Peter Murphy Performs

Peter Murphy is a legend, an icon, the “Godfather of Goth” and without him there would be no goth rock. There would be Nine Inch Nails, no Marilyn Manson. He was in what most consider, the first goth rock band, Bauhaus, which started in 1978. The band was known for its theatrical performances, such as rising from coffins and dressing as vampires. The band broke up in 1983 and Peter Murphy went on to do several solo albums. Personally, like younger generations, I did not know about Bauhaus nor Peter Murphy until the band opened for Nine Inch Nails in 2006. I was entranced by Murphy’s stage presence, demeanor and his voice – that voice, so distinct and rich. His eyebrows and his grayish blue eyes would spellbind anyone, whether one is a fan of the music or just a passing bystander. And I remembered him because of his presence, not because I knew of his status. Thus, we march on to July 10, 2008, The Retrospective Tour, Murphy’s solo tour and I get to experience his presence intimately at The Meridian in Houston.

I have to admit, I was reconsidering attending. I was tired, I had excuses, I had been living off of Ramen noodles for a few weeks, but I knew I couldn’t pass up an experience to see the legend in action. The man is 51 years old and he’s not getting any younger and many legends are beginning to retire. I had to see him up close and personal, not in a huge stadium.

And thus, the show started off with Murphy and a gleaming white light. He did not smile; rather he stood there, still. The venue rang with screams and cheers. The audience was diverse, including young and old, metal heads, Goths, ex-goths, and different races. Peter brought in no posers, just passionate fans. He had something written on his right hand, of which I did not recognize it, but many fans did. As he continued to perform, he loosened up a bit and became more relaxed. It felt like he could get more personal with us. When one of his guitarists slipped, he made a few jokes. “He’s dead.” Just like you would imagine, his chuckle had depth and vibrato, with a bit devilish mischievousness to it. It was nice to see his humor. Thus, the show continued as everyone stood in awe. His voice was clear and his suit was sharp. The man knows how to dress. He may be old enough to be my father, but he was looking like a gentleman. And like most icons, he did a few Jesus Christ poses, including his signature moves like his amazing and acrobatic circle twirls, and his bird dance, which I love.

A surprise of the night was the cover of Nine Inch Nails, Hurt. He had performed several duets with Trent Reznor in 2006 and being that most of the audience were also NIN fans, the audience sung along with Murphy to “I wear this crown of shit!” with hoorah. Nonetheless, the cover is not nearly as stimulating as Johnny Cash’s cover, nor the original, but it shows how Murphy can step outside of himself and connect with his fans through different vessels. The Goth Diva had two encores, making the audience cheer a few minutes in between before coming back out and finishing with Cuts You Up.

Although I was not too familiar with his songs, I certainly want to be after seeing him perform live. His voice, presence, his meaning to the history of music and the genre of Goth, continue to make an impact on society and younger generations. Long live the Godfather.



(PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETER MURPHY!!!)