Another old friend gone

[ericcoleman]

There was this guy, he was one of my father's students. He played a lot of music for me when I was a kid, guaranteeing that my mind would be warped forever. Things like 60s Zappa records and Captain Beefheart. He was the reason I turned my back on mainstream music and became a fan of the stuff I listen to.

He died Wednesday.

RIP Mike Frisbie.

Comments

[born-to-me.livejournal.com]

*hug* I'm so, so sorry. Thank goodness for his influence on you, though! :-)

[quadrivium.livejournal.com]

*Hugs*

[awfulhorrid.livejournal.com]

He obviously had a good influence on you. Play on and remember that. *hugs*

[imwalrus.livejournal.com]

We worked together at Drake University, at a radio station, on a "free paper" and in the music department of a major bookstore. Even though we didn't always stay in touch as consistantly as I would have liked, he was my friend for over 34 years.

My kid sister used to babysit his daughters...and the oldest seemed to take great pleasure in stealing my hat! But they were good kids and he tried to raise them right.

We had this thing that started at the radio station. We would think up weird concert lineups and give them names. I'm afraid I started it with the double-bill of Dire Straits and Chris Rea - the "Dire Rea Tour". It continued through our days selling music. "Blind Faith Hill" "Donovan Morrison" "ELOJays" "Fleetwood Mac Davis" "Kenny G Love & Special Sauce" "Lou Christie Minstrels" "Theminem" and more. He was one of the few that shared my sensibilities and I miss our endless discussions about music. At least I thought they were endless.

When I was much much younger, sixty seemed really really old. Not so much anymore. Mike, we hardly knew ye. You are missed.

[ravenclaw-eric.livejournal.com]

Did he ever teach junior high? I had a "Mr. Frisbie" in junior high school.

[ericcoleman]

Not to my knowledge, he would have lived in Des Moines when you were in Jr High

"Saddened" is a cliché

[(Anonymous)]

I liked--loved, I suppose--Mike Frisbie from the moment I met him almost 31 years ago. He was bright, learned, funny and a gentle soul. Life was harder on him than he deserved. We sort of lost touch when I moved away to other places. I guess I lived under the fiction that he was having a bad patch, that he had only snuck off to lick his wounds in private. It would just be a matter of time before he reappeared, a little worse for wear, but with his spirit intact. Unfortunately that wasn't so.

The world, and myself, are poorer for his passing but richer for having known him as we did. Godspeed, Mike.

Bill Pierce
Now of Burlington, Ontario

Re: "Saddened" is a cliché

[ericcoleman]

Wow, hi Bill, it's been a very long time.