Mick Karn Is Seriously ill

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Terrible news

With great sadness we regret to inform you that Mick has recently been diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer. Mick is currently in 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 at Mick Karn official home page 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 at Mick Karn - Messages

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

Please do note that news is released with Mick's full approval."
 
Sad news indeed

Porcupine Tree have made a download available, profits go towards Mick's treatment and Macmillan cancer support

Porcupine Tree
 
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Very sad! I wonder if David Sylvian will do something as well as Porcupine Tree?

Can't believe that a talented guy like Karn is struggling financially?

Hope the charity goes some way towards helping his family, hopefully it won't need to beyond recovery. :(
 
Very sad! I wonder if David Sylvian will do something as well as Porcupine Tree?

Can't believe that a talented guy like Karn is struggling financially?

Hope the charity goes some way towards helping his family, hopefully it won't need to beyond recovery. :(

Did Mick actually write any of the Japan tunes?, that's the only way he was going to make any substantial money.

Also I think the cancer is in it's final stages, so doesn't look good :(
 
Did Mick actually write any of the Japan tunes?, that's the only way he was going to make any substantial money.

Also I think the cancer is in it's final stages, so doesn't look good :(
Only one or two I think. However, they sold a fair few albums in the 80's so he should have something to show for it?

Still, as you say, it's the writers that get the biggest slice of royalties.

It certainly doesn't. :(

A lot of musicians passing away recently.
 
Gutted to read this. Japan where my life in the 80's and Mick was a unique talent. How someone of his ability becomes hard up is almost as sad.

Mick, you are a legend.
 
yes it's shame artists fall under the radar, then you get this kind of news :(
 
ive Aid mastermind Midge Ure has told 6 Music he is planning another fund raising concert. It follows the recent news that Mick Karn, former bass player with the band Japan, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Despite releasing a series of solo albums, Karn, who has worked with Kate Bush, Joan Armatrading and Gary Numan is financially insecure - his website states that his major concern now is "security and well-being of his wife and young son."

Midge Ure, who founded the charity supergroup Band Aid and went on to organise the charity super-concerts Live Aid and Live 8 says he's hoping artists come together to lend their support.

"When it comes to a situation like Mick's who is in dire straits, he needs help, financial help and emotional help," he said.

Japan to reunite?

The concert is likely to take place sometime this year, but Ure says it's just at the start of the planning stage and no acts have been confirmed as yet.

"I have had a lot of contact from people I haven't spoken to in a long time, we are looking at availabilities for various venues, it’s a long slow process, so we need to nail the venue and date," he said.

The 02 has been ruled out as "too ambitious" but Ure says " the interest level in this is huge" and is confident in reuniting the rest of Japan for the special gig.

"You are going to have most of Japan there doing stuff, certainly Steve and Richard will be there and people that Mick has worked with over the years, he has huge respect, he is one of the good guys, that's what's shocking to everybody. I think the interest in this will be huge."

"I think Mick's influenced everybody, until I heard Japan, I had never heard a bass guitar played like that, it was almost like playing a lead instrument, incredibly percussive and melodic, something that inspired me," he added.

Life after Japan

After Japan broke up Karn recorded a solo album forming Dalis Car with Peter Murphy of gothic post-punk group Bauhaus.

In the 1990s he worked with guitarist David Torn to produce Bestial Cluster (1993) and The Tooth Mother in 1995.

Between these came an experimental project, Polytown, again with Torn and drummer Terry Bozzio.

David Torn is now a very close friend of Karn and is supporting him as he tries to recover, key to that is raising money for his family - Torn told 6 Music the outlook wasn't great.

"The situation is not very good, he is in treatment for these cancers and we will have more idea in 2 weeks, but appears the cancer has spread, he is going through chemo right now - but surrounded by family and friends, he has a positive attitude."


Download a free MP3 of David's recording of the Emily Dickinson poem here.
Please consider making a donation to the MKA here.

from Sylvians website too
 

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