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The Ghost Who Walks is Irish journalist and singer-songwriter Neil McCormick.
Neil wasted his youth as a struggling musician who could never quite convince A&R men of his genius. A contemporary of U2’s in his native Dublin, his career curve was pretty much the diametric opposite of theirs (they made it to Wembley Stadium. He made it about as far as Wembley Coach and Horses). Neil’s misadventures in the music business are laid out in his memoir I Was Bono’s Doppelganger, published in the UK and Ireland by Penguin in 2004 (and as Killing Bono in America by VH1 Books). Author Joseph O’Connor described the tome as “squirm-inducing, excruciatingly honest and painfully funny… a love story of innocence and innocence lost.” Sir Elton John eulogised it as “The best book I have ever read about trying to make it in the music business”.
But there is a twist to his saga of unremitting failure. Neil continued to operate a shadow musical existence under the nom de guerre The Ghost Who Walks. In 2003, out of the blue, Mel Gibson’s office called to ask if they could include his track Harm’s Way on the album Songs Inspired by the Passion of the Christ, resulting in Neil making his major label debut sandwiched between Elvis Presley and Leonard Cohen with Bob Dylan bringing up the rear. Mel Gibson said: “This song sounds like a plea from every mother and father to their child”. Neil even got a better review than Dylan in The Newark Star Ledger, who wrote: “The most riveting performance comes from The Ghost Who Walks, who offers the haunting, tender Harm’s Way.”
The Ghost Who Walks’ debut album Mortal Coil was first released on his own BiPolar imprint (through Vital) in the UK & Ireland. Two years and a lifetime in the making, it spans a huge musical scope: gospel, hard rock, country, pop, hip hop, rock’n’roll and tearjerking ballads. The Ghost says “I wanted it to sound like you were lost in a record store, listening to all your favourite music.” Lyrically dark, it is verbose yet melodic, worldweary but soulful and always deeply passionate. It wears its heart on its sleeve. ‘Mortal Coil’ has attracted some high profile support. Sting and Robyn Hitchcock are amongst The Ghost’s admirers. Captain America debuted ‘Sleepwalking’ on his Virgin radio show, claiming “If REM released this it would be number one.” Bono described the album as “extraordinary. Not a dull tune on it. This is as good as it gets.” He hailed Neil’s song of spiritual confusion ‘I Found God’ as “a classic”.
In 2005, The Ghost Who Walks released a one off single (on Endeavour / Universal) in response to the London tube bombings, entitled ‘People I Don’t Know Are Trying To Kill Me’. Musicians who lent a hand on the recording included Jon Moss (of Culture Club), Wix Wickens (Musical Director of Paul McCartney’s band) and Welsh singing star Steve Balsamo of The Storys. U2 performed snatches of People I Don’t Know as part of ‘Electric Co.’ during their north American leg of their Vertigo tour.
The Ghost continues to operate in the margins of the music business, occasionally appearing in corporeal form at small venues around London.