Morgan Ågren Explained

Morgan Ågren
Image Upright:	1.2
Birth Date:	13 July 1967
Birth Place:	Umeå, Sweden
Occupation:	Drummer
Years Active:	1974–present
Past Member Of:	Kaipa

Morgan Ågren (born 1967) is a Swedish drummer who plays with the progressive rock band Kaipa.^[1]

Biography

A native of Umeå, Västerbotten, Ågren began playing drums at a young age, eventually joining forces with Mats Öberg in 1981. Together they formed "Zappsteetoot" in 1984, a band known for performing Frank Zappa's music. Ågren later shared the drummer's seat with Terry Bozzio on Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa's band AZ/DZ's album Shampoohorn.

In 1996, Ågren toured throughout Europe as a member of Glenn Hughes's band, and later to Japan in 1997. 1996 also saw the formation of Morgan Ågren's own record label, Ultimate Audio Entertainment, dedicated to the release of "new" music.

Ågren has recorded several albums as a member of Fleshquartet (Swedish: Fläskkvartetten), among them What's Your Pleasure? and the Grammy Award-winning Goodbye Sweden in addition to his international performances with Zappa's Universe and with Mats Öberg in Mats/Morgan Band.

Ågren is also the drummer in the Swedish prog band Kaipa since 2002, recording several albums with the band.

In May 1997, Ågren was featured in a unique project of the Swedish Film Institute, making his debut in movie theaters and at several international film festivals. Described as a sound experience, the 4-minute 35 mm short-film Lullaby for Lost Souls showcases him in "a free-form Stereo Dolby drum explosion".

Ågren is also highly recognized by fans of extreme and heavy music for his studio performance on Fredrik Thordendal's solo album, Sol Niger Within, released in 1997.

He is the subject of a 2013 two-hour documentary directed by Carl King a.k.a. Sir Millard Mulch, called Morgan Ågren's Conundrum: A Percussive Misadventure. It also features Devin Townsend, Dweezil Zappa, and Brendon Small, creator of Metalocalypse.^[2]

Ågren was also featured on the eponymous album by Casualties of Cool.^[3]

Discography

Solo

2015 – Batterie Deluxe
2016 – Through the Eyes of a Morgchestra

Mats/Morgan Band

1996 – Trends and Other Diseases
1997 – The Music or the Money
1998 – Radio DaDa
1998 – The Teenage Tapes
2001 – Live
2002 – On Air with Guests
2005 – Thanks for Flying with Us
2008 – Heat Beats Live (+ Tourbook 1991–2007) (DVD+CD)
2014 – Schack Tati
2016 – 35th Anniversary Collection
2018 – Live with Norrlandsoperan Symphony Orchestra

Kaipa

Notes from the Past (2002)
Keyholder (2003)
Mindrevolutions (2005)
Angling Feelings (2007)
In the Wake of Evolution (2010)
Vittjar (2012)
Sattyg (2014)
Children of the Sounds (2017)

With other artists

1987 – Chinese Garden — Cabazz
1990 – Far Away — Cabazz
1988 – What's Your Pleasure? – Fläskkvartetten
1990 – Goodbye Sweden — Fläskkvartetten
1993 – Open Your Eyes — Agamon
1993 – Zappa's Universe — various artists
1993 – Flow — Fläskkvartetten
1994 – Shampoohorn — Dweezil & Ahmet Zappa
1995 – The Zombie Hunter (APM) — Simon Steensland
1996 – The Music of Captain Beefheart – Live — various artists
1997 – Spare Parts — Denny Walley
1997 – Sol Niger Within — Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects
1999 – Led Circus — Simon Steensland
2000 – Automatic — Dweezil Zappa
2001 – Glass Finger Ghost — Jimmy Ågren
2003 – Close Enough for Jazz — Jimmy Ågren
2011 – BLIXT — Morgan Ågren, Raoul Björkenheim & Bill Laswell
2012 – Live in the US - Karmakanic
2013 – – Mattias IA Eklundh
2013 – Into the Void of Fear – Octopus
2014 – Casualties of Cool – Devin Townsend
2016 – DOT - Karmakanic
2019 – Empath – Devin Townsend
2019 – Zëss – Magma
2019 – Requiem – Evan Marien & Fredrik Thordendal
2020 – Of the Sky – Hassan Iqbal
2023 – Layers – Anatole Muster (feat. Hadrien Feraud & Morgan Ågren)

Notes and References

Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p466081/biography|pure_url=yes}} Biography: Kaipa]. Hill. Gary. AMG. 20 May 2010.
Web site: Watch Morgan Ågren's Conundrum: A Percussive Misadventure Online | Vimeo on Demand. 30 September 2013.
dvntownsend. Devin Townsend. 238316907378401280. 22 August 2012. In a freak turn of events, the mindbending, unbelievable Morgan Agren is playing drums on Casualties Of Cool.(no release date any time soon).