Mic Murphy

Singer Mic Murphy was the singing half of '80s pioneering synth duo <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a>, who are best known for "Don't Disturb This Groove," a Top Five R&B and pop hit in 1987. In the driver's seat on the album cover of the same-named album, <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> cuts loose as the cool, funky track fades, evoking delightful memories of <a href="spotify:artist:7guDJrEfX3qb6FEbdPA5qi">Stevie Wonder</a>'s "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)." Their revolutionary single "You Are in My System" helped to usher in a new era of electronically based pop music. Far ahead of their time, <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> and keyboardist <a href="spotify:artist:2EDztm3AezdcJksqJx1W2C">David Frank</a> rode the '80s wave of emerging synth/MIDI music technology to assist in paving the way for techno, electronica, and ambient dance music while combining thoughtful songwriting. <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a>, a veteran of numerous bands, was an early advocate of music technology, acknowledging the creative possibilities that it presented and how time-effective it was, as opposed to band situations that can sometimes be much too time-consuming and damaging to personal and family quality time. The Raleigh, NC, native began singing in church and later rock bands. Moving to New York, <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> became a member of the city's thriving rock scene. Becoming the road manager for the Atlantic Records R&B/funk band Kleer ("Winners," "Get Tough," "This Time It's for Real"), <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> met <a href="spotify:artist:2EDztm3AezdcJksqJx1W2C">David Frank</a>, who was hired as the band's road keyboardist. <a href="spotify:artist:0zZ0mAYHEpvcrfHYI2otYV">Frank</a>, who was born in Dayton, OH, and grew up in a Boston suburb, was classically trained and had won classical music composition awards as a child. He honed his skills playing in various rock, R&B, and jazz bands. <a href="spotify:artist:0zZ0mAYHEpvcrfHYI2otYV">Frank</a> was also a devotee of the emerging MIDI music technology that enabled him to be his own electronic one-man band. While cashing in on some bartered studio time, <a href="spotify:artist:0zZ0mAYHEpvcrfHYI2otYV">Frank</a> called <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> about singing on a track that a pre-stardom <a href="spotify:artist:6tbjWDEIzxoDsBA1FuhfPW">Madonna</a> was originally supposed to sing on but bowed out due to creative differences. The result of the all-night recording session was "It's Passion." <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> knew an engineer friend who put the track on a 12" acetate record. The engineer suggested <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> shop it to Jerry Greenburg's Mirage Records distributed by Atlantic. <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> excitedly called <a href="spotify:artist:0zZ0mAYHEpvcrfHYI2otYV">Frank</a> the next day, telling him that they had a record deal. "It's Passion" became a hit on dance music stations and in dance clubs. The duo's next single, "You Are in My System," broke through to urban radio and hit number ten R&B in early 1983. The debut album, Sweat, yielded the dance club favorites "I Won't Let Go," "Go for What U Know," and "Sweat." Other System LPs on Mirage were X-periment (1984) and their last Mirage album, The Pleasure Seekers (1985). With such an innovative sound, <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a> became in-demand songwriters/producers/musicians. They can be heard on <a href="spotify:artist:4lxfqrEsLX6N1N4OCSkILp">Phil Collins</a>' "Sussudio," Chaka Khan's "I Feel for You" its follow-up "This Is My Night," and <a href="spotify:artist:5bHSSREflcAADAyCMlmxmh">Mtume</a>'s "Juicy Fruit." The System contributed tracks to two <a href="spotify:artist:1Zq8pfBl4ejCMrWdeAdphc">Eddie Murphy</a> movie blockbusters, Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. The System performed title track from Coming to America, which went to number 23 R&B in summer 1988. They also appear on tracks by <a href="spotify:artist:07CTbCcLVHYwZqp1YMdf4t">Angela Bofill</a>, Pauli Carmen, <a href="spotify:artist:4JCt4xrbbBB9blkKwNlcJ7">Evelyn "Champagne" King</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2EURsXo9qlt1aMWlviGCRi">Ashford and Simpson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1SaH16LT1AWVsBU8AKY4HN">Jeff Lorber</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3B3JAjdGRktPASOaEXlnHP">Gavin Christopher</a>, Howard Johnson, and former <a href="spotify:artist:3DznKagEU8yMQZR9z33Da5">Labelle</a> member <a href="spotify:artist:5pTDagkiVMJC5DJtSAdbXg">Nona Hendryx</a>. The System's "Baptize the Beat was featured in the <a href="spotify:artist:6Tw1ktF4xMmzaLLbe98I2z">Harry Belafonte</a>-produced 1984 movie Beat Street. <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> contributed to <a href="spotify:artist:4QQgXkCYTt3BlENzhyNETg">Earth, Wind & Fire</a> member <a href="spotify:artist:6ZNeppgfBLPUyugks9Yn1u">Philip Bailey</a>'s 1986 Columbia LP Inside Out. When <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a> were switched over to Atlantic Records after Mirage folded, their biggest single was released. "Don't Disturb This Groove" was a number one R&B/number three pop hit in spring 1987. There are even Muzak versions of the tune. The still in print Don't Disturb This Groove album (1987) included the follow-up single, "Nighttime Lover." The System's last album, 1989's Rhythm and Romance, was an update of the original System sound and less pop-oriented than the ...Groove LP. <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> signed a solo deal with Atlantic subsidiary East-West with the album Touch, released in 1991. As expected, Touch had a lot of System overtones, but it also had a sprinkling of social consciousness. System fans welcomed <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a>'s Touch, but the adventurous LP seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle; new jack swing, hip-hop, and rap artists were on the rise around the time of it's release. <a href="spotify:artist:3aahGWIXwvG1fxduXjimtl">Murphy</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0zZ0mAYHEpvcrfHYI2otYV">Frank</a> reunited to record new System tracks. ~ Ed Hogan, Rovi