Both Gerry Rafferty & influencial Japan bassist Mick Karn have passed away today after long illness.
Gerry had been in hospital with a lot of time spent on life support since mid-November, and Mick had been battling a very aggressive form of cancer for the best part of a year

I met Rafferty once at Top of the Pops - he was very rude indeed.
A wonderful writer - I loved him with the Humblebums and recorded one of his songs - Shoeshine Boy - with Simon Turner long before Baker Street. But a very unpleasant man I thought.

Musically - I would point you at my favourite song of his Long Way Round. On - I believe - his Can I Have My Money Back? album.

I adored his songs and his music - but a drunken, belligerent Scot, I can live without.

I interviewed Gerry Rafferty when he was in Stealer's Wheel and it was without a doubt one of the most difficult and painful interviews I ever did. I agree with JK though, he was a wonderful songwriter. RIP.

Baker St - whatever or whoever Gerry Rafferty was - still one of the most haunting but beautiful tracks from any period.

JK2006 wrote:
but a drunken, belligerent Scot, I can live without.

Maybe just maybe he felt the same way about you because you were English? Irrelevant.
RIP.

I worked with Mick Karn and Japan. This is sad..all the Japan boys were very gentle souls. RIP Mick !

Just a word on behalf of Mick Karn, one of just a handful of instrumentalists whose playing really is/was instantly identifiable as him. I hope the various benefits held for him over the past year made his final months more comfortable, RIP.

In my opinion one of the best ever "performances" on Top Of The Pops - you certainly wouldn't think this was slap-bang in the middle of Michael Hurll's "80s Party" era with all the flags, streamers, cheerleaders, gaudy dancers etc

Mick Karn was one of my music heroes when I was growing up, so very sad news for me.

I would recommend this instrumental, when the bass kicks in at around 2:24 everything in the world just seems glorious to me......

The Sound of Waves (Spotify LinK)

or (audio only)

Japan were one of the most influential groups of the 80s and Mick in particular was a very unique and influential bass player. I met him briefly in 1992 and he was a lovely amiable guy.

I am no music journalist, so I have never met or interviewed Gerry Rafferty, but I did like his music. I saw him live in Manchester about 20 years ago and he was pretty good. During the gig he seemed very relaxed and he talked between most of the songs, often with a bit of humour. I have read at length that he was a difficult character, but my only “distant” encounter with him was a good one.