Michael Des Barres

Michael Des Barres (born 24 January 1948) is a British actor and rock singer. He is best known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert. He is also the ex-husband of legendary groupie, actress and author Pamela Des Barres and written about extensively in two of her books, I'm With The Band and Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart.

Personal
The only son of Philip and Irene Des Barres (pronounced "Deh-Barr"), Michael grew up in the Surrey area and attended a boarding school. He later attended drama school and appeared in several plays. Married in England, Michael divorced his first wife (Wendy) after meeting Pamela in 1974. He married Pamela on October 29, 1977; the couple was divorced in 1991, remaining friends.

Their son Nicholas Dean Des Barres was born September 30, 1978. Nick was a contributor to the video game magazine Diehard GameFan, writing many of his articles under the apt pseudonym "Nick Rox." He also designed the Resident Evil movie poster.

A heavy alcohol and drug abuser during the 1970s, Michael has been sober since June 1980. He does volunteer addiction counseling and works with homeless teens. Michael performs with his new band, Free Love, at The Mint Club in Los Angeles. His acting credits and hit songs, particularly "Obsession," have given him the time and freedom to make the Hollywood event and party circuit...at which he is often photographed.

Michael has also organized and hosted the annual Don't Knock the Rock Film Festival, which debuted in 2003.

Music
Des Barres formed his first band Silverhead in England in 1972. They recorded two albums and toured the U.S., Europe and Japan, before disbanding in 1974.

After relocating to Los Angeles, he formed the band Detective in 1975. They recorded two albums that were released on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label. In late 1978, they made a guest appearance on the original WKRP in Cincinnati as the incorrigibly naughty punk band Scum of the Earth in the episode "Hoodlum Rock."

A solo album, I'm Only Human, followed in 1980, with a solo tour of the U.S. and UK.

He was part of the band Chequered Past from 1982 to 1984, which included Steve Jones from Sex Pistols and Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison from Blondie.

In 1983 he wrote and recorded the song "Obsession" together with Holly Knight, which later became a #6 Billboard Top 40 hit when covered by Animotion in 1985.

Des Barres met the members of Duran Duran when Chequered Past opened for a few shows during their 1984 tour. In 1985, when Robert Palmer withdrew from the Duran Duran side project Power Station just before their American summer tour, Des Barres was chosen to take his place as lead vocalist. He performed live with them for several months before they disbanded, including a set broadcast to millions at the 1985 Live Aid charity concert in Philadelphia. Des Barres' friendship with actor Don Johnson got Power Station a guest appearance on Johnson's TV show Miami Vice. He wrote one song with the band, "We Fight For Love" which appears on the soundtrack to the movie Commando.

He released a second solo album called Somebody Up There Likes Me in 1986, which featured contributions by former bandmates Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) and Andy Taylor (Duran Duran).

Acting
Michael has a diverse and prolific acting career, having appeared in one or two movies every year, as well as dozens of television appearances. His first movie role was as a supporting cast member in the classic 1967 film To Sir, with Love, followed by a few other minor roles before he decided to pursue a career in rock 'n' roll instead. After 1986, he concentrated his energies on acting again and was quickly cast in Nightflyers as a charismatic empath. His lead movie roles have been in Midnight Cabaret, Poison Ivy: The New Seduction , and Sugar Town.

On television, besides the famous role as Murdoc on MacGyver, Michael was also a lead cast member of The New WKRP in Cincinnati during the 1991/92 season. During this same time, he played a gay man (Leon's boyfriend) in two episodes of Roseanne. Some of his dozens of television appearances include Seinfeld, Ellen, Just Shoot Me!, Hart To Hart, My Sister Sam , Lois & Clark , JAG , Melrose Place , Nash Bridges , Northern Exposure , Rockford Files , Sliders , St. Elsewhere , 21 Jump Street, Dead Like Me and WKRP In Cincinnati (see above). He has also done voice work for several animated television series.

Selected discography

 * Silverhead: "Silverhead" (1972)
 * Silverhead: "16 and Savaged" (1973)
 * Silverhead: "Live at the Rainbow" (1975)
 * Detective: "Detective" (1977)
 * Detective: "It Takes One To Know One" (1977)
 * Detective: "Live from the Atlantic Studios" (1978)
 * Michael Des Barres: "I'm Only Human" (1980)
 * Chequered Past: "Chequered Past" (1984)
 * Michael Des Barres: "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1986)