Duran Duran's John Taylor pays tribute to Japan bassist Mick Karn - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

adultescent · 01-05-2011, 10:02 AM

I've been a devoted fan of New Romantic/New Wave music since the '80s, and I was very sad to read the bassist from one of my favourite New Romantic bands, Mick Karn, from UK band Japan, has passed away (from cancer)...

The bassist of another of my favourite New Romantic bands, John Taylor, from UK band Duran Duran, has paid tribute to Mick Karn...

Mick Karn 1958-2011

From duranduran.com:

JOHN REMEMBERS MICK KARN
January 4th, 2011
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.

01-05-2011, 10:02 AM	#1
adultescent Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 27, 2007 Location: Posts: 882	Duran Duran's John Taylor pays tribute to Japan bassist Mick Karn I've been a devoted fan of New Romantic/New Wave music since the '80s, and I was very sad to read the bassist from one of my favourite New Romantic bands, Mick Karn, from UK band Japan, has passed away (from cancer)... The bassist of another of my favourite New Romantic bands, John Taylor, from UK band Duran Duran, has paid tribute to Mick Karn... Mick Karn 1958-2011 From duranduran.com: JOHN REMEMBERS MICK KARN January 4th, 2011 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.