Ian Gordon Morris (22 January 1957 – 7 October 2010), also known by the stage name Tex Pistol, was a New Zealand musician, record producer, recording engineer and songwriter.

Musical career Ian Morris and his brother Richard (who would also go on to become a successful singer, songwriter and sound engineer in New Zealand under the name Rikki Morris) were born in England but emigrated with their family to New Zealand in 1966. They attended Sacred Heart College, Auckland.

Ian was a founding member of iconic New Zealand band Th' Dudes, formed at Sacred Heart in 1975. He had chart hits as a solo artist under the name Tex Pistol (a name he took on because "Ian Morris [didn't] sound poppy enough"), and in collaboration with his brother Rikki as Tex Pistol and Rikki Morris. As recording engineer and record producer, his production credits include a number of successful Kiwi artists: Hello Sailor, DD Smash, The Screaming Meemees, Naked Spots Dance, The Warratahs, When the Cat's Away, Greg Johnson, Dave Dobbyn, and Southside of Bombay to name a few. Morris also wrote numerous jingles, arrangements, and orchestrations.

Personal life Morris was married to singer Kim Willoughby of New Zealand's most successful all-female group When the Cat's Away, with whom he had two daughters, Julia and Maude, and a stepson, James. He was separated from his wife at the time of his death.

Death Morris had been suffering from depression and died by suicide at Te Pania Hotel in Napier on 7 October 2010. Police noted that there were no suspicious circumstances to his death.

Morris was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

As solo artist

Albums

Year Title Details Peak chartpositions NZ 1988 Nobody Else Released as Tex Pistol Label: Pagan Records (PAL 1039) 28 2020 a and b the c of d Released 2020 Label: IG Music (IGMLP001) -

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album NZ 1983 "Boot Up (x=y)" as Jag Moritz — 1986 "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob" as Tex Pistol — Nobody Else 1987 "Game of Love" as Tex Pistol 1 1988 "Nobody Else" as Tex Pistol and Rikki Morris 1 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As producer + Selected discography Band Album/Single Producer Engineer Th' Dudes Right First Time Hello Sailor Hello Sailor Hello Sailor Pacifica Amour Th' Dudes Where Are The Boys? DD Smash Cool Bananas Screaming Meemees If This Is Paradise I'll Take The Bag The Gurlz The Gurlz mini-album Naked Spots Dance New mini-album The Hulamen Start A Fashion mini-album Jag Moritz Boot Up Circus Block 4 In Stone In Steel Shadow Fax Life Underground Tex Pistol "Game of Love" Tex Pistol & Rikki Morris "Nobody Else" Rikki Morris "Heartbroke Again" The Warratahs Big Sky The Warratahs Wild Card Southside of Bombay "What's The Time Mr Wolf?" Barry Saunders Long Shadows Greg Johnson Sea Breeze Motel Dave Dobbyn Hopetown When The Cat's Away Asian Paradise Papa-Pa My Black Jersey

Awards

RIANZ + RIANZ New Zealand Music Awards Year Award DetailsResult 1978 Engineer of the Year Hello Sailor, Hello Sailor 1979 Single of the Year 'Be Mine Tonight', Th' Dudes Top Group Th' Dudes 1982 Producer of the Year Cool Bananas (DD Smash) 1986 Most Promising Male Vocalist "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob" as Tex Pistol Best Engineer Ballad of Buskin Bob, Tex Pistol 1987 Engineer of the Year "Game of Love", Tex Pistol Best Producer "Game of Love", Tex Pistol 1988 Single of the Year "Nobody Else", Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris Best Producer "Nobody Else", Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris 1990 Producer of the Year "Heartbroke", Rikki Morris Best Engineer Heartbroke, Rikki Morris 2019 New Zealand Music Hall of Fame himself (as part of Th' Dudes)

APRA In 2001, members of APRA were invited to vote on their favourite New Zealand songs of all time. Of the final 100, 2 Morris-related songs appeared on the list. #27, for "Be Mine Tonight" with Th' Dudes (1978) #50, for "Bliss" with Th' Dudes (1979)

See also Waikino music festival New Zealand music festivals Sweetwaters Music Festival

References

External links Ian Morris' igMusic website

Th' Dudes biography Th' Dudes 1998 Rip It Up interview with Chris Bourke 2001 Radio New Zealand interview, part one and part two Ian Morris sound recording archive at the Alexander Turnbull Library