Shaun Morgan

Shaun Morgan

Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (December 21, 1978) is a South African musician known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the post-grunge rock/alternative metal band Seether. He is often associated with Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the famous band Nirvana, due to their similar styles.

Biography

Early life

Welgemoed (pronounced "Velgamoot" (guttural 'g') spent all of his early life in South Africa. His parents divorced when Welgemoed was still a child. At 12 years old, he first discovered the Seattle grunge movement after listening to Nirvana’s Nevermind album, which inspired him to become a musician. He began to play the guitar, first learning “Polly”, before starting to piece together bands. However his father did not approve of his son playing in a band, so Welgemoed ran away from home in order to “cut a demo” while living in friends’ cars and garages. Welgemoed then returned home to live with his mother and start playing in a band again, although he stopped playing music after three years as he was not getting anywhere.

Seether

Main article: Seether

In May 1999, Welgemoed became the rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist of a new band, Saron Gas. There were four other members to the band; a female vocalist, a lead guitarist, bassist and drummer. However, when the singer and guitarist did not turn up to the first practice, the band decided to stay as a three-piece, with Welgemoed on lead vocals and guitar. Saron Gas enjoyed moderate success before the bass player decided to quit in January 2000, causing Welgemoed to get in touch with the only other good bass player he knew, Dale Stewart. The band released an album later that year, entitled Fragile.

In January 2002, the band relocated to the United States to sign with Wind-up Records. During this time the band’s original drummer left to return home to South Africa, whilst the two remaining members were left to think of a new band name, at the request of Wind-up. Eventually they settled on Seether, after the Veruca Salt song of the same name. Around this time Welgemoed also decided to use his middle name while performing for Seether. He said on many occasions that Americans have a hard time pronouncing Welgemoed. Shaun Morgan and Seether went on to release their debut major-label album, Disclaimer, on August 20. 2002.

Since then, Seether have released three more studio albums; Karma and Effect (2005), Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (2007), and Holding On To Strings Better Left To Fray (2011). In addition, they released the compilation album Disclaimer II in 2004, and the live CD/DVD One Cold Night in 2006. In January 2009 the band released two new songs; one a Seether original entitled “No Shelter”, and the second a cover of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” which Shaun and Dale have said had a special significance to the band.

Personal life

Morgan is one of three children; he has a sister named Lucy and a deceased brother, Eugene. Morgan attended the boarding school Maritzburg College in his high school years. Morgan also has a daughter, Jayde Fourie-Welgemoed, from a marriage that ended in 2002. From 2003 until 2005, he dated Evanesence singer Amy Lee. However, their relationship ended bitterly. When Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces was released on October 23, 2007, its third single, "Breakdown", was rumored to be about Amy Lee. However, Morgan implied the songs of their latest effort were about, if anyone, his more recent ex, saying, "Amy and I, at our worst moments, were still better than this last girl and I at our best moments." Morgan had a brief stint in rehab for alcoholism in August 2006.95X The Buzz with Michael Todd reported in September 2006 that Morgan was engaged and set to be a father once more. His girlfriend gave birth to a son, named Bowie, in November 2006.

In August 2007, Morgan's brother Eugene committed suicide, just a few weeks before Seether's third studio release Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces; as the album was finished there was no delay, but the opus was dedicated to brother Eugene and featured a memorial. Eugene's death was reported by Katie Brown, Rapid City Journal, stating that he had jumped to his death shortly after midnight Monday, August 13, 2007 from an eighth-floor window of the Radisson Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota. Brown went on to report that according to police, no foul play is suspected in the death. It was ruled a suicide after an investigation. Shaun has 1308 tattooed on his four right fingers, and 2007 tattooed on his four left fingers which marks the day Eugene died (13/08/2007). Seether's song "Rise Above This" is a tribute to Eugene.

Bands that have influenced him include Portishead, The Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Deftones and Oasis.

Equipment

Shaun primarily guitars are Schecter Guitar Research, mostly the PT models, most of them are customs. On the "Remedy" video he can be seen using a schecter ultra from 2002, that was discontinued in the same year and on the video of "Gasoline", he can be seen using a schecter 006 model, also discontinued. Schecter produced a signature model for 2011, a totaly new shape and will in thre tone of sunburst with white pickguard and white with black pickguard. On most of his personal guitars, he uses Duncan Designed pickups, the hb-102. Some of his effects are a CAE/MXR Boost/Line Driver and a mxr Kerry King EQ (listed boon dunlop`s site) and probably some others. His amps of choice have Mesa Boogie, the triple rectifiers and 4x12 cabs, but on 2011 he as seen using some huge Mesa Boogie heads and cabs. He uses Dunlop Nickel Wound strings 10-46 gauge.

Current live rig: Schecter Guitar Research signature models; Schecter Guitar Research customs PT models; Mesa Boogie Triple rectifiers heads with 4x12 cabs; Dunlop Strings; Duncan designed pickups; Dunlop tortex picks.

Discography

Seether

Main article: Seether discography

Studio albums

• Fragile (2000) (as Saron Gas)
• Disclaimer (2002)
• Karma and Effect (2005)
• Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (2007)
• Holding On To Strings Better Left To Fray (2011)

Live albums

• One Cold Night (2006)

Compilations

• Disclaimer II (2004)

Digital albums

• iTunes Originals - Seether (2008)
• Rhapsody Originals - Seether (2008)

Collaborations

• Broken featuring Amy Lee (2004). The song was originally recorded with just Morgan, but was re-recorded as a duet with then-girlfriend Amy Lee for the 2004 film The Punisher and featured on the Seether album Disclaimer II
• Art of Dying featuring Shaun Morgan - "Die Trying" (2008)
• HURT featuring Shaun Morgan - "World Ain't Right" on the album Goodbye to the Machine (2009)
• Acoustic cover of Alice In Chains "Nutshell". Duet with Brent Smith, the Singer of Shinedown. The song is featured on The 97X Green Room: Volume 2.

References

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUNB2S1dkJI