Mick Karn, real name Andonis Michaelides, was an English composer and multi-instrumentalist whose particularity is to have created a unique and recognizable bass guitar sound.
He started his musical career in the mid-1970s by joining a group in formation called "Japan", all of whose members knew each other while attending Catford Boys' School in South East London.
Japan will leave a significant imprint in the musical decade of the 80s as much by the quality of these albums as "Gentlemen take polaroids" and "Tin drum". Only by the exuberant and atypical side of some of its members.
Karn decides to stand on his own feet from 1982, when his first album "Titles" was released.
In 1983 he collaborated with Midge Ure (of the Ultravox group) on the title "After a fashion" which will experience a good career in the charts across the Channel.
Then in 1984, it was with Peter Murphy (of the Bauhaus group) that he created the ephemeral group "Dali's Car". Group that will produce an astonishing, original and confusing album "The waking hour", with depressing-bewitching sounds.
He will collaborate on various projects and various albums of other artists in the following years.
Unfortunately, the adventure will come to an end for him on January 4, 2011 when he dies of cancer at the age of 52.
A posthumous album "InGladAloneness", Dali’s Car's second, will be released shortly after.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Slowcar to China (Gary Numan) 1981
A subway called you (Gary Numan) 1981
A dream of Siam (Gary Numan) 1982
This is my house (Gary Numan) 1982
Tribal dawn 1982
Sensitive 1982
After a fashion 1983
The judgement is the mirror (Dali's Car) 1984
His box (Dali's Car) 1984
Create and melt (Dali's Car) 1984
First impression 1987
Buoy 1987
When walks in 1987
The sound of waves 1990
Passenger (Lonely Universe) 1990
The wind in all this noise (Lonely Universe) 1990
Pocket full of change (Rain Tree Crow) 1991
Black water (Rain Tree Crow) 1991
Cries and whispers (Rain Tree Crow) 1991
Saday maday 1993
Liver and lungs 1993
Beginning to melt (JBK) 1993
Human age (JBK) 1993
Open letter to the heart of Diaphora 1994
Res Majuko 1994
In the black of desire (JBK) 1994
The insect tribe (JBK) 1994
Feta funk 1995
There was not anything 1995
Seafall 1998
Lunette 1998
Cold light (JBK) 2000
Alone in his shoes (JBK) 2000
The forgotten puppeteer 2001
My Mrs T 2001
Left big 2001
The jump 2004
Whishy-Washy whishing 2004
Great day in the morning 2004
Outline... Sandcastle 2005
Milk the filthy 2005
Tribal innocence (Stefano Panunzi) 2005
I'm looking for (Stefano Panunzi) 2005
Of & about 2006
Floating home 2006
The wrong truth 2006
Ashamed to be a part of them 2009
Presence 2009
Tender poison 2009
Ad occhi chiusi (Fjieri) 2009
Soul eaters (Fjieri) 2009
I miss you (Stefano Panunzi) 2009
On line now ! (Stefano Panunzi) 2009
Ashes to ashes 2010
King cloud (Dali's Car) 2012
Sound cloud (Dali's Car) 2012
Subhanallah (Dali's Car) 2012
1981...the 'solo' debut at least outside of Japan. What's better than giving a little helping hand to a friend in need...
1981...we clearly recognize this unique bass touch which will make his legend. A unique sound of its kind and which he will have pushed to the maximum of its possibilities...
1982...but we are only at the beginning and the adventure will last a few years, even a few decades. So there will be some material produced, to say the least...
1982...in any case as soon as he participates in a particular project it immediately takes on a dimension that is necessarily out of the ordinary...
1982...an extraordinary inspiration, a bass touch unique in the world, a completely atypical style and look, everything to become a legend. A legend that will be written in two stages. First with Japan but also solo...
1982 ... even if he doesn't sing, being content to be one of the most gifted musicians of his generation, that doesn't prevent him from producing sung titles like this one. And in any case, it works !
1983 ... when 2 of the biggest names of the moment meet, we immediately see the result. A unique piece, with extraordinary inspiration and whose production borders on perfection !
1984...the Dali's Car parenthesis. A hallucinating association with Peter Murphy who will produce an album which is no less. The artist will have participated in most of the most innovative musical projects of the decade...
1984...he will multiply the diverse and varied partnerships and each time the result will be truly unique of its kind. A real phenomenon...
1984...the end of Japan now gives him free rein to embark on new adventures and he doesn't hold back, far from it...
1987...when he really leaves alone it is clear that the songs he will produce will not be sung for the most part...
1987...he will produce this title with his old friend from Japan, David Sylvian. And as soon as he provides lyrics, as if by chance, the title is classified...
1987...on the other hand this one will go much more unnoticed. Frankly a shame because it is far from devoid of interest, it is clear...
1990...a slight air hole which will last 3 years before this resounding return, the time of a sublime title, a title once again with surrealist inspiration. Literally BE-WIT-CHING !
1990...new joint project but the least we can say is that this type of musical project is reserved for an audience that is at least initiated...
1990...it's even worse with this one. We literally border on the experimental and we really wonder what he came to do in this particular musical project...
1991...Japan will reform for a single opus under the name Rain Tree Crow. A project clearly more inspired than the project he previously participated in...
1991...really a shame that Japan was unable to last over time because there was real talent in this group...
1991...it is clear that at certain moments we also border on the experimental. But in their case there is always something that allows them to stay on track...
1993...solo return on this new opus. As soon as he returns to quasi-instrumental mode, the general public immediately moves away...
1993...after that it doesn't seem to bother him that much. As long as the core fans are still present, he says to himself that it is definitely worth continuing...
1993...we find him once again associated with his former companions from Japan but without David Sylvian on this one...
1993...a voice is back on this one but that won't be enough to make it audible to all audiences. Too bad because there really wasn't much missing for it to be...
1994...new association but this time without the former members of Japan. And my goodness is that it works pretty well...
1994...we're not going to get too excited about it anyway because this title is somewhat disappointing. There are instrumental and instrumental...
1994...back once again with former colleagues. And immediately the difference is obvious even on songs without lyrics...
1994...it's obvious that the mayonnaise sets immediately as soon as they get together again. The automations return immediately...
1995...one shot in group mode, one shot in solo mode. He constantly alternates between modes and seems to take great pleasure in doing so...
1995...some of his own titles may still seem austere to say the least to ordinary mortals. We won't remake him again as they say...
1998...if the previous opus was in full solo mode the next one will necessarily be in collaborative mode. The proof with this new title...
1998...it's pure instrumental but of more than enough quality to satisfy a fairly large audience. At least we think so...
2000...a transition to the next decade which takes place once again with former colleagues. With the key being a return of words...
2000...and it is certain that the lyrics greatly help to make the title more accessible. Even if sometimes the melody leaves something to be desired...
2001...a new solo opus that is more gentle and light. At least on this title, it remains to be seen how the others will be...
2001...the trend is confirmed with this new title. Are we witnessing a notable evolution of style or is it just a musical interlude, good question...
2001...everything is fluid and airy at the very beginning of the 2000s. We feel that he needs to express something else compared to what he produced before...
2004...we find him 3 years later once again solo but in a somewhat different musical register than previously...
2004...he calms things down somewhat on this new title. We were frankly afraid that he would go back on somewhat tortuous musical paths...
2004...but as always the pure instrumental mode isolates him de facto and makes his titles little visible to ordinary mortals...
2005...a succession of solo opuses to which he had not accustomed us. Afterwards, everything necessarily depends on the partnership opportunities of the moment...
2005...it now remains to be seen whether he intends to collaborate again afterwards or not, just to vary the pleasures a little...
2005...we suspected that he was going to collaborate again. A rather light and airy collaboration even if sometimes the concept is pushed to its maximum...
2005...he still impresses with the number of collaborative projects in which he participated. And it's far from over...
2006...if a collaborative project on the previous opus we suspect that this one is in full solo mode. In any case, the level of productivity remains particularly high, despite the weight of the years...
2006...an adventure that has lasted for several decades without seeming to tire for a single moment. Let's hope it lasts as they say...
2006...and a new opus, one ! A desire to always move forward which undoubtedly commands respect...
2009...an end of the decade which saw him somewhat tortured. Not sure that this is his best period both in terms of creation and in terms of the style and sound used...
2009...the last solo opus. Destiny will eventually catch up with him in future years and will not give him time to produce more...
2009...but he doesn't know it yet at this stage. For now he imagines that the future still belongs to him and that everything remains possible...
2009...he said that a new small collaboration would be welcome. In principle, varying pleasures does no harm, on the contrary...
2009...not necessarily the best collaboration of all but not without interest all the same. We will be satisfied with it as they say...
2009...the end of the 2000s was dense with titles, it is clear. In any case, he shows that he is still there and that is the main thing...
2009...the last title of the decade. A decade which saw him manage to stay afloat without too much difficulty...
2010...the last year in activity. He will unfortunately learn that he has cancer at a particularly advanced stage and that there will be no miracle to expect...
2012...a posthumous sequel to the Dali's Car adventure since he will leave us in 2011. We would have liked the adventure to last a little longer but the illness will have been stronger than anything...
2012...the quality of this sequel leaves something to be desired, it has to be said. As much as the concept-project had previously created the event, it is somewhat disappointing here...
2012...a very last title to close an extraordinary adventure for an artist who was no less so. In any case, he will leave behind a work that will survive him...
Top Bonus : 1982, a roast on one of Midge Ure's most beautiful tracks. When the best combines with the best, the result is necessarily among...the best !
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime I
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime II
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