Mick Karn RIP

Sad news of the passing of the ex-Japan bassist at 52 of cancer. Mick was a Cypriot by birth (real name Antony Michaelides) who came to England as a child. He met up with the other guys in Japan at school in London. His playing was, for me, a highlight of the '80's - sinuous, snaking, highly melodic basslines delivered with superb timing and sound. Just a delight. This is a good example, as is this. Others will, perhaps, link to other examples of Mick's work. αντίο mate, you enhanced my love of music.
posted by MajorDundee (6 comments total)

Yeah, there was a thread over on the blue the other day. (And buy the way, your second link doesn't seem to work here in the US, so apologies if I inadvertently dupe that link.)

I've been a big fan of Mick Karn for years...such a uniquely talented musician. Here are a few of my favorite Mick Karn performances: Swing (w/Japan), The Judgment is the Mirror (w/Dali's Car), and from his last album: Ashamed to Be a Part of Them.

Innerviews has a good interview with him as well. What a huge loss.
posted by malocchio at 2:32 PM on January 7, 2011

I posted that on the blue, it is incredibly sad news. I was just too young to see Japan (they split in 82 just as I was starting to go to 'proper' gigs), but if you haven't seen Japan's live video 'Oil on Canvas' I can strongly recommend it.

I was listening to Gentlemen Take Polaroids today and admiring 'Swing'. What a fantastic talent (definitely one of my inspirations for first picking up a bass, along with Stuart Morrow from New Model Army), and I love the Gary Numan stuff as well.

.
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:08 AM on January 8, 2011

I didn't see the post on the Blue - so apologies for the duplication. The missing link is to "I Second That Emotion".
posted by MajorDundee at 5:11 AM on January 9, 2011

(errr...hope you didn't think I was complaining about a dupe, MajorDundee. Thank you both for making these posts...there's some comfort in not feeling like the only Mick Karn fan.)
posted by malocchio at 4:29 PM on January 9, 2011

Yea, don't worry about the dupe, man. This was a very great loss. He's well worth two posts.
posted by snsranch at 6:36 PM on January 9, 2011

Didn't take it as a complaint at all malocchio and not worried in the least sns. Took a moment or two for the penny to drop re what a dupe was though...this side of the pond we don't use that truncation because it means to fool or trick someone!
posted by MajorDundee at 12:41 PM on January 10, 2011