RIP Thread!!

  • Being a huge F1 fan sadly Sir Frank died today.


    RIP Sir Frank Williams, died aged 79


    Established the F1 Williams team and won many drivers and constructor titles. Now his team has been sold to an American outfit and hope they keep his legacy going.

  • Two huge losses to the world of theatre just recently, Stephen Sondheim and Antony Sher.


    Theatre-lover as I am, I'm not a huge fan of musical theatre but have enjoyed a few productions of Sondheim's elegant, thoughtful shows.


    I loved the story from a few years back of Tooting Arts Club staging Sweeney Todd appropriately in a pie & mash shop in Tooting, cramming in about 30 audience and performing on the cafe tables (Tooting is a district of SW London that's buffed itself up a bit but is still shabby around the edges). At one performance, there in the audience was the octagenarian Sondheim thoroughly enjoying the show, which later had a New York transfer. Tooting to NY transfers don't often happen.


    Antony Sher was an actor I admired very much for his stage and screen work. I first saw him in the TV adaptation (about 1980) of The History Man, the Malcolm Bradbury novel. I can't read that book without thinking of Sher as arrogant womanising sociologist Howard Kirk. The TV series really captured the feel of the early 70s, well at least as far as I recall as I haven't seen it for decades and the dvd seems to be no longer available. I saw quite a bit of his stage work, he was well-known for his Shakespeare roles but I mainly remember him performing the monologue Primo which he adapted from Primo Levi's book If This Is A Man, about his experiences of being arrested as a Resistance member in Italy and incarcerated at Auschwitz.


    Two great losses there.

    Abandon all reason

  • Musician John Miles has died. He was best-known for his anthemic hit single Music and a few other UK hits. Many people don't know his work beyond these, including me but a few people I know are more familiar with him and say his albums are worth checking out. He often gets categorised as progressive rock. He was highly respected by other musicians and made a number of guest appearances on other artists' albums and tours including Jimmy Page, Pur and the Alan Parsons Project.

    Abandon all reason

    Edited once, last by Backdrifter ().

  • Musician John Miles has died. He was best-known for his anthemic hit single Music and a few other UK hits. Many people don't know his work beyond these, including me but a few people I know are more familiar with him and say his albums are worth checking out. He often gets categorised as progressive rock. He was highly respected by other musicians and made a number of guest appearances on other artists' albums and tours including Jimmy Page and the Alan Parsons Project.

    I was going to post about his passing too. Although I wasn't a follower, his big hit, Music, was a massive and well-deserved hit, and IMO one of many "prog" hit singles that blessed the 70s along with the likes of "Band On The Run", "I'm Mandy, Fly Me", "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Question". Ah, the good old day, where there might be 1 or 2 singles in the top 20 you didn't like. Now, it's the other way round!


    Speaking of BoRap, you would need to be well blessed in the gonad dept. to take that on live. Here's John, doing just that:

    John Miles Bohemian Rhapsody Night of the Proms 1998 - YouTube


    RIP.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • The latest departure is reggae bassist Robbie Shakespeare of Sly & Robbie. Bar the occasional track here and there I've never been a reggae fan but Robbie S was innovative and influential, with a very distinctive sound. He was highly respected and ended up working with a wide range of artists.

    Abandon all reason

  • Sad news tonight of the passing of the most talented of the Monkees, indeed, his finest work was after they were over, IMO. Michael Nesmith was a true talent, and as evidence, if you have a couple of hours to spare, I suggest you watch this entire set of youtube videos of his 1981 "Video Record", Elephant Parts.

    Elephant Parts (1981) - YouTube

    As well as some great songs, it could leave you asking "Does humour belong in music?" in which case, here he is with Frank Zappa.

    Mike Nesmith & Frank Zappa - The Monkees - YouTube

    But which is which?


    RIP Michael, you were a true one-off.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • Yes, sad to see him go. Great memories of watching The Monkees TV show in Canada as a kid. Never missed it. Love watching the reruns too. RIP Michael :(


    One of his more popular compositions. A big hit for Linda Ronstadt.

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  • It sure must have been hard for Michael Nesmith to hear from a manager or promoter when he was asking to get their band name to be legalized for authorship and brand copyrights who said to him: " yeah, I see your desire but you are NOT REAL" meaning the Monkees were a TV show but not a rock act. I'm glad he got the recognition he deserved later in his career. RIP

  • Don't think this got discussed here and I've only just stumbled across that music photographer Mick Rock, referred to as "the man who photographed the 70s" died last month. He was especially known for capturing some of the best-known Bowie images as well as doing some of his videos and album covers. His work is absolutely saturated in 70s rock music. It's a very sad loss.

    Abandon all reason

  • RIP to Betty White. :(


    @99


    Died missing her 100th birthday. Love by everyone on stage and film industry.

    Rip indeed.


    I have to say though, and I think the grand dame herself would approve, the phrasing in your post had me picturing a group of her friends and family all gathered together, waiting to surprise her for her 100th birthday, while she was out doing something insane like base jumping off a skyscraper, an endeavor which she unfortunately did not survive.

  • One of my Dad's best friends, Jaap, lost his wife, Anja, to COVID earlier tonight. She was 61. Fully vaccinated but sadly she was unlucky.


    This is the third time now my family has lost someone due to COVID-19. First my dear Uncle Brian, who was like a grandfather to me because both my grandfathers died before my birth. He sadly died just before the vaccine rollout. Then one of our neighbours, old Mr. Pinner, who used to look after me when I was little whenever my parents had to go out. He had his first vaccine, but died before his second one. He wasn't in good health, but it was still sad to hear.


    Now one of my Dad's best friends lost his wife, and she was taken far too soon. They visited us a couple of times and we visited them over in the Netherlands back in 2011. Jaap and Anja were such lovely people and took us all over the place - to Rotterdam, a beautiful Dutch park with a koi pond, a model village, and on a ferry trip.


    I'm now honestly terrified of who this virus going to take next. Three people I knew, all gone. Just taken away from us. I also lost my Great Aunt Joan last year, although she died due to old age (she was 95) instead of the virus. Even so, another death. So it's actually four people I've lost since late 2020.

  • I'm so very sorry, NSOV. How tragic. We too have people close to us who've died of COVID. My wife and I just don't go anywhere. We're fully vaccinated, with a booster shot as well. All of our groceries are delivered, and I haven't been in a store in 2 years. My 83-year-old mom got COVID, but she survived with very few symptoms. We didn't even have a Christmas celebration this year because some family members weren't feeling well. As you mentioned, Anja was unlucky. It's tough times right now. I wish you and your loved ones peace and comfort.

  • I'm so very sorry, NSOV. How tragic. We too have people close to us who've died of COVID. My wife and I just don't go anywhere. We're fully vaccinated, with a booster shot as well. All of our groceries are delivered, and I haven't been in a store in 2 years. My 83-year-old mom got COVID, but she survived with very few symptoms. We didn't even have a Christmas celebration this year because some family members weren't feeling well. As you mentioned, Anja was unlucky. It's tough times right now. I wish you and your loved ones peace and comfort.

    Thank you CountingOutTime for your touching response. :) Also great to hear your mother survived, that must have been a very scary experience. And although my family did celebrate Christmas last year, sadly my half-sister, who usually visits every Christmas, couldn't be here because she caught COVID just before Christmas and had to self-isolate. She recovered but it was a shame she couldn't attend. Lots of people we know have had it - our nextdoor neighbours, our handyman, some of Mum and Dad's other friends. None of the people in my household have had it and we are staying as safe as we can, always wearing masks and limiting contact where possible.