R.I.P. Mick Karn.

Sigh. I can't believe I'm typing this right now, but here goes. Mick Karn, prolific bassist for seminal Romantic band Japan, Peter Murphy's musical partner in side-project Dali's Car, and accomplished solo musician in his own right, has passed away Tuesday evening from advanced cancer.


There was always such an avant-garde approach to his craft -- his riffs could be recognized from a mile away, they were so distinctive; forceful yet delicate, intricate things. It really saddens me that he's passed on. From the brilliant debut Japan record Adolescent Sex of 1977, to 1981's Tin Drum (on which he played all the wind instruments, as well), to 1993's Bestial Cluster, to his work with Bauhaus' Peter Murphy as one third of Dali's Car (seriously: check out their 1984 album Waking Hour -- it's pretty freaking awesome), and his collaborations with the great Japanese artist Yoshihiro Hanno, Karn was all over the map, never satisfied with sticking to one genre or other.


He was a greatly talented muso, a renaissance man in his own right, and he will be fantastically missed. Rest in peace, Mr Karn -- and thank you so very much for all the great musical memories. Amen.


Here are a few of my favourite Japan tracks to share on this sad day.

japan

"adolescent sex"

adolescent sex

japan

"art of parties" live at the old grey whistle test '82

tin drum

japan
"life in tokyo"

And here's Karn with Peter Murphy in Dali's Car's "His Box" recorded live at the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1984.

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen.

LESLIE NIELSEN

11 FEBRUARY 1926

28 NOVEMBER 2010

Any reader who regularly checks into Second Drawer Up knows that from time to time we enjoy showcasing comedy. So today we would like to take a moment to fondly wish brilliant comedic actor Leslie Nielsen farewell. He died peacefully in his sleep in a Ft Lauderdale, FL hospital the 28th of Novermber, 2010 from complications with pneumonia. Rest in peace, good sir; you were always a class act, and were funny as hell.

Though he began his career as a dramatic actor (Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure are two thrilling films of his that will live on indefinitely in the annals of time), it was his scene-stealing comic turn as Dr Rumack ("I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.") in 1980's fabulously brilliant Airplane! that sealed the deal and caused his comedic star to soar. From there, he played the overly serious and deadpan Detective Frank Drebin in the woefully short-lived TV show Police Squad!, and its cinematic brethren, the Naked Gun series of films. Following those were a series of rather silly send-up movies such as Scary Movie 3 (2003), Wrongfully Accused (1998), and Spy Hard (1996), that -- while not as blazingly hilarious as his earlier comedies -- were still pretty damn good, graced as they were by Mr Nielsen's thoughtful, deadpan comic timing.

There will never be another Mr Nielsen to grace our slapstick comedies, and I look back fondly at the heady days of Airplane! and Police Squad! with a wistful smile on my face. So here are some of my favorite bits of his! Enjoy, laugh, and take a moment to thank Mr Nielsen for all the laughs he provided through his tremendous talent. Cheers, Leslie! I hope you're making somebody laugh right now, wherever you are.

And while we're at it -- how about an entire episode of Police Squad!?

R.I.P. Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson.

It is with great sadness that we at Second Drawer Up have learnt that Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson, one of the founding members of legendary industrial band Throbbing Gristle, its reincarnation as Psychic TV, and part of experimental troupe Coil, has died unexpectedly in his sleep Wednesday night the 24th of November. He was only 55 years old. 


Many great things can be said about Peter. Alongside his stellar work with Throbbing Gristle, widely believed to have been the progenitor of industrial music, he is also credited with the first usage of a sampling machine onstage; which in itself is one hell of a fucking accomplishment. After the end of Throbbing Gristle, he and Genesis P-Orridge went on to form Psychic TV (whilst Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti went on their own for Chris & Cosey). A Throbbing Gristle fan by the name of Jhonn Balance joined Psychic TV and then, after a spell, Christopherson and Balance left and formed Coil - which, to this day, remains the be-all end-all of industrial electronica in my humble opinion. This partnership lasted over two decades, until the untimely death of Balance (who, ironically, fell off a second-floor balcony) in 2004.


Christopherson was also an accomplished music video director, responsible for videos by a disparate spectrum of musical acts, including Ministry, The The, Rage Against the Machine, Yes, Sepultura, Van Halen, and Paul McCartney (!).


No words I can write at this moment can completely convey how important Christopherson's contributions to the world of electronic music were. 55 years old?!?! That's just way too fucking young - no one in this dimension knows what else he could have done. So it is with a heavy heart that we here at Second Drawer Up HQ bid "Sleazy" a fond adieu. Rest in Peace, dear sir. You will be sorely missed.


UPDATE: Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti have written a lovely remembrance to their longtime friend and collaborator. You can read it here.

throbbing gristle

"valley of the shadow of death"

d.o.a: the third and final report of throbbing gristle

throbbing gristle

"d.o.a."

tg live vol. 2

coil

"windowpane"

love's secret domain

R.I.P. James Freud.

It is with great sadness today that I have to report that James Freud, the troubled lead vocalist of Australian band Models, has killed himself after losing his battle with drinking. He was 51 years old. Second Drawer Up extends its deepest condolences to surviving friends and family. It's only been one week since Models were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame; Mr Freud declined to attend the ceremony, citing "other commitments."

Based out of Melbourne, Models began in the late 70's, pushing forward an interesting hybrid of post-punk laced new wave music, with a touch of glam and a propensity for lyrics that veered towards the macabre. Then, in 1982, James Freud took over lead vocals from Sean Kelly, and with the release of 1983's The Pleasure of Your Company, the band began to experiment with more straightforward electronic impulses. Mr Freud stayed on until the band's hiatus in 1988; rejoining them for a brief spell in the early naughts, then in 2006 and, for the final time, in 2008. He'd always had a weakness for the bottle, and sadly the bottle has finally won out.


So R.I.P. dear James Freud. You've left a lasting contribution to the world of modern music, and you will be sorely missed.

models

"i hear motion"

the pleasure of your company