In a new project, photographer Ruth Medjber is asking ordinary people to share their extraordinary tales. This week, she meets drummer of the alt-pop band Milk, Morgan Wilson, who has cerebral palsy
‘Cerebral palsy is essentially a signal error. That’s how it feels to me, like bad wifi’ – Morgan Wilson. Photo: Ruth Medjber
Morgan Wilson photographed by Ruth Medjber for the series, Sin Scéal Eile.
Morgan Wilson is cool, but not in a pretentious way; in a charming and intellectual way, the way that most good songwriters and musicians can be if they keep themselves grounded.
We meet in a favourite haunt of mine, Two Pups cafe on Dublin’s Francis Street, and sit outside on the bustling street with a coffee and a pastry. Morgan graduated from BIMM Music Institute just a few doors up and knows the area well.
His band, Milk, are busy with their new album and he fills me in on all the touring, support slots and headline shows they’ve done since their beginning on New Year’s Day in 2019.
I know what touring is like, having toured myself with a band for the last two years. It’s the most physically exhausting job I’ve ever done, so I’m interested to know how Morgan coped. He plays drums, which is arguably one of the most physical roles in a band. And he has cerebral palsy. I shamefully know very little (or even nothing) about cerebral palsy, which doesn’t surprise Morgan. It’s apparently rare to see people with the condition being portrayed in the media.
“I recently saw an American stand up that had it. That was my first time seeing someone else who’s involved in live performance, someone who would be similar enough to me – and that was only a week ago.”
Morgan Wilson photographed by Ruth Medjber for the series, Sin Scéal Eile.
He explains the extent of his cerebral palsy and its physical restrictions to me in such a succinct and concise manner that it dawns on me that he’s been explaining this his whole life. He’s generous with my questions, and has a very calm way of telling me about all that he faces.
“So on this side, I can tap my foot as quickly as I like. But if I try and do that over here on my other foot, there’s a lot less data from me to it, and it’s not picking it up as well. It’s essentially a signal error. That’s how it feels to me, like bad wifi.”
He tells his foot to move and it doesn’t, not in good time anyway. This sounds incredibly frustrating, but I can only imagine how frustrating this is to a drummer.
He’s a young man with an incredibly gracious and understanding head on his shoulders. He’s figured out what most take a lifetime to realise.
“I realised that for the most part, people are curious because they want to do right by you. Most of the time, they’re not asking for a nefarious reason, and there’s really no need to be as defensive as I have been.”
It’s important for Morgan not to be only seen as a musician with a disability, but to have his songwriting stand for itself. But as he’s grown, he also knows it’s important to acknowledge his disability, to advocate for himself and be proud of the unique perspective which informs his work. “And I hope that people who read this, whether they’re disabled or otherwise, but especially those who have disabilities like mine, can see that it’s only as important as you allow it to be in your mind.”
Follow Ruth Medjber’s year-long project, Sin Scéal Eile – That’s Another Story on Instagram: @ruthlessimagery