Mick Karn 24th July 1958 - 4th Jan 2011

by **Scouser** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:46 pm

From Micks Facebook page -

It's with profound sadness that we have to inform you that Mick finally lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully at 4.30pm today, 4th January 2011 at home in Chelsea, London. He was surrounded by his family and friends and will be deeply missed by all.

Absolutely gutted, my favourite bass player ever (sorry Les).

RIP Mick

by **Kounelaki** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:55 pm

That's sad news.

by **mrsmac** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:33 pm

Very sad - Gentlemen Take Polaroids is one of my favourite albums ever

by **Scouser** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:09 pm

John Taylor (Duran Duran) -

It is with great sadness we read of the passing away of Mick Karn, Japan bassist and super-sideman, one of the great visual and sound stylists of the late-seventies/early-eighties.

Nick and I first saw Japan at Barbarellas in Birmingham on their ‘Obscure Alternatives’ tour and were blown away. They were so fresh, while every other band in town were tripping over each other in a rush to play the same three chords, Japan were brave in many ways. When I think back to that night the image that first comes to mind first is beautiful Mick, red hair and Ibanez bass, shaved eyebrows and ballet shoes, shuffling around the floor like a docile robot, playing also with great beauty and verve, punching delicate holes in the fabric of the songs; in Mick Karn’s basslines no notes were ever wasted.

It is a great tragedy to me that the members of Japan were never able to quite get over themselves and find a way to work again together, as Japan. The Rain Tree Crow episode was a disaster, more-so if the rumors about David were true, changing his mind about calling the project Japan, once the album had been started and he held all the cards.

I did not follow Mick’s work past Dali’s Car, but got to speak to him last year as we both made contributions to the David Bowie tribute, ‘We Were So Turned On’. We made tentative plans to meet in London, and Duran discussed Mick contributing to ‘All You Need is Now’. It never happened.

Mick changed my life in a good way, ‘Quiet Life’ and ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’, ‘Adolescent Sex’ and ‘Tin Drum’ are amongst the best recordings made during the post-punk era in my view. Mick’s sax playing also was always interesting.

He shall be missed.

by **withahip** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:12 pm

He has such a unique sound.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koY0gmBpOjg&feature=related[/youtube]

by **Kounelaki** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:40 am

by **kook** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:25 am

Fuck! That is terrible news!

by **Scouser** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:27 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12118209

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hiUlsd6lXT0?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hiUlsd6lXT0?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

by **withahip** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:55 pm

He has his own sound for sure. It says a lot that he could put that sound in a more traditional rock song like Let My Love Open The Door.

Karn belongs with David J, Les Pattinson and Gang of Four's Dave Allen in bass greatness.

by **Kounelaki** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 3:38 am

Mick Karn: Innovative bass-player with the esoteric early-Eighties band Japan
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obitu ... 79198.html

by **withahip** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:31 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY4viIzsduc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37rNgMRmIVc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vntV1Jj3No[/youtube]

by **the puppet** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:34 am

Sad news have not listened to Japan for years but had their early albums.Weird earlier today for the first time ever was on a Japan website doododoodoo (in a musical tone).Great bass and fretless bass playing-thoughts

by **Kounelaki** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:27 am

La playlist d'Hugo Cassavetti : Adieu Mick Karn

[songs played]

Cantonese Boy, Japan (1981). Album Tin Drum

After a Fashion , Midge Ure and Mick Karn (1982). Single

His Box , Dalis Car (1984). Album The Waking Hour

Bestial Cluster, Mick Karn (1992). Album Bestial Cluster

Sweatheart Raw, No-Man (1994). Album Loveblows and Lovecries : A Confesion

http://www.telerama.fr/musique/la-playl ... ,64349.php

by **Karen** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:16 pm

Just found out. Im gutted, the end of an iconic bass player. I love him.

by **withahip** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:18 pm

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2IZN3v/ww ... us-spring/

The trek will be Murphy’s first U.S. tour since an extensive run of dates in the summer of 2009. Since then, he’s recorded a second Dalis Car record with Mick Karn before the bassist’s death earlier this year,

Mick Karn 24th July 1958 - 4th Jan 2011

Mick Karn 24th July 1958 - 4th Jan 2011

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