Here's flowers for a far sadder occasion.
Social media, the down side: I am aggrieved to learn from same of the passing of someone I only met in correspondence, but from that knew him to be a genuinely nice and generous person, a true music professional and yet still an enthusiastic music fan. Rest in peace SKIP GILDERSLEEVE. My heartfelt condolences to his wife Hiroko, family and friends in Michigan. The terrible news came today.
He was a longterm music tech/road crew pro for Bob Seger, many others (see Nite Bob's quote below) and known by all as a terrific human being. When I was immobilized for months with broken limbs earlier this last year, Skip sent me personalized FunPaks of dvds and cds galore that he knew I'd appreciate. We both loved the music of Iggy and The Stooges, Parliament Funkadelic, reggae, Dylan, etc. etc. etc.
Social media, the down side: I am aggrieved to learn from same of the passing of someone I only met in correspondence, but from that knew him to be a genuinely nice and generous person, a true music professional and yet still an enthusiastic music fan. Rest in peace SKIP GILDERSLEEVE. My heartfelt condolences to his wife Hiroko, family and friends in Michigan. The terrible news came today.
He was a longterm music tech/road crew pro for Bob Seger, many others (see Nite Bob's quote below) and known by all as a terrific human being. When I was immobilized for months with broken limbs earlier this last year, Skip sent me personalized FunPaks of dvds and cds galore that he knew I'd appreciate. We both loved the music of Iggy and The Stooges, Parliament Funkadelic, reggae, Dylan, etc. etc. etc.
From his colleague Nite Bob, "Rest in Peace Skip. A Stooges fanatic! He was at the Rock N Roll Farm club when Iggy Pop got knocked out by the bikers! (ed.- photo of same of the cover of 'Metallic K.O.' LP by Iggy and The Stooges, aural live document of same.) I met Skip at a New York Dolls show at the Michigan Palace way back in
1974...it was a blast to take him out with the 2005 version of the
Dolls...He was with Rush, when they opened for Aerosmith in 1977...we
toured with Nugent together and played in the crew band on that, we
toured the globe with Steely Dan and blasted Raw Power every chance we
had... I am shocked..."
My friend Kim Maki of Retrokimmer blog (LINK) on all things Detroit/Ann Arbor music and beyond has best summarized the shock felt, "I am truly grieved....he was so helpful and generous. He never craved attention, he just loved the music. Many times I tried to get him to do a story with me and he was too shy for that. I miss him already!"
Below, Skip flies over Osaka, Japan on a magic carpet ride...
After many years of friendship, guidance, laughter, anger, floored by the ineptitude of random humans, I am at a loss, and my heart is aching... My brother, I will think of you often, and always love you... I miss you already... Your brother, GK
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