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Thread: Mike King, RIP

  1. #1

    Mike King, RIP

    Some sad news to report, my condolences go out to those that new him, as well as his work:

    http://sidsmith.blogspot.co.uk/2015/...mike-king.html
    "Always ready with the ray of sunshine"

  2. #2
    chalkpie
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    What a loss. This guy did a bunch of Soft Machine releases on Cuneiform and even the 67-71 Hux set, amongst a ton of other amazing things. Thoughts for his friends and family.

  3. #3
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Very sorry to hear this. His Wrong Movements book is a frequently consulted reference chez Triscuits. I didn't even realize he was behind the Reel Records label; I've probably got most of that catalog--terrific stuff.

  4. #4
    Ugh.

  5. #5
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    What a loss. This guy did a bunch of Soft Machine releases on Cuneiform and even the 67-71 Hux set, amongst a ton of other amazing things. Thoughts for his friends and family.
    What did he do - write the liner notes?

  6. #6
    Member Jay.Dee's Avatar
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    Sad news indeed. He did a great job at his Reel Recordings, which to my surprise suddenly folded not so long ago. His passion and dedication will be missed.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    What did he do - write the liner notes?
    Engineer, restored the audio on the archival releases.
    "Always ready with the ray of sunshine"

  8. #8
    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    RIP Mike King.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits View Post
    I didn't even realize he was behind the Reel Records label; I've probably got most of that catalog--terrific stuff.
    Same here, what a terrific label - obviously a labor of love.

  10. #10
    These are very sad news indeed.

    Always loveed the Wyatt book, and King's work on those Cunei releases was exemplary.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  11. #11
    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    RIP

  12. #12
    Never met Mike, but got quite a bit of excellent-sounding live Canturbury off him way back in the era of tape-trading.

    First learned of Rascal Reporters through Mike's radio show on Toronto college radio. I was so blown away by that RR track that I phoned in and he told me that , in all the time he had been on the air, mine was the first call-in of appreciation.

    Guess RIO didn't go down well with the Blue Rodeo/ Brian Wotsit- audience in those early days.

    Made a lp trade with Mike. My sister was working in that part of Toronto then, so I had her deliver the records.
    Mike phoned and asked me to never again send a beautiful woman to his doorstep; that he had a jealous wife.

  13. #13
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    I knew, & was pals with Mike for something like 35 years.

    Mike King first came to attention the world as an archivist for the Canterbury and Brit-jazz scenes very early on, writing and publishing the Robert Wyatt chronology "Wrong Movements" in the early 90s, before the internet and doing it the hard, old fashioned way, by visiting and digging through newspaper archives and compiling the accompanying Flotsam Jetsam compilation for Rough Trade.

    He was also the point person and introduction for me and for Cuneiform to many musicians and by the mid 90s was compiling and/or producing releases for the label.

    By the early 2000s, he had invested in audio equipment and with his fine ear and strong opinions of the right way of doing things, was doing some of the rescuing and technical work necessary to make these recordings releasable or to greatly improve them for us and for other labels.

    In 2007, he launched Reel Recordings, which existed from 2007-2012 and released more than 20 titles.

    All in all, he had his hand involved in some way with dozens of our releases. Cuneiform would have been a very, very different label without his help, concern, input, expertise and friendship, and now, going forward without him, it will be a very different label from what it might have been with him.
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  14. #14
    Member Birdy's Avatar
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    Mike lived in our town for many years and I knew him, although never well. I was never fully comfortable with him the way sometimes personalities just don't mix. He did however, as noted have a great passion for music and we often talked about much of the music we both enjoyed. Lately he was suffering from severe depression after many negative turns in his life including his split with his wife of many years and the shut-down of his label. A few weeks ago I chatted with him in a local coffee shop. I was surprised to see him back as he had moved to England late last year to work with Rob Ayling of the Voiceprint label who now runs Gonzo Media. When I talked to him, I had a bad feeling. He mentioned that he was now homeless and I thought that he was likely exaggerating as he seemed to do sometimes. This is quite a shock to read that he indeed committed suicide. I hope he has found peace in the beyond...
    We are the grandchildren of apes, not angels
    But only we are gifted with the eyes to see
    On days without FEAR, when our heads are clear
    That angels, we could be
    (Marillion 2016)

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