The following sad news has just been posted on the Mick Karn website ...

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.



Rob

R.I.P Mick. Very very sad news. I can't say anything else now. I'll need to go now.

Thats really very sad news

I hoped he would pull through. He was an important player in my musical life.

From Japan's appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test to his last album 'The Concrete Twin'. I am proud that his unique talent struck a chord wtihin me.

He will be missed, always.

I still can't believe this...

Very sad news. His unique style will remain forever...

very sad news a great talent

When I imagine a bass-sound it's a Mick Karn bass-sound. That's how it was since I first heard him playing. And that's how it'll continue to be.

Very sorry to hear this about Mick. It really has been a sad period of a lot of very creative musicians now no longer being here.

To compound the misery Gerry Rafferty also passed away yesterday Don't know very much by him but the little I heard was class . Stealer's Wheel plus his solo work , If my memory serves me correctly he started out wioth Billy Connolly You as "Metamatic Minister for Caledonian Affairs" should be able to shed some light on this
Stuck in the Middle , Night Owl , Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Methods of Dance will remain as fitting timeless memorials to these great musicians

Upsetting. I went to google Gerry Rafferty as they'd mentioned it on the telly and the news about Karn came up too.
Sort of thought he'd come through it somehow.

With the news of Pete Postlethwaite earlier in the week, that's not such a good start to the New Year

I was shocked when I heard. Such sad news. I honestly thought he had much more time and that he was undergoing treatment - I never realised it had advanced so quickly.

I really don't know what else to say - my thoughts are with his family.

Terribly sad news. RIP.

Both the loss of Gerry Rafferty and Mick Karn in short space of time is terrible. Both had different styles, but both blessed with immense talent -Baker Street was always a classic that I held fondly from my childhood, and Japan were always one of my favourite bands of all time. I'm sure their legacy will live on for many, many years.

All this on top of the untimely passing of one of Britain's finest actors, Pete Postlethwaite.

A very sad start to 2011.

R.I.P Pete, Gerry and Mick
Deepest condolences to the friends and families of all three.

Very sad to hear about Mick, R.I.P.

There is a message on the WAl bass website about the death of Mick & a really nice photo as well.

http://www.walbasses.co.uk/News%20on%20Mick%20Karn

Gerry teamed up with Billy when he joined the folk group the Humblebums at the end of the 60's. Steelers Wheel was formed in the early 70's. TBH I don't know that much about him, my only earlier knowledge of his music was Baker street and I have to say that I love the singing on it but always felt it was kitsch soft rock with sax, (apparently the royalties from it were still earning Gerry £80,000 a year!)

I think that like a lot of people Reservoir Dogs gave me awareness of Stuck In The Middle, and forever made me think of Gerry as 'that guy with the ultra cool song'.

I came across a reasonable piece on Gerry at the weekend in the Sunday Herald, (found it on a train), covering his rags to riches and alcohol addicted life, (his father was also an alcoholic, and used to beat him and his mother), with contributions from the Proclaimers Charlie Reid, Alan McGee, the extremely charming Paolo Nutini (no fan of his music, but what a lovely guy), and artist John Byrne.

Yeah, I didn't even know he was Scottish..one of those peripheral chacters in music, who obviously had some big issues.
I also read he spent many of his last few months living in Tuscany which is nice. His ex-wife was Italo-Scottish so I wonder if there was any connection there.
I really liked Night Owl and Get It Right NextTime too.

from Steve Jansen's website:


http://www.stevejansen.com/

Can anyone recommend a supplier for the autobiography, I've trawled the web without success

Hi John.

Try this link http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fSearch=mick+karn&fListingClass=7

It's where I bought my copy from.

Mark

Thanks for the link,just ordered it. I did also purchase David Sylvians The Last Romantic, I'll have a stack of books to get through once I've got through Dave Grohls unofficial biography.