Stephen Morris

Stephen Morris

Stephen Morris is a musician from Macclesfield, England, known as the drummer and percussionist in New Order, the Manchester rock band with which he is most closely associated. He also plays keyboards. His drumming is noted for its precise, mechanical style, which sits alongside New Order’s drum machine programming.

Early life and first bands

Morris is born in 1957 in Macclesfield, United Kingdom. He attends The King’s School, Macclesfield, the same school as Ian Curtis, who later becomes his bandmate in Joy Division. Before New Order forms, Morris drums in Joy Division and in Warsaw, and he is also associated with Stiff Kittens.

New Order and related projects

He remains a member of New Order, and he is also part of Be Music, The Other Two and Stiff Kittens. Early in New Order’s history, Morris is considered as a possible lead singer, and his voice appears on some early recordings, particularly live versions. He also contributes musically to unreleased demos by Quando Quango.

With his wife, Gillian Gilbert, Morris forms The Other Two. The pair live in Rainow, outside Macclesfield, and have two daughters, Tilly and Grace.

Other work

In 2007, Morris and Gilbert remix two tracks for the Nine Inch Nails remix album Year Zero Remixed. In June 2009, Morris joins other members of New Order, except Peter Hook, in a new band called Bad Lieutenant, alongside Blur guitarist Alex James. The group’s debut release is planned for autumn 2009.

Personal details

Morris is known for an eccentric public image, and Peter Hook describes him as “daft as a brush”. He uses some of his fortune to buy several military vehicles.