JBK - Plaster The Magic Tongue

[Millf42]

Hi Moodyb thank you so much for uploading this. I have the album but it's wonderful to see/hear it live. I wish I had been there. Bless you!

[fransings4u]

Miss you Mick! Glad to have known you! Your music soothes me....I'll NEVER forget you!

[jansongs]

First time I ve heard or seen this; what was I doing in 1997? Its fantastic music and I especially like Mick`s expression at 5.27, it looks like he is happy with all he has done up to that point.

Would ve been his birthday today, RIP.

[shinysynthcity]

Mick Karn you legend.

[boomsnarecrash]

This rubbish about his vocals...go listen to your Lady Gaga would you?

[brad42948]

Wonderful musicanship... despite Mick's vocals! Seriously, he is missed so much... such talent. Every time I hear his playing, it's so sad that there will be no more; never occured to me the last time I saw them live that would be the last. Awesome drumming; keys tasetful and understated as always. Love the displacements.

[DrHeckill]

Wonderful concert. Is it available on DVD?

[davideffamykwk]

i love this video its good to see mick having a good time.RIP Mick

[davideffamykwk]

i love this video its nice to see mick having a good time.RIP Mick

[heksje69]

Best fretless bass player ever..

[adammakarski]

Mick was the reason why I began to play bass. Rest in peace.

[marious888]

God bress you Mick! See you in heaven!

[frogspawn1969]

Brilliant!

[shergold]

Love this performance, the world has lost one of the greatest bassists ever. RIP Mick Karn.

[KessieKessie]

RIP MICK

[zofo666]

Sheer brilliance and i quite like the intonations of his voice,as being eastern origin,their sense of scale and melody glides between "western scales".

On a more serious note,i hope we don't lose this talented human being any time soon,he has much left to reach musically!

[redarmr]

Ha ha; that´s great to see SW with that hair!!!!

Mick is the best, but not at singing, God bless him. BE WELL SOON MICK!!!

I know you will!

[joziguy]

MoodyB - thank you. I am also visiting all his Youtube vids and doing same. Time will run out soon. Much appreciation. R

[moodyb]

@joziguy

My pleasure...I wish I had the time and resources to do more...

[pawnsacrifice1]

I moved onto lead guitar but Mick will always be the man on bass

[moodyb]

Mick is seriously ill, please donate to his appeal here:

mickkarn.net

[ronbo11]

@moodyb You can go to nightporter.co.uk/pages/bass_a­uction.html to learn about a bass auction with the proceeds going to the Mick Karn Appeal to help this great bassist and his family during his recent time of need fighting cancer.

[moodyb]

@ronbo11

Indeed, I am doing my best to be part of the process...Keep your eyes peeled for another special auction very soon...

[Xtr41]

In Karn's autobiography you find out Sylvian receives nearly all the royalties for all the Japan work. I still cant get over that... Im now an Ex-David Sylvian fan.

[jezzyby47]

@Xtr41 - Why? He wrote the songs so he gets the royalties. That's how it works. The others will get royalties if their name is on there in writing credits.

[Xtr41]

typical split is lyricist 50% - writers of the music the other 50%. Sylvian took nearly all of it. The other member wrote some incredibly unique music and got next to nothing for it.

[jezzyby47]

@Xtr41 - Are you sure about that split?

Sylvian will have wrote the melodies as well as the lyrics, and as a guitarist and keyboard player will have got part of the music share too. Didn't know it was a 50/50 split though, never got as far as publishing myself.

[zazz63]

great bass..... awful singing.

[FLORENT2222]

75% of Japan, but 100% talented !

[paintedship]

75%? what about Rob Dean?

[MichaDuboff]

The great bass player does not mean-good singer

[rickk4art]

wow what a great band and Mick as always is incredable!

[bobtherelevator]

steven wilson shud have played guitar on oil on canvas.

[salmurph]

If only Mr Sylvian would make it a quartet one more time (or am I "drowning in my nostalgia"..?)

[FLORENT2222]

maybe one day !!!

[stellestar101]

Nothing like live music. Wish I was there.

[vanbastenrick]

Great!

[InsaneEyesMINI]

"quote pleutman" - "i like the off key because he is using eastern shruti grace notes..these don't occur in the western musicological scale system "

man, you said it ALL, his singing is BEST! i am so sad because people misinterpretate this fcukin' heavenly vocal stuff as "off key" singing ..or... "it's hard to sing and play so it's okay" :(

i watched this video for about.. umm. 200 times in last couple of years? WOWWOW!

MY ADDRESS FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME!

[MobiusBandwidth]

some people just can't handle microtones. :p there are more than 12 notes! :D

[ManyGodz]

A rippin bassline from Karn,and beautiful funk from the entire band.I dig the flute!

[CusterFlux]

Easily, one of the best rhythm sections of the last 100 years: Jansen and Karn can hold a groove so hard it's scary.

If there's one high Robert Plant's never experienced but should, it's singing with these guys, they'd get each other - but it might be somewhat frightening, 'cause they're all soo good.

[sorenrules]

I'm not crazy about his singing; but as a singing bass player myself, I have to say this is fantastic. His ability to sing while playing this interesting bass lines is simply awesome!

[relayer43]

I second that (the part about singing & playing). I'll cut him some slack on the vocals though - they're a little flat, but that could very well be a monitor issue. Other than the flatness, I don't mind his voice at all, and of course he's a phenomenally unique bassist!

[pleutman]

i like the off key because he is using eastern shruti grace notes..these don't occur in the western musicological scale system and only with the eastern modal systems that do not modulate to another key.if you are not familiar with eastern music it can sound dissonant to your familiarity.the fletless lends itself perfect for this,because it is not a tempered instrument and has infinate color within its compass.. Karnatic music!

[pleutman]

Like this!! quite bowie like (fame/its no game/fashion)and maybe chilli's without the boyish bullshit...but ultimately mick karns own,more mature and darker;i love the funky utilisation of that eastern scale sound,and his kinaesthetic sence on that fretless is supreme,better than jaco i recon because his bass lines actually says something definate..he digs jazz believe so his musicological spectrum is probably advanced..looks cool and relaxed with his hair down,good voice as well!!

[FAUVEEX]

greek taste & rock music are mixed...

Typical Mick's style, it's so cool, I love it !

If only David sings on this tune...

[sebolon]

It would be quite interesting to know how Mick plays..

[banensys]

awesome! the best bass line i've ever heard!

[moonloop07]

Great group!!! Steven Wilson is the best!!!

[FLORENT2222]

the dream team !!!

[boongg]

How can Mick play that unconventional bass line and sing at the same time?

[FLORENT2222]

because he is a genius !!

[furyplum44]

Richard Barbieri is a synth god.....QED

[nukebass]

Damn! What a GROOVE! Mick Karn really know how to play tha Bass!

[PAULLONDEN]

Soo true,he's brilliant,but....

sadly not in the vocal department.

[luistun]

J ansen B arbieri K arn. done.

[jsilence418]

Beautiful ,original fretless. Nice to see a bassplayer avoiding popping and slapping for a change although that is good inits place too! thank you for the post !

[r3ality1]

This is my favorite song by Mick... on the album. Not the greatest performance live, but still very cool to see. Mick is still one of my favorite musicians around. Love it. This groove is just SICK. :)

[HollywoodWags]

Nice drumming.

[ajittffcure]

Amazing bass playing by Mick Karn. Yes, Steve Jansen is a great drummer!

[Maxiclaudi]

He certainly is, on his own too. Theo Travis was great on Dave´s tour too. And Mick can sing, but not live on stage. He does need the studio and its technicalities. Practice might makesperfect, or not.

[Fairlight60]

Steven Wilson had way more hair back then! (... and arguably more talent, as he had not sold out yet...)

[underwhiteclouds]

we all have to pay the bills...

[M1nstr3l]

i do believe he had not written deadwing back then.

[Fairlight60]

He hadn't indeed; in '97 he was between Signify and Stupid Dream, at the top of his creativity if you ask me! ;-)

[M1nstr3l]

i honor your opinion but i seriously find it kinda dull to call someone like wilson a sellout.

[crosspaths10]

Mick's voice is kind of charming. I have his album "Titles" and absolutely love it.

[DerVampyrEngel]

I have that album too crosspaths

[MystikWolf83]

I would like to see him and Geddy Lee of Rush get into a bass-off. LoL

[cisco9x]

Mick is a crap vocalist but is the God of bass

[nigelartist]

BRILLIANT bass player but needs work on his voice!

Jansen is one underrated drummer. Probably overshadowed by Karn!

[MystikWolf83]

I read that Mick was originally going to front Japan instead of Sylvian at one time.

[amdby1967]

they should've let steve jansen sing, he's got a pretty decent voice. Or better still, they should've written the songs and arranged everything, and then, if they felt like it, and only if they felt like it, invited sylvian around as guest vocalist, ....keep the control freak in his place, whilst harnessing his voice. Just kidding David, we aa love yer.

[usignup]

Charles Mingus and Thelonius Monk couldn't sing either-but they tried.

a bass god like karn has every right to self indulge if he so chooses.

He is an Institution in and of himself.

A pioneer in Bass.

check the "titles" album for a better example of his singing.

[jenniferBG]

i love titles too he can do no wrong in my eyes

[Mascara78]

They are ALL so EQUALLY talented. But Nick Karn... no... he can't sing. But he's a wicked bass player! The lyrics seem decent. Love him.

[jenniferBG]

my hero he can come and devour me any day

[larkydozer]

Ouch. So much is off key. I think the drummer is the most talented of the old Japan guys.

[bobbybuttmunch]

I loved Japan and Mick Karn is a bass god but.........not at all sure about his lead vocals. Mick....stick to what you're good at......My bass hero.

[Sproutsaint]

Mick is as cool as f**k. You try singing and playing bass this well!

[sofybabes]

You can sing however ya like if you can play bass like that!

[akumal999]

Maybe i'm the only one here that isn't bothered by his voice then..

[citic101]

Mick you cant sing face it !

[NevermorePsalm]

lol look at how long stevens hair was

[MichaDuboff]

Mick is the bassplayer with great concept of style, but with singing ....

It could be better to let girls to sing or just play instrumental

My respect to Mick!

[moodyb]

Lol, Mick, by his admittance has noted that he has difficulty singing and playing at the same time...

[purpledawg49]

bad ass bass

[karentwig]

blimely i've loved this song for over 5 years and it's amazing to see a live version on you tube!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[adewolf]

Jaco lives..Great stuff...

Excellent balance of funk/jazz/rock/experimental

[hapidjus]

Mick's voice seems a bit off key... It's a great song, though.

[dixgun]

tops. i want more.