John Murphy is a British film composer from Liverpool, reports liverpoolski.com. He began writing film scores in the early 1990s, creating soundtracks for several successful British films. These include hits like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000). So what is the story behind this artist’s success?
About John Murphy
Since 2000, Murphy has lived and worked in Los Angeles, USA. The move was a crucial step for his career development, as it gave him the opportunity to collaborate with several respected and influential directors, including Danny Boyle, Guy Ritchie, Stephen Frears, and Michael Mann. His body of work includes scores for well-known and successful films. Among these are Miami Vice, 28 Days Later and its sequel 28 Weeks Later, as well as Sunshine.
John Murphy has also composed music for commercials. The Liverpool-born composer’s clients include major brands like Reebok, Nike, and Apple. As you can see, his work was particularly in demand among sportswear companies. However, giants of the IT industry also commissioned his music, including Samsung and Google, in addition to Apple.
The quality of John’s music is highlighted by the fact that he has been nominated for prestigious British and international awards several times. He has not only been nominated but has also won a number of them. For example, Murphy won a Silver Lion at Cannes. He has also received a British D&AD Award and has been a recipient of a BMI Award.
His Journey
So, what can be said about the Liverpool composer’s success story? Here are some facts.
John Murphy was born on 4 March 1965. He was a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who began his career in the 1980s as a teenager. He started composing for films seriously at the age of 25. One of his first works was for the film Leon the Pig Farmer in the early 1990s. This was followed by major commissions for the films mentioned at the start of this article.
Here are some other films that feature the Liverpool composer’s music:
- Snatch by Guy Ritchie;
- Strumpet by Danny Boyle;
- Intermission by John Crowley;
- Basic Instinct 2 by Michael Caton-Jones;
- Miami Vice by Michael Mann;
- Kick-Ass by Matthew Vaughn.
In 2019, John Murphy composed the music for the BBC project Les Misérables, and in 2020, for James Gunn’s film The Suicide Squad. Gunn was so impressed with Murphy’s work that he continued to collaborate with him. The film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, released in December 2022, also featured John’s music.
Our hero has also helped create music for film trailers, including for such well-known works as Captain America, X-Men, and Avatar. Additionally, Murphy has founded his own record label, Taped Noise, which brings together his non-film-related work.
Reviews and Fun Facts
John Murphy’s success story can be rounded off with some of the most glowing reviews of his work. Here’s what has been said:
- John’s compositions are some of the most vivid characters in any film.
- For Sunshine, Murphy wrote tracks that are truly hair-raising.
Another interesting fact: “Strobe,” a track written for Kick-Ass, is a powerful 2-minute anthem heard when Hit-Girl rescues Big Daddy. Fans loved the track so much that they demanded a longer version. The Liverpool composer agreed, creating a 7-minute version, the “Strobe EP,” which he expanded with atmospheric trip-hop. But perhaps the most interesting part of this success story is that Murphy is self-taught. This makes him strikingly different from many of his colleagues, as well as from fellow Liverpool comedian Paul Smith, who only reached a professional level after a 4-week course.