RIP Micky Mann

A friend died the other day and I mourned his passing, Micky Mann, sound engineer and ex-EOD, though not for very long, he thought it "dangerous." Whatev, I remember asking him at the Duke of York on Grays Inn Road, now the hideously anemic Clerk & Well, what some song sounded like. He replied, "Like a manta ray, hovering about 50 meters above the floor. A deep red." Thanks, fella, now we know. What a great guy, here's an obit:

A talented sound engineer and producer from Aberdeen who toured the world with various famous faces has died at the age of 65.

Mickey Mann was born in June 1960 and raised in the Kennethmont area, attending the Gordon Schools as a child.

His mother’s side of the family were from Huntly, while his dad grew up in Torry.

At age 16, Mickey started working at Royal Cornhill Hospital where he met two psychiatric nurses, Colin Angus and Will Sinnott, who would ultimately change his life.

The duo went on to form electronic dance band The Shamen in 1985 and invited Mickey to join them on tour. This is where he discovered his “ear” for music and started his career as Mr Mann.

“He walked into it with no training,” his sister Jane Mann told The Press and Journal.

“He was a natural talent, Mickey had an ear for being a sound engineer and a producer.”

Mickey Mann toured the world

Mickey lived and worked in Aberdeen for several years in the 70s and 80s – and then went on to tour the world.

“He worked his way up,” Jane said. “After a few months in the army at 15 he went on to work at Cornhill.

“He worked his way round different wards at the hospital, but mainly with psychiatric patients.

“Mickey always cared about people.”

He remained generous throughout his music career, even helping a band he met in the pub record their first album for free.

“He got on with everybody,” Jane added.

Mickey took on the role of manager for The Shamen, best known for hit song Ebeneezer Goode, and booked Orbital as their support act for a gig.

He went on to become their “third member” and worked with the electronic music duo, featuring brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, for 20 years.

Decades working as Mr Mr Mann

Mickey’s music career spanned decades and involved him working as a producer, manager and songwriter.

At one stage, he was considered the “third best sound engineer in the world”.

“He worked with so many artists and bands,” his sister Jane said.

“And he was always off somewhere, I remember him calling me from Prince’s house in the US once.

“Mickey worked with Kylie, toured with Nirvana for six months and Moby for years, and he was on Top of the Pops.

“He would have had thousands of stories to share.”

In more recent years, Mickey has battled a number of illnesses which forced him to step away from music.

He suffered a heart attack on June 3 and died in hospital in London on June 9.

 

I tell you, he was one of a kind. Rest in peace, Micky,

LSP

Rest in Peace

 

My Mother-in-Law died last Saturday after a long and very difficult illness. She did so with the Rites of the Church, and many thanks go out to the faithful priests in Calgary who were there for her and her family. 

She was a most forgiving person but tough for all that, growing up in Corsicana during the War. She once said to me, "When I was that age I thought there wasn't a horse I couldn't ride." Respect.

Her Requiem is set, tentatively, for next week. Please pray for the repose of her soul. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Yours,

LSP

Shrines on New Years Eve

 

After reading LL's reflection on Guan Gong, it struck me that 1: I do not have a shrine or even a statue of the Chinese God of War but 2: I do have a shrine. It's just above my desk, aka "kitchen counter" and consists of a flag, crucifix and an Our Lady of Walsingham prayer card.

Not very warlike perhaps but appropriate for a padre, I think. That said, pistols, kukris, assorted bay'nets and knives have been known to find their way onto the multifunctional worksurface of the office, ahem, kitchen.

Dog

Speaking of which, many clergy keep something called "office hours." Off they drive to their churches, sit at a desk from 9-5 and then go home to their place in the suburbs. Almost as though they've taken "middle management" as some kind of beastly model or paradigm for ministry.

Never done such a thing, with one notable exception I've always lived next to the church. On the job which isn't a job but a way of life. That this has been in rural Texas for over a decade is providential, God has been very kind.

Just some trucks

This in mind, may He give us all every blessing from the beyond reckoning abundance of His grace in the coming year. More on that later, in the meanwhile, happy, almost, New Year. And pray for the repose of the soul of Benedict XVI, an exemplary servant of God.

Your Old Pal,

LSP

Tim Page RIP

Thanks to Wild I know that legendary war photographer Tim Page has died in his late 70s, may he rest in peace. Page was remarkable for his photography of the SE Asian conflict and I wish I'd met him.

But it wasn't to be, he was doubtless more concerned with other things, like moving to Australia, curiously. Brisbane aside, Page certainly shot the war, respect.

I first heard about him from Michael Herr's psychedelic book Dispatches, which had a deleterious impact on several levels. Regardless, Page's photography was outstanding.

May he rest in peace. In related news, a Gathering of Eagles is scheduled in London Sept/Oct, depending on Whitehall. See you there, Mandarins nothwithstanding, on the steps of St. Paul's.

Lee Ho Fooks,

LSP

Broumas Memorial Park

Well it's all fine and dandy until a literal TANK starts rolling. I know you know, but there it is, these massive beasts, rolling on, and utter respect to LT. COL Broumas. He died in '69 with a chestful of medals and grateful vets set up a memorial park in Fort Hood. Look, here's a Priest:

And a tank. Note the Fiddy

Low Pro? Yet another Fiddy (above) and some typical Sov rubbish from Iraq. Check it out:

 Jagdpanzers in UKR? Still, what a massive beast. But I like this little fella, handy range taxi, eh?

Panzers roll,

LSP