Morphine

Formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1989, alternative rock trio Morphine was founded by former Treat Her Right singer/guitarist Mark Sandman along with saxophonist Dana Colley and drummer Jerome Deupree. The trio’s blend of blues, jazz, and alternative rock – accented by Mark Sandman’s low vocals and two-string slide bass - attracted a strong local following and began to attract national and international attention. In 1991, Deupree temporarily left the band for health reasons and was replaced by Sandman’s former Treat Her Right bandmate Billy Conway. Deupree rejoined the band in time for their 1991 debut album Good, which also featured Conway on a few tracks. With critical acclaim and interest at an all-time high, Morphine – once again with Conway back in the drum seat - signed with the Rykodisc label and released their Cure for Pain album in 1993. While not a ‘commercial’ success, the album was very successful in the independent and alternative music scenes, receiving critical acclaim from music journalists in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. After touring the album internationally, Morphine recorded and released their third album, Yes, in 1995. The group signed with DreamWorks Records and released Like Swimming, their major label debut, in 1997. Like their previous releases, the album was embraced by critics and indie / alternative rock fans but was not a huge commercial success. However, the group continued to expand their horizons and recorded their next album, The Night, in early 1999. On this album, both Conway and Deupree provided percussion and drums to the recordings. After the album was completed, Morphine went out on a European tour. While performing at the Nel Nome del Rock festival in Italy on July 3, 1999, Mark Sandman suffered a fatal heart attack on stage and was pronounced dead in the ambulance while en route to the hospital. As a group, Morphine ended with Sandman’s death. Six months later, the group’s fifth and final album, The Night, was released in February 2000. To honor the memory of their fallen bandmate, the group’s surviving members performed in numerous groups – including Orchestra Morphine, Members of Morphine, Vapors of Morphine and the Twinemen - in order to keep Mark Sandman’s musical legacy alive. Former Morphine drummer Billy Conway died on December 19, 2021.