Alan Murphy Top Solos

Here's a little video of my favorite solos from one of my favorite musician Alan Murphy (1953-1989).
Gear used:1985 Aria RS series, Vox Tonelab SE, Apollo Twin, Logic.
Go West - Haunted (1985)
Level 42 - Man (1988)
Level 42 - Heaven In My Hands (1988)
Mike & The Mechanics - Silent Running (1985)

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

Alan was the guitarist of the 80s! Level 42 are the band of the 80s!

[@Generalbas1972]

Awesome tribute. Alan Murphy was a true master on the guitar and porbably one of the most underrated guitarrist of all time. His tone, his licks, his technique and his choice of notes were so unique - really miss his playing

[@nbrunel]

Thanks! Yes Alan was amazing, truly miss him.

I've played guitar for more than 50 years, reared on Hendrix, Blackmore, Page, Clapton, Beck, Bill Nelson, Bryan May, van Halen, Vai, Satriani and other electric guitar virtuosi and I have had an absolutely enormous amount of pleasure listening to them all, but none more so than Alan Murphy. The extended songs and solos on Bangs and Crashes, for example, are wonderful and no song tops Innocence for me. Sfx, Kate Bush, Go West, Level 42, Mike and the Mechanics, he improved and made significant contributions whomever he worked with. 35 was no age. In common with the most outstanding, I can tell his playing in the first few notes. Well done Nicolas and thank you. Barry McMurdock

[@justinelliott7136]

I didn't know Alan played the Mike & Mechanics solo. All solo's very well played. I'm sure Alan's clapping from above. Superb! RIP Alan, may he never be forgotten.

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Justin!

[@drwheycooler8423]

He did...and if you listen to the "long" version he really tears at the end. His ambiance in that entire song is just amazing. Even more amazing is this guy covering it! Mike Rutherford should have brought him on tour with him just so he could rip this solo...as he (Rutherford) can't even come close...!

[@peterdarker1]

Neither did I

[@stratplayr6997]

Murphy's playing on Level 42's "Heaven in My Hands" is one of my favorites - just scorching!!

[@andreetje1964]

Heaven in my hands level 42 Kate bush live Alain was sooo good Love your tribute

[@danielpalmersofficial]

Alan Murphy as a guitar legend, definitely top of my list. 😀👍

[@petewoodroffemusic]

Great playing! Thank you Pete Woodroffe Music UK

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Pete!

[@bern207]

Good job. Sounds great. I was very lucky to see Alan play a few times, twice with Go West, twice with Level 42. He is still missed.

[@nbrunel]

Thank you! Indeed you were, I wish I could have seen him live. Monster player!

[@markdennis6464]

Alan Murphy in my humble opinion is STILL one of the best, creative emotive, inventive, fluid, electric guitarists there has no one better to this day. Yes tons of 'flash n fast' guys, but guitar playing is more than that! Loved to have heard Alan play the acoustic! Nice playing from yourself Nicholas, you have captured his style, sounds & tones really well :0)

[@mickmoorhouse9834]

For me Alan was as unique and individual as say Jeff Beck, Brian May, EVH .....his own sound , instantly recognizable and a fluid, lyrical, exquisite magical talent ....sorely sorely missed RIP :-(

[@nbrunel]

Thank you for your comment. Alan is a true hero of mine.

[@macpdm]

Couple songs I didn’t know Alan played on. I at least got to see him with Level 42 in the eighties. He was also bloody awesome with Go West. Anyway great tribute 👍

[@ianweldon9355]

Great tribute to a jaw dropping guitarist!

[@jeff-lewisthomas7427]

Brilliant bit of guitaring. Hell of a tribute to Alan Murphy. Level 42 Man is epic. Nice one-keep them coming.

[@dnjxx4845]

Great job, Alan Murphy was a awesome player Rip,

[@nbrunel]

Thank you!

[@maxmilligan8734]

Great playing, I saw Alan when he was touring Music shops demoing Fender guitars. Mind blowing chops and Felix Krish on Bass playing along with a Revox tape backing track. Fender Super Champ for the lead work. Awesome tone and feel. RIP Alan

[@mlx1639]

Fantastic - spot on! Tone, timing and phrasing perfect - a great tribute.

[@jaeden2806]

Top job man, what a superb player taken way too soon.

[@dtt1373]

Great tribute to a guitar master;

[@tommyburnhamsmusic]

Yeah man this is class. I'm gonna learn all these. need to strat term set up[

[@dougstephens328]

Brilliant video. I may have commented before but it’s popped up in my feed again and it’s still fantastic. Well done. Loved Alan’s playing.

[@nbrunel]

Thank you Doug!

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

loved that. Murph was an unsung guitar hero

[@nbrunel]

Yes he is thank you so much!

[@jonsilence]

Brilliant! Thank you! I was blessed to see Alan with Go West in Los Angeles many times and he was always phenomenal.

[@PROGNUT777]

Excellent man.

[@muse-mech-moda]

Brilliant! Thank you for this!

[@disasterman6523]

Very nice. Huge Murphy & Holdsworth fan here. Really nicely played!

[@nbrunel]

Thank you!

[@teresacristinarodrigues8418]

Magnífico

[@adamwuksta3255]

Been listening to murph again today and came back for another listen to your tribute. I particularly like the heaven in my hands solo, great job mate, you play them all extremely well!

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Adam!

[@jayboy6895]

Holy shit!!!! I’m happy to have found your channel. Insane playing a immense tone. Brilliant maestro. You got a new fan.

[@nbrunel]

Thank you Jonathan! Means a lot

[@NeilOwens1971]

Sweet! 👍👍

[@michaelserra6915]

Excellent. Surprised you didn’t do his solo on Go west -S.O.S. Amazing power solo

[@joeltudor521966]

What a great guitarist player is Alan, and you did a awesome job Man! Hat's off!

[@ManfredElsingBielefeld]

It fit´s!Gefällt mir sehr!!

[@danvelgtr]

Great job . '' Take the reigns '' by Mike and the Mechanics - now THATS A SOLO.

[@smashmash]

Agreed. That and Beautiful Day

[@bernardogui3933]

amazing job Mr.!!

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Alex!

[@dnjxx4845]

Great tribute ,

[@nbrunel]

Thank you!

[@steveharryevans2868]

Just found this - great playing mate - Alan was a monster of a player!

[@llaveoceans9893]

ultra genial xd

[@alexguitarfan6447]

Ace solos would love to see video lessons on Alans playing:)

[@nbrunel]

Thanks!

[@kels866]

Great work!!! AM is so so so underrated and its great to see his playing on YT.

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Kelly!

[@Fkouch]

He was truly awesome. Great playing mate :) I love 'I want to hear it from you' and 'SOS' live by Go West, and pretty much anything off his SFX album

[@nbrunel]

Thank you so much! Yes Alan was amazing, truly unique. I'll try to record those 2 tunes in a near future hopefully!

[@Fkouch]

@@nbrunel Awesome :)

[@adamwuksta3255]

Great playing Nicolas, love Alans style, such a shame he left us way too soon but his great playing lives on

[@nbrunel]

Thank you Adam! Alan's legacy lives on forever!

[@bourgeoisbrats]

Very nice, Nicolas. I just found out that Alan Murphy played the solo on a Total Contrast tune named "Takes a Little Time". There's one legato-triplety thing he does on it that is just "yikes!" :-)

[@nbrunel]

Thank you! Yes its an amazing solo!

[@stevetaylor6488]

great playing Nicholas - got AM down to a tee. Sure he'd have been very pleased

[@nbrunel]

Thank Steve!

[@coolmacatrain9434]

Well played, Sir! I have a couple of Alan's transcriptions from a book called "Solo" written and transcribed by Phil Hilborne and published by Guitarist Magazine (UK). It was first published way back in 1987! both solos are from Go West songs - 'S.O.S' and 'Don't Look Down'. I actually did a bit of work at Richard Drummie's house around that time - he had a fair few nice guitars and his own, little recording studio.

[@user-nu7xx7pc1d]

great playing Mr.!!

[@halholbrookspussy]

Brilliant job, Nic! My god, it was like hearing Alan play again. Cheers!

[@nbrunel]

Thank you!

[@smashmash]

Great job sir!

[@nbrunel]

smashmash thank you, means a lot coming from you. You sound great!

[@ramen8211]

amazing!! i have no idea there is a great guy like u

[@nbrunel]

Thank you!

[@Edmouk]

Wow ! Well done Nicolas !

[@nbrunel]

Thanks!

[@dudeymcduderson]

Awesome work! Could you cover some Francis Dunnery/It Bites solos? 'Ice Melts Into water' and 'Leaving Without You'

[@Ongabass]

It was fantastic!! I will follow you!

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Tóth!

[@Ongabass]

@@nbrunel I listening it again, excellent again :-D

[@Waynescottguitar]

Great work :)

[@nbrunel]

Wayne Scott Thank you!

[@GrrumpDaddo56]

smokin mt! top work

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Rob!

[@MercutioUK2006]

Ah, that's the ticket. Did you ever listen to Alan on John Sloman's Disapearances can be Deceptive? Couple of burners on there :)

[@laurentquintana262]

loooooooooved it

[@nbrunel]

Laurent Quintana Thanks Laurent!

[@laurentquintana262]

@@nbrunel I know Alan from his works with Level42 and SFX. Congrats again!

[@Seanzilla]

Outstanding!! Love the tonality you're getting with your guitar. Would be cool to also share your setup to achieve that sound. Excellent!!

[@nbrunel]

Thanks! I used a Vox Tonelab SE straight into Logic. FX were a little bit of delay and chorus from Logic. Amp model was a Fender Princeton with a tubescreamer, really simple with lots of mids. I was actually using the bridge pickup with the tone rolled off a little bit. If you use a super cheap guitar with cheap electronics like the Aria pro II it helps even more to get that sound. Hope that helps.

[@TheBoondoggler]

Sweet Aria

[@nbrunel]

TheBoondoggler Thanks!

[@DRFRYERable]

Hi Nicolas, awesome vid. I love Alan Murphy's playing with Go West and the SFX album is brilliant. I tried your website because would love to have a few lessons with you. I cannot master 'scooping' which is the technique you have mastered with the tremolo and a trade mark of Alan Murphy. I tried your website but did not work. If you are out there would love to make contact and thanks

[@shanedunne8608]

Ive only just started digging into alans playing, he really was phenomonal! Any chance you have the transcription for the Heaven in my hands solo? Thanks, and great playing!

[@nbrunel]

Hello thanks for the kind words! I don’t have the transcription I just transcribed it by ear.

[@lukather1]

See Dave Price on KZbin for transcribe

[@paulmullins8425]

Did Alan play the solo on morning dew long John baldrey 1980

[@DannyELoi]

Hi Nicolas. You are a fantastic player. Any relation to Bunny Brunel? I didn't think so but he is an incredible bass player, you are an incredible guitar player. Incredible players don't just grow on trees (or fall out of them). Yes, all of your Alan choices were right on. However, I was kind of hoping you would play the solo on Go West SOS. That is a blazer! Be well brother.

[@nbrunel]

Danny Loi Thank you for your very sweet comment Danny! I’m not related to Bunny even though I know him personally and yes he is a legend/genius musician. I will record the song SOS for you when I have a moment so stay tuned, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it.

[@DannyELoi]

@@nbrunel Good gosh, I appreciate that you got back to me on this one. Ok, so you have met Bunny as well. I don't know him personally, but saw him play three times with CAB. I believe (but could be wrong) that Dennis is a NY guy and prefers to stay more closely to the East coast (possibly). But Virgil lives in Los Angles. CAB here is Bunny, Tony and Virgil. Also Brian Auger at times too. So if you fancy Alan's playing like I do, I would assume you like our other Alans' like Hinds, Allan Holdsworth and probably other favs of mine like Sco, Stern, Landau, Luke, Henderson, Gambale, Robben, Guthrie, Graydon, Larry (Mr, 335) Mike Miller and those likes. I looked for albums of yours but don't see any as a leader. I you had one out I would buy it. I mean if you had more than several I would buy all of them. I will wait.

[@lukather1]

What gear are you using ? Ta

[@donharrold1375]

You get really close to his tone. What were you playing through (effects, amps and settings)?

[@nbrunel]

Hi Don! I used a Vox Tonelab SE straight into Logic. FX were a little bit of delay and chorus from Logic. Amp model was a Fender Princeton with a tubescreamer, really simple with lots of mids. Thank you for your comment.

[@donharrold1375]

Nicolas Brunel Most people talk about adding in mids to get his sound. I always thought there was some chorus and delay, that comes across quite strongly. I've heard he often played position two on his Strats (Bridge and middle in series). Is that what you are doing? Any way it sounds great man! Thanks for replying!

[@nbrunel]

@@donharrold1375 Thanks Don! I was actually using the bridge pickup with the tone rolled off a little bit. For his clean sounds definitely middle/bridge position with a Strat. If you use a super cheap guitar with cheap electronics like the Aria pro II it helps even more to get that sound. Hope that helps.

[@johnny0468]

nice work aria guitars are cock on !!x

[@ConnorFGuitar]

Awesome! I recently put up a video of my favourite Alan Murphy solo, from "We Close Our Eyes" by Go West - would love it if you were able to check it out!

[@nbrunel]

Hey Conor, great playing as well and sweet Tyler!

[@andym28]

Check out Chris Poland if you like Alan.

[@nbrunel]

Thanks Andy, Yes I've actually seen Chris play many times at the Baked Potato in L.A with O.H.M

[@andym28]

@@nbrunel Wonderful. Do you have a link to your material?

[@davidjanson9900]

love alan murphy nice cover ps who is the muppet on the wall? EC IS DOG its not that sad blues snob that never went anywhere else on the guitar he must hate jeff beck,and SRV who at least covered country,jazz,and rock as well

[@kamarancolamusicola3738]

You mean top 4

[@nbrunel]

Yes, I did 5 but KZbin cut one off for copyright purposes.