Mick Karn

Mick Karn was an English-Cypriot musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist for the art rock/new wave band Japan. His distinctive fretless bass sound and melodic playing style were a trademark of the band's sound. Mick emigrated to the UK from Cyprus in the early 1960s and met the other founding members of Japan at Catford Boys' School in London. Japan became one of the most celebrated bands of the 1980s, with huge interest in their music even today.

Mick Karn was not only a talented musician but also an all-round artist. He changed the perception of how bass is played and heard forever with his unique playing style that many describe as "as if Bootsy Collins was from Morocco." In addition to playing bass, Mick also played woodwind instruments such as clarinet and saxophone.

Outside of music, Mick was a celebrated sculptor, author, chef, and even qualified in psychiatry. He spoke several languages and published his autobiography titled "Japan and Self Existence" in 2009. After Japan disbanded, Mick continued to work on various musical projects including jazz, ambient, prog genres both as a solo artist and collaborating with other great musicians.