Biography
Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in 1948, Mike Moran built a multifaceted career as a keyboardist, composer, and producer. His upbringing coincided with the 1960s British beat boom, yet he approached music with uncommon seriousness and gained admission to the Royal College of Music. Session work began for him in the late 1960s, placing him within producer Gus Dudgeon’s circle; Dudgeon enlisted Moran for John Kongos’s self-titled 1971 album, where the keyboard chair—alongside Ray Cooper, Caleb Quaye, Dave Glover, and Roger Pope—effectively had Moran stand in for Elton John, whose own Dudgeon-helmed Madman Across the Water had featured the same core players. The sessions also showcased some of the earliest prominent applications of the ARP synthesizer. Moran next appeared on Michael d’Abo’s second solo release, Down at Rachel’s Place (1972), and contributed to early-1970s English folk-rock recordings by Harvey Andrews and Dave Cartwright.
By the mid-1970s his credits encompassed an extensive roster of British pop and rock figures: Allan Clarke, through whom he encountered composers, producers, and singers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway; Kevin Ayers; Roger Glover; Rick Springfield; Ray Thomas; Albert Hammond; and a period with the Ian Gillan Band. His stylistic breadth surfaced clearly on the Gillan band’s aggressively loud funk album Child in Time and, in the same year, on the understated yet melodic textures he supplied Ray Thomas for Hopes, Wishes & Dreams. The year after that, Moran achieved wider recognition by co-writing “Rock Bottom” with Lynsey de Paul; the song placed prominently in the Eurovision Song Contest and charted across several European territories outside the U.K. The collaboration with de Paul continued on further successes such as “Let Your Body Go Downtown” and “Going to a Disco.”
Moran’s arranging duties expanded concurrently, supporting sessions for Madeline Bell and British pop artist David Dundas. As the decade progressed he lent his keyboard work to artists spanning generations and styles, among them Elliott Murphy, Rosemary Clooney on the British album produced by Del Newman, Chris de Burgh, Colin Blunstone, Evelyn Thomas, and Kate Bush—his playing forming a single connective thread between Clooney and Bush. Entering the 1980s he added George Harrison and Mick Fleetwood to his list of employers. Film scoring opportunities arose through his Harrison connection, beginning with Time Bandits and continuing on The Missionary. He also served as musical director for the children’s television series Get It Together. Moran re-entered the Eurovision arena in 1990 with Stephen Lee Garden’s “That Old Feeling Again.” Among his compositions are “Barcelona” for Freddie Mercury, “No Mean City” sung by Maggie Bell, the theme for the U.K. crime drama Taggart, and “It’s Alright” for the series New Tricks, performed by Dennis Waterman. His production work includes The Queen Album and Elaine Paige’s Piaf.
By the mid-1970s his credits encompassed an extensive roster of British pop and rock figures: Allan Clarke, through whom he encountered composers, producers, and singers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway; Kevin Ayers; Roger Glover; Rick Springfield; Ray Thomas; Albert Hammond; and a period with the Ian Gillan Band. His stylistic breadth surfaced clearly on the Gillan band’s aggressively loud funk album Child in Time and, in the same year, on the understated yet melodic textures he supplied Ray Thomas for Hopes, Wishes & Dreams. The year after that, Moran achieved wider recognition by co-writing “Rock Bottom” with Lynsey de Paul; the song placed prominently in the Eurovision Song Contest and charted across several European territories outside the U.K. The collaboration with de Paul continued on further successes such as “Let Your Body Go Downtown” and “Going to a Disco.”
Moran’s arranging duties expanded concurrently, supporting sessions for Madeline Bell and British pop artist David Dundas. As the decade progressed he lent his keyboard work to artists spanning generations and styles, among them Elliott Murphy, Rosemary Clooney on the British album produced by Del Newman, Chris de Burgh, Colin Blunstone, Evelyn Thomas, and Kate Bush—his playing forming a single connective thread between Clooney and Bush. Entering the 1980s he added George Harrison and Mick Fleetwood to his list of employers. Film scoring opportunities arose through his Harrison connection, beginning with Time Bandits and continuing on The Missionary. He also served as musical director for the children’s television series Get It Together. Moran re-entered the Eurovision arena in 1990 with Stephen Lee Garden’s “That Old Feeling Again.” Among his compositions are “Barcelona” for Freddie Mercury, “No Mean City” sung by Maggie Bell, the theme for the U.K. crime drama Taggart, and “It’s Alright” for the series New Tricks, performed by Dennis Waterman. His production work includes The Queen Album and Elaine Paige’s Piaf.