Biography
Mic Murphy served as the vocalist for the groundbreaking 1980s synth duo the System, whose signature track “Don’t Disturb This Groove” reached the Top Five on both the R&B and pop charts in 1987. Seated behind the wheel on the cover of the album bearing that title, Murphy stretches out vocally as the sleek, funky number fades, conjuring fond echoes of Stevie Wonder’s “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You).” Their trailblazing single “You Are in My System” helped launch a fresh wave of electronically driven pop. Well before most peers recognized the shift, Murphy and keyboardist David Frank harnessed the decade’s emerging synth and MIDI tools, shaping the foundations of techno, electronica, and ambient dance while maintaining careful attention to songcraft. A seasoned performer from multiple prior groups, the Raleigh, NC, native championed music technology early on, praising its creative freedom and efficiency in contrast to the scheduling demands and personal toll of traditional band life. Murphy first sang in church and later in rock ensembles, then relocated to New York where he joined the city’s active rock community. While working as road manager for the Atlantic Records R&B/funk outfit Kleer (“Winners,” “Get Tough,” “This Time It’s for Real”), he encountered David Frank, then the group’s touring keyboardist. Born in Dayton, OH, and raised in a Boston suburb, Frank brought classical training and childhood composition awards; he refined his abilities across rock, R&B, and jazz settings and became an early adherent of MIDI technology that allowed him to function as a self-contained electronic ensemble. During a session using traded studio time, Frank contacted Murphy to record vocals on a track originally slated for a pre-stardom Madonna, who withdrew over artistic disagreements. The overnight session produced “It’s Passion.” An engineer acquaintance transferred the cut to a 12-inch acetate and urged Murphy to pitch it to Jerry Greenburg’s Mirage Records, an Atlantic-distributed imprint. The following day Murphy informed an elated Frank that a deal had been secured. “It’s Passion” gained traction on dance radio and in clubs. Their follow-up, “You Are in My System,” crossed over to urban stations and peaked at number ten on the R&B chart in early 1983. The debut album Sweat yielded club staples “I Won’t Let Go,” “Go for What U Know,” and “Sweat.” Subsequent Mirage releases included X-periment (1984) and the final Mirage set, The Pleasure Seekers (1985). Their forward-looking sound made the System sought-after writers, producers, and musicians; their contributions appear on Phil Collins’ “Sussudio,” Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You” and its follow-up “This Is My Night,” and Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit.” The duo supplied material for the Eddie Murphy film hits Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America, performing the latter’s title track, which reached number 23 R&B in summer 1988. Additional credits encompass tracks by Angela Bofill, Pauli Carmen, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Ashford and Simpson, Jeff Lorber, Gavin Christopher, Howard Johnson, and former Labelle member Nona Hendryx. The System’s “Baptize the Beat” appeared in the Harry Belafonte-produced 1984 film Beat Street. Murphy also lent vocals to Earth, Wind & Fire member Philip Bailey’s 1986 Columbia release Inside Out. After Mirage closed and the duo moved to Atlantic, their largest hit arrived: “Don’t Disturb This Groove” topped the R&B chart and reached number three pop in spring 1987, later inspiring Muzak renditions. The still-available Don’t Disturb This Groove album (1987) featured the follow-up “Nighttime Lover.” Their final album, 1989’s Rhythm and Romance, refreshed the duo’s core sound while shifting away from the pop emphasis of the …Groove project. Murphy secured a solo contract with Atlantic’s East-West imprint, resulting in the 1991 album Touch. While retaining prominent System traits, Touch introduced threads of social awareness. Loyal listeners embraced the record, yet it arrived amid the ascent of new jack swing, hip-hop, and rap. Murphy and Frank later reconvened to lay down fresh System material.
Singles