My band did a support slot for them during the ‘yes’ tour, and will never forget Mark Sandman coming up on stage just to say ‘Hi’. Only time I can ever remember the singer from a headline band doing that. He was a very cool guy!
Woah fantastic memory to have made, good for you, i still hate myself for never seeing them live. He definitely seems like he was the epitome of cool. Gone way too soon, thank goodness he recorded constantly, so much great music has eeked out over the years from him, let alone his already prolific work with morphine and treat her right before that
My music teacher from elementary school was his sister. And she had him actually come to the school and give a talk to all of us. We were so into that album when it come out with early to bed.
The first time I heard "Cure for Pain" I was just smiling from ear to ear. That deep, bottomy sound was so unique and wonderful. Smoky and drippy all at the same time. Buena and A Head with Wings are killer. So bummed I never got to see them. Thanks for highlighting this ultra-cool band.
Being from Morphine’s hometown of Boston, I was extremely fortunate to have seen them many times throughout the years of their early career up to when they received the success they deserved. They are still one of my favorite bands to this day, and although I miss new music from them, I still feel very happy to have the music they produced in their somewhat short career. Damn, they were and are amazing. There will never be another band like them again. They were magical.
I still have a letter from them and “Like Swimming” stickers .. I wrote them a letter asking them to come through my city, and they sent me a typed letter explaining they were currently working on their European tour but would hopefully be back stateside the following year. RIP Sandman ♥️✨
I recall Mark Sandman once saying that when he was a kid, people would say he'd grow up to be a poet, and questioning "what kind of kid would make people say that?"
I found these guys when out riding my bike and there was a cd laying on the ground and I stopped to pick it up took it home and listened to it, hooked ever since.
Congratulations, you've finally covered a band with a unique sound. I hadn't heard of this band before, but unlike all the other bands I was unaware of, these guys are actually good. And their story is legitimately tragic.
Dana told me Sandman complained of pain in his arm the day before when they were hiking- it is very likely he had more than one heart attack. He never went to the doctor, chain smoked and lived on red meat. Oh and he rarely slept.
It's unfortunate that he didn't realize something was wrong. Some heart attack patients don't get any warning signs. While chest pain is the most common symptom, other signs can include shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, and pain in the arm, neck, or jaw.
Les Claypool has a "Sandman" sticker on his Shure Green Bullet microphone in tribute to Mark being the first person he saw using that particular harmonica microphone for vocals. It's still a mainstay part of Claypool's unique vocal sound to this day.
I grew up in Plymouth, MA and heard about Morphine in the mid-late 90's on WBCN's Boston Emissions program with the song Early to Bed and fell madly in love. I never had the opportunity to see them play live, but their albums are epic. RIP Sandman. ❤ Sidenote: Dana Colley's mom was my highschool chemistry teacher..at the end of the year, she gave a few Morphine CDs out to students; I was already a fan and remember being so awestruck that I knew the mom of the sax player of one of my favorite bands. The song, Dawna on Cure for Pain, was written for her ❤
I met Mark while he still had a band called Treat Her Right. He said he was visiting from Boston He was in Sonoma California checking out old buildings and one of the houses he came to was my parents. I told him that Treat Her Rght was a crummy name for a band. I told him this because it was too much to remember and not all women deserve to be treated right and he needed to come up with a one-word name that would stick in people's minds. He was in to esoteric lyrics and I had some which I gave him and he used. I did not find out about the band Morphine until after he had passed. I was at a sound man's house and he was playing Morphine on the stereo 2005. It sounded hauntingly familiar and there was no question that it was magnificent. Congratulations on your success Mark I'm sorry we didn't get to hang out a second time. Godspeed
Got to see them in 97. As amazing as they were on albums, they were INCREDIBLE live. Their sound and general showmanship was unreal. Boston had such an amazing music scene in the mid 80s to late 90s.
Yes, thank you for covering Morphine! Never heard a bad song from them, and you could feel that sax in your bones with every blow. Not to mention their rather amazing misanthropic, tortured prose.
A million thanks. One of the most underrated bands and musicians. Was lucky to see them live and then Orchestra Morphine who toured right after Mark's death. B/C of mark I have a 2 string bass.
Well done and researched. Sandman and Morphine were innovators not imitators. I believe because of their Jazz roots and and the musical taste of the times the record companies really didn't know what to do with them. Not surprising...certainly (unfortunately) not an exception. That being said, WE still have their music. After 3 decades Morphine is still in my rotation. I know that I'm not alone... Bueno.
Thanks for doing this. Morphine were one of my favourite bands & I was always telling people to check them out. Never got to see them live unfortunately. RIP Mark Sandman
First time listening all the way through an album, was passed out on the bathroom floor of a friends house in the middle of one of my worse stints with alcohol. A friend kept telling me to listen to them. I knew morphine was sad. Knew I’d be stuck on the floor for a while, and put cure for pain on. “I propose a toast to self control, you see it crawling helpless on the floor.” Cried for the whole 1 hour album down there on that bathroom floor. Nothing like morphine.
Seeing this today on my YT feed gave me instant chills. Saw them live and wore out their CDs. Was heartbroken (nearly as much as Strummer's passing) when he died all too soon. Thanks! Dave J
Easily one of my favorite bands. When I discovered their first album I played it on repeat for a few days. Totally unique sound within that whole 90's indie rock scene & really helped me grow to appreciate jazz and blues more as a teenager. Mark's death was a tragic loss for music IMO.
One thing you forgot to mention, was that Morphine was the first original band to ever sign to Ryko. Prior to that, Ryko was only a re-issue label, that was a really big deal!
Truth. Medeski Martin & Wood (Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc.) followed. The re-issues are definitely worth checking out. Ryko added B sides and acoustic versions at the end of most reissues. The Bowie collection alone is worth the time.
In 1997 I gave myself a birthday present by buying tickets for myself and three of my friends to a Morphine show at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis. One of the best birthdays of my life! The Wikipedia pages for the band and Mark Sandman have a picture taken from that show. I've had plenty of "I was there" moments in my life, but that one was by far the most meaningful!
I saw them around 95 or 96, I think. One of the best live shows ever. Never would have found out about them had it not been for the movie Spanking the Monkey. Well, I probably I would have...but it would have been a few more years down the road.
@@gnussyflarkin a girl i knew brought me there. She was really into boston local bands. They blew me away. Really great energy. Also saw bosstones in the clubs back then too
So glad I was able to see them live at Horde Fest 97' in Portland Oregon. The whole place was going nuts for them. Never heard anything like it before. Miss these guys
So glad to see Morphine featured in a vid! My band did a zoom event with Dana and Jerome earlier this year! We love morphine. I play a two string slide bass in our contemporary Low Rock band! We love Morphine!
Thank you so much for doing this one! The numbers of comments clearly shows a big interest in the band. I discovered the channel now and subscribed immediately. Keep up the good work!
My friend introduced me to Morphine right after Cure for Pain came out. Amazing track and an even better album. Thanks for profiling one of the best bands ever!
Saw Morphine live back in 1994 at the Reading festival , I was just 17years old and it was a such a great show. ...was a huge shock when he passed so suddenly 😢
This reminds me of a good friend and college roommate who - way, way back in the day - absolutely adored Morphine. Were it not for him, I wouldn't have heard of them. Hearing their tunes and about them always reminds me of him.
I’m in my 70s and Morphine was one of my contemporaries. We had the best bands in the whole country in Boston/Cambridge, MA. Those decades will probably never be repeated.
Best band of all time. Treat Her Right was also pure genius. Morphine was a band that should‘ve existed in some alternate universe 1950s and been bigger than Elvis. It‘s all the best parts of early rock, jazz, and blues distilled into the finest liquor, with little neon angels twinkling at the exit signs when you drink. Some artists you envy for their success, but for this crew you are simply grateful that someone, somehow, did it all the right way.
I'm so happy U did this!! My only corrections would be that he grew up in Newton, not Cambridge (the same town as my dad, also in the 50's and 60's..they might've played together, since my dad used to play with the members of Boston as a rhythm guitarist/backup singer..when they were "Mother's Milk")..also, he was stabbed in the chest in Cambridge, not Boston. He is one of my greatest inspirations (and the same level of genius as Jack Kerouac, who also died at age 47 in Lowell, MA..check out the Morphine song "Keouac"). Also, Les Claypool (Primus) uses a bullet mic with the word "SANDMAN" written on it (because Mark got a bullet mic at a junk yard, and used it next to his regular mic, like Les). Les said he always appreciated how Mark would "try to do things differently". I love both of them for that. RIP Sandman.
Another band I forgot about! The radio station I listened to growing up in Detroit used to play "I think she likes me" a lot. Thanks for knocking that memory loose.
Morphine- Cure for Pain was the first CD I ever bought in that medium (tapes and records before that) and I've ended up buying it 3 times as its been borrowed and not returned or literally stolen from my room at various times. Such a great group!
I think I've bought that one twice, and Like Swimming a few times as well. Cure for Pain might not of been my first CD, but it was one of the first I had for my fancy new CD player 🤣
You forgot to mention the twinemen, the members of morphine and Laurie Sargent started to play morpgine songs and new material. The band is even named after drawings mark sandman did of people made of twine. Morphine was an amazing experience and band.
About time I saw something related to Morphine. Favourite of all time, listen to them and you couldn’t put an era or a decade in their music, sounded out of this wide. Mark Sandman as a Bassist was ridiculously underrated as Was Dana, Jerome and Billy. He made his bass cry.
Its my favorite album, I dont know what the hell they're talking about. Theres not a song on that album that I ever feel like not listening to, I just put on Lilah/Potion and let it run. Music like most things is subjective and polarizing. Just because a bunch of critics say something isnt good, doesnt mean people will actually dislike it.
discovered these guys 4 years ago, I was 10 or so when they were big so I hadn't discovered amidst the grunge. Favorite morphine songs: whisper, cure for pain, rope on fire, patience, I'm free now, candy, take me with you. Made a best of on Spotify called "it's morphine time" Mark Sandman has a song called cocoon that's awesome and you can only find it on TH-cam. Treat her right was his first group and they had 2 songs i like: women are dogs which really echoes today..still and I think she likes me. Give them all a listen find what you like, and enjoy
I'm not crying.. you're crying 😢 Mark.was an absolutely amazing lyricist and Dana was the best saz I have ever heard in my life and I'm a music junkie.. sad we didn't get more Morphine 💔
Love this band. Surprised their music has never popped up in a David Lynch project.... My biggest fear, if I let go, you'll come and get me in my sleeeeeep 👊
I left Boston for Colorado before Morphine became a thing, but saw Mark and Treat Her Right many times. They were stripped down, rootsy, soulful, and just like nothing else in the then very robust music scene in Boston.
So, you’ve got a few things wrong. Mark had a band BEFORE Treat Her Right, it was called Sandman. Also, when Mark, Dana and Jerome started playing together, Mark had the name. He did NOT wait until they played a few gigs. ALSO, one of the spin off bands is call HYPNOSONICS, NOT HYPERSONICS. (Come on, a little research would have cleared that up). Also, the credit on the photo for Orchestra Morphine is misspelled. If you want to contribute to the history of Morphine, check the facts. Ask me how I know, my hubby is Jerome. I was there from the beginning. Also, you mentioned Jerome as the drummer, which is true. He was on Good, Cure For Pain and the Night. You failed to mention that Billy Conway took over the drumseat when Jerome left the band after recording Cure For Pain.
Seems like the guy doesn't do much research on any band he covers. A lot of his videos have misinformation in them. It's irritating that he doesn't do much research and releases a half-assed video.
I thought it was SO cool when Jerome was able to come back to the band before Mark's passing. In the 90s I didn't know he left due to illness, I just figured they changed drummers. I have a tattoo of Mark's 2 string bass with the words "Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave"
I literally dug 'A Cure For Pain' out of my CD collection a couple of weeks ago and listened to it for the first time in over a decade. What odd timing.
Back in the 1990s and 2000s I listened to a now long gone radio station called WFNX (101.7 FM). A number of their DJs and their News guy were personal friends with Mark, being one of the first stations to play his songs. Most of them went to his funeral, they met hi PSYCHOLOGIST there. You missed what happened. They found out he has a shrink then, with his family. He truly did not do drugs. Chose a psychologist over a psychiatrist so he wouldn't be drugged. Something about his creativity is stunted if even existing on drugs. wouldn't even do over the counter drugs. Turns out he had mania. (no depression, just manic episodes) His was the worst case ever. so instead of a week or two without sleep then months before the next bout, he was lucky to go less than a month in manic state or have more than a month before returning to one. This all came out in an impromptu and poorly recorded interview the news guy did on site. Mania is not just going without sleep, it's never actually tiring. something every army in the history of the world has experimented with. It wreaks havoc on your circulatory system. Mania often leads to heart attacks. In his case it's the probable cause of the heart attack.
Here is 1 last thing. Central Sq in Cambridge was renamed MARK SANDMAN SQ with a big plaque, maybe it's a statue. I lived there till 2002. Mark was at the Middle East every night stopped in while i rode my bike home
I adored their music and I was lucky enough to see them at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT. I was concerned about Sandman though as he had bags under his eyes and he was sweating profusely. I honestly thought he might drop dead on stage that night in 1995. It made me a bit nervous to watch him but all 3 of them delivered a concert for the ages.
The bands were the HYPNOsonics and the Pale Brothers (no “Country” in the name). Also, THR and morphine did exist at the same time for a few years. You also failed to mention the THR had a major label deal which is what got sandman so jaded about the business.
Such a great band. I found Cure for Pain at the library and was blown away. I used to work in a record store and everytime I played it, people would ask "Who is this?"
There is a bittersweet lyric by Sandman about the surviving members moving on as Morphine... "I lost everything I had, I'm starting over from scratch." 😢
Mark Sandman’s mother wrote a book called “Four Minus Three.” It the tragic story of not only Mark’s death but her other two sons. Great book if anyone’s interested.
Its worth fleshing out the story of Treat Her Right by pointing out that their single written by Mark Sandman "I Think She Likes Me" did get some MTV airplay, both in specialty shows and general hours. In 1986 this was one of the few ways to get national exposure, a big deal indeed. The album Treat Her Right is also notable for the splitting of song writing duties between its members. As such the album is incredibly uneven track to track with Sandman already finding the darker "noir rock" style he would expand in Morphine. Treat Her Right would also end up in the movie game with their cover of Corky Jones' "Rhythm and Booze" appearing in the Hangover (2009). Corky Jones happened to be the pseudonym Buck Owens used to release rockabilly records
I have had this band as my favorite band for years . A unique sound thank no one else has ever had or done . Mark was blessed to play his two string bass and phenomenal artists.
Lived in Boston in the 90s and saw them live at least a dozen times between 94 - 97 mostly at the Middle East in Cambridge. Such a great time, such a great band, and such a sad ending.
I went to see Morphine live in St Pete, Florida. Did NOT disappoint. So many people never knew this legend and I introduced the late to so many people. I play morphine when I cook and clean the house from time to time.. and with my windows down and driving. Morphine (the band only) will forever be in my blood.
Saw Morphine in St Kilda Melbourne Australia. 40 years later all my mates still recall that night. The Sandman Tritar was unique and the drummer and sax player were brilliant.
I was hoping you'd get around to covering Morphine, and I really enjoy how you tell their story. There's a small but important tip, though, when it comes to the transition from Treat Her Right to Morphine. Treat Her Right wasn't simply a live band only, which you seemed to imply by referring to them as "a group which threw in occasional pop tunes amongst their blues-based setlist." It's understandable that the primary focus should be on Morphine for this video, but just for reference, Treat Her Right actually released three albums - Treat Her Right (1986), Tied to the Tracks (1989), and What's Good for You (1991) and they were guitar-based. The thing to note is that in Treat Her Right, as well as Mark's other previous bands, he always seemed to be experimental. He'd generally use unconventional string arrangements on his guitars - using fewer strings, or combining different string types on one guitar. Then, once putting together Morphine, he'd switch to bass and use a similar experimental approach. Awesome job otherwise. I was unaware of Mark's collaboration with Chris Ballew, and it isn't even mentioned in the band's documentary, so that's great that you also made mention of that. I really like how your videos flow these days, and you've always shown tremendous improvement with each. Keep rocking and I'm definitely looking forward to who you cover next!
On the Treat Her Right album Sandman was credited with playing "low guitar," which I understood to mean that he played primarily the bass notes on a regular guitar.
Got to see them a couple of times at the 40 Watt in Athens between 94-96. Hypnotizing music. The sax, bass, and drum thing was a really cool concept for the time. Super dark, but upbeat in a way. Interesting music to say the least. I was really bummed when I heard Mark died. Tragic.
Another fan request down. Several people requested this band. Here’s the video on potusa
th-cam.com/video/Z-t6VKMRl3w/w-d-xo.html
Will you get around to Wayne Static and Static X?
What happened to the band Pavement?
I'm pleasantly surprised with this one 👍
@J. C. its probably a copyright thing
@J. C. I use stock footage because of copyright I’ve had some angry photographers email me over using photos
You should have released this on a Thursday, Thursday, Thursday in the afternoon.
For a couple of beers.. and a game of pool
It would be real cool.
Touche
Something something, go to school
Hilarious
Criminally underrated band, no one ever, has played bass like Mark Sandman.
This
Like with 2 strings? Sure, I’ll give you that one.
Or saxophone like Dana. The two together made for some of the most seductive and haunting music ever written.
@@ATrain11267 with soul
just to add to the conversation, vern rumsey takes the cake
My band did a support slot for them during the ‘yes’ tour, and will never forget Mark Sandman coming up on stage just to say ‘Hi’. Only time I can ever remember the singer from a headline band doing that. He was a very cool guy!
Woah fantastic memory to have made, good for you, i still hate myself for never seeing them live. He definitely seems like he was the epitome of cool. Gone way too soon, thank goodness he recorded constantly, so much great music has eeked out over the years from him, let alone his already prolific work with morphine and treat her right before that
What was your band called?
@@jacobbelyea7945 Musket. We supported them at the Prince of Wales in Melbourne.
Amazing ' now that's what I call a cherished memory'
@@jacobbelyea7945 Foo Fighters
My music teacher from elementary school was his sister. And she had him actually come to the school and give a talk to all of us. We were so into that album when it come out with early to bed.
Wow!
WOW!!!!!!!!!
that's awesome
Awesome!
The first time I heard "Cure for Pain" I was just smiling from ear to ear. That deep, bottomy sound was so unique and wonderful. Smoky and drippy all at the same time. Buena and A Head with Wings are killer. So bummed I never got to see them. Thanks for highlighting this ultra-cool band.
Same. That’s one of my top 10 deserted island albums. It just doesn’t get old.
Whisky bar music
Being from Morphine’s hometown of Boston, I was extremely fortunate to have seen them many times throughout the years of their early career up to when they received the success they deserved. They are still one of my favorite bands to this day, and although I miss new music from them, I still feel very happy to have the music they produced in their somewhat short career. Damn, they were and are amazing. There will never be another band like them again. They were magical.
I still have a letter from them and “Like Swimming” stickers .. I wrote them a letter asking them to come through my city, and they sent me a typed letter explaining they were currently working on their European tour but would hopefully be back stateside the following year.
RIP Sandman ♥️✨
Awesome! Great story!
Morphine was one of the best, underrated bands of the 90's. They made a lot of great music in an unfortunately short time.
The sound/tone of Mark's two string slide bass is one of my favorite sounds ever
It’s an addictive tone.
This band blows me away. A Sax player that can play 2 at once, a 2 string bass. A bare drum kit. A baritone voice. They were awesome. RIP Sandman.
I recall Mark Sandman once saying that when he was a kid, people would say he'd grow up to be a poet, and questioning "what kind of kid would make people say that?"
I found these guys when out riding my bike and there was a cd laying on the ground and I stopped to pick it up took it home and listened to it, hooked ever since.
Congratulations, you've finally covered a band with a unique sound. I hadn't heard of this band before, but unlike all the other bands I was unaware of, these guys are actually good. And their story is legitimately tragic.
Just learning of Morphine? Congrats and I'm almost a little jealous of your ears and soul.
Dana told me Sandman complained of pain in his arm the day before when they were hiking- it is very likely he had more than one heart attack. He never went to the doctor, chain smoked and lived on red meat. Oh and he rarely slept.
It's unfortunate that he didn't realize something was wrong. Some heart attack patients don't get any warning signs. While chest pain is the most common symptom, other signs can include shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, and pain in the arm, neck, or jaw.
"The more you try to disguise your real feelings, the more they come out" Wow, that is FACTS.
Les Claypool has a "Sandman" sticker on his Shure Green Bullet microphone in tribute to Mark being the first person he saw using that particular harmonica microphone for vocals. It's still a mainstay part of Claypool's unique vocal sound to this day.
The best any band can hope for is to have a (good) distinctive sound that stands out from others. Morphine had that in spades. R.I.P. Sandman.
I grew up in Plymouth, MA and heard about Morphine in the mid-late 90's on WBCN's Boston Emissions program with the song Early to Bed and fell madly in love. I never had the opportunity to see them play live, but their albums are epic. RIP Sandman. ❤
Sidenote: Dana Colley's mom was my highschool chemistry teacher..at the end of the year, she gave a few Morphine CDs out to students; I was already a fan and remember being so awestruck that I knew the mom of the sax player of one of my favorite bands. The song, Dawna on Cure for Pain, was written for her ❤
I met Mark while he still had a band called Treat Her Right. He said he was visiting from Boston He was in Sonoma California checking out old buildings and one of the houses he came to was my parents. I told him that Treat Her Rght was a crummy name for a band. I told him this because it was too much to remember and not all women deserve to be treated right and he needed to come up with a one-word name that would stick in people's minds. He was in to esoteric lyrics and I had some which I gave him and he used. I did not find out about the band Morphine until after he had passed. I was at a sound man's house and he was playing Morphine on the stereo 2005. It sounded hauntingly familiar and there was no question that it was magnificent. Congratulations on your success Mark I'm sorry we didn't get to hang out a second time. Godspeed
Got to see them in 97. As amazing as they were on albums, they were INCREDIBLE live. Their sound and general showmanship was unreal. Boston had such an amazing music scene in the mid 80s to late 90s.
Yes, thank you for covering Morphine! Never heard a bad song from them, and you could feel that sax in your bones with every blow. Not to mention their rather amazing misanthropic, tortured prose.
A million thanks. One of the most underrated bands and musicians. Was lucky to see them live and then Orchestra Morphine who toured right after Mark's death. B/C of mark I have a 2 string bass.
Lol ur just too cheap to buy new strings. Jk lol
@@lucyfuir6386 I spend all my money on my upright bass strings :)
@@I.O.M. did you have to take a loan? Those are thousands a piece lol
Well done and researched. Sandman and Morphine were innovators not imitators. I believe because of their Jazz roots and and the musical taste of the times the record companies really didn't know what to do with them. Not surprising...certainly (unfortunately) not an exception. That being said, WE still have their music. After 3 decades Morphine is still in my rotation. I know that I'm not alone...
Bueno.
Thanks for doing this. Morphine were one of my favourite bands & I was always telling people to check them out. Never got to see them live unfortunately. RIP Mark Sandman
Morphine has been with me in the best and worst times of my life. Cure For Pain is pure Masterpiece. PLAY LOUD
Cure For Pain is one those few albums that I can listen to all the songs without skipping one track.
Thanks for finally getting around to this story. This was a great band and a great idea that neve got to fully live out it's potential.
Thanks for putting this out. Gone but not forgotten. Hope to hear more from the rest of the band some day. So unique. So talented.
First time listening all the way through an album, was passed out on the bathroom floor of a friends house in the middle of one of my worse stints with alcohol. A friend kept telling me to listen to them. I knew morphine was sad. Knew I’d be stuck on the floor for a while, and put cure for pain on. “I propose a toast to self control, you see it crawling helpless on the floor.” Cried for the whole 1 hour album down there on that bathroom floor. Nothing like morphine.
Seeing this today on my YT feed gave me instant chills. Saw them live and wore out their CDs. Was heartbroken (nearly as much as Strummer's passing) when he died all too soon. Thanks! Dave J
Easily one of my favorite bands. When I discovered their first album I played it on repeat for a few days. Totally unique sound within that whole 90's indie rock scene & really helped me grow to appreciate jazz and blues more as a teenager. Mark's death was a tragic loss for music IMO.
One thing you forgot to mention, was that Morphine was the first original band to ever sign to Ryko. Prior to that, Ryko was only a re-issue label, that was a really big deal!
Truth. Medeski Martin & Wood (Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc.) followed. The re-issues are definitely worth checking out. Ryko added B sides and acoustic versions at the end of most reissues. The Bowie collection alone is worth the time.
I have LOVED this band from the git go..LONG LIVE MORPHINE
Fun fact Les Claypool still uses Marks mic 🤘😎
I was looking to see if someone posted about Les and the bullet mic. He's definitely a big admirer of Mark's work🤘
I Interviewed Mark Sandman about six months before he passed for a radio station, nice guy, very friendly. Amazing band and great live too!
In 1997 I gave myself a birthday present by buying tickets for myself and three of my friends to a Morphine show at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis. One of the best birthdays of my life! The Wikipedia pages for the band and Mark Sandman have a picture taken from that show. I've had plenty of "I was there" moments in my life, but that one was by far the most meaningful!
Something tells me you can read my mind. I've been listening to Morphine this morning for the first time in at least a couple of years.
Your brain is calling to me one more time.
Don't forget Sandman's gritty vocals.
Damn, I miss him.
I saw Morphine live front row outside at Central Sq. In Cambridge Mass, I think it was 93. It was a culture flea market event.
I saw them around 95 or 96, I think. One of the best live shows ever. Never would have found out about them had it not been for the movie Spanking the Monkey. Well, I probably I would have...but it would have been a few more years down the road.
@@gnussyflarkin a girl i knew brought me there. She was really into boston local bands. They blew me away. Really great energy. Also saw bosstones in the clubs back then too
So glad I was able to see them live at Horde Fest 97' in Portland Oregon. The whole place was going nuts for them. Never heard anything like it before. Miss these guys
So glad to see Morphine featured in a vid! My band did a zoom event with Dana and Jerome earlier this year! We love morphine. I play a two string slide bass in our contemporary Low Rock band! We love Morphine!
Thank you so much for doing this one! The numbers of comments clearly shows a big interest in the band. I discovered the channel now and subscribed immediately. Keep up the good work!
My friend introduced me to Morphine right after Cure for Pain came out. Amazing track and an even better album. Thanks for profiling one of the best bands ever!
Thank you for posting this important story. Morphine were a unique band and more people should know this.
Can we get a video on Soul Coughing please? They were cool to see live back then.
Saw Morphine live back in 1994 at the Reading festival , I was just 17years old and it was a such a great show. ...was a huge shock when he passed so suddenly 😢
This reminds me of a good friend and college roommate who - way, way back in the day - absolutely adored Morphine. Were it not for him, I wouldn't have heard of them. Hearing their tunes and about them always reminds me of him.
I’m in my 70s and Morphine was one of my contemporaries. We had the best bands in the whole country in Boston/Cambridge, MA. Those decades will probably never be repeated.
Morphine is one of those bands that just sticks in your psyche and doesn’t leave.
“Like Swimming” has to grow on you, it is a great album. Saw them at House of Blues New Orleans in ‘97, epic.
Best band of all time. Treat Her Right was also pure genius.
Morphine was a band that should‘ve existed in some alternate universe 1950s and been bigger than Elvis.
It‘s all the best parts of early rock, jazz, and blues distilled into the finest liquor, with little neon angels twinkling at the exit signs when you drink.
Some artists you envy for their success, but for this crew you are simply grateful that someone, somehow, did it all the right way.
Wow, how did I miss this amazing band?? Sweet vid 🤘🏼🤍
Thanks for always posting these stories ❤👍
I'm so happy U did this!! My only corrections would be that he grew up in Newton, not Cambridge (the same town as my dad, also in the 50's and 60's..they might've played together, since my dad used to play with the members of Boston as a rhythm guitarist/backup singer..when they were "Mother's Milk")..also, he was stabbed in the chest in Cambridge, not Boston. He is one of my greatest inspirations (and the same level of genius as Jack Kerouac, who also died at age 47 in Lowell, MA..check out the Morphine song "Keouac"). Also, Les Claypool (Primus) uses a bullet mic with the word "SANDMAN" written on it (because Mark got a bullet mic at a junk yard, and used it next to his regular mic, like Les). Les said he always appreciated how Mark would "try to do things differently". I love both of them for that. RIP Sandman.
This video is perfectly timed for me. I have been listening to Morphine for the last 2 weeks!
Finally a video on Morphine. Great and massively underappreciated band.
I saw them on the Hoard Tour in 95 on the side stage. They completely blew my mind and mesmerized me.
Love Morphine. Such a cool band with a great catalogue. Would've loved to see them. RIP to the Sandman.
If you're gonna do Morphine, could you please do Treat Her Right?
Another band I forgot about! The radio station I listened to growing up in Detroit used to play "I think she likes me" a lot. Thanks for knocking that memory loose.
Morphine- Cure for Pain was the first CD I ever bought in that medium (tapes and records before that) and I've ended up buying it 3 times as its been borrowed and not returned or literally stolen from my room at various times. Such a great group!
Mine went missing a few times also 🤔
I think I've bought that one twice, and Like Swimming a few times as well. Cure for Pain might not of been my first CD, but it was one of the first I had for my fancy new CD player 🤣
You forgot to mention the twinemen, the members of morphine and Laurie Sargent started to play morpgine songs and new material. The band is even named after drawings mark sandman did of people made of twine. Morphine was an amazing experience and band.
still one of my favorite bands ever. They had such a distinct sound
About time I saw something related to Morphine.
Favourite of all time, listen to them and you couldn’t put an era or a decade in their music, sounded out of this wide.
Mark Sandman as a Bassist was ridiculously underrated as Was Dana, Jerome and Billy.
He made his bass cry.
Thanks for the wind down of my most favorite band in my teen’s. Rope on fire
One of my favorite bands of all time, and anyone that is unsatisfied with Like Swimming is a lightweight chump stain. That's an amazing album.
Its my favorite album, I dont know what the hell they're talking about. Theres not a song on that album that I ever feel like not listening to, I just put on Lilah/Potion and let it run.
Music like most things is subjective and polarizing. Just because a bunch of critics say something isnt good, doesnt mean people will actually dislike it.
discovered these guys 4 years ago, I was 10 or so when they were big so I hadn't discovered amidst the grunge. Favorite morphine songs: whisper, cure for pain, rope on fire, patience, I'm free now, candy, take me with you. Made a best of on Spotify called "it's morphine time"
Mark Sandman has a song called cocoon that's awesome and you can only find it on TH-cam. Treat her right was his first group and they had 2 songs i like: women are dogs which really echoes today..still and I think she likes me. Give them all a listen find what you like, and enjoy
I'm not crying.. you're crying 😢 Mark.was an absolutely amazing lyricist and Dana was the best saz I have ever heard in my life and I'm a music junkie.. sad we didn't get more Morphine 💔
one of the most original rock bands of all time
One of the the most under rated bands of the 90s. They should have been a lot bigger then they were.
Love this band. Surprised their music has never popped up in a David Lynch project....
My biggest fear, if I let go, you'll come and get me in my sleeeeeep 👊
Excellent, awesome, thank you.
I left Boston for Colorado before Morphine became a thing, but saw Mark and Treat Her Right many times. They were stripped down, rootsy, soulful, and just like nothing else in the then very robust music scene in Boston.
Finally! Dusting off my Morphine records now! Great job!
So, you’ve got a few things wrong. Mark had a band BEFORE Treat Her Right, it was called Sandman. Also, when Mark, Dana and Jerome started playing together, Mark had the name. He did NOT wait until they played a few gigs. ALSO, one of the spin off bands is call HYPNOSONICS, NOT HYPERSONICS. (Come on, a little research would have cleared that up). Also, the credit on the photo for Orchestra Morphine is misspelled. If you want to contribute to the history of Morphine, check the facts. Ask me how I know, my hubby is Jerome. I was there from the beginning. Also, you mentioned Jerome as the drummer, which is true. He was on Good, Cure For Pain and the Night. You failed to mention that Billy Conway took over the drumseat when Jerome left the band after recording Cure For Pain.
Seems like the guy doesn't do much research on any band he covers. A lot of his videos have misinformation in them. It's irritating that he doesn't do much research and releases a half-assed video.
I thought it was SO cool when Jerome was able to come back to the band before Mark's passing. In the 90s I didn't know he left due to illness, I just figured they changed drummers.
I have a tattoo of Mark's 2 string bass with the words "Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave"
The typos kinda bug me too. They seem like a symptom of the rushed-out production.
@@GreasySwayzehe ripped his intro from loud wire, this channel is a sham
@@Psych21 yeah, I unsubbed from the channel shortly after making my comment lmao
Heard them play at the opera House in Toronto back in the day.
They've been one of my favorite bands ever since.
Such an amazing band!
I literally dug 'A Cure For Pain' out of my CD collection a couple of weeks ago and listened to it for the first time in over a decade. What odd timing.
One of the most unique bands ever, and in my opinion..up there in the top 5 bands of the 90s. Cure for Pain is timeless. What a great band.
Back in the 1990s and 2000s I listened to a now long gone radio station called WFNX (101.7 FM). A number of their DJs and their News guy were personal friends with Mark, being one of the first stations to play his songs. Most of them went to his funeral, they met hi PSYCHOLOGIST there. You missed what happened. They found out he has a shrink then, with his family. He truly did not do drugs. Chose a psychologist over a psychiatrist so he wouldn't be drugged. Something about his creativity is stunted if even existing on drugs. wouldn't even do over the counter drugs. Turns out he had mania. (no depression, just manic episodes) His was the worst case ever. so instead of a week or two without sleep then months before the next bout, he was lucky to go less than a month in manic state or have more than a month before returning to one. This all came out in an impromptu and poorly recorded interview the news guy did on site. Mania is not just going without sleep, it's never actually tiring. something every army in the history of the world has experimented with. It wreaks havoc on your circulatory system. Mania often leads to heart attacks. In his case it's the probable cause of the heart attack.
Here is 1 last thing. Central Sq in Cambridge was renamed MARK SANDMAN SQ with a big plaque, maybe it's a statue. I lived there till 2002. Mark was at the Middle East every night stopped in while i rode my bike home
I adored their music and I was lucky enough to see them at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT.
I was concerned about Sandman though as he had bags under his eyes and he was sweating profusely. I honestly thought he might drop dead on stage that night in 1995. It made me a bit nervous to watch him but all 3 of them delivered a concert for the ages.
The bands were the HYPNOsonics and the Pale Brothers (no “Country” in the name). Also, THR and morphine did exist at the same time for a few years. You also failed to mention the THR had a major label deal which is what got sandman so jaded about the business.
A friend played for me "Super sex" and was blown away. Loved the low end sound of the band. It was the type of band that truly was alternative.
Such a great band. I found Cure for Pain at the library and was blown away. I used to work in a record store and everytime I played it, people would ask "Who is this?"
There is a bittersweet lyric by Sandman about the surviving members moving on as Morphine...
"I lost everything I had, I'm starting over from scratch."
😢
Mark Sandman’s mother wrote a book called “Four Minus Three.” It the tragic story of not only Mark’s death but her other two sons. Great book if anyone’s interested.
Still listen to them to this day. The name of the band was off putting at first but the music takes me to a calm place. Makes me feel classy gangster
Its worth fleshing out the story of Treat Her Right by pointing out that their single written by Mark Sandman "I Think She Likes Me" did get some MTV airplay, both in specialty shows and general hours. In 1986 this was one of the few ways to get national exposure, a big deal indeed. The album Treat Her Right is also notable for the splitting of song writing duties between its members. As such the album is incredibly uneven track to track with Sandman already finding the darker "noir rock" style he would expand in Morphine.
Treat Her Right would also end up in the movie game with their cover of Corky Jones' "Rhythm and Booze" appearing in the Hangover (2009). Corky Jones happened to be the pseudonym Buck Owens used to release rockabilly records
I have had this band as my favorite band for years . A unique sound thank no one else has ever had or done . Mark was blessed to play his two string bass and phenomenal artists.
Lived in Boston in the 90s and saw them live at least a dozen times between 94 - 97 mostly at the Middle East in Cambridge. Such a great time, such a great band, and such a sad ending.
Great video. I need to see more morphine content
Bootleg Detroit is one of the best live albums ever! Totally eclipses their studio output.
Awesome, I’m going to have to check this out. I’m a huge fan and never heard of this one.
th-cam.com/video/SXS5uvEgjQ0/w-d-xo.html
It really is a great live album i agree!
It's great but it totally does not at all
What a really great band. I still listen to them. They were one of a kind. Tragic end.
Loved the this band so much, Cure for Pain was on repeat for five or six days when I first bought it! 🏴
I went to see Morphine live in St Pete, Florida. Did NOT disappoint.
So many people never knew this legend and I introduced the late to so many people.
I play morphine when I cook and clean the house from time to time.. and with my windows down and driving.
Morphine (the band only) will forever be in my blood.
“The Night” is my favorite song by them 🖤
Awesome!! Did not see that coming..
Saw Morphine in St Kilda Melbourne Australia. 40 years later all my mates still recall that night. The Sandman Tritar was unique and the drummer and sax player were brilliant.
I was hoping you'd get around to covering Morphine, and I really enjoy how you tell their story. There's a small but important tip, though, when it comes to the transition from Treat Her Right to Morphine.
Treat Her Right wasn't simply a live band only, which you seemed to imply by referring to them as "a group which threw in occasional pop tunes amongst their blues-based setlist." It's understandable that the primary focus should be on Morphine for this video, but just for reference, Treat Her Right actually released three albums - Treat Her Right (1986), Tied to the Tracks (1989), and What's Good for You (1991) and they were guitar-based. The thing to note is that in Treat Her Right, as well as Mark's other previous bands, he always seemed to be experimental. He'd generally use unconventional string arrangements on his guitars - using fewer strings, or combining different string types on one guitar. Then, once putting together Morphine, he'd switch to bass and use a similar experimental approach.
Awesome job otherwise. I was unaware of Mark's collaboration with Chris Ballew, and it isn't even mentioned in the band's documentary, so that's great that you also made mention of that. I really like how your videos flow these days, and you've always shown tremendous improvement with each. Keep rocking and I'm definitely looking forward to who you cover next!
On the Treat Her Right album Sandman was credited with playing "low guitar," which I understood to mean that he played primarily the bass notes on a regular guitar.
Got to see them a couple of times at the 40 Watt in Athens between 94-96. Hypnotizing music. The sax, bass, and drum thing was a really cool concept for the time. Super dark, but upbeat in a way. Interesting music to say the least. I was really bummed when I heard Mark died. Tragic.
Saw them once in 94 on the HORDE tour in Philly. Bro was playing 2 giant saxophones at the same time.
Saw them live twice in Pittsburgh in the mid to late 90s. Good memories