Charles Shaar Murray

• Name — Charles Shaar Murray • Birth Name — Charles Maximillian Murray • Born — 27 June 1951 • Birthplace — Reading, Berkshire, England • Education — Reading Grammar School • Occupation — Journalist, writer, broadcaster • Years Active — 1970–present • Employer — Guitarist

Murray grew up in Reading, Berkshire, England, where he attended Reading School and learned to play the harmonica and guitar.

Murray's first experience in journalism came in 1970, when he was one of a number of schoolchildren who responded to an invitation to edit the April issue of the satirical magazine Oz. He thus contributed to the notorious Schoolkids OZ issue and was involved in the consequent obscenity trial. He wrote for International Times, before moving, in 1972, to the New Musical Express (NME), for which he wrote until around 1986. He subsequently worked for a number of publications including Q magazine, Mojo, MacUser, The New Statesman, Prospect, The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, Vogue and The Independent. He also began writing a monthly column about his lifelong love affair with guitars in Guitarist magazine. Murray sang and played guitar and harmonica as Blast Furnace in the band Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves and performed with London blues band Crosstown Lightnin'.

Murray was a supporter of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and was a signatory to an open letter to The Guardian in April 2016 that denied antisemitism was "rife" in the party.

Murray's broadcasting credits include: • The Seven Ages of Rock (BBC2, 2007) as series consultant and interviewee • The South Bank Show (ITV, 2006) Dusty Springfield – interviewee • Inky Fingers: The NME Story (BBC2, 2005) – interviewee • Dancing in the Street (BBC2) – series consultant • Jazz From Hell: Frank Zappa (BBC Radio 3) writer and presenter • Punk Jazz: Jaco Pastorius (BBC R3) writer and presenter • The Life and Crimes of Lenny Bruce (BBC R3) writer and presenter