "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob" | — | Nobody Else |
| 1987 | "Game of Love" | 1 | |
| 1988 | "Nobody Else" | 1 | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
With Th' Dudes
- Right First Time (1979) Key
- Where Are The Boys? (1980) Key
- So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star (1980) Key
- Where Are the Girls?: Th' Definitive Collection (2001) Festival Mushroom Records
- Pubs, Parks, Theatres, Clubs, Church Halls, Gardens, Lounges & Band Rotundas (2006)
- 2006 Reunion Tour Live (2006)
As producer
| Band | Album/Single | Producer | Engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Meemees | If This Is Paradise I'll Take The Bag | Yes | |
| The Gurlz | The Gurlz | Yes | |
| Naked Spots Dance | New | Yes | Yes |
| The Hulamen | Start A Fashion | Yes | Yes |
| Jag Moritz | Boot Up | Yes | Yes |
| Circus Block | 4 in Stone in Steel | Yes | Yes |
| Shadow Fax | Life Underground | Yes | Yes |
| Tex Pistol | "Game of Love" | Yes | Yes |
| Tex Pistol & Rikki Morris | "Nobody Else" | Yes | Yes |
| Rikki Morris | "Heartbroke Again" | Yes | Yes |
| The Warratahs | Big Sky | Yes | |
| The Warratahs | Wild Card | Yes | |
| Southside of Bombay | "What's The Time Mr Wolf?" | Yes | |
| Barry Saunders | Long Shadows | Yes | |
| Greg Johnson | Sea Breeze Motel | Yes | |
| Dave Dobbyn | Hopetown | Yes | |
| When The Cat's Away | Asian Paradise | Yes | Yes |
| Papa-Pa | My Black Jersey | Yes | Yes |
Other contributions
- Th' Dudes Where Are the Girls?: Th' Definitive Collection remastering
- Chicken (director Grant LaHood) composer of original songs
- Catching the Tide (director Costa Botes) original soundtrack
Awards
RIANZ
| Year | Award | 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 |
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)
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.
Death
Morris died at Te Pania Hotel in Napier on 7 October 2010. Police noted that there were no suspicious circumstances to his death.
Morris was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.