R.I.P.s

[Doktor Avalanche]

Gary Kurfirst passed away on Tuesday, Jan 13th

Retrospective Highlights:

Over the course of four decades, Gary Kurfirst, known to insiders for his discerning taste, had been involved in record sales in excess of 100 million units worldwide. He has been pivotal in the careers and successes of major of recording artists, producers, film and video directors, agents, and major recording labels. Kurfirst's professional achievements continue to shape pop culture and influence the global music community.

Gary Kurfirst was responsible for bringing the sixties music revolution to New York. In 1967 he opened the doors to the infamous Village Theater later known as the Fillmore East, where he promoted the East Coast debuts of more than twenty icons including, Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, Janis Joplin, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page's Yardbirds. In 1968, at twenty years old and one year before Woodstock, he created the model for the contemporary music festival by producing and promoting the legendary New York Rock Festival at the Singer Bowl in Flushing Meadow Park where Hendrix, the Doors, Joplin, and the Who appeared together, among others. He was also at the forefront of bringing acid-rock guitar bands to the music community with the band Mountain, who he managed from 1967 to 1975.

In 1971 Kurfirst signed the Brazilian artist Deodato and helped guide his album to gold status and achieve a number-one single. In 1975 he helped Chris Blackwell introduce Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and reggae to America, delivering a new consciousness and sound to mass audiences. For the rest of the seventies and through the eighties Kurfirst rode a new wave of culture in an expanding musical landscape and signed the now-immortalized punk icons the Ramones, art-rockers Talking Heads, B52s, Annie Lennox's Eurythmics, and also Jane's Addiction who inspired the grunge music movement of the early nineties. His defense of creative expression earned both the Talking Heads and the Ramones induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. He holds the exclusive honor of having two management clients inducted in the same year, and he continues to manage and protect both bands' catalogs, images, and artistic integrity.

In 1984, 1986, and 1987 Kurfirst produced three feature-length films while simultaneously managing his impressive stable of platinum-selling recording artists. Respectively, they were the Talking Heads' critically acclaimed and award-winning concert film Stop Making Sense, directed by Jonathan Demme; the quirky satire of American life, True Stories, directed by David Byrne; and Siesta, directed by Mary Lambert and featuring an all-star cast including Jodi Foster, Ellen Barkin, Isabella Rossellini, and Martin Sheen, as well as a Miles Davis soundtrack.

In 1990 Kurfirst joined forces with MCA and launched Radioactive Records. His marketing strategies brought MCA rock credibility and their first modern music success of the era with Radioactive's band Live. The band has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, which include two number-one Billboard albums and dozens of number-one albums in international territories. Kurfirst also signed Shirley Manson in 1991 and then brokered her deal with Almo as the lead singer of Garbage who went on to sell more than 10 million albums.

In 2002 Kurfirst and longtime friend Chris Blackwell launched two new music ventures: a talent management company, Kurfirst-Blackwell Entertainment, and Rx Records, a uniquely structured imprint offering its artists more contractual flexibility and creative latitude than the majors. Entering the new millennium and drawing on his vast experience, resources, and network, Gary Kurfirstcontinued to develop careers and influence the expanding global market, pioneering new business models and creative marketing strategies.

[philipchevron]

(Sir) John Mortimer (85) playwright, lawyer, creator of Rumpole Of The Bailey

Though best known for his writing, Mortimer was a formidable QC and represented the defendants in both the Lady Chatterley's Lover and OZ obscenity trials. No doubt he was greatly aided in the former by a prosecution whose case was "Is this the sort of book you would allow your wife and servants to read?"

[dave 81]

RIP Billy Powell.

[firehazard]

John Martyn died today, aged 60.

RIP Johnny, we will truly miss you.

http://www.johnmartyn.com/

[Scottish Dubliner]

John Martyn died today, aged 60.

RIP Johnny, we will truly miss you.

http://www.johnmartyn.com/

Just heard this, been a huge fan for years, Solid Air was released the year I was born !!

Nearly bought tickets to go see him in Vicar Street in November, kinda wish I had now.


RIP John, Thanks for the music

[philipchevron]

John Martyn died today, aged 60.

RIP Johnny, we will truly miss you.

http://www.johnmartyn.com/

Sorry to hear this. Terry Woods introduced me to him at an airport once and he was charming, despite his rather forbidding reputation. John Martyn, not Terry. Or maybe that too.

[soulfinger]

John Martyn died today, aged 60.

RIP Johnny, we will truly miss you.

http://www.johnmartyn.com/

John Martyn was one of the first live acts I saw. I have a vague memory of one of the poly or university halls in Manchester and a very clear memory of Mr Martin saying "I'm not doing the next number until everybody's sat down and shut up"! What a top bloke.

[firehazard]

John Martyn was one of the first live acts I saw...

Me too. In fact he was either the first or the second. I haven't been able to remember which way round it was for a long time now. [It was back in student days. It was a rather confusing time.] Anyway, whatever the chronology, I first saw him at the Hammy Odeon, as was. And it was a memorable night. And I've seen him many a time since then, and he was one of the best live acts you could ever hope to see.

And later it turned out that he was one of Mme firehazard's favourites too. Was very shocked to hear the news yesterday. Despite his well-recorded health issues, he seemed sort of indestructible.

RIP John.

[Mike from Boston]

RIP Billy Powell.

I realize there aren't many Skynyrd fans here, but this is another really sad chapter in the band's and rock history.
I would claim that he was the most distinctive rock piano player since Jerry Lee Lewis.
I never had a chance to see Skynyrd, but one of my first concerts was the Rossington Collins Band at the Orpheum in 1982.
Even though they were comprised of the then surviving Skynyrd members, they played all original except they closed with an instrumental
Free Bird

[FAY]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n7KUUUdIOg

Rest in peace. When you're moving through solid air.

[Jon]

RIP Lux Interior

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/160433 ... tory.jhtml

[Nixon]

Lux Interior. A very sad loss. This has been a very bad start to the year, with Ron Asheton, John Martyn and now Lux. He will be missed. The Cramps were great.

[chinaski]

RIP Lux Interior

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/160433 ... tory.jhtml

holy shit that sucks. I guess he finally made it through The Green Door......

[philipchevron]

Blossom Dearie (84)

[soulfinger]

Blossom Dearie (84)

Oh that's sad. I remember when I first heard her and thought she was terrific; but I wouldn't believe that her name was really her name.