About
Also known as: George Ivan Morrison, MORRISON Van, Ulsterman van Morrison, Van Morison, Van Morisson, Van Morrison and Friends, George Ivan Morrison, MORRISON Van, Ulsterman van Morrison, Van Morison, Van Morisson, Van Morrison and Friends
Van Morrison, knighted in 2016 and known to fans as Van the Man, has been one of rock and soul's most restlessly inventive figures since the 1960s. He first made his mark as frontman of Belfast R&B outfit Them, writing and recording "Gloria", a song that became a cornerstone of garage rock. His solo run began with the irresistible "Brown Eyed Girl" in 1967, but it was Astral Weeks the following year that showed what he was truly capable of, blending blues, jazz, gospel and stream of consciousness poetry into something that defied easy categorisation. Moondance in 1970 brought him a wider audience and cemented his reputation. Morrison's catalogue spans a genuinely unusual range, from raw soul and R&B to what critics have called Celtic soul, a strain of spiritually charged, folk influenced music that runs through records like Saint Dominic's Preview and Beautiful Vision. He has placed over 40 albums in the UK Top 40 across four consecutive decades, a consistency that very few artists can match. Since turning 70 he has averaged more than an album a year, showing no sign of slowing down.
