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Murray has remained a member of the band for a period of 18 years. He has performed on guitar in large venues and events, headlined festivals, and traveled across the globe receiving immense admiration from numerous audiences. However, even with the years of experience and countless performances, he has yet to become an official part of the Manic Street Preachers. Despite this, he is content with this arrangement.
“It’s the perfect balance,” Murray states. “I reside in Brighton and share a studio with another artist, where we produce music for film and television. This also allows me to pursue my own career outside of my involvement with the Manic Street Preachers, allowing me to continue singing and writing. And when we go on tour, I am still fully integrated within the group. It’s an ideal arrangement.”
The touring musician has a distinguished past. Many renowned bands have relied on additional musicians to enhance their sound: Darryl Jones has been the bass player for the Rolling Stones for 31 years without being a permanent member; Ted Sablay has been playing guitar and keyboards with the Killers for 18 years, and for the past two years he has been their live musical director; guitarist Jason White has spent 25 years as an unofficial fourth member of Green Day.
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Joining a band as a new member can be overwhelming, especially since established bands often have their own unique terminology, making it difficult for outsiders to adapt. This was the situation for Daryl Stuermer, an American musician who became a touring guitarist and bassist for Genesis in 1977 and continued with them until their last tour in 2021 and 2022.
Stuermer explained to me prior to the last tour that when he first joined the band, he had to watch and learn. He discussed with fellow longtime Genesis tour member Chester Thompson how difficult it was to understand what original members Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, and Phil Collins were trying to convey when they reunited. It wasn’t just a matter of being British, but after years of touring together, Stuermer no longer had that issue. However, it did take a few tours before he fully grasped everything.
Sarah Brown, who has been a member of Simple Minds for the past 15 years, faced similar challenges. She first developed her singing skills in a gospel choir and was not particularly interested in pop music in her youth. She found it difficult to understand Jim Kerr’s strong Scottish accent. “The first time Jim called me, he left a message that I couldn’t comprehend. I didn’t take any action, but he called again. I asked my partner to listen to the message and said, ‘Someone is trying to offer me a job, but I don’t know who.’ My partner responded, ‘Sarah, do you recognize who this is? It’s Jim Kerr from Simple Minds.’ I replied, ‘Oh, I see.’ He then asked, ‘You don’t know who he is or who the band is, do you?’ And I didn’t.”
She traveled to Copenhagen to audition with the band during sound check, then stayed to watch the performance and see if she was interested in joining. Kerr suggested she join the band that night. She stood between drummer Mel Gaynor and guitarist Charlie Burchill and was amazed by the volume of sound. “It was incredible. I kept thinking, how can I contribute anything to this show? How can I add some flavor to it? That’s my role as a backup singer, to add some color. I was convinced I couldn’t add anything. But now, 15 years later, I understand Jim’s voice and Simple Minds much better. They have many different colors in their music.”
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One might assume that touring musicians are stuck with the most monotonous aspect of their job – playing the basic chords or notes. However, this is not always the case. According to Murray, his role has evolved over the course of 18 years. He now takes on more iconic guitar parts, such as playing arpeggios in the song “A Design for Life” for the past eight years. Sometimes, he even stumbles upon creative ideas by accident. When a new album is released, he is tasked with transposing the songs himself. Occasionally, he makes mistakes and guitarist James Dean Bradfield may hear and say, “That’s cool – let’s use that instead.” Ultimately, the band writes the songs themselves.
Banks pointed out that Stuermer played a crucial role in Genesis’ live performances as he was well-versed in their repertoire, surpassing even the original band members. He also mentioned that the band often relies on him for guidance during rehearsals due to his thorough preparation and familiarity with the songs.
Brown’s position in the band Simple Minds has evolved beyond that of a traditional backup singer. She now takes on the lead role in the song “Book of Brilliant Things,” and as a result, she has more artistic freedom than other band members. While working with Roxy Music, Brown would sing every word as a stand-in for Bryan Ferry, but Ferry has a very precise rhythm and timing. In contrast, Jim, the lead singer of Simple Minds, is more flexible with his delivery, sometimes pushing and pulling on words or staying in the pocket. Brown adapts her performance to match the energy that Jim brings to the stage, while the guitarist and bassist typically play the same notes with the same intensity every night.
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Not everyone has the opportunity to go from obscurity to joining a band on tour. Dan Boeckner, frontman of Wolf Parade, was originally part of Arcade Fire but decided to focus on his own band when both groups became successful in the early 2000s. In recent years, he has rejoined Arcade Fire on tour, which has been a refreshing change for him. He says, “There’s less pressure. When you don’t have the responsibility of being on the mic, addressing the audience, and creating a dynamic performance, you can focus more on the music. It’s not as all-consuming and trance-like.”
Despite being in a long-standing relationship with the band, he understands that his role is to support rather than take charge. He recognizes that it’s not appropriate for the newcomer to suggest changes like adding a reggae style, as it can be uncomfortable for established bands to incorporate new members and see them seek attention.
Some musicians join as touring members and end up becoming permanent members of the band, such as Yoann Intonti, the drummer for the Vaccines. He was initially playing with the indie band Spector, but was asked to fill in for the last few dates of the Vaccines’ 2016 summer tour, including performances at Reading and Leeds festivals. He did this as a favor for the Vaccines, as his focus was still on Spector. However, as the summer went on, he found himself really enjoying his time with the Vaccines and their music, and his drumming style fit well with their sound. While the band continued to audition other drummers, they ultimately couldn’t find anyone and offered Yoann a chance to record with them in the studio. This marked the beginning of his official membership in the band.
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Intonti received a monthly payment for his work as a recording musician, as auxiliary musicians are only compensated for their time spent with the band. However, due to the Manics touring less, his earnings have decreased according to Murray. In May 2017, Intonti and touring keyboard player Timothy Lanham were included in profits but were still not considered full members of the band. Intonti explains that he always aspired to be part of the creative process and share ideas. He and Lanham reached a point where they either had to fully commit to the band or go back to being session musicians. This realization also came to the other three members of the band.
What caused the switch? “The aspect I enjoyed about Spector was the sense of camaraderie and working towards a common goal. However, the Vaccines were much more determined to produce more music and go on tour. That’s what led to the change – being surrounded by highly driven individuals.”
Despite this, it was a lengthy process to establish harmony – like Stuermer, Intonti, a Frenchman, faced the added challenge of being from a distinct country. “Due to English not being my native language, effectively communicating was the initial obstacle to overcome. Everyone has their own background and you don’t want to disrupt that. Initially, I was searching for my role in the band, but now I am confident in expressing my thoughts and I am willing to engage in a debate.”
Sarah Brown worked with Simple Minds for at least 11 years before feeling fully comfortable. She believes she has overcome her initial fear and uncertainty, saying “Jim does call me forward to the audience” and it has taken time for her to be accepted and valued by the audience. Now, she feels like a part of the family and is no longer crushed if Jim rejects her ideas. Brown also mentions that Kerr and Burchill have become mentors and supported her in creating her first solo album, Sarah Brown Sings Mahalia Jackson.
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None of these musicians has had any doubts they chose the right path. They understand their role, and they are happy to take the highs. And those highs can be very high indeed. “The 20th anniversary of Everything Must Go, with two nights sold out at Albert Hall with all my family there, that was stunning,” Murray says. And we did the [rugby] tour of Australia, out there for three weeks because the Manics were part of the fan experience. It was incredible.”
However, amidst all of this, there is an important factor that should not be overlooked and must be remembered by all musicians. They are not the lead singer’s best friends and they were not present at the band’s inception. They are employees and if they start to think otherwise, they will encounter problems. Musician Brown is fully aware of this dynamic, stating, “I am always very conscious of that. And I never forget that my colleagues are indeed colleagues.” He strongly believes in maintaining boundaries, which is why he has been able to continue working in the industry. He acknowledges that if he were different, he would not be able to remain in the band while also maintaining his sense of individuality.
Source: theguardian.com
