ON JULY 3, 1999, Mark Sandman, frontman of the band Morphine, collapsed and died on stage during a show in a small town in central Italy. Word trickled slowly back to the States, in those days of the not-yet-omnipotent Internet. What I heard is that he died of a cocaine-related heart attack on stage in Rome. This narrative had all the elements of the classic rock-star death: drugs, self-destruction, fan involvement, exotic foreign city, an air of mystery. Bucky Wunderlick would approve.
Because the band was named for a drug, and because there is an overt reference to drug use in “Cure For Pain,” Morphine’s signature song (insofar as they had one), I assumed, as many fans did, that the rumors were true, that cocaine contributed to Sandman’s death. For one thing, it made the story sexier. For another, it offered an explanation for why an apparently-healthy 46-year-old man of great energy and vitality would suddenly and unexpectedly die.
“Rock Star Dies of Cocaine Heart Failure in Rome.” A nice headline, but a deceptive one. Sandman was many things, genius among them, but he was not a rock star, as such. He didn’t die in Rome, but in Palestrina, an ancient outpost 40 miles to the east. And the only drug in his system that fateful night was nicotine. The muggy Italian summer had more to do with his demise than cocaine. So did stress—ironic, because Sandman’s stage persona was as laid-back as it gets.
No, Sandman was victim of a pedestrian heart attack, at the worst possible moment. That there were no drugs involved makes his death less “rock star,” but more tragic.
~
A trio: drums, baritone sax, two-string slide bass. No guitar, no keyboards, no bullshit. Heavy on the low registers. The only treble the tink tink tink of the cymbals. The resulting sound a slurry, bass-heavy concoction as soothing as actual morphine. Nobody else sounded quite like them.
Dana Colley played the saxophone. His instrument of choice was the baritone sax, which produces a deeper, fuller sound, and is not to be confused with the commercial Kenny G-style rock solos. He’d sometimes add the tenor sax (i.e, the instrument known as, simply, the sax), to balance the high registers. For show, he’d play them both at the same time. His licks were superb, flawlessly easing in and around the bass lines.
Jerome Deupree was the drummer. He could wail on the skins when the opportunity presented itself, but his style tended toward jazz. He was very skilled at dynamics—quiet then loud, loud then quiet.
But the centerpiece of the band was Sandman, the bass player and lead singer. Two strings, a fifth apart, played with a slide and a pict, the bass lines dancing beautifully around what Colley’s sax was doing. But his voice: that was the thing. Low, almost monotone, but incredibly hypnotic—in another life, he’d be dangling a watch in front of some sap’s eyes, commanding them to go to sleeeeep. His lyrics were filled with pain and remorse and longing, as with “I’m Free Now”:
I got guilt I got fear I got regret
I’m just a panic stricken waste I’m such a jerk
He blurred the distinction between singer and spoken-word artist, and, at the live shows, between beat poet and stand-up comic. If he were not musically inclined, he might have been a regular at the Laugh Factory. And yet he also had tremendous gravitas. When he sang
Someday
They’ll be a cure for pain
That’s the day
I’ll throw my drugs away
When they find a cure for pain
you got the impression that he knew damned well what he was talking about.
~
I saw Morphine play twice. The first show, at the West Beth Theater in Manhattan on October 29, 1996 [1. I couldn’t remember the exact date, but I found this link on the web to a live bootleg of what I think is the show I saw. I’m afraid to listen to it], after the release of Yes, remains the best concert I’ve ever seen. The second show, at Webster Hall perhaps a year later, was also superb, although not quite as good as the first show, for reasons I’ll explain shortly.
I tend not to like live shows. More often than not, an artist I love in the recording studio disappoints me in person, and the subpar performance sours me on the music (I call this phenomenon the Beth Orton Effect). Morphine is the only band in my experience where the opposite was true. Their albums—Good, Cure For Pain, Yes, Like Swimming—didn’t fully capture the uniqueness of their sound. The band was far better than what you heard on the records. I remember thinking, in 1996, that the studio version of “Buena” paled in comparison to what I’d heard on stage. I didn’t even like to listen to the albums, in fact, because they were like watered-down stage Morphine. This was a band that you simply had to see live to fully appreciate.
The West Beth is a tiny venue, as big as half the gymnasium at your average elementary school (at least, that is how I remember it). The audience packed the room that October night, but there couldn’t have been that many of us. The levels were ideal—I could hear perfectly, but the amps were not jacked up high enough to hurt my ears. Deupree was not with the band, for some reason owing to his health; another drummer was filling in for him. Sandman made constant reference to this in his banter, to great comic effect. “Give it up for replacement drummer Steve McQueen!” [2. I can’t remember the replacement drummer’s real name. He was really good, though. ] Almost everything he said was funny, his delivery pitch-perfect deadpan. I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did.
“We’re Morphine,” he said, “and we’re going to play 17 songs for you.” He wasn’t lying. They played exactly 17 songs, and no amount of screaming for an encore would make them go for 18. “We can’t play another song! Not with replacement drummer Steve McQueen!” But then, knowing when to stop playing is an art unto itself. Morphine’s sound is so specific that you can’t listen to it all day. It’s better in small doses, like Mississippi Mud cheesecake, like that really good fudge you can only buy down the shore.
Dana Colley was also sublime that night, especially when playing the two saxophones simultaneously. This was an incredible feat, and one a lesser showman would primp while doing, but Colley was still and reserved to the point of stasis. He looked nothing like a rock star; in his casual t-shirt-and-jeans ensemble, he looked like a guy who’d walked in off the street and began to play. He reminded me of the jazz band guys in high school. I got the impression that when the show was over, he’d slip on a baseball cap, tuck his horns in a bag, and vanish into the subway. You’d never know, if you saw him in a different context—even wearing the same clothes he wore to the show—that he was an integral part of such a phenomenal band.
They played “Honey White” and “I’m Free Now” and “Candy” and “Thursday” (the last, about a casual affair gone bad, would be my son’s favorite song when he was six years old). They played “Super Sex” and “Cure For Pain.” They played 11 other songs.
At a rock show, the climax comes when the big radio hit is played and the speakers tremble and the crowd screams and goes ape-shit. The high points at the Morphine show were when it got low—when the sax and the bass rested, and the snare and bass drum stopped, and all that was left was the ta ti-ti ta of a ride cymbal that sounded like a rhythmic dropping of pins, and Sandman’s voice, his wonderfully hypnotic voice, and the audience was mesmerized:
Sharks patrol these waters
Sharks patrol these waters
Don’t let your fingers dangle in the water
Don’t you worry about the day-glo orange life preserver
It won’t save you
It won’t save you
Swim for the shores just as fast as you are able
Swim like a motherfucker
Swim
This is not the sort of thing that can be appreciated on a recording. You had to be there. As someone who is woefully ignorant of new music, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been there twice.
~
What would have become of Morphine had Sandman lived? He was under incredible pressure to write new songs, commercial songs, songs that justified their record contract. And yet the sound was not the sort of thing that could sustain more studio albums than what they’d already produced. What made them great also made them limited. Morphine was never going to play stadiums. They were never going to be the Rolling Stones or the Grateful Dead or Nirvana. Their sound was too specific, too alien, and it depended on quiet, on intimacy. The second and last time I saw Morphine was at Webster Hall, a club frequented by the kids Harmonie Korine made movies about. Their loud and distracting presence at this second show dimmed the experience for me; 65,000 raucous fans at Giants Stadium would destroy it completely. And Mark Sandman was not going to be a rock star, in the Cobainian sense. He was too protective of his privacy, too uncomfortable with celebrity. He would have loathed social media—although his tweets would have been funny as hell.
And despite all of that, I think Sandman would have figured something out.
Morphine, lower-case m, is a balm, a way of temporarily arresting pain. It does not actually cure it. There is one, and only one, cure for pain. Mark Sandman found it fourteen years ago this past week, on a hot and muggy Italian evening. He’s free now.
What a beautiful wrought piece. Cobaniain. Whoa. I remember being stuck delivering food to a strip club, waiting for the lady to bring me change and hopefully a tip and watching a woman do the impossible, take her clothes off to Morphine’s Candy. When the lady returned with change and a solid tip I really wanted to tell her to give it to the woman on stage. But I didn’t. Anyhow, this is beautiful. Viva Mark Sandman!
Thanks, Hank. And ha! What a sight that must have been! Was the club called Candyland?
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I think the drummer may have been Soul Coughing’s Yuval Gabay whom I remember filled in at least some of the shows on that tour.
Yes! Yuval Gabay! I knew it was an unusual name. Thanks, Brian.
That was an incredibly well-written piece. I do wish that I had been able to witness them live.
Thanks, Alison!
Your wonderful piece brought me to tears. It made me think of the precious few times I got to see Morphine live, and the visionaries behind the group (who were all gentlemen and wonderful human beings). Thank you, thank you, thank you for this.
Thanks so much, Chris. They really were amazing. I feel blessed that I was able to see them.
Very well written piece, not entirely sure how I found it :) Hard to believe it’s been that long.
I saw them not long after “Yes” came out at Bogarts in Cincinnati Ohio. Absolutely one of the best shows I have ever seen. I don’t remember which song it was, but he quit singing and let the crowd sing, he was truly amazed that a crowd in Ohio knew every word to the song.
That’s the same tour I saw them, I think. Glad you got to behold the greatness!
Thanks for reading.
–Greg
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I have been working on a biography of Sandman for way too long…. There were only two drummers for Morphine. The first was Jerome Deupree and the second was Billy Conway. They both played on “The Night” and together on some of the final Morphine tours. Also the name was based on Morpheus the god of dreams, not the drug. Sandman had many other side bands, including Hypnosonics…… Hypnos was the close relative of Morpheus. He was playing on the Sandman myths, which are ancient, and go back to the deserts of Arabia. (and are a Neil Gaiman “comic”)
Morphine played festivals in Europe. Go to YouTube and put in Morphine/Cure for Pain/Lisbon. The point wasn’t the size of the audience. It was about connecting to the audience no matter what size it was. I think eventually Mark, if he had lived, would have done a solo tour. Just him and a guitar. But that’s just my speculation.
Thanks, Cecily, for reading and offering up your knowledge. I hope you finish your biography! Would love to read it.
–Greg
Any update on this biography? I’ve waited for something like this for, what, fifteen years now?
Greg- first of all, I love your story about the power surrounding Morphine’s performance. It gave me chills as I recall similar concert experiences of my own with the same effect; unfortunately I was just 8 years old at the time of Sandman’s death and only recently was introduced to their music, and it’s been an astonishing discovery for me. That said, I hate to take the focus away from Morphine, but I’m curious about your comment regarding bands that sound great on record but can’t live up to expectations in a live setting. You called it the “Beth Orton Effect.” I hope I’m not asking an obvious question- I tried doing some quick research but couldn’t find anything. I only ask because I know that feeling but I’ve never been able to give it a name, and I wonder how you came up with it? Particularly bad experience seeing Beth Orton? Good to know there’s still folks out there who appreciate bands that can actually play as a band and sound better than ever live; there’s a dismal and ever growing trend that downplays the importance of staying true to the sound and encourages the process of manufacturing an artificial and non-replicable tone to sell more records (which is futile these days). Anyway sorry for the lengthy question/rant; I’d love to hear what made you come up with that comment. If it’s a long response or detracts from the merit of the article, I hope you might be able to email me at rtpete91@gmail.com (and should that be the case, then apologies in advanced).
Thanks for reading, Rob, and the thoughtful reply.
I coined the term Beth Orton Effect. I loved her first two albums, listened to them over and over, recommended them to friends, etc. Then I saw her live, in Central Park. It was such a bad performance, and her banter so offputting, that I haven’t really been able to listen to her since. I’ve had this happen more than once with bands/artists I like on tape…like when Stephin Merritt answered his cellphone instead of acknowledging the audience clapping for him after his Magnetic Fields set…but with Orton it was the worst in terms of reversing completely my feelings about her.
–Greg
Great piece! It was truly enjoyed and I was completely drawn in. I stumbled upon the article after creating a Morphine channel on Pandora and thought, ‘I wonder if anyone ever elaborated on the true cause of Sandman’s sudden death…’ hoping it was NOT drug related. After a quick search, yours was the only article I read and grateful for the detail displayed to describe the raw talent and turmoil to give us the gift of his music. I never leave comments but your article was heartfelt. Wish I had witnessed the greatness. Thank you!
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Greg, this piece is gold. Thanks for sharing this, unique band, unique sound and unique feeling. The way you end the piece is perfect. . Thanks again, really!!!
Greg this piece is gold. Thank you for this, unique band, unique sound, unique feeling. The way you end the piece is perfect. Thank you, really!!!
Wow! What a nice piece about such a great band. As already mentioned, band’s name came from the greek god instead of the drug. I truly envy you since you did watch the band perform live, listening “the night” should have been awesome. Cheers mate!
Greg, thanks for such an expressive piece. I was turned on to Morphine by a co-worker just after Sandman passed. As impressed as I was with their recorded work, it’s hard to imagine it that much more rich and pure.
A new band, “The Record Company”, has a somewhat similar sound – if that’s even
possible without a sax. That’s how I ran into your tribute, looking for any possible
connection. Obviously not, and still I found this moving nugget of info. Thanks.
There is a new group out called “the record company” who sound very similar to “morphine” but no one ever seems to mention that fact. Do you agree or am I mistaken?
I give kudos to fans of Morphine — lets me know they’ve got that certain qualia within them which allows a band like Morphine to set its hooks and resonate. It was the reduced essence which made the trio so powerful and genius. Knowing how to fill the space, to nuance the soldered oddness of sax, slide bass, and drums into that hypnotic alchemy. Many I have tried to turn onto Morphine are quick to dismiss it. But for those who can hear, that first blast of low rock arrests them and never lets go. The music swings and dances as it impacts on the ear. The lyrics whisper to the soul which has shared in the myriad of the subject emotions.
Sandman and Co. performed with wry wit and stoic charm. They had complete understated mastery of their power. I am so very disappointed I was too young to ever see them live. But their music has and will continue to hold great importance in my heart. Three regular guys from Boston against the world. Otherworldly cool. Their sound, the attitude, the restraint — I wonder if, throughout their career, they ever had a sense of how badass they were. Colley was the prom queen, but I am continuously amazed at how good a drummer Conway was. Pounding rhythm, accented by flourishes of jazz. But at the core was Mark and his words. What brilliance. Shear brilliance.
Morphine has never gotten it’s full due. It may never. But it will forever occupy a wholly unique place in music history. A weird and almighty fire that burned far too briefly. Lightning in a bottle. Incredible, incredible band.
A sublime and moving piece. Many thanks.
Excellent article!! Emotional to read and brings back great memories. The first time I heard Morphine was the “Cure For Pain” album. It was in summer of 1997 four years after it was released. A girl I was dating at the time said I had to listen to this band, I was very skeptical and thought ok whats 45 minutes of my life so I agreed. Well that first listen changed my life. The music is intense with many ups and downs on all the tracks. The lyrics are exotic and clever. I would recommend Morphine to anyone with complete confidence. One of a kind sound. For all the guys out there needing one more push to give more Morphine a chance – Morphine music attracts beautiful women so be ready! Also general observation about music industry: Record labels need to lessen their control with new bands. Give them room to create their own unique sound and style!!!!!
Wonderful article! Consider yourself very fortunate to have seen Morphine live; I was only two years old when Mark Sandman passed. Since then, I have acquired every Morphine album and documentary released. They are certainly one of my favorite bands.
I have seen well over 500 live shows in my life. I have been in super-sized stadiums, medium sized clubs, very small and intimate venues. I have seen shows in dozens of U.S. cities and outside the U.S. as well. The range of musical styles and artists covers the universe, literally.
On November 20, 1993, at a small club in Cleveland with no more than 100 people in the room, I saw Morphine for the first time. I knew only a little bit about them when I went to the show based on what the radio had offered up at that point and the first 2 CDs I had purchased and listened to in just the last 72 hours before the show. Within 90 seconds of Morphine beginning their set, I was hooked. Game literally over. What happened over the next 90 minutes I could not possibly have expected. Nor can I adequately describe the vibe and the energy that was in the room except to perhaps say this: To this day, that show is the best live show I have ever experienced. There is no close second, although I did see them 8-10 more times over the next several years. I call Morphine the coolest band that ever was. Ever.
I have come to post this now because I am making another of my periodic runs at trying to find more Morphine bootlegs. If you have posted here it is worth your time to chase down a Morphine bootleg or two from 1993 — 1994. You will get some understanding of how mystical the Morphine live experience really was. Gone far too soon. Keep the spirit alive.
During a fund raiser in Cambridge at Johnny D’s for (I believe) one of their drummers who had been injured, an array of musicians played. It happened that Peter Wolf (of J Giles) came out. His energy frenetic. Then Sandman and Colley and some others followed. The MC commented on the difference in tempo. Sandman acted as if affronted and said something like what do you mean we can’t play fast, while he doubled the tempo. Still only about a quarter of the Peter Wolf speed.
I’ll take the Sandman tempo any day.