Mick Green

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Michael Robert Green (22 February 1944 – 11 January 2010)^[1] was an English rock and roll guitarist who played with The Pirates (with and without Johnny Kidd), Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

Biography

Born Michael Robert Green, in

Green reformed the Pirates with Farley and Spence in 1976 (Kidd having died in 1966). Over the next five years they became one of the hardest-gigging bands on the road and released four albums: Out of Their Skulls (1977), Skull Wars (1978), Happy Birthday Rock'n'Roll (1979) and the ten-inch A Fistful of Dubloons (1981). Green played the Fender Telecaster Custom produced in 1972 as his main guitar.

Green was also a member of the band Shanghai, which released two albums, in 1974 and 1976, and supported Status Quo on their Blue for You tour. Together with Quo member Alan Lancaster he wrote four songs recorded by Status Quo.^[7]

In the 1980s and 1990s, Green played with, amongst others,

In his spare time he taught guitar privately, as well as at various local schools.

In 1990, Green played guitar with Lemmy and the Upsetters on their "Blue Suede Shoes" / "Paradise" single. The A-side was originally recorded for a charity album, and Green wrote the B-side with Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister for this occasional Upsetters project.

From 1999 to 2008, Green performed regularly with the Van Morrison band. He played guitar on 1999's Back on Top and he appeared on his other studio albums up until he was on five of the tracks on Van Morrison's 2008 album, Keep It Simple.

In 2007, he recorded a six track mini-album, Cutthroat and Dangerous in Finland with the Finnish rock'n'roll trio, Doctor's Order.

In February 2004, while on stage with Bryan Ferry in Auckland, New Zealand, Green suffered a cardiac arrest. His life was saved by two doctors in the crowd and following his return to England and recovery he carried on playing. He suffered kidney problems in February 2009, partly connected with his earlier heart problem.

Death

Mick Green died of heart failure on 11 January 2010 in King George Hospital, Ilford, Essex. His wife Karen, sons Lloyd and Brad and daughter-in-law Hannah were at his side. In light of his death, The Pirates disbanded.

On 27 November 2010, the Mick Green tribute gig was held at the 100 Club and featured the Animals and the Wilko Johnson Band. Fellow Pirate shipmate and close friend Johnny Spence closed the evening together with Mick's two sons (Brad on guitar and Lloyd on bass) performing several of the Pirates' back catalogue. His son Lloyd Green now plays bass guitar in critically acclaimed blues rock band The Milk Men.

References