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?

[@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

[@malcyates]

Oh yes. Totally amazing bass. It talks. It drives. It moves. Oh, and before the days of mind blowing, I will never forget his entrance on stage during the Tin Drum tour.

[@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".

[@patrickmcmullen752]

My favorite of Mick's playing was on the album Polytown with David Torn and Terry Bozzio. The 1st song Honey Sweating is astounding. As I understand it, they improvised that album, overdubbing tracks over what the others played. Another great bass video! I love your channel!

[@davidpastorius9212]

Mick Karn was one of the greats

[@Bob-q5s]

Holy FUCK Thanks for this (You have great ears and sound, too)

[@digitalsketchguy7844]

MIck Karn's Ashes to Ashes is amazing!

[@themutterer4503]

Canton by Japan, on the Tin Drum album. I'd never heard a bass guitar used like that before, and I haven't since, to be fair. Brave, ground-breaking innovation.

[@themutterer4503]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGK1pWujjZ5_gKc&ab_channel=Japan-Topic

[@jtfritchie]

Oh my! You included stuff from Dance!

[@mjh5437]

Mick Karn also had the most incredible way of moving his feet around the stage without apparently moving the feet,as though he has levitated and beamed down to London from anoher planet

[@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!

[@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.

[@barfthebarf]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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).

[@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!

[@sammyboykin5624]

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

[@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

[@kimmorgan379]

Damn the UK New Romanics threw up some proper bass virtuosos didn't they? Karn, Nick Beggs and John Taylor were quite astonishing.

[@AlexDeLarge77]

Pino Palladinos work with on I, Assassin. Top draw.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@chuckazeee]

Any mention of Mick Karn by fans, musicians and critics often makes me happy. 1. Swing 2. Life In Tokyo (‘7 remix) 3. Obscure Alternatives (Live) 4. Sons of Pioneers 5. European Son

[@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

[@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.

[@iFunktion]

Amazing, I had to pleasure to tech for Mick Karn on a couple of gigs back in 1996 with Jansen Barbieri Karn. He was such a lovely fellow to work for, still had that Wal, another taken from us too young. I was a huge fan of Bestial Cluster. Check out the gig they did at the Milkveg in Amsterdam, you can find the live version of bestial cluster they did there and also sleepers awake was another one. They had Steve Wilson from Porcupine Tree on Guitar

[@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

[@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"!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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 🙂

[@MH-xd2nd]

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

[@stevfargan8953]

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

[@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.

[@bassmandesert]

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

[@sirrealistic5625]

❤

[@brendanmelvin9938]

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

[@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.

[@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..!

[@eliastheod]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@AAA-yy9kx]

I read Mick's autobiography. In the book, he says he can 't read music scores and don't know much about theories. But he created great music and performances. I want to ask you about that. Do you think the lack of such knowledge has some influence on Mick's music? My favorite his bass play is Japan's "My New Career." Thanks for this great post.

[@davidwylde8426]

That’s a great line, and song.

[@olvinjanoisin2255]

That’s my understanding as well. There’s plenty of musicians who don’t read music but very few like Mick who play purely by ear without having much of the grasp of basic music theory.

[@gumse666]

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

[@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🎉

[@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!

[@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!!!

[@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 👍🏾

[@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.

[@TheWhippinpost]

Loved Karn. Check out Percy Jones, someone Karn looked-up to.

[@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. 🙌🏾🙏🏾

[@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

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Maybe he was influenced by Percy Jones?

[@PjRjHj]

He very much was

[@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 ❤

[@urmero67]

I love this video and analysis thank you so much. You are right, Mick Karn is impossible to replicate even if you learn note for note...Thing is with this kind of player it's more about his unique voice, his inflections that are heavily coming from his Mid Eadtern roots (he's a Cypriot) so its almost like another language. His harmonic language is beyond mid eastern tonality really..sounds like language from another planet or dimension... the kind of stuff you might hear in dreams.Unique talent (and not comparable to Jaco) Ive read that Mick Karn was very influneced by Percy Jones ..another ET player. Love the tunes you chose to cover especiallySaday Maday..My Friend from Chile is the one who did vocals on that track..Mario who lives in Koln, Germany

[@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...

[@poddel]

Great and original player and also a terrific stylist, very dear to my listning to this day. "Sensitive" and "Still life in mobile homes" are favourite among many others. He also published memoirs "Japan & Self existence" wich i highly recommend. Thank you for making this tutorial about this very inventive musician.

[@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

[@royalordinance]

Glow World by Bill Nelson is Brilliant.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@tedpikul1]

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

[@NelsonMontana1234]

A "WHAT IF" featuring Mick Karn -- just for laughs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ2koIasi72HocU

[@JaredEMitchell]

I knew that name was familiar! Was just listening to Kate Bush's The Sensual World, and he plays what sounds like an odd tapping groove on "Heads We're Dancing". It's fantastic!

[@andresolano5888]

His contributions on Heads were dancing are increadible. I am currently teaching myself this tune, and although the part you are refering to sounds like he is tapping (my initial thoughts too), he is playing his usual finger style but incorperating an open G with those higher register notes. Very cool stuff. I think there are a few bass players featuring on The Sensual World and they all kick arse! Great album!

[@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

[@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.

[@eliotmccann2589]

God level imagination and sublime tone. Karn is awesome.

[@colinnewing3175]

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

[@careyvinzant]

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

[@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.

[@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:)

[@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.

[@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.

[@idolbass]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@1michaelricci]

Thank you for this! Mick Karn was inventive and unique. That man had mad skills. His work with Gary Numan is why I had to have a Wal bass! What a tone! Please consider do one of these on Percy Jones, co-founder of Brand X. Nuclear Burn is a must listen.

[@jagpanzer16]

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

[@CharlesRobitaille514]

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. 👍

[@nunyabidnez7857]

Surprised and gratified to see a piece on Mick! I'm no expert on his work, coming to him mainly from that Dalis Car record, but he is so strong, so fully developed, so individual that just that record is enough to blow your head open. I've played it for some of the best players I know and they were always baffled. His otherworldly whoops, slides, and smears only barely belong to Western tonality. Never mind his snakey funk and time feel. I guess I've always wished he didn't belong to such a glammy, new wavey era and genre, but there is certainly art in limitation. Mick made some of the most outstanding.

[@ScottHz]

Yes, Dali’s Car FTW!!!!!!😊❤

First of all, thank so much gor thia video, PD. Mick Karn is SO talent, so out of the box (otherwise, so underrated, unfortunately). His song is so complex and with a little of a "oriental accent" (maybe because he was born in Chipre or the japanese influence in Japan' s (the band) songs. My Mick's favorites are "When Love Walks In" with Japan's form leader David Sylvian (an amazing singer and musician, I recommend to listen his work too) and the fenomenal "Heads We Are Dancing" by Kate Bush, with a incredible bassline and the Mick's signature.

[@sammyboykin5624]

That was fantastic! thank you sooooooooo much!

[@MS-1]

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

[@aaronsparks9012]

WOW that guy was awesome, that's the first time I've ever learned of his name thanks, this gives me something too do today!!!🤯🤘🤘

[@MisAnnThorpe]

Not just an amazing and unique bass guitar player. Listen to Karn play clarinet, bass clarinet, dida, guitar, saxophone, keyboards; you name it, Karn could probably get a tune out of it.

[@jamesbuchanan2444]

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

[@hastara]

My prefered fretless bass player,and justo to mention The album polytown with Terry Bozzio and David Torn.

[@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.

[@MeatballCereal]

Mick Karn and Percy Jones - ixm convinced those 2 were aliens stranded on earth who took up the fretless bass as a new hobby.

[@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.

[@petermorris3312]

Wonderful. What's interesting about that time is how many self taught bass players like Jah Wobble and Karn opened up the instrument into completely new areas often putting it in the forefront of the music. Not wanting to be nostalgic but I can't help thinking it would be inconceivable in todays musical environment. An interesting side to Karn was his connection to Japanese musicians who heard a future sound in his music. Have to namecheck Oil on Canvas too and RIP.

[@JediJabo21]

Yes, Sir Karn was amazing. The fact that he played a Wal bass helps with his sound. Just like Percy Jones another great Wal fretless player.

[@tubthump]

A guy who lives near me has a fretted Wal bass, also a great sound

[@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!!!