Mick Karn

[Col]

Mick Karn has been diagnosed with cancer, there is an appeal running on his website:

[url="http://www.mickkarn.net/"]http://www.mickkarn.net/[/url]

[Col]

The appeal is to help him and his family financially, I've pasted the text from his website www.mickkarn.net below:


MICK KARN APPEAL - Posted 4th June 2010

With great sadness we regret to inform you that Mick has recently been diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer. Mick is currently in a positive mood and undergoing further tests and treatment. His family and friends are close with him, supporting him in practical ways, and surrounding him with their love, friendship and care.

Mick has been struggling financially for some considerable time now and we are hoping that this appeal may help to raise funds for any necessary treatment and perhaps go some way towards providing a small degree of financial support whilst Mick's immediate family provide the care and comfort we would all wish for him. We are hoping that his friends, fans and musical colleagues will, over the coming months, offer any support they feel capable of giving. Quite aside from the sheer brunt of daunting medically-related costs, Mick's clear and major concern is for the security and well being of his wife and young son.

If you would like to make a donation whether as an individual or as a group, you can do so via the paypal link below which has been set up for this sole and express purpose. Any support you are able to give, no matter how small, could make a difference in helping Mick cope during this difficult period. His friends will be looking at a variety of ways to raise funds.

If you would simply like to leave your kind messages of support for Mick, please do so, here: Messages

We will keep you all updated as often as we can.

Please do note that news is released with Mick's full approval.
Posted: 3rd June 2010

Edited June 4, 2010 by Col

[obbm]

Sad as this siiituation is, what about the NHS which has treated a number of us succesfully.

[xilddx]

Those w***ers at NICE veto treatment sometimes.

[Matte_black]

I saw this appeal on Facebook... felt like being punched in the stomach.
Posted the appeal on another forum, hope he'll be as lucky and strong as Rocco Prestia was when it had liver issues years ago.
I'll certainly send my humble contribution... hope many BCers will do the same.

[Prosebass]

[quote name='Matte_black' post='857870' date='Jun 5 2010, 12:31 AM']I saw this appeal on Facebook... felt like being punched in the stomach.
Posted the appeal on another forum, hope he'll be as lucky and strong as Rocco Prestia was when it had liver issues years ago.
I'll certainly send my humble contribution... hope many BCers will do the same.[/quote]

Certainly will, Mick is one of my major influences and a kind of 'hero' to me.
Really shocked.

[GreeneKing]

Mick Karn plays like a god in my book. I really want to see him overcome his illness but would have thought that financially he'd have been better off than most??

Maybe he's worth more that a normal bass player?

[bassatnight]

Mick along with Steve Jansen and Richard Barberi made very little from Japan; David Sylvian did very well taking most of the money and plaudits (as per Micks Biog)

Lets be honest he has all but vanished from the music scene in the last 25 years.

This is so sad as I grew up listening and trying to copy his style, I wonder if his former band mates will have rally round?
Wal certainly sold a lot of fretless basses due to him.

I have mixed feelings over this, on the one hand you want to help - but thousands of other sufferers get no financial help bar the NHS (and we know how bad that can be) the last I heard Mick had upped sticks abroad a few years back so no doubt the NHS will frown at that too..

So so sad...

[GreeneKing]

[quote name='bassatnight' post='858882' date='Jun 6 2010, 01:57 PM']Lets be honest he has all but vanished from the music scene in the last 25 years.[/quote]
He's been very busy in an alternative genre I think. I seriously wish him well though and hope he gets all the support he needs.

[brummie]

I'm shocked, he is the reason I started playing, I think he still lives in Greece, not sure if they have a social health care system like we do.

[Rayman]

Very sad. I'm happy to chip in too, Mick's a major influence on me.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='obbm' post='857821' date='Jun 4 2010, 11:20 PM']Sad as this siiituation is, what about the NHS which has treated a number of us succesfully.[/quote]

From personal experience, plus one. Obviously my thoughts are with his family too & I make a point of supporting as many cancer causes as I can since my own brush last year

[Matte_black]

I've put my personal bass for sale to help Mick. I'll see if the mods will allow me to post it in the "For sale" section since I'm not going to gain money on it (I'd give away 100% of the sale price).

[bassatnight]

Fair play mate. Hats off to you for such a generous gesture. I have just donated.[quote name='Matte_black' post='859234' date='Jun 6 2010, 08:01 PM']I've put my personal bass for sale to help Mick. I'll see if the mods will allow me to post it in the "For sale" section since I'm not going to gain money on it (I'd give away 100% of the sale price).[/quote]

[steviedee]

[quote name='Matte_black' post='859234' date='Jun 6 2010, 08:01 PM']I've put my personal bass for sale to help Mick. I'll see if the mods will allow me to post it in the "For sale" section since I'm not going to gain money on it (I'd give away 100% of the sale price).[/quote]

That's a great gesture mate I've chipped some cash, I wonder if we could donate stuff have a wee raffle or something make some money for a guy who has been an inspiration to a lot of us.

[Matte_black]

Don't know. I guess every kind of help is welcome but I don't want to hassle Mick's "manager" or friends with this kind of stuff... you understand.
I guess that selling outright and then donate is always the best choice.

[wombatboter]

I'm also going to donate... seems only fair that musicians help each other, it's but a small gesture towards someone who has given me inspiration and great times. I hope he'll keep on doing that...

[the hand of john curley]

[quote name='bassatnight' post='858882' date='Jun 6 2010, 01:57 PM']Mick along with Steve Jansen and Richard Barberi made very little from Japan; David Sylvian did very well taking most of the money and plaudits (as per Micks Biog)

Lets be honest he has all but vanished from the music scene in the last 25 years.

This is so sad as I grew up listening and trying to copy his style, I wonder if his former band mates will have rally round?
Wal certainly sold a lot of fretless basses due to him.

I have mixed feelings over this, on the one hand you want to help - but thousands of other sufferers get no financial help bar the NHS (and we know how bad that can be) the last I heard Mick had upped sticks abroad a few years back so no doubt the NHS will frown at that too..

So so sad...[/quote]


Steve Jansen has put a message on his website stating that if anyone purchases one of his Prints he will donate the money to Mick. Nothing on Mr Sylvians site , although I guess thatsnot his style really and he'd be more likely to make direct contact with Mick rather than through the Internet?

Bloody sad state of affairs all round though.....sh*tty disease of the highest order.

Matt

[Laurence]

Just found this message from Mick Karn:

Mick would like to thank each and every one of you who have sent messages of support and donations or who are fundraising in some way. It really means a great deal and he is drawing a lot of strength from the love that surrounds him. Thank you all so very much.

To update you, Mick has been referred to a cancer specialist hospital and yesterday discussed treatment with them. Two weeks of extensive therapy begin next week before his case is re-assessed.

[Cairobill]

This is sad.

It's a shame that Karn could have been core to the sound of a successful group and still come out the other end with no real financial benefit.

It's highly likely that Sylvian being the main financial beneficiary in the band contributed to Japan's split up and the band's difficult internal relationships.

It's funny how the bands that have the greatest success and longevity e.g. REM, U2, Radiohead and Coldplay have a more egalitarian financial set-up and more often than not split songwriting royalties.

I think that songwriters in bands that become successful should be very mindful that it is often the chemistry of the band that creates the success. Once money rolls in and the songwriters start coining it as the other musicians stay on 200 quid a week, things sour VERY quickly! Then the band splits and it's all over for everyone.

I have seen it happen many, many times and I would not be surprised if it is the cause behind the collapse of creative verve and ultimate implosion of most bands that suddenly split when they seem to be at the top of their game.

I sincerely hope Karn recovers, his work in Japan elevates him to the rare group of bassists who can be identified by their sound and note choice.

Nick

[GeeCee]

[quote name='Cairobill' post='864168' date='Jun 11 2010, 06:15 AM']It's a shame that Karn could have been core to the sound of a successful group and still come out the other end with no real financial benefit.

It's highly likely that Sylvian being the main financial beneficiary in the band contributed to Japan's split up and the band's difficult internal relationships.[/quote]

I would recommend that you buy and read Mick's book if you have not already done so (and Mick gets the royalty). While it's a frustrating read at times since it was/is self-published (I think) through LuLu and Mick comes across as someone who could be quite difficult at times, it's amazing how little it would appear he got out of his Japan days. That and his subsequent struggles to finance albums and tours, was quite an eye opener.

Edited June 11, 2010 by GeeCee

[bh2]

Mick's been very busy since Japan... His album with Yoshihiro Hanno was a big influence on me...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiE0GkVTWKo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiE0GkVTWKo[/url]

Check out the album if you can.

We're with you Mick.

[Ricardo]

I'm a big fan of Mick Karn and like many have already mentioned he too was a major influence on me and the reason I picked up a bass in the first place. Tried to emulate but it just didn't sound the same, limited by skill and raw talent I supose so developed as you do a style of my own but still try to throw in a Karn-esque phrase now and again.

I too am currently reading his Biog, it's a bit of an eye opener and a good read.

I've also purchased his last two albums.

Mick's first album "Titles" is now selling around the £50 mark, I can't believe how quick people are at making a fast buck from other peoples misfortune, this I had on vinyl and so thought I'd download it from iTunes. I checked out that it was avaialble and it was for £7.90, I needed an iTunes card and when I went back on they'd removed it so no doubt Apple will be cashing in on this too, needless to say I 've sent them a snotty email.

Here's hoping Mick's treatment is successful and he gets to live a long and happy life.

[molan]

[quote name='Ricardo' post='904207' date='Jul 24 2010, 06:16 PM']Mick's first album "Titles" is now selling around the £50 mark, I can't believe how quick people are at making a fast buck from other peoples misfortune, this I had on vinyl and so thought I'd download it from iTunes. I checked out that it was avaialble and it was for £7.90, I needed an iTunes card and when I went back on they'd removed it so no doubt Apple will be cashing in on this too, needless to say I 've sent them a snotty email.[/quote]

I got quite excited when I saw this as I have a pristine copy of the album on vinyl & thought I'd EBay it & send the money to the appeal. However I've just looked on EBay & there's a copy sitting at 99p with only 6 hours to go & plenty of other copies at £4 - £5 on BIN

Only heard about Mick's plight this morning (inspired to hunt out some 80's fretless playing after listening to some John Giblin late last night).

I saw on his site that the state health system has agreed to treat him over in Cyprus now (he didn't have an approved medical card when first diagnosed apparently) but this doesn't necessarily mean he's any better off financially

[bassatnight]

I am amazed that Wal haven't made some kind of gesture towards mick even if its a signature model with a percentage going to Mick directly. I really believe his playing shifted these basses through the 80's, I have lost count of how many players on here name Mick as a major influence a more natural player I have yet to see! Come on Wal lets see some kind of gesture.