As a boy, Murray was a fanatical football (soccer) player and fan as well as a keen cricketer. But his family was poor – his father was disabled and his mother worked part-time as a cleaner – and the family never settled anywhere long enough for Murray to establish himself in any of the schools' teams he could have played for. By his reckoning, he had been to a dozen different schools by the time he left for good at the age of 16.[citation needed]
Murray developed an interest in rock when he was 15 after hearing "Voodoo Child" by Jimi Hendrix on the radio. He got his first guitar and being such a keen guitarist, he would practice up to 7 hours a day. He formed his first band, a trio called Stone Free. This band also included Adrian Smith (Guitar/Vocals) who would later become a member of Iron Maiden.
From there, Murray had played with a number of different bands before meeting Steve Harris and joining Iron Maiden for the first time in 1976. He briefly left the band following an argument with then vocalist Dennis Wilcock. Murray rejoined Smith in a band called Urchin. During this short tenure with the band he recorded one single titled "She's A Roller". Following the single Murray left Urchin and returned to Iron Maiden as Wilcock had left the band during Murray's hiatus.
Murray's guitar style throughout his career has been mainly of the Legato based solo variety.[citation needed] This can be seen in songs from their first self titled album, such as "Phantom of the Opera", to the watery solo from lightening strikes twice, to songs from their latest release A Matter of Life and Death, such as the new single "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg". Murray's sound and style can be distinguished from Janick Gers' and Adrian Smith's style, mostly because of his frequent use of the neck pickup.[citation needed]Murray is noted for having naturally strong fingers and frequently using hammer-ons and pull-offs. Murray has also written for the band, though less often than other band members. Usually leaving lyrics to someone else, he occasionally co-writes songs, with "Charlotte the Harlot" being his sole composition released.
Murray and Steve Harris are the only members of Iron Maiden to have appeared on every one of the band's albums.
In his spare time Murray is an avid golfer, as seen in the Rock in Rio DVD. Murray and his wife Tamar have one daughter named Tasha.
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