Fun Lovin’ Criminals frontman set to appear at The Apex

Coming to prominence as the frontman and driving force of the eclectic American rap/rock outfit Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Huey Morgan (pictured above) led the band from 1993 to 2021 and he is coming to The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, next month.

Best known for the hit record “Scooby Snacks”, Fun Lovin’ Criminals released six albums and sold over 10 million records.

As host of The Huey Show on BBC Radio 6 since 2008, Morgan plays a mix of hip hop, soul, punk, funk, rock and just about anything else.

With a backstory unlike any other – the mean streets of New York, an early life of crime, serving in the US Marines, jail terms and platinum records – Morgan has experienced every twist and turn during his remarkable rock’n’roll life story.

And now, the charismatic and popular renegade is heading back out on a solo tour that mixes entertaining stories with acoustic versions of classic songs.

Huey said: “I had such an awesome time with this tour last autumn that when the chance to go back out again came up, I couldn’t resist.” 

Huey sang about crime gang bosses and stick-up jobs – because that’s the life he’d led.

A judge had told him: “Son, you better make a decision.” So he chose the military rather than a lifetime in prison.

“My youth growing up in NYC shaped me. Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan was wild, it was one of the craziest neighbourhoods. It was about survival,” said Morgan.

His musical skills stemmed back to childhood.

He’d got undiagnosed ADHD and immersed himself in the minutiae of music.

He said: “When I was 12, my mother brought me a port-a-studio, with four-tracks.

“I think my mum realised I really loved music. She made me jump through some hoops, you know. But one of the coolest things my mother ever did for me was support my dreams.”

In 1993, he’d left the Marines with an honourable discharge, started DJ’ing in New York clubs and formed Fun Lovin’ Criminals.

“After I got out of the Marines I wanted to get back into music and had this idea of a three-piece, with me on guitars and vocals, a drummer, and a bass player or keyboard player – but I got lucky and found a guy who could do both,” said Morgan.

His band were in the right place at the right time; their debut became a top 10 hit and secured a platinum disc.

Morgan’s poetic lyrics and laconic drawl set them aside from their peers.

Using samples of Pulp Fiction and blues-jazz riffs and funky rap rhythms, Morgan told stories in his songs.

“I liked to deliver those stories with a little bit of prose. Some words rhymed, but even those elicited more imagery than ‘hit me baby one more time’,” he added.

This intimate show will give him the chance to chat about what’s gone before, take questions from the crowd and play acoustic songs.

Huey Morgan is at The Apex on Friday, April 3, at 7.30pm.

See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more details and to book tickets.