For the Stuckist artist, see Peter Murphy (artist). For the Canadian journalist, see Peter Murphy (journalist).
Peter John Murphy (born July 11, 1957, near Northampton, England) was the singer of the British rock group Bauhaus who later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria. Thin, with prominent cheekbones, a rich voice, and a penchant for gloomy poetics, Murphy is often called the "Godfather of Goth." Rising from a coffin on-stage, driving a hearse called the "Bauhearse," or appearing in concert as a vampire all helped to cement the gothic look with this dark, emotionally charged style of music (see gothic rock). Murphy's Bauhaus epitomised a dark post-punk world, with fans drawn to the shadowy, otherworld feel of the music; the band evoked flickering over-exposed '20s horror films by using strobe lights in their live concerts.
After the breakup of Bauhaus, Murphy formed Dali's Car with Mick Karn, the bass player from Japan. They recorded only one album.
Murphy's solo career has become more nuanced than Bauhaus, ranging from pseudo-pop to haunting ballads that showcase his deep and complex vocals. While critics allege his lyrics can be "pretentious" to "incomprehensible," the lyrical themes are often metaphysical, pulling his songs into a dream-like state of rhythm, imagery, and emotion.
In the 1990s, Peter Murphy married into Islam, eventually moving to Turkey, and this Middle Eastern influence can be heard in his later albums. In particular, Murphy has been inspired by the mysticism of Sufism.
In 2000, Murphy performed his international Just for Love tour, which resulted in the album Alive Just for Love. It is a live recording of the fully uninterrupted set from the El Rey show in Los Angeles on November 30, 2000. During the tour, Murphy chose to perform with only two back-up musicians, Canadian electric violinist Hugh Marsh and Peter DiStephano from Porno for Pyros on guitar, although former Bauhaus bassist David J sometimes joined the trio for an encore.