The GENIUS of Bassist Mick Karn

[@terrybozzio4841]

Thank you for acknowledging my my dear friend & one of my favorite bassists. Don’t forget to check out his work on polytown.

[@theconcretetwin]

Cheers Terry❣️

[@Simonewhitesim-1music]

Yes, and I saw Polytown and Mark Isham with Both of you In the bands.

[@gizmogearloose3391]

TERRY BOZZIO!!! Thank you for the response...! I am HONORED! and yeah, "Honey Sweating" is my favorite track off POLYTOWN...! And waitaminute...that's YOUR work on that album, too! And Major Kudos to David Torn!!!

[@pierre-emilebertona3331]

Thanks for your feedback, Terry. Yes, Polytown is a great album, I love it. Individually and collectivly, the performance is amazing. And cheers to you, you have played with some of my favorite bassplayers : Mick, Pat O'hearn and my good old friend Tony Levin. Remember you from 78 in Bern, Switzerland, with FZ : Still my favourite line-up.

[@AOK3x3]

Polytown? Not sure I know that, any links?

[@dfreeman120]

Don Freeman here. Yea moved to London in 89’ and played keyboards on the Joan Armatrading record “ Hearts and Flowers”. I car pooled with two bass players Pino Palladino and Mick Karn to the studio. Mick lived close to me and his Japan bandmate Steve Jansen played drums as well. Manu Katche played the days when Pino played. Mick was a brilliant musician and played very melodic parts on the fretless and maybe a fretted. Check out the album but “ Promised Land” really features some brilliant playing by Mick Karn. Bomaye ❤

[@PjRjHj]

Awesome

[@kevgamble]

That's awesome. Joan Armatrading is another name not mentioned nearly enough any more. When it seems like the present day is a little too high on its own sense of novelty, her name is one that often comes to my mind for how much good there was back then.

[@mockbattles]

Pino Paladino’s son Rocco is recording and touring with Yussef Dayes. I think he deserves a feature.

[@dfreeman120]

@@mockbattles the subject of this episode is on “ The GENIUS of Bassist Mick Karn”. We are honoring his artistry and his memory. Secondly I’m not the moderator of this channel.

[@rtate69]

In Vogue

[@carlasker9285]

Finally Mick Karn. A bass hero. Completely unique, instantly recognisable. Challenging but not bragging, introvert but still elegant, inventive and almost bizarre bass lines that never disturbed the song.

[@gizmogearloose3391]

Very well put!

[@barfthebarf]

It has been criminal that Mick Karn was not recognized for his work. Amazing bass player. My personal #1 favorite.

[@danielgarlock2074]

Bill Nelson's "Glow World," first time for me. Omfg

[@ShadeCandle]

FINALLY, someone talks about Mick Karn. I don't know why no one knows Japan, but getting into them in high school was the reason i started playing fretless bass, and never looked back. Definitely one of my all-time heroes.

[@mindhead2005]

And mine! He was simply amazing.

[@gizmogearloose3391]

BIG Japan fan, here. I want to thank pdbass for this posting. Mick Karn is my fretless bass hero, and ever since I found a Kramer fretless bass, I have been trying to catch his groove. When someone says, "fretless bassist", I do not immediately think of Jaco, Tony Franklin, Pino, Richard Bona, nor Andy Coughlin...much respect to all of them... I ALWAYS immediately think of Mick Karn...period.

[@gizmogearloose3391]

...and my favorite Karn track...the whole TITLES (1982) album is brilliant....but "Tribal Dawn", "Savior, Are You With Me", and "Trust Me" are my favorites. Check out his work with Terri Bozzio, and David Torn...!

[@meowomo]

great taste! im a huge fan of japan and karn@@gizmogearloose3391

[@stevfargan8953]

I love Mick Karn's bass on Bill Nelson's Chimera Mini-LP.

[@ralphbyers6136]

Cantonese Boy, Swing, Still Life, Talking Drum, All Tomorrow’s Parties, Sensitive, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, European Son, Bestial Cluster, Back in The Beginning… Mick is so amazing!!! 💪🏽❤️😀. Thank you for your continued, excellent work, PD!!!

[@antonchizhov4419]

That is one exquisite list 🙂 "Sensitive" and "When love walks in" are two of my favourites.

[@DiscoFang]

And I so want to note Steve Jansen's drum playing in those Japan tracks. Also a musical hero of mine.

[@carlnewman5448]

So pleased to see Mick Karn being recognised. Wonderful to experience him playing live twice with Japan.

[@gizmogearloose3391]

You got to see Japan live twice...you have my utmost envy!

[@carlnewman5448]

@@gizmogearloose3391 I know, being a real music nut I just got to experience so much 🙏

[@M.T27]

@@gizmogearloose3391me too!

[@ElectricSmurf]

I saw him with Japan, incredible footwork as well unbelievable bass playing.

[@carlnewman5448]

Yes his footwork was so cool too. Remember it vividly. He was such a presence on stage. When you are this good on bass, it’s great having that swagger.

[@purdisc]

Thank you so much for covering Mick Karn. Both him and Sylvian were so young when writing accomplished songs which belied their youth.

[@davidking7353]

canton is cool sound

[@nathanaelpeace9550]

He's the GOAT to me. Totally unique and crooked. Amazing

[@rationalmuscle]

Nick was a very 'good' player, and extremely wicked creatively, but to say GOAT? Nah - can't hang with Jaco. Nor could anyone playing with one right-hand finger. He's more of a cool trick player than a GOAT.

[@kevbob]

@@rationalmuscleif someone says he is the “GOAT to me”, then that’s where you could stop yourself and say “that’s cool, we all have our preferences and that what makes us unique” and move on. ;)

[@brendonmurley8276]

@@kevbob- very well put sir.

[@zararity]

​​@@rationalmuscle'Cool trick player'. Seriously? Also, when someone says 'GOAT to me', maybe wind your neck in with your opinion which is unwanted and unnecessary.

[@mattma5859]

​@@rationalmuscleNick who???

[@smashogre4766]

Mick Karn holds a special place in my heart. In the mid-80s, I was about a year into playing the bass when a high school friend introduced me to Mick's playing via "Dalis Car". My brain broke. Saying that I'd never heard anything like it kinda goes without saying. It was one of those moments that is at once inspirational, but also makes you want to give up. BTW, the friend I mentioned would go on to become a phenomenal bassist, educator, scholar, and composer himself. His name was Sean Malone, who was probably best know for his work with Cynic and Gordian Knot, but also did considerable solo work and collabs. (He's worth checking out.) Thanks for this appreciation of Mick, and for opportunity to honor my friend.

[@ysyoon2124]

RIP Sean Malone.

[@massibrero]

Sean 😍

[@joeykennedy7319]

Wow cool. My 2 favorite bassists are Mick Karn and Sean Malone.

[@15chipshops]

"Swing" and "Sons of Pioneers" are two of my favourite Japan songs mainly because of Mick, The studio versions or live versions on "Oil on Canvas" are both amazing.

[@Teeb2023]

Oil on Canvas wasn't live.

[@lezam1000]

I think Swing is my absolute favourite Japan song and live it is absolutely sublime.

[@pkhaha161]

oil on canvas version of canton is my favourite, also i like him doing the "moon walk" thing when playing on stage in oil on canvas

[@lezam1000]

@@pkhaha161Those are some smooth shuffling feet. 😂

[@meowomo]

i LOOOOOOVE swing!

[@colin_a]

I'm amazed that there has been such a slow awakening of Mick Karn's talent. There was no one like him and I suspect there never will be.., a total one-off.. By a mile, the most original bassist of all time... I would also add that no one played a WAL like him.., the two complemented each other so well. 🙏

[@PaulWilliamGibson]

I’ve thought this too. My theory is that it’s because Japan had a relatively short period of popularity in a commercial sense, and once they’d split up the individual members headed in a less commercial and more avant garde direction. Also the culture of fetishing equipment and players had not yet reached the level it’s at now. They were easily forgotten by the public sadly. Incidentally, the bass player in the band I was in in the mid 80s was a massive Mick Karn / Japan fan, as was I. He played a fretless bass in my band, and he and I spent a long time trying to figure out the pedals Mick used to achieve his tone. There was very little resource in those days to find out stuff like that without your own trial and error. Eventually we got it!

[@richardpennington5445]

I also thought the same and then realised that he sounded the same when he was playing a Travis Bean bass. I also think the WAL basses are the best bass guitars ever made (especially the ones actually made by Wal himself and Pete).

[@MV-XD2]

Mick Karn was a brilliant and instantly recognisable bass player. I still regard Oil on Canvas to be one of the best albums of all time, ironically released after Japan broke up, but the playing on that album across several albums’ worth of material was sublime. Despite no “formal” training (whatever that means) he had a remarkable ear for both phrasing and melody. I can still remember when I heard Titles for the first time. “What the hell is this!” RIP Mick and thanks for featuring him.

[@HeadacheMachine]

that'll be SWING for me

[@beetlespacexdragon7815]

In his auto-biography, Karn wrote that many accused him of overdubbing the parts on ‘Oil on Canvas,’ which he denied. Mick’s intonation was stunning. I have an LP version of Titles, his first solo recording on Virgin. Some of his best work is on that obscure release.

[@cclark3905]

Oil on Canvas is sublime ❤

[@anthonybonett101]

Dalis Car

[@rachelar]

Yeah Titles side A was weird at first listen but it grows on you. Mick was essentially playing lead lines and hooks on the bass, which gave it a pop sensibility while also sounding unusual

[@shivaduck]

Absolutely wonderful you have covered Mick Karn. He is much loved by so many of us and yet rarely gets acknowledged outside his followers. This was a real treat.

[@brendanmelvin9938]

Mick Karn, was a wonderfully inventive, creative and technical genius RIP

[@alfredocruz]

Mick Karn's bass got me interested in Japan. Without Karn, there is no Japan as far as I'm concerned. Japan's debut album had Karn playing regular bass so he was very capable of standard bass lines.

[@sammyboykin5624]

I can't believe you are finally covering Mick! I so f'ing excited to watch this!🤩

[@daveyeung]

I am not a musician but a music fan my whole life. Mick Karn's sound and playing are so distinctive that you'll instantly recognize him.

[@Pro_e_Pra]

Super cool to do a segment on Mick Karn. Although he stands on his own, the interplay between him and drummer Steve Jansen in Japan was just amazing.

[@wearetomorrowspast.5617]

That Angie Bowie clip from The Old Grey Whistle Test was epic. Mick stole the show. Playing bass was never meant to be cool, but he nailed it.

[@PLively]

Mick Karn is why I picked up the bass guitar in the first place!

[@MisAnnThorpe]

Mick Karn is the reason I didn't bother!

[@stevecrumpton9643]

I'd never heard of Mick Carn until RIGHT NOW. "Dali's Car" has made me a fan for life.

[@MisAnnThorpe]

He's one of my favourite musician's and not just as a bass guitarist. I think his compositions are terribly overlooked. I'd strongly recommend his solo albums "Titles", "Dreams of reason produce monsters", "More better different", "Three part species", "Each eye a path" and "The Concrete twin". The Dalis Car album, "The Waking hour" is a longtime favourite of mine with Peter Murphy of Bauhaus contributing wonderfully on vocals.

[@Baldieman1]

You have a lot to investigate.I have loved Japans music for over 40 years.I still am amazed at the incredible progression(more a complete total change) in musical style between their fist album in 1978 & Sylvians first solo album in 1984.If you get a chance to hear those six albums,you will know EXACTLY what I mean.

[@BudLarsenjr]

Artemis ❤

[@simondavies6270]

As a teenager in the early 80s I was a fan of the band he was a founding member of: Japan. His playing stood out for me it was so unique at the time and was probably the main reason why I liked their music. The news of his passing was soul crushing, although I was aware he had been ill for some time. This video is a fitting tribute to a talented musician sadly little known outside of his realm but much revered as a true pioneer of the fretless bass guitar. May his soul rest easy with the greatest of them all. Amen.

[@sallyjane9994]

Solid Alchemy and Innovation delivering a mesmerising Phantasmagorical effect. His hands are moving with such ample agility - the hypermobility of his fingers appears so effortless for a genius in Bass mastery. As a woodwind player myself - Karns prior Bassoon playing most DEFinitly contributed to the nimble movement of his fingers - totally indelible!!! The TV clip of Mick playing bass solo on the Old Grey Whistle Test - is so absorbing - the awe and svengali style on the performance of Angies spoken word - the Bass style of Mick dominates Monumentally. What a marvellous extract - 😂 Thank you for a well overdue - overview. Larging up such excellence - 1 of Greatest Fretless Bass Players🎉

[@EnJoony]

During a 3 month stay in Japan in 1981 I kept seeing ads for a band named Japan, that I immediately dismissed as a bunch of British posers. So just for sh*it's and giggles I picked up a cassette of "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" at the Tokyo Tower Records and man, I couldn't have been more wrong! 'Huge fan since that day of Mick and the band (no slouches there either - Sylvian's brother, Steve Jansen was a helluva good drummer). Big thanks for spreading the Mick Karn love. 😊

[@BrandonMilner]

Steve Jansen is one of my drum heroes

[@DiscoFang]

I rate Steve Jansen as probably my favourite drummer of all time.

[@kisum]

I am from Hong Kong. I first learnt of him because he played in my guitar hero Paul Wong's song Goodnight Hong Kong, and later on I picked up bass because of him. Saying he inspired me to play bass is absolutely an understatement.

[@pierre-emilebertona3331]

Huge thanks for telling us about Mick Karn. You're right : nobody plays like Mick Karn. Bought his first solo album when it was published and it changed my vision of bass playing forever. Totally original, unique tone and style. Was lucky to meet Mick a few times in the mid nineties, sharing talks and drinks with him . Very nice guy. His death devasted me, but fortunately, his music remains and should be better known.

[@colinnewing3175]

Mick has been such an inspiration throughout my life with his music and art. Sadly left this life far too early.

[@bassmandesert]

Some of my favourite parts of Mick Karn that gives me goosebumps in the track "Bill Nelson - Glow World"

[@sirrealistic5625]

❤

[@krissd8633]

As a big Japan fan, I'm so pleased to see you cover Mick Karn. Can't pick a single favourite track, but the basslines on 'Methods of Dance' and 'Halloween' are a couple of favourites. He's very much missed.

[@richbrownbass]

Dude, we need to hang. SO MANY BASSLINES! (Visions... is definitely at the top for me.) Dalis Car - The Judgement Is The Mirror Rain Tree Crow - Pocket Full of Change Japan - Art of Parties You never disappoint, my brother. 🙌🏾🙏🏾

[@pillmuncher67]

The Waking Hour by Dali's Car is one of those great underappreciated albums. Just like Mick Karn is one those great underappreciated bass players.

[@rachelar]

Glad they released a follow up just in time

[@jamesrumsey6839]

I love Mick Karn. He was such a creative player. Still, I don't understand why more people don't talk about Percy Jones, my personal favourite fretless player.

[@gregorymerriman5974]

Mick was incredible, and like Percy, he approach’s the instrument (fretless bass) unconventionally as a vehicle of artistry. As an abstractionist might view a paint brush or lump of clay. Mick was fine sculpture artist as well. He left us way too soon.

[@PjRjHj]

I believe Mick credited Percy as one of his strongest influences

[@scottkunghadrengsen2604]

​@@PjRjHj Percy is the only influence I can recall Mick mentioning

[@Miykael]

I like that Percy and Mick are two players that didn't sound anything like Jaco that came out of that era on fretless. They are two of my favorites for sure.

[@paulwally9007]

@@Miykael I love Jaco, but Mick did something other-worldly to me. Such organic liquid playing, but something that simultaneously could've come from a different dimension. Listening to him is like taking a break from normal reality.

[@eliastheod]

Legendary Anglos-Cypriot bass man ❤ with Japan, Dalis Car and of course solo .. thank you for this video!!

[@mbrew3244]

Favourite Mick Karn tracks for me: "European Son", "Life In Tokyo" and "Gentlemen Take Polaroids". Thank you so much for covering Mick Karn. Hard to believe it's been 13 years since his passing.

[@basslinephunk3441]

I've NEVER heard of Mick Karn. DAMN!!! He is NICE!!! His rhythm, his groove is different.... like Nuwave meets Funk! Here we go... gotta add Mick to the playlist for sure👍🏿 That's why I love this channel!

[@Andrew_M_Ward]

Japan: Exorcizing Ghots LP is a solid collection of his work with Japan Rather than plowing through 20 years of random - If you can stand the David Sylvian vocals that are hyper affectation - the music is incredible

[@PjRjHj]

"It's like if Bootsy was Moroccan." Avant garde guitarist David Torn on Mick Karn's fretless playing As far as I'm concerned, Mick Karn was the best bassist to be associated with New Wave. Kajagoogoo's Nick Beggs being the only one close (though radically different in their approaches), while John Taylor (still) gets the attention. John's great, but even he acknowledges he had nothing on Mick, while still praising Mick and acknowledging Japan at Duran Duran Rock & Roll HoF induction

[@basslinephunk3441]

@@PjRjHj you hit it on the head! Nick Beggs leans more toward funk.(now that I hear him more) Mick is almost jazz fusion. Bootsy/Jaco. Wow! This guy really got by me. He's BADD!

[@basslinephunk3441]

@@Andrew_M_Ward I'm gonna check it out 👍🏾

[@HammoMatMusic]

Mick Karn is unlike any other bass player in history. He essentially created a unique genre of playing. Combining a multitude of techniques, and styles, and instrumental roles into one seamless, masterful, engaging experience. One of the top five bassists of all time, of which far too few people are aware. Thanks for this video.

[@Njal55]

My dear departed dad was a bass player and Mick Karn was one of his favourite players. Really great player.

[@Dan-zr5em]

He had great taste by the sound of it !

[@waynephilbert]

I was a kid back then and my sister used to love Japan. Heard Mick Karn a lot and it was totally unique. Thanks for the reminder of how talented he was.

[@darshanr2369]

I remember when I came to fully realize Mick Karn’s genius and it was probably on Sons of Pioneers or Still Life in Mobile Homes. It was actually seeing the Japan Live in Concert DVD. So many sounds I had taken for Richard Barbieri’s keyboards were Mick’s wobbles and bends on the fretless. It blew my mind then and still does today. Thanks SO MUCH for doing this piece!!!

[@gumse666]

Karn was a genius. The only bass players I recognise within two seconds it's Karn and Jaco.

[@MS-1]

Best New Wave bassist ever. Unique style indeed. Japan`s My New Career... mic drop. Mick Karn appreciation due.

[@Kirke182]

New wave??

[@TimWrightMe]

Mick was a stupendous player, a great hero of mine, thank you for making this video highlighting his genius. He was also a sculptor. His end was so sad, crowd funding his treatment. Much missed.

[@MaduroMan]

Im a big Numan fan so my first exposure to Karn's playing was with Gary. He immediately became one of my fav bass players and inspired me to get a fretless. The man was a virtuoso.

[@toddhamby]

Oh man once again!!! This dude was from another planet!!

[@eliotmccann2589]

God level imagination and sublime tone. Karn is awesome.

[@soysos.tuffsound]

@pdbass so glad you included the Gary Numan track! The bass playing on that whole album is really interesting. One of my favorite records of that period. Very cool to showcase Mick Karn, also his unique use of effects on bass, especially chorus!

[@MisAnnThorpe]

Numan was intent on being the front man in Japan. He even got Rob Dean to play on that album!

[@MarcoDesiderati]

So glad you did a video on one of the greatest bass players of all time. His playing was out of this world. Too bad not many people know his massive body of work.

[@kelvynification]

At last!!!! Thank you sooo much. One of the greatest, innovative but most underrated bassists of all time. About time got some recognition. My fave bass parts….everything from Tin Drum:)

[@flagelmulti-media7577]

I think a dive into Percy Jones would be a good idea..

[@davidwylde8426]

Interestingly, Mick Karn cited Percy Jones as an influence, and although Mick developed his own voice on the instrument, you can hear that influence in his lines.

[@johnabedggood6280]

Mo Foster too!

[@richardpennington5445]

@@davidwylde8426it’s very clear that Mick was influenced by Percy Jones especially in terms of his approach to the attack of his notes and use of harmonics and slides. Mick’s note choice seems, to my ears to reflect Turkish folk music (but what do I know?). I still find so much to discover in Mick’s bass playing and song writing. A real once in a lifetime bass player.

[@stephenpaulharper]

Percy like Mick is another player that suffers from criminal unfamiliarity.

[@fudgesauce]

I put Mick Karn in the same category as Percy Jones (Brand X) and Les Claypool -- each has a unique approach with a strong flavor. I'm glad they exist, but I'm glad their styles aren't widely copied.

[@billybartcody3591]

Dali's Car is essential Mick Karn, brilliant and timeless. Some incredible masterpieces with Japan too. RIP

[@idolbass]

So melodic, funky and percussive. I connected with him on socials a couple years before he passed. Super cool guy. Sadly missed.

[@johnvale295]

One of my all-time favourite melodically astute and virtuoso bass guitarists. Had the privilege of seeing him live on the Bestial Cluster tour back in the early 1990s. A phenomenal musician sorely missed.

[@jazzpunk67]

PB you’ve had my favorite bass channel for a while. This just blew my head up. I’ve been a big fan of mk since Japan. My favorite album is the one he did with Terry Bozzio and David Torn. Polytown. Thank you so much for featuring him.

[@nunofernandes4501]

That album is EPIC.

[@rscottom]

Poly town is an awesome album!

[@jodi183]

I forgot about that album!!! Yes! Amazing album

[@danLyoutube]

I love him so much. "The Jump" from "More Better Different" is probably my favorite. Such a unique, identifiable voice.

[@zmix]

Couldn't get to the "like" button fast enough..! Thank you for introducing Mick Karn and his idiosyncratic bass style to (hopefully) a new group of players..!

[@zmix]

PS: Talk about Percy Jones, please..!

[@tomowens7499]

dude, Mick Karn is one of my earliest bass idols... i am a HUGE fan of Japan, and every side project those guys were ever involved with... I started playing bass as a teen in the 80's, and he, John Taylor and Nick Beggs were the guys i tried to emulate. Mick was incredible, and i love that you go on a deep dive , talking about Dali's Car and other projects. great video... I understand his family auctioned off his basses to pay for medical bills, what i would have given to own one...

[@snesleywipessqueegeeservices]

Thank you and...respect brother. Mick is my all time musical hero bar none, the absolute top. For a brief video this did him justice and I am pleased others appreciate him. 'Son of Pioneers' was simple but powerful in good cans or sublime from vinyl on big speakers in a still room. And to be different, the marimba playing on Ghosts still haunts...always will. RIP Mick. Bless up mate.

[@BankruptBassplayer]

Great to see Mick getting some love here ! Dalis Car .. , titles.. every note.

[@jamesbuchanan2444]

Honestly, the whole of the Tin Drum album features some of the best bass playing I've ever heard

[@AdamBorseti]

One of the most underrated bass players of all time.

[@quintisalive]

Bad choice of word… highly rated

[@jagpanzer16]

Thank you for the AWESOME!!!! video about Mick Karn.

[@Soul74]

The Polytown album with David Torn and Terry Bozzio changed my life!

[@unfair_potato]

Thank you - I'll look for that one!

[@reallife7235]

You're not kidding. That is crazy. Thanks for that insight.

[@batteryacid1]

terry bozzio even commented on this very video

[@shanecabbage2187]

Never heard of this man. You've created a new rabbit hole for me to go traveling down.

[@brianpark8758]

I`ve always loved Mick Karn`s bass playing. The guy was unbelievable & he played a Wal mostly. Whenever I think of his basslines I think of Vision of China.

[@rkshores]

I agree with everything you said. This is required listening for my students. This guy was a true virtuoso and way ahead of his time. I actually cried when he passed .

[@foshizol]

Thank you for talking about Mick Karn. I've sent a bunch of emails to Adam Neeley (when he used to focus on just bass), Mark Smith (Talking Bass), Scott Devine, etc. To ask if they could talk about Karn's playing and maybe give us an explanation of what he's playing. No one seemed to know who he was, even though there was a time when Japan did really well in Europe. There seems to be this moment in recent history where we forgot about some great players, there's no tab and no videos on how to play this stuff. It's not just bass either. Everyone knows EVH, and you can find any of his songs anywhere. However, The Cars were just as big as Van Halen in the 1980s, but you can't find any tabs or any recent articles on Elliot Easton's fantastic guitar playing.

[@macronencer]

I knew Mick from Japan, but a little ashamed to admit that despite being a massive Numan fan I didn't realise for ages that it was him on the Dance album :-O His early passing was sad, and kind of gives me the same feels as when we lost Michael Brecker, another extraordinary and original talent. RIP Mick.

[@fandelchef3652]

Saday Maday is also one of my fav if not my favorite bass line from Mick. I would find myself humming that melody at work last summer a lot, great great song.

[@damonoriente736]

Absolutely one of the most amazing, creative and original bass players of all time. Hugely influential on me, though I never tried to imitate- its way beyond the capability of my brain or fingers. Frankly, I'd pass on Jaco 8 days a week to listen to Mick. I'm now going to do a complete re-listen to all of my Japan albums as well as Mick's other works. Thanks so much for (finally) getting to Mick.

[@tednordlander715]

Yes. Mick!!! Thanks for giving props to this genius. He jumps your brain out of beaten paths. Such a creative spirit and bad ass bassist.

[@sammyboykin5624]

That was fantastic! thank you sooooooooo much!

[@morfi3395]

Thank you for posting. Mick Karn is indeed my favorite bass player, a genius. There are just too many great artworks by him. But do not forget that he was more than that. He was a great composer and together with his Japan band members created so many avantgarde masterpeices throughout his and their career until his unfortunate and untimely death.

[@nunofernandes4501]

Oh man, yes he is the fretless GOAT for me!!! Back in 1990 I was 16 and had just saved enough for my first bass. I was completely hooked on Tin Drum and Dali's Car at the time and all my friends thought I was crazy to start right off on a fretless (a Yamaha RBX200F). But I did and here I am today still digging the no fret slips and slides. When Mick passed in 2011 I was gutted and I still hurt a little thinking I will never feel the anticipacion of a new Karn record. It's very hard to pick one line since I have all his Japan and solo stuff and I love it all. When I was able to figure out and play Dali's Car I was elated. Thank you for making this video, there's not enough Mick Karn recognition out there.

[@nickramos5497]

Mick's bassline on Japan's Still Life in Mobile Homes is simply incredible. His virtuosity elevates any track in which he plays to high art. Bless you for highlighting this peerless talent.

[@JustK009]

Mick Karn was the equivalent of Magic Johnson…EVERYTHING Mick played was brilliant MAGIC..Nobody sounds like him Nobody plays like him..My personal favorite from Mick is his playing on Bill Nelson’s “Tender is the Night” and “Do You Dream in Color”

[@solitaryman777]

Don't forget "Glow World"!

[@Atropositional19]

Thank you, Paul. Mick's is my favorite by far and I really appreciate your nod to his GOAT-ness!

[@SamuraiCop]

This channel is such an underrated gem.

[@DavidRavenMoon]

He was from another planet! His phrasing and the way he left spaces between notes is unique!

[@ultramet]

The video that those of us who are enamored with the fretless bass were waiting form. Boom. Love your videos and your analysis. Also, the musical diversity of the artistic styles feature is phenomenal.

[@SO-ym3zs]

Thanks so much for giving Mick Karn the respect and attention he's due. The man should be discussed and studied way more than he is.

[@lifeform1958]

Thanks for highlighting someone who really deserves some love and respect. I was fortunate enough to see Japan live in London on the Tin Drum tour. Astonishing. If I had to pick a Mick Karn album, I'd go for Polytown. Mick Karn, Terry Bozzio and David Torn. That's a fantasy musician league lineup right there. He was an amazing sculptor too. If you ever get the opportunity to see his work out in the world, grab it. One utterly unique artist.

[@visog]

I love that Bestial Clusters line too. It was featured on a Trace Elliott bass amp promotional CD and I fell in love with it.

[@zeruchofficial]

Mick Karn is really the only post Jaco player to have added to the language of the fretless electric. Some of the other basslines I love are JBK's "Ego Dance", Kate Bush "Heads We're Dancing", and his own tracks "Feta Funk" and "Bestial Cluster"

[@kevgamble]

I'd probably add Bakithi Kumalo, Pino Palladino, Tony Franklin and Les Claypool to that list, but even so, Karn still stands out in an immediate and striking way.

[@seruresto1386]

You should check out Michael manring on fretless 🙂

[@Fontsman]

Percy Jones is right up there with the very best there has ever been. A big influence on Karn.

[@Bassdriver]

THANK YOU SO MUCH PAUL!!! Mick was (and still is) one of my greatest bass heroes and a neverending source of inspiration. The world lost him way too soon. As for my favourite basslines by him - well, all of them are beyond awesome, but if I have to choose, I'll go with two: "Still Life In Mobile Homes" and "Art Of Parties", both from Japan's live albul "Oil On Canvas".

[@RootsBassCanada]

Sick! Heard of Mick Karn before but never really listened to him. Imma check him out now. Thanks!

[@PjRjHj]

Japan's "Oil on Canvas" live album, or any of the 3 last Japan studio albums are a good place to start

[@FrowinIckler]

YES, Mick Karn is underrated! He had a big influence in my fretless bass playing. One of my favorite songs is "Buoy" from 1986. Great Video!!!

[@jeffwolinski2659]

Yes!!! So damn original. RIP.

[@Charles-Robitaille]

I LOVE MICK KARN'S PLAYING !!!!! Truly a unique voice on the bass, which is probably the hardest thing to achive since everything has been done as they say. Thank you for spotlighting him. 👍

[@rolandmarckwort]

Genius bassist - one of a kind!

[@johnnyswatts]

Dali's Car's Waking Hour is definitely one of my favourites. Thanks for this awesome video.

[@manfredoliveras3196]

Excellent article as always. The thing that I really like is the transcriptions. Most of us wish to be at that level. Your ear is incredible.

[@tedpikul1]

Another great video! Quiet Life, with Japan, is one of my favorite performances of his. Complex, yet locked in.

[@paulshephard1907]

As someone influenced by the likes of JJ Burnel and John Entwistle I always regarded Mick Karn to be a highly underated bass player and someone I would always listen to...... I even bought a Best of Japan a few years ago just to hear him play. Always made me wonder how on earth he came up with the stuff he did :-)

[@solitaryman777]

JJ was a frickin' beast with that aggressive P-bass grind. He took over many a Strangler melody line, and made them what they were.

[@grahamphillips3099]

Thanks for making this video, loved Karn since the Japan days, Dali's Car - Waking Hour has been one of my favourite albums for 37 years. Lucky enough to see Jansen/Barbieri/Karn with guest Steven Wilson on guitar in 97, a magical evening. Favourite Mick Karn track? Can't pick one! Plaster the Magic Tongue, Mick on Vocals Open Letter to the Heart of Diaphora - Karn, Torn, Bozzio All of Dali's Car Cantonese Boy

[@blangtonclickdark]

There is also some KZbin footage of him with David Torn, Mark Isham and Bill Bruford (replacing the unreplaceable Tony Levin). His wide-intonational offerings stretch the tonality of the songs to the breaking point.

[@ajadrew]

There's a few stories re that as well!

[@paulbogan3400]

So fortunate to see that tour.

[@mikrophonie5633]

Bruford got all ticked off at him when they were rehearsing, because they told Mick to go up higher on the bass, and instead of going down to the higher notes near the pickup, he went up towards the head of the bass. Bruford had a hissy fit and said "I'm a trained musician and this guy's a lout!" Mick Karn was self taught, and might not have been a trained musician like Bruford, but his music was much more distinctive and interesting.

[@careyvinzant]

I first heard MK on David Torn's tune "Lion of Boaz," and have been a fan ever since.