Luke Morley

Best known as lead guitarist and co-founder of Thunder, British musician Luke Morley has also had a successful side career, both as a member of the Union and releasing his own solo work. Issuing his debut album, El Gringo Retro, in 2001, he returned to solo material with 2023's Songs from the Blue Room. Growing up in South London, Morley had always had a passion for music, and at around 13 met Danny Bowes at school. Attending gigs together and hanging out, the pair decided to form a band, with Morley on guitar and Bowes on vocals. After various lineups, the duo formed the short-lived Nuthin' Fancy, releasing their only single "Lookin’ for a Good Time" in 1981. By 1983 the group changed their name to Terraplane, releasing their debut album, Black and White, in 1985. With their label pushing the group to a more poppier direction, they issued its followup, Moving Target, in 1987, which failed to capture the audience their debut did. Terraplane disbanded and Bowes, drummer Harry James, and Morley formed the hard rock outfit Thunder two years later. Over the next ten years, Thunder issued several albums including the U.K. Top Ten Laughing on Judgement Day and Behind Closed Doors before going on hiatus in 2000. Morley had previously written a selection of songs that didn't quite fit Thunder's sound, so he recorded his debut album, El Gringo Retro, in 2001. Thunder reconvened the following year and issued their sixth album, Shooting at the Sun and went on to release three more full-lengths. In 2009 the band once again went their separate ways, with Morley forming the Union with Winterville frontman Peter Shoulder. The group issued their eponymous debut album in 2010 and followed it with 2011's Siren's Song and 2013's The World Is Yours. The following year, after a handful of one-off shows, Thunder again reunited, recording their tenth album, Wonder Days. Morley and co. issued more albums and played live around the world. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Morley found himself writing more solo material, and after a couple of years of tinkering with the recording process, he finally released the results. Coming some 22 years after his debut solo album, Songs from the Blue Room was issued in 2023.
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