photo by Todd V Wolfson

Darin Murphy insists that his story doesn't matter, but his stories do.   "The songs are the autobiography, the diary, everything," he says.   "But it's twisted and distorted; it has to be, so that listeners can make their own interpretation, or none at all, if they wish." 

Drawing comparisons to the works of everyone from Robyn Hitchcock and Jay Farrar to The Beatles and David Bowie, Darin Murphy has earned a reputation as a gifted musician, songwriter, producer, and performer from the huge talent factory of Austin, TX.

Raised within the music and theater communities of Houston, Murphy grew up surrounded by musicians, actors and DJ's, developing versatile music skills and an encyclopedic knowledge of pop records. Eventually he would climb to the top of Houston's music scene with his sister, Trish Murphy, producing two independent CD's and performing for capacity college crowds. In the mid-nineties they both migrated to Austin. While his sister quickly aligned with members of Austin's alt-country elite, Darin carved his niche in the town's British-influenced indie rock scene. Mixing his Euro influences (Beatles, Cardigans, Costello) with some of his American favorites (Beck, Wilco, Dave Grohl), Murphy re-emerged at the end of 1998 with Solitarium, his first self-produced, self-performed solo album. Solitarium drew praise from critics, record retailers and curious listeners worldwide, and in 2001 the much-anticipated follow-up, Haunted Gardenias, brought songwriting awards, year-end top ten lists and regular airplay on commercial AAA radio. And in 2005, he made his professional acting debut on Broadway in the original cast of Don Scardino's LENNON.

In addition to his own projects, Darin also lends help to friends, recording, writing or drumming with other like-minded Austin artists. Currently he's drumming and singing in Austin's retro cover phenonemon known as Skyrocket.   He also composes music for commercials and does voiceover work.

But admittedly his heart still belongs in the studio with a recording apparatus and a mic, making it up as he goes along.

"The main thing is not to try to make something cool," he says, "but rather to allow it."

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