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David Michael "Moonface" Murray (born 23 December 1956) is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the original members of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He joined the band just two months after their inception in 1975.
Career
As a boy, Murray was a fanatical football player and fan, as well as a keen cricketer. But his family was poor – his father was disabled and his mother worked part-time as a cleaner – and the family never settled anywhere long enough for Murray to establish himself on any of the schools' teams he could have played for. By his reckoning, he had been to a dozen different schools by the time he left for good at the age of 16.
Murray developed an interest in rock music when he was 15 after hearing Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix on the radio. From then on, everything changed. He got his first guitar and would practice along with records up to seven hours a day. He formed his first band, a trio called Stone Free which also included Adrian Smith (Guitar/Vocals) who later became a member of Iron Maiden.
From there, Murray played with a number of different bands before meeting Steve Harris and joined Iron Maiden for the first time in 1976. He briefly left the band following an argument with then vocalist Dennis Wilcock. Murray again teamed with Adrian Smith in a band called Urchin. During this short tenure with the band, Murray recorded one single titled "She's A Roller". Following the single, Murray left Urchin and returned to Iron Maiden, replacing Terry Wapram. Wilcock left the band shortly after Murray's return.
Murray managed to briefly hold down a 9 to 5 job working for the then GLC (Greater London Council). He worked as a store keeper in the Housing Department. Based around in the Woodberry Down Estate, Frampton Park Estate and Geldeston road, Clapton area of North East London. His boss, Ronny Petit, expressed his concerns about Dave giving up a good steady job to tour Japan with Iron Maiden.
Murray's solo guitar style throughout his career has been mainly based on the legato technique. Examples of this can be heard in Iron Maiden songs such as "Phantom of the Opera", "Lightning Strikes Twice", through to their 2006 studio release A Matter of Life and Death.
He has also written songs for the band, though he is less prolific than other band members. Murray usually forgoes lyric writing to another bandmate and concentrates on the musical elements of songwriting. He mainly co-writes songs with another member of Iron Maiden, "Charlotte the Harlot" being to date the only composition credited solely to him.
Murray and Steve Harris are the only members of Iron Maiden to have appeared on every one of the band's albums.
Equipment
Throughout his career, Murray has used and endorsed Marshall amplifiers almost exclusively, other than on the 'Somewhere in Time' and 'Seventh Son...' albums and their respective tours, when he instead used Gallien Krueger amps. He has used Fender Stratocaster guitars almost exclusively as well. His black 1957/63 (the body is from a '63 and the neck is from a '57) Stratocaster, previously owned by the late Free guitarist Paul Kossoff, was used from circa 1976-1990. It was used as a model by Fender to manufacture an Artist Signature model since 2009 - http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0118802806. The original now resides in a glass case at his home.
Murray has occasionally performed with various Dean, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP and Jackson electrics as well. As for acoustic guitar performances, Murray has used Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitars live for the song 'Journeyman', and on the 'Somewhere Back In Time' tour for the intro to 'Moonchild'. He also used a Gibson Chet Atkins solid body acoustic on the 'Fear of the Dark' tour for the song 'Wasting Love'.
Murray used his 1957/63 Strat (equipped with DiMarzio Super Distortion and PAF humbucking pickups) extensively, retiring it at the end of the 'Seventh Son...' tour in 1988, when he switched to Jackson guitars.
Guitars
Since returning to Fender in 1995, following several years from 1986 - 1993 when he endorsed ESP and Jackson, Murray has had several variations of the Stratocaster made for him by Fender. The first was the prototype for what was to become the Hot Rod Re-Issue series.
Currently his main guitar is 2 - tone sunburst Fender Californian Series Stratocaster with 3 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickups and a chrome Floyd Rose tremolo system. He also plays a Gibson Les Paul Traditional model on stage.
Guitar Specs
• Ernie Ball Strings - custom gauge .009, .011, .014, .024, .032, .042,
• Seymour Duncan Hot Rails single coil sized humbucking pickups with dual blade coils
• "Original" Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo Systems
• His Artist Signature model features a soft "V"-shaped maple neck with satin back and sports a humbucker/single-coil/humbucker (HSH) configuration - DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 (bridge), American Vintage '57/'62 (middle), DiMarzio PAF DP-103 (neck) - with 3-way switching and American Vintage hardware. The Japanese-made "Tribute" version of the guitar (HST-57DM) features an "Original" Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo system, dual DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 humbucking pickups (bridge/neck), a Fender Texas Special single-coil pickup in the middle position, a 5-way pickup selector and an oval neck profile
• The original black '57 Stratocaster has similar features to his Artist Series Model
Amplifiers
• 2 x Marshall 1960B Straight Cabinet / 4x12 300-Watt Loaded with Celestion 12" G12T 75 Watt
Career
As a boy, Murray was a fanatical football player and fan, as well as a keen cricketer. But his family was poor – his father was disabled and his mother worked part-time as a cleaner – and the family never settled anywhere long enough for Murray to establish himself on any of the schools' teams he could have played for. By his reckoning, he had been to a dozen different schools by the time he left for good at the age of 16.
Murray developed an interest in rock music when he was 15 after hearing Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix on the radio. From then on, everything changed. He got his first guitar and would practice along with records up to seven hours a day. He formed his first band, a trio called Stone Free which also included Adrian Smith (Guitar/Vocals) who later became a member of Iron Maiden.
From there, Murray played with a number of different bands before meeting Steve Harris and joined Iron Maiden for the first time in 1976. He briefly left the band following an argument with then vocalist Dennis Wilcock. Murray again teamed with Adrian Smith in a band called Urchin. During this short tenure with the band, Murray recorded one single titled "She's A Roller". Following the single, Murray left Urchin and returned to Iron Maiden, replacing Terry Wapram. Wilcock left the band shortly after Murray's return.
Murray managed to briefly hold down a 9 to 5 job working for the then GLC (Greater London Council). He worked as a store keeper in the Housing Department. Based around in the Woodberry Down Estate, Frampton Park Estate and Geldeston road, Clapton area of North East London. His boss, Ronny Petit, expressed his concerns about Dave giving up a good steady job to tour Japan with Iron Maiden.
Murray's solo guitar style throughout his career has been mainly based on the legato technique. Examples of this can be heard in Iron Maiden songs such as "Phantom of the Opera", "Lightning Strikes Twice", through to their 2006 studio release A Matter of Life and Death.
He has also written songs for the band, though he is less prolific than other band members. Murray usually forgoes lyric writing to another bandmate and concentrates on the musical elements of songwriting. He mainly co-writes songs with another member of Iron Maiden, "Charlotte the Harlot" being to date the only composition credited solely to him.
Murray and Steve Harris are the only members of Iron Maiden to have appeared on every one of the band's albums.
Equipment
Throughout his career, Murray has used and endorsed Marshall amplifiers almost exclusively, other than on the 'Somewhere in Time' and 'Seventh Son...' albums and their respective tours, when he instead used Gallien Krueger amps. He has used Fender Stratocaster guitars almost exclusively as well. His black 1957/63 (the body is from a '63 and the neck is from a '57) Stratocaster, previously owned by the late Free guitarist Paul Kossoff, was used from circa 1976-1990. It was used as a model by Fender to manufacture an Artist Signature model since 2009 - http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0118802806. The original now resides in a glass case at his home.
Murray has occasionally performed with various Dean, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP and Jackson electrics as well. As for acoustic guitar performances, Murray has used Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitars live for the song 'Journeyman', and on the 'Somewhere Back In Time' tour for the intro to 'Moonchild'. He also used a Gibson Chet Atkins solid body acoustic on the 'Fear of the Dark' tour for the song 'Wasting Love'.
Murray used his 1957/63 Strat (equipped with DiMarzio Super Distortion and PAF humbucking pickups) extensively, retiring it at the end of the 'Seventh Son...' tour in 1988, when he switched to Jackson guitars.
Guitars
Since returning to Fender in 1995, following several years from 1986 - 1993 when he endorsed ESP and Jackson, Murray has had several variations of the Stratocaster made for him by Fender. The first was the prototype for what was to become the Hot Rod Re-Issue series.
Currently his main guitar is 2 - tone sunburst Fender Californian Series Stratocaster with 3 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickups and a chrome Floyd Rose tremolo system. He also plays a Gibson Les Paul Traditional model on stage.
Guitar Specs
• Ernie Ball Strings - custom gauge .009, .011, .014, .024, .032, .042,
• Seymour Duncan Hot Rails single coil sized humbucking pickups with dual blade coils
• "Original" Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo Systems
• His Artist Signature model features a soft "V"-shaped maple neck with satin back and sports a humbucker/single-coil/humbucker (HSH) configuration - DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 (bridge), American Vintage '57/'62 (middle), DiMarzio PAF DP-103 (neck) - with 3-way switching and American Vintage hardware. The Japanese-made "Tribute" version of the guitar (HST-57DM) features an "Original" Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo system, dual DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 humbucking pickups (bridge/neck), a Fender Texas Special single-coil pickup in the middle position, a 5-way pickup selector and an oval neck profile
• The original black '57 Stratocaster has similar features to his Artist Series Model
Amplifiers
• 2 x Marshall 1960B Straight Cabinet / 4x12 300-Watt Loaded with Celestion 12" G12T 75 Watt
Speakers
• 3 x Marshall JCM 2000 DSL tube heads (rack gear plugs into power amp section via FX loop)
• Marshall 9200 Rack Power Amp (as backup for main heads)
Units and tuners
• Korg DRT1 Digital Tuner
• Peterson VSam Virtual Strobe Tuner
• Shure U4D UHF Wireless Unit
• Dunlop DCR-1SR Rack CryBaby Wah
• Custom-Built Pete Cornish Routing and Power Supply Units
• Marshall JMP-1 Valve Midi Preamp
• Mike Hill Custom Uni-Vibe/Tube Screamer Rack Effect Unit
• Rocktron All-Access Foot Controller
• TC Electronics GForce Effect Unit
Personal life
In his spare time, Murray is an avid golfer as seen in the Rock in Rio DVD. Murray and his wife Tamar have one daughter named Tasha (born 1991)
When not on tour, Murray resides in Hawaii.
Discography
Iron Maiden
• 1980: Iron Maiden
• 1981: Killers
• 1981: Maiden Japan
• 1982: The Number of the Beast
• 1983: Piece of Mind
• 1984: Powerslave
• 1986: Somewhere in Time
• 1988: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
• 1990: No Prayer for the Dying
• 1992: Fear of the Dark
• 1995: The X Factor
• 1998: Virtual XI
• 2000: Brave New World
• 2003: Dance of Death
• 2006: A Matter of Life and Death
• 2010: The Final Frontier
Guest appearances
• Hear 'n Aid (1985) – "Stars"
• Nicko McBrain (1991) - "Rhythm Of The Beast"
• Psycho Motel (1997) – "With You Again"
• Marshall 9200 Rack Power Amp (as backup for main heads)
Units and tuners
• Korg DRT1 Digital Tuner
• Peterson VSam Virtual Strobe Tuner
• Shure U4D UHF Wireless Unit
• Dunlop DCR-1SR Rack CryBaby Wah
• Custom-Built Pete Cornish Routing and Power Supply Units
• Marshall JMP-1 Valve Midi Preamp
• Mike Hill Custom Uni-Vibe/Tube Screamer Rack Effect Unit
• Rocktron All-Access Foot Controller
• TC Electronics GForce Effect Unit
Personal life
In his spare time, Murray is an avid golfer as seen in the Rock in Rio DVD. Murray and his wife Tamar have one daughter named Tasha (born 1991)
When not on tour, Murray resides in Hawaii.
Discography
Iron Maiden
• 1980: Iron Maiden
• 1981: Killers
• 1981: Maiden Japan
• 1982: The Number of the Beast
• 1983: Piece of Mind
• 1984: Powerslave
• 1986: Somewhere in Time
• 1988: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
• 1990: No Prayer for the Dying
• 1992: Fear of the Dark
• 1995: The X Factor
• 1998: Virtual XI
• 2000: Brave New World
• 2003: Dance of Death
• 2006: A Matter of Life and Death
• 2010: The Final Frontier
Guest appearances
• Hear 'n Aid (1985) – "Stars"
• Nicko McBrain (1991) - "Rhythm Of The Beast"
• Psycho Motel (1997) – "With You Again"
Posted in: Guitarists
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