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Mick Karn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mick Karn | ||
|---|---|---|
 Mick Karn
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Anthony Michaelides | |
| Born | July 24, 1958 | |
| Origin | Cyprus | |
| Genre(s) | Avant-garde | |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar Keyboards Sax Oboe |
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| Years active | 1977 - | |
| Associated acts |
Japan Dali's Car |
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| Website | MickKarn.net | |
Mick Karn (born July 24, 1958) is an English musician, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, most noted as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982.
Karn was born Anthony Michaelides in Nicosia, Cyprus before emigrating to London, England at the age of 3. He has worked with noted New Wave artists Gary Numan, Kate Bush, Midge Ure and Joan Armatrading as well as being a member of Dali's Car with Peter Murphy of the gothic post-punk group, Bauhaus. In the 1990s he worked with artist David Torn as well as a number of Japanese musicians, including the band NiNa.
He has a distinctive playing style and sound on the fretless bass guitar which makes his playing immediately recognizable not to mention highly influential. With his contribution Japan is often considered one of the most unique and greatest groups of the late glam rock to new wave era. After Mick's first solo release Titles in 1982, Pete Townshend claimed that "Mick was by far the best bassist in the UK".
Karn played the aluminium neck Travis Bean bass in all Japan albums up to Gentlemen Take Polaroids. In 1981 he moved onto the renowned Wal basses and bought two fretless mk1, one with Tulipwood facings and the other being a Cherry solidbody. Mick recorded Japan's last studio album Tin Drum with the Wal and has continued to use them, helping further their popularity worldwide. Today Karn is also using a Klein 'K Bass'.
The photo of Karn is from the back cover of the album Beginning to Melt, and is used by kind permission of Medium Productions.
- Titles (1982)
- Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters (1987)
- Bestial Cluster (1993)
- The Tooth Mother (1995)
- Each Eye a Path' (2001)
- Each Path a Remix (2003)
- More Better Different (2004)
- Love's Glove EP (2005)
- Three Part Species (2006)