Aus Post-Punk Pioneer John Murphy Passes Away

Much-respected, Melbourne-born, drummer and session musician John Murphy has passed away this week at the age of 56.

 

Murphy was influential in the Australian and British post-punk scenes and was most-recently percussionist for neofolk cult act Death In June.

 

Over the decades Murphy collaborated with a number of influential acts most-notably British noir wavers The Associates, infamous Melbourne band Whirlywirld (with Ollie Olsen), and seminal Australian industrial outift SPK as well as No, Current 93, Orchestra Of Skin & Bone, Blood Axis, The Wreckery, Shriekback and Whitehouse.

 

Murphy also played sessions with seminal post-punker The The, first wave goth band Gene Loves Jezebel and former Velvet Underground singer Nico. He was also involved with Michael Hutchence's 1989 project Max Q.

 

Australian composer David Bridie (founder of Not Drowning Waving and My Friend The Chocolate Cake) took to Facebook to pay respects to the beloved musician.

 

"His explorations and collaborations with Ollie Olsen were inspiring to a younger version of me," Bridie wrote.

 

"Respect to his legacy and thoughts to his family and close friends."