Rolling Obituary Thread: 2021

Malcolm Cecil, master synthesist and member of Tonto's Expanding Head Band

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of the legendary creative genius, musician, engineer, producer, & synthesizer pioneer, Malcolm Cecil, show here w his creation TONTO. He passed away today at 1:17am after a long illness. #malcolmcecil #TONTO #moog pic.twitter.com/yYqcmuf5AV

— Bob Moog Foundation (@MoogFoundation) March 28, 2021

Oh shame, RIP Malcolm.

Brian Rohan, who defended Ken Kesey and the Grateful Dead and others from drug busts in the sixties and onwards.

https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/sf-brian-rohan-grateful-dead-kesey-summer-of-love-16059011.php

Also became a music lawyer, which leads to this 'what the' anecdote in the story:

Thanks to his association with the Dead, Rohan also became a music lawyer. In 1966, he helped the band negotiation its first contract with Warner Bros. His advocacy for his clients sometimes turned physical, as columnist Herb Caen recounted in 1977. Rohan was in attendance at Clive Davis' Grammy Awards party when he spotted record producer David Geffen. “Brian has been stewing for some time because Geffen refuses to return his phone calls and besides that ‘has stepped on my clients,'" Caen wrote.

Rohan reportedly walked up to Geffen and said, "David, here or outside?" to which Geffen retorted, "Get lost."

“I am going to shove your face into the marmalade,” was Rohan's reply.

“Being on a low-calorie diet, Geffen turned away, at which Rohan grabbed him by his hand-stitched lapels, stood him upright and belted him,” Caen wrote. Bob Dylan’s lawyer allegedly quipped, “I wish I’d done that.”

Damn, RIP Malcolm Cecil

RIP Cecil. My partner follows an event series called Ambient Church that does various kinds of ambient music/art performances at church spaces in Brooklyn... she'd been to some and wanted me to check it out, and I recognized TONTO in his bio I think, and we ended up seeing him play at the Bushwick Methodist Church three years ago, with projection by the artist Paloma Kop. It was a really cool show and very absorbing/meditative, I dug it. Afterwards his people were selling copies of his 1981 album Radiance for cheap (I think he said while onstage that a bunch had recently been found in a storage unit or an attic or something) so I grabbed one, it's been good listening from time to time. My best photo of Cecil didn't really showcase what the projection was doing unfortunately, but it got the color/lighting intensity pretty close. Obviously he'll be best remembered for TONTO and especially their work for Wonder, but on top of that I'm glad I have a nice memory of that show to draw on.

RIP Ethiopian independent record label owner Ali Tango Kaifa ( per Facebook (

Ali Birra , Mahmoud Ahmed ( Ethiopiques #7 ) and non Ethiopiques Aster Aweke all first came out on Ali “Tango” Kaifa ‘s Kaifa records . Sadly , Ali Kaifa has just passed , I see on Facebook. His role has been analogized to Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic, and Berry Gordy at Motown. Here’s a 2016 article on him:

https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/ali-kaifa-man-who-built-ethiopia%E2%80%99s-motown

Hasn't made the rounds yet, but have it from a personal friend and mentee of his that light and sound artist Tony Martin has passed away. More on him and his work here:
https://bombmagazine.org/articles/the-variable-place-of-tony-martin/

G. Gordon Liddy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/gordon-liddy-dead/2021/03/30/4d50c40c-91ae-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html

Ratfuck in peace

People You Thought Were Already...

have fun sucking dicks in hell, gordo

No take on G. Gordon Liddy will ever top Richard Nixon's assessment of the man on the "smoking gun" tapehttps://t.co/IRwXsr7Vwa pic.twitter.com/JRuMMFOP0z

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 31, 2021

REAGANLAND, p. 779. Rest in pieces. pic.twitter.com/2SlcckoQWt

— Rick Perlstein (@rickperlstein) March 31, 2021

LOL at Perlstein citing his own book. But, he did write it!

Rodion Roşca, better known as Rodion GA, pioneering Romanian electronic musician from 1970s and 1980s.

https://www.news.ro/entertainment/rodion-ga-considerat-parintele-muzicii-electronice-din-romania-a-murit-1922401027002021031320082801

Google translate required for everyone but pom.

Yeah, my Duolingo Romanian is not what I hoped it would be by now.

Patrick Juvet, Swiss singer best known for the disco hits “Got A Feeling” and “I Love America”, 70.

RIP Rodion GA. :(

War bassist B. B. Dickerson

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9550962/bb-dickerson-dead-war-founding-member

War Bassist - you were a War Bassist

The puppeteering world lost a legend yesterday. Phil Eason. He had worked on Star Wars, Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, Little Shop of Horrors, and luckily for us, Yonderland. He was Demon Jeff amongst others. A lovely, funny man who will be sadly missed by all who knew him. pic.twitter.com/B5rQ5GvcUT

— Jim Howick (@JimHowick) April 6, 2021

pouring one out for Patrick Juvet, the blond Swiss disco queen (although I’m aware he was more than only that)

Paul Ritter AKA Martin from Friday Night Dinner

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/apr/06/friday-night-dinner-star-paul-ritter-dies-of-brain-tumour-at-54

SHIT ON IT

Oh man, RIP, excellent actor.

I only really know him from Chernobyl and Wolf Hall both of which he was v good in.

https://cdni.rbth.com/rbthmedia/images/2019.06/original/5d0766a885600a61e21617ae.jpg

he as great as the bad guy in Chernobyl

Very talented actor.

Sarah Hughes, Guardian/Observer journalist, yesterday, after a long struggle with breast cancer (she filed her last piece Sunday).

It was only a couple of days ago that I learned that both of the grandmas of Friday Night Dinner passed away last year. But now Paul Ritter?!! No!!
Martin Goodman is one of the best comedy characters ever. RIP

I'd never have guessed he was only 54...

Oh, that’s sad about Sarah Hughes. I avidly read her GoT episode recaps and became very fond of her writing.

Also rather sad about Boiling Paul Ritter, I was advertised FND on All 4 yesterday and thought I really should do a rewatch.

Sarah only recapped Line of Duty on Sunday! Probably with an advance screener, but still!

Anne Beatts, National Lampoon/SNL writer in the early years and TV show creator/producer, most legendarily the guiding force behind Square Pegs. Seeing a number of Twitter mentions but no specific story yet.

This one panel, from National Lampoon circa 1973, is brilliant - and of course it's probably 50x as relevant now as it was then.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EyeXG5dUUAEmCiN.jpg

tag yourself I'm the hat guy

Two of them are splitting a Hitler impression between them.

No full confirmation yet but it does appear that DMX has passed.

And also maybe not.

Prince Philip

bout fucking time

Prince Philip like you've never seen him before!

#princephilipisoverparty

congratulations to DMX on outliving Prince Phil.

Nicholas Witchell insisting that the duke, despite being dead, is “in good spirits”.

— Elvis Buñuelo (@Mr_Considerate) April 9, 2021

Nicholas Witchell said the brought some much needed colour to the royal family, which explains why Meghan was surplus to requirements.

They already had a Greek in the family, innit peeps?

Guessing there won't be thousands of mourners lining the funeral route, although it could be a good gammonicide opportunity if there were.

Bye!

In c̶e̶l̶e̶b̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ memory let’s look at these “occasional frank comments” Prince Philip made shall we?

— Kate Middleton Hate Account (@mayavado) April 9, 2021