Gerry Rafferty I can't say I'm broken up about, but I always loved Mick Karn's bass playing. I have a soft spot for self-taught musicians like Karn, who developed an idiosyncratic and instantly recognizable sound. His rubbery work on the fretless bass sounds like nobody else. It's a slithery, almost underwater sound.
His work with Japan was my introduction to his playing. The Tin Drum and Gentlemen Take Polaroids albums are great places to start. His fretless bass is all over Gary Numan's Dance, another old favorite. And I suppose that pretentious Dalis Car with Peter Murphy should get a mention. Karn's playing on the title track is liquid futuristic funk.
Another great Karn artifact is Rain Tree Crow, the record that re-united Japan in everything but name.
Karn died of cancer yesterday in England. I'll be listening to a lot of fretless bass today, methinks.
(Copyright 2011 by Jeffrey Charles Stratton. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.)
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