TPI_March

TRIBUTE: Mick Kluczynski
MARK CUNNINGHAM
REFLECTS ON THE SAD
PASSING OF A LIVE
PRODUCTION ICON...
MICK KLUCZYNSKI:
A Life Well Lived
Last month’s TPi Awards 2009 event was version of The Dark Side Of The Moon to their Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters offered his own
dedicated to production management live set. personal tribute: “I hadn’t seen Mick Kluczynski
maestro Mick Kluczynski, a true legend and Mick became one of the band’s famed ‘Quad for many years, but I remember him very well.
a dear friend of the live music industry, who Squad’ and will be remembered with fondness He was his own man in the best possible way;
sadly passed away, aged 59, on the night of by his former colleagues, including Robbie he had that very dry Scots wit that brightens our
Friday 6 February after a short illness. He is Williams who said: “Mick was the ﬁ rst person days and as I recall could dead lift a thousand
survived by his wife, Mari, to whom we send who I worked alongside when I started with pounds.
our deepest condolences. Pink Floyd in 1972. “None of the band of Floydian brothers,
At the time of his death, Mick was “His larger than life character introduced me musos, roadies, whatever, from those early
spearheading the preparations for yet another to touring and his experience help me to survive days, will ever forget the 28 fried eggs. I send
BRIT Awards — the event he had worked on for life on the road. He will be sadly missed.” my heartfelt condolences to his family and close
more than a decade — although he had told TPi Chris Adamson took a break from rehearsals friends and offer my deep respect to the man.”
just before Christmas that he was planning to in the States with Fleetwood Mac to tell me:
retire immediately afterwards. “One of the things I’ll always remember about TRUE BRIT
the Floyd crew and As well as touring with Pink Floyd, Mick was
band members part of the equation when the band founded
“He was his own man in the best possible way.
— was that we loved Britannia Row to make their equipment available
None of the band of Floydian brothers,
a silly bet, especially for hire when they were off the road. “It was
Mick. Mick and Robbie Williams who essentially ran
musos, roadies, from those early days, will ever
“We were with the audio department,” said Bryan Grant, Brit
forget the 28 fried eggs...” Roger Waters
the band in France Row’s MD.
while they worked on “When we decided to establish a New York
the soundtrack of La ofﬁ ce and warehouse, with a view to attracting
Born in Aberdeen on March 30 1949, Vallée [Obscured By Clouds] and to break the American clients, it was Mick who volunteered
Mick’s professional career began in 1968 with boredom, someone put a bet on me not being to cross the Atlantic and help set-up the
the Inverness band Spiggy Topes whilst also able to eat a stone of raw potatoes which, as it organisation.”
working as a local promoter. But it was in 1972 turned out, wasn’t a problem! Mick responded After founding the company’s US operation
that he seized his ﬁ rst major break, when Chris by eating a vast quantity of fried eggs! On a around 1978, Mick soon turned freelance and
Adamson invited him to join the Pink Floyd crew serious note, Mick was a great guy and it was a worked on several leading tours throughout the
as the band were introducing an in-progress pleasure to call him a friend.” ’80s, most notably as production manager for
06 • TPi MARCH 09
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